Sunset in the Carolinas |
The sun is setting here in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina as I'm writing our weekly prayer post. The sky is a palette of colors: Pink wisps blend with the fading crimson and brush across the pale blue and white cloud-laced sky. During this peaceful time, hymns often flow through my mind. Have you ever thought of hymns as prayers?
The song running through my mind
this evening encompasses petition and praise and recognizes Jesus’ sovereignty
in our lives:
Savior,
like a shepherd lead us,
much
we need thy tender care;
in
thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for
our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed
Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou
hast bought
us, thine we are.
Jesus bought us with His blood. We are His! What a powerful thought. We
have the assurance He’ll lead us and provide for our needs.
If you’re feeling discouraged
today and have a copy of a hymnal, flip through it and read (or sing) a hymn
aloud. The cathartic moments of worship will lead you to praising the God who
is Holy and worthy, despite the storm you’re traveling through.
And the neat thing is God
wired us in such a way that when we hear or sing a song, it plays over and over
in our minds, sometimes all day. What an incredible way to worship Him and be
reassured of His provisions!
If you have a prayer need, I’d
love to hear from you. Share your request in the comments section or email me
confidentially. Please take a moment to pray for others’ requests while you’re
here. So many people are suffering with diseases, housing, employment, and
mental health issues.
Our prayer list for today
includes several battling cancer. Please pray for comfort, healing,
and strength. While you’re at it, pray for their families, as well.
· Courtney,
young mother with cancerous brain tumor
· Emily,
12-year-old with bone cancer. Her body has responded well to the initial phase
of treatment. She still has a long road
ahead.
·
Sally,
who continues a 12-year battle against breast cancer
·
Lori,
my cousin’s wife, with metastatic cancer
·
TC’s
father-in-law, not doing well
· Barbara
Stack, my nephew’s mother, has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.
Pray for wisdom for her and her doctors as they make treatment decisions.
Other requests:
·
Prayers
go out to those in the path of Hurricane Isaac.
·
Tony
is battling depression after the death of his father and other stressors this
year.
·
Also,
lift up our military returning home injured and facing challenges. One soldier
in particular, Sgt. Jesse McCart, is rehabbing in a Texas hospital but will be
released to outpatient status within the next couple of weeks. His updates,
photos, and contact info are listed on a separate page above. Mail and
encouragement is so important to our servicemen and women who are rehabbing.
Other soldiers in the same hospital are listed who could use encouragement, as
well. Pre-paid stamped postcards obtained at the post office are a great way to
do this regularly.
Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
Proclaim his salvation day after day,
Declare his glory among the nations,
His marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of
praise.
Psalm 96:2-4a
Our worship song is "How Great Thou Art!" sung by Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill.
God bless,
Laura
© Laura Hodges Poole
Love that rendition of How Great Thou Art!
ReplyDeleteLately, as life's been full of twists and turns, I hear God whispering "Just praise me."
It's amazing how that can change my perspective...so simple yet so powerful.
Thank you for the update on the soldier and for all the prayers. God bless you.
You remain in my thoughts and prayers as well.
I agree that praising God helps your perspective. Thank you for the prayers. God bless you, too.
DeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteLove your photo and thoughts today...especially the hymn...Savior like a shepherd lead us. One of my favorites. I love to worship the Lord with a song. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Glenda, I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I love that hymn, too! God bless you. Thanks for stopping by.
Deletelaura you continue to up lift me with your writing. God Bless!
ReplyDeleteI have often thought of hymns while praying. Many of them are rich with scripture and deep with meaning. No matter how much Christian music changes through history, they will always remain my favorite!
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting you from "Faith Filled Fridays." Thank you for stopping by my blog and saying hello. I've enjoyed looking around here and reading your posts!