On My Mind

I am tired today.  Not very motivated.  And stressing about things over which I have no control.  Yes, I know....NOT the correct way to handle things.  Trust me, I am working on the right way.  God and I had a long talk on the drive to work this morning.

What's eating at me?  Family relationships.  The idea of having to drive in the snow again this afternoon (the prediction is for the storm to hit about the time the kids are getting out of school and keep it up through the evening hours at least).  My kids' lives.  And the big elephant in the room....finances.  This worsening economy is really beginning to put a hurt on us as banks continue to be reluctant to release funds for construction and work slows.

Funny (not really) how God knows what we need when we need it.  

I have two little quick devotionals that I bounce back and forth between..."Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young and "The Confident Woman Devotional" by Joyce Meyer.  Today's devotion from Joyce is called "God Can Fix It."  The scripture is Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  And in "Jesus Calling" I found this, "Seek My face, and you will find more than you ever dreamed possible.  Let Me displace worry at the center of your being....My nature is to bless.  Your nature is to receive with thanksgiving.....My light shines on every situation you will ever face.  Live radiantly by expanding your focus to include Me in all your moments."

It's hard to let go of worries, but when we know that God is with us in every single moment that we are never, ever alone and don't have to face anything by ourselves it gets easier and the more we practice, the easier it gets to trust our heavenly Father to take care of us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to share a little something with you.  You all know that my children, though raised in the church, have walked away.  This is something I hope and pray will last only for a season.  God can and does work miracles and I trust that finding the way to turn their hearts will be one of those miracles.  A friend and pastor shared something with our Bible study.  A few years back her son had turned his back on God and was living with a woman.  It was a very bad situation, very unhealthy emotionally, from what I understand.  This friend fretted and nagged and pleaded and prayed as most mothers will do and nothing worked.  Finally, she realized she had to put it fully into God's hands.  That's when she prayed what she calls the "burr" prayer.  

Cockle Burr

You know what a burr is...a jaggy little seed pod that gets stuck to anything it comes in contact with.  Get one in the wrong place and it becomes an irritant and even painful.  In old Westerns you'd see them put a burr under the saddle when they wanted a horse to be ornery and buck the rider off.  Well, that's what my friend prayed for....a burr under her son's saddle.  She prayed for God to irritate him and make him completely miserable until he realized that God was the only way out.  I'm not sure how long it took.  Months, probably.  But her son did become miserable and unhappy and he eventually broke up with the woman and turned back to the Lord.  Another woman who heard the story a few months ago shared with us that her friend, who had also heard the story earlier, had been praying the burr prayer for her child and God was faithful in that situation as well.

I'm sharing this story because I want to let you know that I have begun praying the burr prayer over my children and their spouses and significant others.  I can't wait to see what God will do!