Last night was the last open house before school starts.  All of my children have been excited to find out which teachers they have, to see schedules, and to reunite friendships that took a break with the summer.  It was a big night for us all with lots of high hopes and great expectations for a great school year.

As I walked the hallways, I began to see something that troubled my heart and thoughts.  In fact, what I saw made me very sad.  It bothered me all last night and continues to haunt my thoughts today.  As I turned each corner of the school, I was concerned about the amount of hurt and disappointment that was walking the halls with me.  I saw numerous families that live in brokenness brought on by divorce.  My life is not different – and it really bothered me last night.  I came home and wrote in my journal about all of the hurts I was personally experiencing then moved on to ask the question, “I wonder how my kids were feeling?”

A friend of mine had  a baby that died as a newborn about 20 years ago.  I recall talking with him on the phone about it.  At the time, I was living over 800 miles away.  But in the moment I had a tremendous case of insensitivity.  I told him that one day God would use this tragedy to help someone else.  True… but oh how I wish I could take those words back – timing is everything!

I’ve been told that on numerous occassions that I will be able to help others going through divorce or dealing with the effects of divorce.  I understand the encouragement that has been extended with those words… (Sometimes God’s people should be seen and not heard)  The problem I see with this sort of counsel is that my kids are put on the altar as a sacrifice to help someone else.  I don’t really believe that is God’s plan.  Yet, I can see how God can use my life today to help others.

Within me is a well full of sorrow and pain brought on by divorce.  I’m thankful God has filled it with His love, grace, and compassion for others who have or will walk my same road.  How I wish I could counsel couple to work it out no matter what… I also know that in some cases working it out is not an option.

So, as we begin another school year filled with so much excitement – let’s not forget those children who are dealing with the disappointments in life brought on by selfish parents.  The losers are the children.  Those of us who can help need to stand in the gap for them.

What can you do? Become a mentor.  Volunteer at your church with children or youth.  Begin praying daily for specific children.  Select a school and prayer walk each week for the children and for the teachers.  There are many options to get involved.  Seek God as to how you can join Him in healing hearts… Start today!

According to the Baptist Press, Wednesday, April 8 has been proclaimed as a day of prayer and fasting for the U.S. Army’s 200,000 deployed soldiers and their families by the Army’s chief of chaplains.

Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas L. Carver, a Southern Baptist, said the prayer and fasting proclamation coincides with a 120-day “stand down” and unit training period to address the Army’s top-priority emphasis on suicide prevention and awareness.

“April 8 is a Wednesday and prayer meeting night for Southern Baptists, so we really encourage not only Baptists but all local churches to pray for the military,” Carver told Baptist Press in a phone interview.  For the complete article click here.

Who do you pray for that serves in the military?

Prayer, intercession, calling out to God from within the depths our own hearts and souls with groaning that cannot be understood… 

At various times in our lives, our cirumstances often dictate how we pray.  I’m sure when Jonah was first thrown overboard and swallowed up by a giant fish he was relieved and scared all at the same time.  The Lord “provided” the fish for Jonah.  See Jonah 1:17.  I would bet his repentance was in the first several seconds of being eaten alive.  I’m sure the circumstances of the next 3 days and nights dictated a different kind of prayer. 

Jonah 2:2 lets us in to see how Jonah prayed,

He said:
       “In my distress I called to the LORD,
       and he answered me.
       From the depths of the grave ^[a] I called for help,
       and you listened to my cry.

I’m learning I can run from God but I cannot out run Him.  In fact, I don’t even think God tries to chase any of us down.  I am beginning to think that our running from Him actually catches up with us on its own -through our circumstances.  I look at the various times I have run from God and I can see the destruction that has followed.  There have been many times when I decided to do plan B because somewhere down the road I thought plan B would help me accomplish plan A.  WRONG!

In fact, look at Jonah 2:2 one more time.  Jonah prayed, “In my distress…”  The distress he caused himself by not doing what God told him to do in plan A.

The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. (Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 7).

I got up this morning and knew I had to get up and go cry out to Him.  I want answers, I want a word from Him, I want Him to speak to me, and I want Him to deliver me from the circumstances I find myself in today.  Today, I call out to Him out of my distress (the distress I brought on myself).  I remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

I have an anticipation of the future - that’s a good thing.  I am calling out to God not so that I can obtain those things but rather so I can know Him.  I’m sure many of us feel the same way with a different set of circumstances.  It’s time to get on our knees and seek the Father.  For some, life has never been better.  For those of you who are experiencing that I ask you to get on your knees and intercede for the many who are in need of seeking God…  the many who are in need of a miracle from God.

I’m reminded of the intro to a song by Jerusalem on the live Album… “I am a warrior, you are a warrior, in the Army of God. Stand up, take your sword, take your shield, and start fighting - don’t sit down.” No matter where you find yourself today:  On dry land living life, in the belly of ship sound asleep (Jonah 1:5), or in the belly of a great fish… it’s time to take your sword, take your shield, and start fighting – PRAY!

I’m reluctant to share the following story… I do so hopefully to inspire you to do whatever God leads you to do.  No matter how small or large a thing God tells you to do… just do it.  Be obedient and see what He does.

There’s a wonderful lady in our town God gives me the incredible pleasure of praying for.  She was my next door neighbor when I was in Middle School through College.  I pass by her house daily going back and forth from work.  Since her house is right off of the road I travel each day I always look that way… looking that way is a habit from my youth.  The Lord uses that habit as a reminder to pray for her everyday.

Today, while at the Post Office – God’s Spirit said go see her.  So I drove to her house to finish off my lunch hour.  We got caught up with each other for a few moments and I told her why I was there.  I told her, “I stopped by to pray for you.”  Wow!  What an awesome moment!  God’s love and grace is so beautiful.

Do you have someone you pray for regularly?  Do you have someone who has meant a lot to you over the years?  Why not drop in and share God’s love and the love you have for them!!  If you don’t live near by then write them a little note to let them know you are praying for them. 

I went there today to bless her with God’s Spirit working through me… I left blessed!

Intercessory prayer is a wonderful way to serve others.  Have you ever spent time praying for another person without them knowing about it?  If you have then you know the joy that is associated with the time spent praying for them.  You know of the burden that is carried for someone else… the heavy heart.  You also know how much you begin to think about that person throughout the day.  The care and concern for the other person grows… and you wait on God to be who you believe Him to be in that persons life.

If you do not know what it is like to pray for someone else… commit to praying for someone else… there are circumstances that surface everyday that call us all to our knees – you can touch the world through prayer.

Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints. (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 7).

We are living in desperate times.  It seems like finances are a struggle for almost everyone I know.  While driving to work yesterday I saw a tow truck snatching a car from one of the schools I pass.  I know what the tow truck was doing… it was the probably the second re-po of the morning all before 7:40 in the morning. There was already another car up on the flat-bed.

I wonder how that teacher felt last night?  I don’t even know who the car belonged to but I hurt for them.  They are even on my mind this morning.  I pass by a business everyday also… that’s their business – repossessing cars, trucks, and right now there is even a boat in the yard.  The yard is full of vehicles! This is not a time to point a finger… to put people down for their mistakes… but rather a time for all of us to get things right.  I think we are all under a microscope of sorts right now – at least that’s how I feel.  And now is the time to repent of the sins and to walk the path God would have us to walk.

I pray for the person who owns that maroon car.  I pray God helps them in this situation.  I pray for grace and mercy for this person.  I ask God to give them a miracle.

Your intercessions can never be mine, and my intercessions can never be yours, “. . . but the Spirit Himself makes intercession” in each of our lives ( Romans 8:26 ). And without that intercession, the lives of others would be left in poverty and in ruin.  (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 7).