Prayer Requests

Military Police, Private First Class Stephen Marcum, 26, has been serving our country in Afghanistan. He was critically injured on October 15, 2009 when an IED incident occurred near the town of Kandahar. He is now in Washington D.C, where he has underwent several surgeries, some life threatening. He has extensive injuries to his legs, arms, face and head. He has regained consciousness, but is having trouble breathing and is on a respirator. His has a wife, Marybeth, who is expecting their 2nd child in four months, and a 3 year old son Donovan. Please pray for his speedy recovery and that God would comfort his family in this trying time. Also, let us never forget to pray for our military personnel, who put their lives on the line everyday fighting for our country and our freedoms.

Please pray for a 17 year old girl named Rifqa Bary. She is a Sri Lankan American from a Muslim family. She has converted from Islam to Christianity and is threatened with death for converting according to Islamic law. She is in need of our prayers for her protection and that she can be a witness to her people. If you would like to hear her story and learn more of why she needs our prayers you can visit this website http://rifqabary.com/howtohelp.html.

Count your blessings

Our pastor preached a message this past Sunday on counting your blessings. He said that we should think from time to time on how much God has blessed us with so we don’t forget how good He is to us. This got me thinking and this week I asked God to show me His blessings on my life and what they should mean to me, so every morning this week God has been filling my heart and opening my eyes to see them.
I have been privileged here of late to be able to teach Sunday school to kids between the ages of 6-10 at my church and the Lord was showing me what a blessing it is. This past Sunday He gave me a lesson to teach on prayer. What a privilege to teach kids the wonderful blessing that we have in being able to pray to the Almighty Creator of the Universe. That the very God who made everything we see wants to talk to us and wants to know us. He cares for our hurt and provides all that we need. He knows everything we are going through because He has been there Himself already. Prayer is truly one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. Kids just light up when you teach them about God, they are so hungry and want to drink up everything you have to tell them about God’s love. They are not yet like so many adults who have hardened their hearts and because of circumstances in their life blamed God instead of seeing that God is trying to woo them to Himself. Thank you God for the blessing of being able to teach children about you and your wonderful love.
I also just recently got married about 6 months ago. God has showed me how much of a blessing it is to have a husband who truly loves me dearly. I prayed a long time ago for God to send me the one that He wanted me to spend the rest of my life with. I’m so glad I put it in His hands because He truly does write the perfect love story. It’s also a blessing to know that when trials come we can go to the Lord in prayer together knowing He holds the answer and is right there ready to help. There are so many people who get married and never get to experience the kind of love that my husband and I share, so I know I am truly blessed.
The Biggest Blessing of all I have to say is having the Lord Jesus live in my heart. What a wondrous thought that God is so big he can be everywhere at once and yet so small he can live in men’s hearts. Jesus came to be the propitiation for our sins and to make it possible for us to have a relationship with him and His Father. Aren’t you glad that God didn’t give up on man although we deserved it many times down through the ages? God cared enough to send his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16. What a blessing it will be when we reach heaven someday and can thank Him face to face for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us.There are so many blessings in my life they would be too numerous to mention but I just wanted to testify of a few of them. I just want to remind all of you to count your blessings daily. Don’t forget to thank God for this day. Thank Him that you even have breath in your lungs to live for Him one more day. If your not living for Him don’t wait another day ask Him into your heart and you will see that He is good. What the world has to offer cannot satisfy you like God can. Give Him a try and then you can say with me “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation” Psalm 68:19. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” Psalm 103:2. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” Psalm 116:12.

Afraid of the dark?

When I was a kid I was really afraid of the dark. I used to have really bad nightmares and I would lie awake scared to go to sleep because I didn’t want to have another one. The nightmares weren’t usually about monsters or things that go bump in the night but they were about real people who would try to hurt me and my family. So I would always sleep with a light on because I was afraid that someone might be hiding in the darkness of my room.

When I was a teenager I still had these nightmares though not as frequent. At the age of fourteen, I gave my heart and life to the Lord. I asked my Savior to take those nightmares away and He did. He was the only one who was able to help me. I had told my parents but they could never really do much for me. It was such a blessing to be able to sleep peacefully at night. The Lord can do all things, so what is it for Him to take care of a little child who is afraid of the dark.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Also in Matthew 10:29-31 it says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” The Lord Jesus says that the very hairs of our head are numbered, what a wondrous thought. If the Lord took the time to know how many hairs we have on our head don’t you think if you call on Him for help He will take the time to answer your prayer? If not even a little bird falls to the ground without God knowing about it, then when we are scared God knows all about it. He said to fear not we are worth more than many sparrows to Him. He is the very one who fashioned us and made us in His image.

I also read a story of a little girl who was so afraid of the dark that she could hardly sleep at night. She would see shadows and hear noises in her room at night and think it was monsters. She would put the covers over her head and lie awake scared to that if she went to sleep they would get her. Her Mother one night read to her out of the Bible, the story of Daniel and how God protected him. Daniel was thrown into the lions den where it was dark because he would not stop praying to his God. But God protected him and sent His angel to shut the lion’s mouths and that whole night that Daniel was in there the lions did not touch him. The Mother told her daughter that Daniel may have been a little scared but more than anything Daniel knew and believed that His God was all powerful and that He was able to deliver him. The little girl went to bed that night praying that God would protect her like He did Daniel. She prayed that God would show her His angels that He had sent to watch over her. When her Mother left the room and switched off the light she saw strong looking men with swords standing all around her bed. She knew God had answered her prayer. For the first time in a long time she was able to sleep peacefully without any covers over her head because she knew she could trust God to take care of her.

I wanted to share these stories, because I recently heard that a little boy I know and love very much is scared of the dark. I wanted to share with Him what God did for people like Daniel, the little girl and me, so he would know that God can and will do the same for him. God is bigger than anything that we can or cannot see and if we are in the hollow of his big hand we have nothing to fear. Sometimes I wonder why God would take time out of His busy schedule to come and help me but He does. There has never been a time when I needed help that He didn’t come to my rescue. He can do the same for you if you’ll only ask Him to. So go ahead ask Him, He stands ready to prove to you that the God of Daniel still LIVES and REIGNS today.

Poems by Helen Steiner Rice

My favorite Christian poet is Helen Steiner Rice, she truly has been blessed by God with a beautiful gift to write poetry. Here are some poems from her book called "To Treasue Forever, A Gift of Love, Poems from the heart of Helen Steiner Rice". First Edition published by Gibson Greeting Cards, Inc. Copyright 1970.

Show me the way,

not to fortune and fame,

Not how to win laurels

or praise for my name-

But show me the way

to spread "The Great Story"

That "Thine is The Kingdom

and Power and Glory."

Helen Steiner Rice

Help Yourself To Happiness

Everybody, everywhere

seeks happiness, it's true,

But finding it and keeping it,

seems difficult to do,

Difficult because we think

that happiness is found

Only in the places where

wealth and fame abound-

And so we go on searching

in "palaces of pleasure"

Seeking recognition

and monetary treasure,

Unaware that happiness

is just a "state of mind"

Within the reach of everyone

who takes time to be kind-

For in making others happy

we will be happy, too,

For the happiness you give away

returns to "shine on you."

Heleh Steiner Rice

A Prayer For The Young And Lovely

Dear God, I keep praying

for the things I desire,

Yo tell me I'm selfish

and "playing with fire"-

It is hard to believe

I am selfish and vain,

My desires seem so real

and my needs seem so sane,

And yet You are wiser

and Your vision is wide

And You look down on me

and You see deep inside,

You know it's so easy

to change and distort,

And things that are evil

seem so harmless a sport-

Oh, teach me, Dear God,

to not rush ahead

But to pray for Your guidance

and to trust You instead,

For You know what I need

and that I'm only a slave

To the things that I want

and desire and crave-

Oh, God, in Your mercy

look down on me now

And see in my heart

that I love you somehow,

Although in my rashness,

impatience and greed

I pray for the things

that I want and don't need-

And instead of a crown

please send me a cross

And teach me to know

that all gain is but loss,

And show me the way

to joy without end,

With you as my Father,

Redeemer and Friend-

And send me the things

that are hardest to bear,

And keep me forever

safe in Thy care.

Helen Steiner Rice

New Concepts And Old Commandments

Living as we do today

in a world of speed and greed,

we are restless and dissatisfied

and we recognize a need

for something to alleviate

our constant state of stress,

something that will change dull days

to hours of happiness,

something new and different

to exercise our bored existence

which we so foolishly attempt

to change with rash resistance

by protesting were entitled

to the carnal-minded things,

believing we'll be satisfied

with the pleasure this life brings-

and in our discontentment

we disregard restrictions

and decide to seek our happiness

in delinquent derelictions-

we renounce our morals and ethics

and reject all discipline,

forgetting The Commandments

governing now outmoded sin-

we are sure in our new freedom,

with our lust and greed unleashed,

the "Pinnacle of Pleasure"

will certainly be reached-

but man cannot desecrate his soul

or defy God's changeless laws

for the age old Ten Commandments

stand untouched by human flaws,

and until man comes to realize

he must live and still obey

The Commandments that God handed down

was back in Moses' day,

he will never find contentment

and his search will be in vain

for what he thought was pleasure

will return to him in pain-

for man with all his greatness,

his knowledge and his skill,

is still as helpless as a child

and subject to God's will,

and there is nothing man can do

to bring lasting joy and peace

or curb his untamed passions

or make his longings cease,

but the humble, full acknowledgment

that there is no substitute

to bring forth a "Happy Harvest"

except the "Spirits Fruit"-

for unless man's spirit is redeemed

he will never, never find

unblemished love and happiness

and eternal peace of mind.

Helen Steiner Rice

The Creation of Woman

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being.

When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils.

But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man, because your nostrils are too delicate.

I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you.

Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with my creativity.

From one bone, I fashioned you.

I chose the bone that protects man's life.

I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone, I shaped you......... I modeled you.

I created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile.

You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart.

His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life.

The ribcage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body.

You were not taken from his feet to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him.

You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.

Your eyes are the windows to your soul; your lips are so lovely when they part in prayer; your nose is so perfect in form; your hands are so gentle to touch.

Oh yes, I've touched your hands, I've held your heart.

Of all that lives and breathes you are the most like me.

That is why I made you the mother of life.

You see, woman, you reside in me.

Adam walked with Me in the cool of the day and yet he was lonely.

He could not see Me, or touch Me, he could only feel me.

So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with Me I fashioned in you.

My holiness, My strength, My purity, My love and support, my protection.

You are special because you are the extension of Me.

Man represents My image; woman, my emotions.

Together you represent the totality of God.

So man, treat woman well. Love her and respect her, for she is fragile.

In hurting her, you hurt me. What you do to her, you do to Me.

In crushing her, you only damage your own heart and lungs.

Woman, support man as the rib cage. In humility, show him the power

of emotion I have given you. In gentle quietness, show your strength.

In love, show him you are the rib that protects his inner self.

Author Unknown