Finding God’s Love In The Yet

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33 NIV  

I’m a member of two completely different Facebook groups—one for decluttering and the other for recycling/repurposing. Am I conflicted? Maybe just a little. LOL. I’d like to think I’m using two different skillsets, kind of like the mudskipper fish who, of course, swims but also walks on land. 

But what about the serious, often gut-wrenching, conflicts of life?

 

We find ourselves wondering what God has in mind when those happen. How can we experience such overwhelming grief, like I’ve felt since losing my daughter, and at the same time embrace the idea that God’s love is unfailing? After all, if he loves us, why the grief or affliction to begin with?

 

The broad answer goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. They had the perfect life and still weren’t satisfied. God did not want them to sin and fall out of fellowship with him. And when they did, he didn’t cast them off. But he did allow them and the generations since to feel the brokenness of fallen humanity.

 

Our individual whys are often so complex that we may not get an answer this side of heaven, nor would we understand if God tried to explain. And it's likely we wouldn't agree. 

 

So where is our hope?

 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him… Lamentations 3:21-25

 

Jeremiah spent the majority of Lamentations describing what had gone wrong for Jerusalem and him personally. His overwhelming grief and despair cry from the pages. You can feel the agony in his words almost as vividly as your own painful circumstances.

 

Then Jeremiah turned to his “yet” moment. It’s almost as if he couldn’t continue one minute longer in his despair without reminding himself of God’s faithfulness.

 

When you are tempted to give in to the notion that God is not for you and he doesn’t really care, or the pain seems too great to bear one minute longer, dig into your heart and your past to the times God showed up—your “yet” moments.

God wants to hear our laments but also experience his unfailing love, even in the midst of difficulties. Seek his wisdom through prayer and studying the Scriptures to remind yourself of his faithfulness. Whatever your trial, know that God is right there with you, holding you up, and will never leave your side.

Blessings,

Laura

© Laura Hodges Poole

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.

God’s Solution For Worrying Mothers

Motherhood is one of the toughest challenges women face, whether we're raising a gentle soul or a tantrum-throwing type A personality. Part of the challenge of motherhood is worry.

Jesus cautioned His followers not to worry about tomorrow because today has worry enough, but mothers spend many sleepless nights worrying about their children, whether they’re safe, and what their future will be. Add to this the many stages a child goes through, and you find yourself wondering why God thought you were up to the task of motherhood.

Speak God’s Truth

In 1 Samuel 1:10-18, we see Hannah pouring out her heart to God. Her biggest desire was to have a child. We see no emotion in Abraham in Genesis 22 when he takes Isaac up onto the mountain to sacrifice him as God commanded. However, in Genesis 22:5 we get a glimpse into Abraham’s thinking when he tells his servants they will be back. So whatever emotion he felt, he countered it with the truth God had spoken to him in Genesis 17 when He promised to make Abraham a father of many nations, establishing a covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

Maybe that’s where the answer to the challenges of motherhood lies. Instead of worrying, the best thing we can do for our children and ourselves is speak God’s truth over them and to them.

How do we do this? It starts with being saturated in God’s Word and staying on our knees in prayer. The best guidance we’ll get is while being in tune with God’s directives.

His Promise

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 is one of the best templates for teaching our children about God. If God is truly everything to us, then it’s not difficult to incorporate that love into our daily lives when sitting, walking by the way, lying down, or when we get up.

If we don’t impress anything else upon our children, God's love is most important. It will undergird them in all of life’s challenges and decisions. Is this a guarantee that their life will turn out perfect—that no harm will ever come to them?

No. God doesn’t promise that.

He only promises to walk with us through life’s trials. And absolutely nothing is averted or solved by worrying. Even when the worst happens, if we keep our eyes fixed on eternity and the promise that one day there will be no more suffering, no more pain, no more tears (Revelation 21), then no matter what comes our way on this earth, God will provide a way to get through it.

Cover your children in prayer. Psalm 139:13-16 tells us that God knew them before they were even knit together in your womb. As much as we love our children, He loves them even more. What a comforting thought to deflate worry when it attacks!

His Love Sustains 

This year, as I mark my second Mother’s Day after my daughter’s passing, God’s love sustains me. The Biblical promises I have stored in my heart and soul for decades, some of which my mother instilled in me early in life, will help carry me through Mother's Day and again later in the week on Lindsay's birthday. His love will sustain you on tough days, also.

What difficulty are you facing with your children? Do you have a Bible verse or passage that gives you comfort and strength as you walk through this trial? Join the conversation below and be an encouragement to other mothers.

If you have a prayer request, please leave a comment or email me confidential requests. I've love to pray for you!

Have a blessed Mother's Day.

In Christ,

Laura

©Laura Hodges Poole

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com

The Hollow Spots of Grief

“Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” ~ C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Normally, I would be wrapping a gift and baking a chocolate cake for Lindsay’s birthday today…anticipating the glee she showed with any celebration…maybe surprising her with balloons like I did last year…

…signing a sparkling, colorful birthday card,  

We love you, Lindsay! Hope you have a wonderful day! 

But there’s nothing normal about life now…just hollow spots where normal once resided. 

It’s been almost nine months since my daughter died—the same length of time I carried her in my body before giving birth to her thirty-four years ago. Funny, it seemed like a long time then—an eternity now. 

I watched a movie a few years ago called “Holes.” The premise involved youths in a juvenile detention camp digging holes for the warden in search of a buried treasure. Holes of all sizes dotted the desert landscape for miles around the camp. Year after year, more holes were dug, the treasure seemingly just one hole away, yet ever elusive. 

My life feels like that desert—stretching out around me endlessly—filled with holes. Just about the time I think I’ve got a handle on my grief and perhaps back on level land, another hole appears. Not all bad ones—sometimes beautiful, but bittersweet memories I cherish. Then other days, like Mother’s Day and her birthday, have the potential to drag me under.  

I cry out to the only One who truly understands—the One who watched his own son die on a cross over two thousand years ago. You might be tempted to rebut, “Yeah, but God knew he was going to raise Christ from the dead.”  

True.  

But, as Christians, we also have the promise of our loved one’s resurrection in heaven—and the day of our own homecoming when we join them.  

Lindsay was a beautiful, precocious child who dreamed big and had the tenacity to go out and try to make those dreams come true. Life looked bright from where we sat, the landscape dotted only with hope.  

We never saw the holes…until it was too late. 

Now her death is spread over everything, and likely to some degree, it always will be. I seek to find joy in my memories of her contagious laughter about something silly, her sparkling eyes when she dreamed, and the indelible imprint my daughter made on my life in so many ways. I cling to the hope I have in eternity. I praise God that ours is a temporary life, one to be cherished and lived, but one we’ll shrug off some day, like a butterfly does a cocoon before it takes flight. 

Lindsay’s soul flew away last August.  

Until we meet again… 

Love,
Mom

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4 

Hear My Cry, O God

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. Psalm 61:1-3

Before Josh and I started hiking

A couple of summers ago, Josh and I went to Paris Mountain State Park, about an hour’s drive northeast of our home, to hike. We’d been once before and hiked an intermediate trail. This time, we decided to hike the longest, most difficult trail in the park. Ha! I’m not sure what got into me that day. J It was 3.6 miles and rated 9 out of 10 in difficulty.

Along the trail

Three-plus hours later, tired, achy, and sweaty, we trudged back to the Park Center where we’d begun. We’d climbed as much as hiked, or so it seemed. There were many rocks higher than us. And large, intertwined tree roots. And fairly wide streams we had to cross on “natural” bridges or boulders.  It was a fun day etched in our memories. I often remark to Josh that we need to return to Paris Mountain and see if we could hike it again. I’m sure he could. Me? Not so much so.

Hiking up the trail

One of the things I love most about the Psalms is the descriptive nature of David’s prose. If we knew nothing about David being a shepherd boy or hiding out in caves, we could surmise his outdoor nature from the pictures he painted with his words. You might recognize the above verse from which I’ve had a portion posted on my blog since its inception. I love the concept of being led to “the rock that is higher than I.”

mountain lake

Before Jesus came to earth to die as a sacrifice for our sins, the concept of entering into God’s presence cleansed from sin was very much like trying to climb to a rock higher than could be humanly attained. David cried out to God many, many times as recorded in the Psalms, but he still had to go through Judaic rituals to be cleansed.

mountain stream

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:16-18

Near the mountaintop

Isn’t that wonderful news? Let us not become jaded and take for granted the assurance of forgiveness. Although God offers it freely through His grace, a huge price was paid so we may enter into His presence cleansed from sin. Can you imagine what it was like in King David’s time not to have immediate access to that cleansing? What an amazing sacrifice Christ made for us!

Are you going through a trial right now? One seemingly insurmountable? Cling to that Higher Rock. Cling to His promise of help through temptation. Cling to the righteousness only Christ can offer you through His sacrifice. Cling to His unselfish love poured out to save you. God’s comfort and grace will see you through.

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

by John Mark Hall;Michael Jr Bleecker

(Casting Crowns)

Prayer Request:

A Christian lady and her son in the Philippines face a financial crisis jeopardizing his place in college as a nursing student, if they can’t raise school fees before his finals. Please pray that God will provide means for this young man to continue his studies and take his finals.

If you have a prayer need, please leave a comment. You may do so anonymously, if you choose, or you may email me confidential requests. I’d love to join you in prayer.

Shalom,

Laura ✞

©Laura Hodges Poole

Coping With Loss And The Holidays Part I

Teresa

Today, I'm happy to introduce a guest blogger, my sister Teresa Alfieri. Her story is the first of a three-part series on coping with loss of a loved one and the holidays that I shared during the 2011 holiday season. Grief during the holidays overwhelms everyone at some point, so I decided to re-run the series this year. I hope you will be blessed by these messages.

Welcome Teresa and thank you for sharing from your heart! 

Christmas came four months after my husband Sal died. I believe I was so thankful he was no longer in pain that I did not begin to process his death until then. Christmas was his favorite time of year and those who knew him, knew he was very sentimental, emotional, and had a big heart. He was often referred to as a “Big Teddy Bear.” Sal loved surprises and was like a child on Christmas morning anxious to open the presents. 

This is why the grief was so overwhelming that first Christmas. I felt like I was drowning. I couldn’t escape from the pain that had a grip on my heart. I decided one night during the week before Christmas that I would get in my car and just drive away. Then, rational thinking stepped in, and I amended the plan to drive 40 minutes away to O’leno State Park and visit the place Sal and I had enjoyed so many times in the past. 

When I arrived at the park, I sat in my car for a long time, fearful to go by myself into the woods, but more fearful of what would happen to my state of mind if I did not. I wrestled with the fear and then set off to hike. I savored happy memories on this first of many trips to the woods. My brain stopped racing with the sadness, and I felt rejuvenated when I was through. The pain did not go away, but I began to work through it. I became angry any time I saw an elderly couple holding hands and the realization would come to me again—I would never grow old with this “Big Teddy Bear” of a man. All the dreams we had shared had been wiped away when he was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. 

Throughout my life, I’ve had a strong faith, knowing that God was with me. There were times I would sit by the water in the woods having serious conversations with Him, asking the same questions over and over. “Why?” “Why does a loving God allow any human to suffer the pain that Sal did?” I had very profound thoughts during that time that scared me; thoughts about the life after. I believe it was part of the healing process and growing in my faith. 

Music was another part my healing. I became familiar with YouTube and the availability of Christian Contemporary music. Casting Crowns “Praise You In This Storm” became my daily mantra.

Where was my family during this time? They were right there trying to console me. I appreciated their love and concern. But the pain was too great to share with them. I needed my God, the God who is so good to me, to walk me through it, sometimes holding my hand, sometimes carrying me in His arms.

Now, several years later, the pain has become less, perhaps more tolerable. When the Christmas season arrives with all its sights, sounds, and smells, I may always have those feelings of loss. But now they do not consume me. My faith continues to grow stronger. I know God is in the air I breathe, not just available during loss or crisis, but walking with me, daily.

My advice to others grieving during this Christmas season is to find some sort of activity you enjoy and take God with you on your journey. Take it from someone who has been there—He helped me walk through the pain!

~Teresa Lynn Alfieri

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” Psalm 107:28-29

Praise Report:

Courtney’s MRI last week was even better than the ones she had in September and July, according to her oncologist. Please continue to lift her up in prayer as she battles cancer. This is a note from her Caring Bridge site:

We just wanted to thank everyone for praying for Courtney especially on Wednesday. God answered our prayers once again. Dr. Peters was very happy over how her MRI looked and again said that the cavity where the tumor was has very defined borders, and a small contrasted area they saw below the cavity, appeared smaller than what they saw on the last MRI. They are leaning toward believing that the area is scar tissue from the previous radiation. Dr. Peters was thrilled to see Courtney looking so well.

We have so much to be thankful for and so appreciate once again the answered prayers. He truly does have Courtney in the palm of His hands! Our next MRI at Duke will be in late January. We are looking forward to going through the holidays with a positive report behind us and being able to relax a bit and enjoy Addison [Courtney’s 18-month-old daughter] this year at Christmas. She loves looking at the Christmas trees and decorations and we know she will enjoy opening presents and getting new toys.

I don’t have anything to add to those inspiring words from Courtney’s family! The permanent prayer list is above. Would you take a moment to say a prayer for those listed? The holidays are a tough time for families with loved ones battling chronic disease. 

Cassie and Jesse

 

Also, Sgt. Jesse McCart continues rehab as you can see from the photo on the right. As I get updates, they will be posted on his page above.

 

God bless,

Laura

© Laura Hodges Poole
 

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving

“Rejoice in the Lord always…Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4, 6-7

What a powerful promise! The peace of God guards my heart and mind. Is there a better reason to give thanks this year?

Years ago, when my husband and I started out as newlyweds, we pinched pennies and barely scraped by from paycheck to paycheck. We had a little black-and-white TV that picked up random channels through its rabbit ear antenna. Meals were often scant and gas for the car a luxury.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13

Despite the fact that thirty years of hard work and God’s blessings lifted us from that economic situation, I never forget the tough times. Like Paul, I learned the secret of being content despite my circumstances. It is a contentment born from dwelling in thanksgiving with my heavenly Father.

This year, as I review my reasons to be thankful, they may be similar to yours—family, shelter, food, employment, good health, and ministry. My list hasn’t always included all these things, nor am I guaranteed it will be the same next year.

But do you know what I’m most thankful for?

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31b-32, 35-39

I’m most thankful that nothing can separate me from the love of my Lord and Savior.

Dear God, we come before your throne with grateful hearts, overflowing with the love you’ve shown us through your Son. Despite the hardships we’ve encountered this year, thank you for the many blessings you’ve given us. Thank you for always being accessible and consistent in your love. Thank you most of all for the salvation you’ve provided through Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.

For as long as I shall live

I will testify to love

I'll be a witness in the silences

When words are not enough

With every breath I take

I will give thanks to God above

If you have a prayer request, please leave it in the comment section or email me privately confidential requests. Also, if you'd like to share a praise report or something you're thankful for, I'd love to hear it!

Courtney, a young mother battling a cancerous brain tumor, will have her two-month follow-up MRI today to check the effectiveness of treatment. Her last two MRIs have been clear. Please lift her up in prayer as she travels to Duke, has the procedure, and then meets with the oncologist for results. She is also having a side effect to the chemo that has successfully treated her cancer up to this point. Pray that her body will fight this so she can continue on the treatment.

The permanent prayer list and updates on Sgt. Jesse McCart are listed above. If you’re interested in sending him or another injured soldier a card, the addresses are also listed on his page. The holidays are difficult times for people chronically ill or who’ve been seriously injured. They greatly appreciate any mail received.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shalom,

Laura

©Laura Hodges Poole

Photo courtesy of Microsoft.com free clip art

Residing Outside The Palace

Palace Living

Remember the old TV show “I Dream of Jeanie?” Suppose you were Larry Hagman’s character, Major Anthony Nelson. You’ve found the magic lamp and the genie has given you three choices of where you can live:

• A palace
• The desert
• The wilderness

Which did you choose?

Don’t get too comfortable. J

Now the genie reveals you must leave your first choice and pick from the other two. This is actually where you’ll live.

Not fair?

“One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor…Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian.” Exodus 2:11, 15b.

Moses spent four decades in Pharaoh’s palace, enjoying Egypt’s finest things. He was educated by top scholars, outfitted in royal clothes, and ate delicacies enjoyed by the elite.

What happened to change this?

Between the time Moses stepped out to watch his people and the time he fled, he killed an Egyptian. He alone created a situation in which he had no choice but to flee. However, based on the anger that flared inside of him and prompted the killing, he’d already chosen sides.

Leaving the palace was inevitable.

We don’t know what inspired Moses to step outside the palace and watch the Hebrew slaves work. Perhaps it was something he did routinely. Maybe God had been dealing with Moses’ heart about his destiny. Or he was simply restless. He was forty years old at the time. Whatever Moses’ personal reasons for jeopardizing his elite position, God had prepared him for leadership by allowing him to grow up under Pharaoh.

After forty years in the Midian desert, Moses returned to lead the Israelites out of captivity. God’s perfect will included Moses leading his people from Egypt to the Promised Land. God’s permissive will allowed Moses and everyone else involved to make choices that ultimately led to their demise.

Despite the Israelites’ disobedience, God’s objective was met—and never doubt this will happen—it always happens regardless of our disobedience. But those involved didn’t reap the harvest because they didn’t obey God with their whole heart.

Although Moses was barred from entering the earthly Promised Land, we see in Matthew 17:3, he did indeed make it to the eternal one. While our sin does not always directly connect to our hardships and trials, the original sin in the Garden of Eden does. God is a patient God, not wanting anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, we must tolerate this fallen world until He deems it time to bring believers into the new heaven and new earth.

Most of us have never lived in a palace. But if we were to reflect on our life, especially in this country, we can see the times we resided metaphorically in each of these three places.

Sometimes we’re forced from the palace by life events. God calls some of us to leave our comfort zones to go into the wilderness.

Jesus spent time in the wilderness, most notably after a joyous event—his baptism. John the Baptist made his home in the wilderness.

However we manage to arrive in the desert or wilderness, if we spend our time searching for the path to the earthly palace, we fail to learn the lesson derived from dwelling in the desert or wilderness. Because God's intention is to grow and strengthen us for His work. 

Next week, we’ll talk about how God meets us in the tough places. Meanwhile, never forget—

God dwells with us in all circumstances!

What is your wilderness? If you’d like prayer, please email me or leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you. Your experience could be an inspiration to others struggling, as well, so please share, if you feel led.

Please remember our permanent prayer list, as well as Sgt. Jesse’s McCart’s updates above. We have several folks battling cancer. Would you take a moment to lift them up in prayer?

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was when everything fell

We’d be held

Praise God for always holding us in His hands!

God bless,

Laura

 © Laura Hodges Poole

When The Unexpected Happens

Dealing with the unexpected

“Sometimes, when tragedy strikes, people give up hope that they can expect anything more from life, when the real quest is finding out what life expects from them.” ― Richard Paul Evans, author

When I started writing this post, it was about blessings gained from unexpected experiences. I had a cute little story to use for an illustration. Given the events last week in Colorado, I felt remiss in discussing blessings amidst tragedy. I wrestled with what to write, but nothing worked. However, I was resistant to the idea of writing solely about the tragedy because everyone else already had. What more could I add? 

As I prayed about my conundrum, I realized I wasn’t just wrestling with my own sense of what to write. Rather, I wasn’t fully opening my mind and heart to God’s desire for the post. 

Wrestling with God is senseless. When I realized what I’d been doing, I yielded. And if I haven’t said it a million times before, that’s one reason for prayer—for Him to speak to you. 

After a major tragedy has occurred, the first question that comes to mind is: Why? 

It would take several hundred words to sum up my beliefs and thoughts on this—or it could be answered simply: We live in a fallen world, and as such, our perfect life will be in heaven, not here. I’ve blogged about this several times, as well.

God isn’t caught unaware when tragedy strikes. Nor is tragedy unique within our borders. The sixty seconds it’s taken you to read this, tragedy has unfolded somewhere on this earth. Women and children have been caught in the crossfire of war. Civil war rages in Syria as the world tsk-tsks and mulls solutions, while hundreds are killed daily. A loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, died, or has been in an accident. 

Christians are imprisoned worldwide, some under death sentences. According to Christianity.about.com, “an average of 159,960 Christians worldwide are martyred for their faith per year.” 

So where is faith in the midst of tragedy? 

Claiming faith is easy when life goes well. When tragedy strikes, whether in our personal lives or on a national scale, it’s much more difficult to trust God’s plan.

Faith alone will not provide you with all the answers—nor was it designed to. Faith is like jumping off a cliff and discovering things about yourself and the God you trust in the freefall. But it is also the solid foundation on which you build your Christian life. Without it, you don't fully appreciate the blessings, nor stand firm in adversity.

Is there hope after devastation? 

That’s a tough one to answer, and it often takes long-term reflection to see any blessing or feel hope. However, I read the story this week of a young lady in the movie theater in Colorado who was shot four times, once in the face with the bullet traveling through her brain and lodging in the base of her skull. The team of neurosurgeons who went into the operation to retrieve the bullet gave the family little hope. The bullet had weaved through so many places in her brain, even if she survived, her function would be greatly diminished. Then a miracle happened in the operating room…If you’d like to read the story, click here. 

Being able to depend on God’s love and comfort in the face of tragedy is reassuring. 

“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

As the opening quote infers, maybe discovering the why of the unexpected is not important—rather what am I going to do with the experience? What does my life represent in tragedy’s aftermath? I believe part of the answer is to look beyond ourselves and our country’s shores and look at the world through God’s eyes and with His love.

As we go to the Lord in prayer, please remember these folks in your prayers. Add your own requests in the comments below or email me confidential requests.  

·      TC Avey asks that you continue to pray for her father-in-law whose cancer has spread. He is about to start another long round of chemo. A few years back he and his wife adopted three girls (this after raising three kids already). Two of the girls have graduated high school, but the third is only 5 years old.

·       Betty requests prayer for Zackary Taylor, age 10, whom she learned about through the Tim Tebow foundation. Zackary has four brain tumors and is suffering from horrible headches. Please pray for his healing and comfort, as well as his family during this difficult time.

·       Karen Redding with leukemia in hospice care.

·      Courtney, young mother with cancerous brain tumor undergoing chemotherapy, received a fantastic report last week on her treatment and follow-up MRI. Click here to read her praise report.

·      Several folks have employment, housing, and mental health issues.

One of my favorite songs is “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Health. I pray we all strive to see the world through our Savior’s eyes.

God bless,

Laura

© Laura Hodges Poole