The God Who Whispers

"It's impossible to know for sure if there's a God, and even if there is, I'd be a fool to think I could figure out what he wanted me to do or to be," Kristin tells me.

She is serious, this dear friend. Dead wrong and dead serious.

People who doubt God's presence tend to be ones who want a shout of proof from God, bold evidence of his presence and purpose.

Living life in a whirlwind of activity and fray will produce weariness, even desperation, but not assurance of God's presence and will. God does not shout over the whirlwind. He whispers in the silence.

It's tempting to ask God to speak loudly from the heavens and make Himself known to doubters. Perhaps open up the sky and show the throne room or say again: This is My Beloved Son and I am pleased with Him. Or maybe send down a fireball to light up a water-logged altar. Shake people in their boots a bit.

Until the final day when the trumpets sound, the clouds part and Jesus returns victorious, there is nothing left to prove, nothing left for God to shout.

He has much that He wants to whisper.

Come, I will give you rest.  

My yoke is easy and My burdens are light.  

I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a future and a hope.

He has much that He wants to say to us.

Call to Me. 

I will tell you wonderful things that you do not know.

He has much that He wants to sing.

My everlasting love is deeper than the sea.

God is not going to shout over the whirlwind so that Kristin believes that He is real and has a plan for her. He is whispering to her, though.

Be still and know that I am God.

I ache in prayer for Kristin. God is there and He is not silent.

A lost lamb does not hear the voice of the shepherd over the noise of the storm, but in the devastating aftermath, exhausted and wounded, comforting words whisper into the silence

When all else fails we are more likely to look up, to see clearly, to listen. I pray it doesn't take a calamity for Kristin to be still and listen to the God who waits to rescue her.

I know My sheep and My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me.

Before the Close of Day

"He's having horrible nightmares," Jamie told me, concerned about her 6 year old. "We've taken away all of his dragons and soldiers, all his play guns, and all the movies that might be scary. The doctor thought it might help., but so far it hasn't. Then one night, John's daddy lay face down on the floor and prayed, sobbing like I've never heard him do before. John was wide-eyed, but hasn't had a bad dream since then."

Lorraine, an elderly friend in the nursing home, hadn't been sleeping much lately because of bad dreams. She was sure there was an unforgiven sin she had missed in her prayers. "I'm near worn out over it, but I just can't remember anything that ought to keep me from my bed. I've decided to just take that time and pray for other people and, you know, it's been a great help to me. It's relaxing."

"I'm really tired, just exhausted," a piano student explained to me. "I didn't sleep much last night and then I had an exam this morning at school. I fell asleep worried and tossed and turned all night long. I decided I would ask you to pray with me so I sleep better tonight."

"I'm not sure I've had a good night of sleep since I've been here," laughed Carol, one of the prisoners, after our weekly Bible study at the correctional center. "I sleep best when you've been here and prayed over us. You always pray for our hearts to be so close to God that even our dreams our peaceful."

Late one night when my son couldn't relax and sleep, I began to sing a simple, made up lullaby that has now soothed countless children. "Watch over my soul. It's little, You know. Oh, keep my heart tender toward Thee."

When my childhood friend, Sherry, and I had sleepovers we talked until one of us fell asleep. The other of us would be interrupted by the soft, regular breathing of our sleeping friend.

I pray myself to sleep each night. Others have questioned the wisdom of this, declaring it a disrespect for God, but I don't agree. God is never going to be the first one to go to sleep. As His child, He quiets me with His love, sings over me with joy, and I fall asleep, leaving Him to watch over me.

"Oh, what peace we often forfeit," the old hymn says, "Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer." (What a Friend We Have in Jesus, words by Jospeh Scrivener, Music by Charles Converse, 1868)

We all suffer from fears, aches, worries, disease and brokenness. Sleepless nights and bad dreams can attack anyone. Prayer can be our familiar resting place. Prayer keeps our hearts tenderly tuned in to the Father's song, His quieting love.

To Thee before the close of day,

Creator of the world, we pray

That, with Thy wonted favor,Thou
Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,

From fears and terrors of the night;

Withhold from us our ghostly foe,

That spot of sin we may not know.

O Father, that we ask be done,

Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son,

Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,

Doth live and reign eternally.

(Unknown Author, 7th Century; 

translated from Latin, John M. Neale, 1852;

Music by William B. Bradbury, 1843)

Sleeping with the Enemy

"I'm starting to believe God doesn't care about me. I pray and pray, beg and beg and my prayers just aren't getting through, Why would he keep saying 'no' over and over to me when I'm so miserable?" a friend asked me.

"You aren't miserable all the time," I said gently. "Sometimes you're enjoying your life.  This new guy friend, for example."

"True. He's so mature and caring. I really do like him. But I mean the big things in my life. Any attention from God would be better than this...nothing."

I paused to talk silently with the God who is there, but sometimes turns away from his children.

"Just say it," she urged, shaking her head. "You obviously know something I don't."

"You're sleeping with the enemy," I answered. "Everywhere you go, the Holy Spirit goes with you. Every minute you spend sleeping with a man who is not your husband, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, is with you in that bed. Perhaps He isn't enjoying it as much as you are."

"Gross! Don't say that!" she argued, covering her face, but I continued.

"Take My yoke upon you. That's what Jesus offered. Come to Me if you are weary and I will give you rest. My burden is light. I am gentle, humble of heart. It's truth, but it doesn't mean His love is blind."

"My burden isn't so light these days," she said. "But I really like this guy. I don't want to give him up. Besides, maybe he'll become a Christian and maybe the future will work out okay."

"You are choosing an unequal yoke with an unbeliever, a yoke of slavery to the evil one, even though Jesus set you free. Could it be that God has grown weary of sleeping with the enemy? He is faithful even when you are faithless, but you can't blame Him for turning His face away, for not wanting to watch.

It's tempting to play around with the enemy, my darling. I play around with the enemy, too. I sometimes eat foods that are bad for me, hurting my body and making me miserable. Picnicking with the enemy.

I play with the enemy, nursing my grudges and disappointments even though it hardens my heart. Chatting with the enemy.

The evil one offers a yoke of slavery. You can weigh yourself down with more than one yoke at a time, tied to Jesus with one arm and hooked up to the evil one at the same time."

Know the truth. It will set you free. The rich young ruler turned away from Jesus because of his riches, that one thing that he would not give up. It may be fun to sleep with the enemy. It may even be a delicious escape from temporary troubles.

Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever you sow, that you will also reap. You cannot serve both God and the evil one. Do not be unequally yoked.

A Litany for Children

In an old hymnal that I discovered among my Great Aunt Sis's treasures, I found a lovely gem calling me to love the children and bless them, and in so doing, to become like them.

Jesus, from thy throne on high,
Far above the bright blue sky,
Look on us with loving eye:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Little children need not fear,
When they know that thou art near:
Thou dost love us, Saviour dear:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Little hearts may love thee well,
Little lips thy love may tell,
Little hymns thy praises swell:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Little lives may be divine,
Little deeds of love may shine,
Little ones be wholly thine:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Jesus, once an infant small,
Cradled in the oxen's stall,
Though the God and Lord of all:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Jesus, thou dost love us still,
And it is thy holy will
That we should be safe from ill
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Be thou with us every day,
In our work and in our play,
When we learn and when we pray:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Make us brave without a fear,
Make us happy, full of cheer,
Sure that thou art always near:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

May we prize our Christian name,
May we guard it free from blame,
Fearing all that causes shame:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

May we grow from day to day,
Glad to learn each holy way,
Ever ready to obey,
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Jesus, Son of God most high,
Who didst in a manger lie,
Who upon the cross didst die:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Jesus, from thy heavenly throne,
Watching o'er each little one,
Til our life on earth is done:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.

Jesus, whom we hope to see
Calling us in heaven to be
Happy evermore with thee:
Hear us, Holy Jesus.  Amen.

~Thomas Pollock, 1871

The God of Light

Father, my heart grows restless when I lose my focus. I get tired, sick, sidetracked.

My Spirit is upon you. Keep hiding My words in your heart. Come to Me when you are weary and I will give You rest. My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

I know, Father, but it doesn't always seem easy and light. Noise and fray so easily sway my focus.

The enemy is like a lion, seeking whom he can devour. 

Exactly. And I want to live my life wide awake to Your presence in every moment. Oh, won't You walk before me and beside me and behind me. Live in me and through me.

Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily. Follow Me. A holy passion. 

I want a pure and holy passion. I won't turn back. Be strong in my weakness, Lord.

I am the God-Who-Sees, the God-Who-Knows. I am the Lion of Judah, the Holy One of Israel. I AM, the God-Who-Is-Able.  It is I who answers and looks after you. 

I welcome a Sabbath heart, Father. Create in me a heart after Your own heart. Bless the work of my hands. Fill my heart, my life, with Your presence, Your glory.

My love for you lasts from everlasting to everlasting. I will satisfy you. I will feed You and nurture you.  I am Author and Finisher of Your faith. Walk in My ways. 

I love you freely, for My anger has turned away from you.  In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. 

A Sabbath heart, a praying heart, all that I am I give to You. I will be still and know there is no God like Jehovah. When my way grows dark, I will listen.

Awake.  Arise and shine.  The Light of the World is Jesus. The light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen. Come, let us away. I will feed you with the finest wheat and with honey from the rock. I will answer you and tell you of things that you do not know.

May God Bless You

May God bless you today and always.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of people so that you may work for justice and freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain and rejection and starvation and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you, yes you, can make a difference in this world so that you can do for Christ what others claim cannot be done.

May God bless you with a heart that breaks for the things that break his heart.

May God bless you with a divine tenderness.

May God give you an ear that hears his voice.

May God increase the anointing upon your life, for you have been filled with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”

Franciscan Prayer (from the blog of Jon Weece)

Channel of Thy Peace

Lord, make me a channel of Thy peace,
That where there is hatred I may bring love;
That where there is wrong I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
That where there is discord I may bring harmony;
That where there is error I may bring truth;
That where there is doubt I may bring faith;
That where there is despair I may bring hope;
And where there are shadows I may bring Thy light;
That where there is sadness I may bring joy;

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than be comforted,
To understand than be understood,
To love than be loved;

For it is by giving that one receives,
It is by self-forgetting that one finds,
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven,
It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

~St. Francis of Assisi

A Story for Lindsey

Lindsey and Renee stopped by this morning for tea. Snuggled in antique quilts by the fire place, we warmed our hands around big mugs decorated with snowmen. We warmed our hearts talking about praying to the God who answers us.

"Will you tell us prayer stories?" Lindsey asked as she snuggled deeper into her quilt with a contented sigh. "I love that our God is an action God and prayer stories motivate me to pray more."

She's right, isn't she? Hearing that God is answering prayers hones our faith, stirs our emotions and prods us to pray more fervently. Our shared prayer stories remind us that God protects, provides and plans for His people.

After we shared stories, I encouraged them to collect stories of answered prayers from their own prayer adventures. It's easy to get sidetracked and even disheartened by someone else's life. It's so tempting to wonder if anything spectacular could ever happen to plain old us.

Jesus lived the ultimate true life adventure. What a lot of stories we know about His answered prayers! But, have you ever pondered those hours Jesus spent alone in prayer with Father? Those would have been the most amazing answered prayer stories of all! I hope Jesus shares those stories some day, but He may not. Some stories belong only to the Father and the child.

The God who answered prayers in the true life adventures of Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is still answering prayers. The God who captivates our attention with the answered prayer adventures of Hannah, Phoebe, Anna and Tabitha is still writing stories.

But, the best prayer story you will ever hear is the one you and God write together as you live your own true life adventure filled with answered prayers. What's happening in your story today?

Thanks Giving Back

Oh God, when I have food,
Help me to remember the hungry.

When I have work,
Help me to remember the jobless.

When I have a warm home,
Help me to remember the homeless.

When I am without pain,
Help me to remember those who suffer.

...And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency and stir up my compassion. Make me concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted.


~Samuel F. Pugh

Thank You Prayer Walks

A little prayer of "Thank you, God,"
Sets our thoughts aright.
Keeps us feeling all day long,
More positive and bright!

Have you ever tried to make a gratitude list? I made one with my Sunday School class of 4 and 5 years olds one winter and we easily filled both sides of a large poster paper. It's an activity that can be done in a few minutes or over the course of a lifetime.

Recently I've been taking a "Thank You Prayer Walk". It takes 7 minutes out and 7 minutes back. On the walk, I thank God for everything that comes to mind...green grass, cute shoes, laughter, strollers, cats, blue sky, rain drops. The most delight comes when I walk with a child or an elderly person because it gives a new perspective.

I love activities that are easy enough to do daily or weekly, even if you rush out early for work or have toddlers at home to take along. In a wheelchair? Roll along. Elderly and stiff? We'll walk slowly. Go as a famiy or alone. C'mon! It'll be fun!

"A walk in the dark with Daddy is the best sort of walk ever." ~Cody, age 4

Teach Me

Take my needs and teach me dependency.

Take my failures and teach me grace.

Take my pain and teach me compassion.

Take my fears and teach me faith.

Take my waits and teach me patience.

Take my storms and teach me trust.

Take my time and teach me reverence.

Take my deserts and teach me thirst.

~Beth Moore

The Listening Lord

Lord, when my soul is weary
And my heart is tired and sore,

And I have that failing feeling
That I can't take it any more;

Then let me know the freshening found
In simple childlike prayer,

When the kneeling soul knows surely
That a listening Lord is there.

~Ruth Bell Graham

Facebook Fasting

Nearly every week I get a call, text or email sharing a similar heartache. Someone has a heart prick and discovers a need to eliminate or cut back their use of Facebook. Eyes have been opened to lost time and hurtful words.

So much good happens on Facebook that temptations are usually subtle or even completely hidden. The internet is the modern way that women easily go from house to house stirring up discontent and dissention, sharing in gossip and spreading bad report...so very often without any wrong intention at all. The evil one doesn't need to make us choose blatant sin...all he has to do is distract us from what we are called to do.

Oh, Father, cause us to ache deeply when we become women who use words unwisely. Teach us to have words that are full of grace and seasoned with salt. Make us creative with words that are apples of gold in settings of silver. Inspire us to prod one another on to love and good works.

Won't You give us pure hearts that overflow with Your Words? We want so much to be women that encourage one another with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We want to be women who are exactly what You had in mind when You created women.

Out of our hearts our mouths will speak so we will increase the time we use Your Words and decrease the time we use empty words.

Are there ways to use the tools of our generation to cause an increase in our passion, purity and purpose? Women are resourceful and creative creatures. What could we change?

Reasons to Praise

To enthrone God and acknowledge his greatness Ps 95:1-5


To increase our awareness of God’s presence Ps 103


To have the joy of the Lord Ps 30


To acknowledge God’s hand in every area of our lives Ps 91


To release God’s power into our situations Ps 144


To know God Better Ps 50:23


To break our chains of bondage and bring deliverance Ps 50:14-15


To be under God’s covering of safety and protection Ps 95:6,7


To strengthen the soul and be transformed Ps 138:1-3


To receive guidance and establish God’s purposes Ps 16:7-11


To thwart the devil’s plans for our destruction Ps 92


To dissipate doubt and increase faith Ps 27


To be delivered from fear Ps 34


To bring a fresh flow of his Holy Spirit in us Ps 40


To possess all that God has promised for us Ps 147

Teach Us to Stand Strong

O God, You have given us life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You have given us the security of faith in a world that longs for something on which to rely. We thank You for Your gifts to us.

Teach us to stand strong for Your Kingdom:
to be free in this world in order to be Christ's men and women.

Help us to know Your love and the love of each other. Set us free to become our true selves because we are loved, and to free others because we love.

Give us enough tests to make us strong;
enough vision and endurance to follow Your way;
enough patience to persist when the going is difficult;
enough of reality to know our weaknesses;
and enough humility to know these gifts come from You.

Go before us to prepare the way; walk behind us to be our protection; and walk beside us to be our companion, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Richard Langford

Digging in the Dirt

I grappled with the decision for nearly a year before ending a friendship. I knew it wasn’t in my own best interest to continue, but because I had failed to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, I hesitated to give up all chances to try and reach my friend.

His soil was rocky, hard and filled with spiritual diseases. I wanted to tend the soil and prepare the ground for seeds, but the good I did was far outweighed by my inability to stand strong and alert in his presence. If only I had known a better way to get through to him.

"Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." ~Romans 16:17-21

Even though the harvest is not mine to control, it was my job to plant seeds and nurture them in the life of my friend. Instead I was swayed by my insecurities and lack of experience, tempted by his smooth talk and confused by obstacles and divisions.

I wanted to be light, to be salt, to be a lamb that roars, to be music in his life. I wanted to make his mountains less steep and his valleys less dark, but I just couldn't figure out how to do it. Is there a burden heavier than failing a lost friend?

Oh, Father, I want to be a woman after Your own heart. I want to be bubbling over with joy and love the people that come my way. Season my life with salt and fill my words with grace. Give me a pure heart and clean hands so that I am strong enough to tug the lost from out of the pit and back onto solid ground without getting so much mud all over myself.

Praying the Scriptures

To pray the scriptures, choose a verse from the Bible and then pray it over yourself or someone else:

Put people in _____ life who will gently instruct him.
Grant him repentance leading to knowledge of the truth.
Cause him to come to his senses and
escape from the trap of the devil who has taken him captive to do his will.

Open _____ eyes and turn him from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, so that he may receive forgiveness of sins
and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ.

Thank you for loving our family so much that you gave your only Son,
that when we believe in Him we will not perish but have eternal life.

I pray that we would continue to live in Christ, rooted and built up in Him,
strengthened in the faith as we were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.

Count ______ as one of your people and be his God.
Give him a singleness of heart and action so that
he will always fear you for his own good and for the good of his children.
Make an everlasting covenant with him.
Never stop doing good to him
and inspire him to fear you so that he will never turn away from you.

Put a new spirit in us, Lord. Remove our hearts of stone.
Cause us to follow your decrees and keep your laws.
Let us know that we belong to you and that you are our God.

I pray that our home will be rooted and established in love,
and that we may have power together with all the saints to grasp
how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know
this love that surpasses all understanding, that we may be filled to the
measure of all the fullness of God.

Beyond Our Limitations

Lord, we need to move beyond
This place that we are in
To touch your very heart, O God
To have your love within.

We need to move beyond the limits
We’ve placed upon our lives
To move into more of you
Revealed through Jesus Christ.

Help us to keep pressing on
As, by faith, we take more steps
To really conquer our inner selves
To know you with more depth.

Help us Lord to overcome
To be focused more on you
No matter how hard it gets for us
We need to press on through.

Though Satan rises with hell’s fury
With vengeance to devour
We pray, O God, you’ll arise in us
And fight with holy power.

For greater are you within us
Than the enemy of our souls
For you have power and might, O God
And your Spirit is in control.

We know the victory shall be ours
Though for now the heat is on.
Help us Lord to not give up
For by this you make us strong.

You will sustain us in your love
Through what we’re going through
And deliver us the other side
Victorious in you!

© By M.S.Lowndes

Becoming A Woman Of Excellence

A woman of excellence
Is what I long to be
Filled with your godly wisdom
So it is part of me.

A woman of integrity
No matter what I face
Standing up for righteousness
And for your saving grace.

A woman of destiny
Living out your plan
Knowing where you’d have me walk
Being guided by your hand.

A woman of promise
Standing on your word
Holding on to all the truths
While carrying out your work.

A woman of compassion
For the ones in the dark
Those that do not know your love
And have darkness in their hearts.

A woman that will never
Compromise the faith
With what the world may offer
But will keep the narrow way.

A woman who loves Jesus
And will only follow Him
Gladly to give up the world
So His light can shine within.

Lord this is my earnest prayer
As a daughter by your grace
Grow in me these qualities
As I walk with you in faith.

© By M.S.Lowndes

Unchanging Love

Our Father which art in Heaven,
Your children are often troubled in mind,

hearing at once the affirmations of faith
and the accusations of conscience.
We are sure there is nothing in us that could
attract the love of one as holy and just as Thou art.
Yet Thou hast declared Thy unchanging love for us in Christ Jesus.
Nothing in us can win this love.
Nothing in the universe can prevent Thee from loving us.
Thy love is uncaused and undeserved.
Thou art Thyself the reason for the love
wherewith we are loved.
Help us to believe the intensity, the eternity, that has found us.
Then love will cast out fear and our troubled hearts will be at peace
trusting not in what we are but in what Thou hast declared thyself to be.
(Author unknown)

Therefore, the Lord longs to be gracious to you
and he waits on high to have compassion on you.
The Lord is a Lord of justice.
How blessed is the one who waits on Him!