The POWER of PRAYER

I have been learning different ways to pray. I just the love the fact that I can come to my Father so intimately. Depending on my mood & request I come to Him in different ways.

Praying the names of God:
El Elyon: The God most High
El Roi: The God who sees
El Shaddai: The All Sufficient One
Yahweh (Adonai): The LORD
Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD will provide
Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD who heals
Jehovah Mekoddishkem: the LORD who sanctifies you
Jehovah-shalom: The LORD is peace
Jehovah Shammah: The LORD is There
......Of course there are so many names & you can google different ways to pray (I only have 30 of them & their meanings)........

Biblical Virtues to Pray for your Kids
Salvation, Growth in Grace, Love, Honesty & Integrity,Self-control, Love for God's Word, Justice, Mercy, Respect (for self & others & authority), Biblical Self-esteem, Faithfulness, Courage, Purity, Kindness, Generosity, Peace-loving, Joy, Perseverance, Humility, Compassion, responsibility, Faith, Contentment, a Servants heart, Hope, Prayerfulness.........

Alphabet Prayers:
A. He is All-sufficient, Almighty, Awesome
B. He is Beautiful,
C. He is Comfort, Counsellor, Creator........
......
Z.

Praying the Attributes of God:
Holy, Sovereign, Loving, Gracious, Alpha & Omega, King of Kings, The Bread of Life, Merciful, Faithful, Wise, Lamb of God......................

Praying the Armor of God & Warfare prayers.

Praying Scripture

(thank you Becky McDonald who gave me the guides to prayer on our women's' retreat October 2007. Also, The Power of a Praying Parent & Power of a Praying Wife (by Stormie Omartian) are great books & I just finished Becoming a Women of Prayer by Cynthia Heald)

So, I wrote this post because I have been agonizing for a while over the chicken farm in Cambodia. This is a village in Cambodia that is basically one big brothel. I'd seen a special on Dateline & heard Oprah talk about it over a year ago or so. It's called the chicken farm b/c you can pluck a child like you could pluck a chicken there. No consequences. There are girls you can buy time with as young as 5 years old. This is a big attraction for pedophiles from all over the world to come visit.

On Saturday, July 11 Women At Risk is holding a day of prayer specifically for the Chicken farm. For those of you who would like to go, call W.A.R's office & reserve a spot. If you can not make it, please join in prayer from where ever you are.

These are little clips of the children who are caught in this tragedy.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/4037134#4037134
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azBVHFGzHkU&feature=related

Unfortunately when I was looking for pics & videos to show I stumbled across a horrific site. This was disgusting & vulgar. It was a how to guide for picking up kids in Cambodia. He told the best & worst places to go & even rated the girls on looks & performance. It was all I could do to not throw my computer out the window. I was so sick to my stomach that I have this ache in my heart even more than ever for these precious victims! I feel like I can't get low enough on my face before God as I cry out for help for these victims all over the world! How can we allow this to happen to our children??? This is a plea to pray! I am begging you to get on your knees & pray for traffic victims all over the world-even here in America! There are so many children being forced into sex slavery every day here! I believe in the Power of Prayer! We need to be an army of prayer warriors!

this past month

this has been a VERY crazy month! my oldest graduated from his young fives, my youngest turned 3. he has officially been potty trained through the night now for almost a month!!he still thinks it's hilarious to pull his pants down, get on the coffee table & "sprinkle" our living room. (yes he gets spanked, yes i have since rented a rug dr to thoroughly clean the carpet) he has also become a dirt eater. this is very recent so for his 3 yr check up his dr ran a full lab on his blood b/c eating dirt is a sign of anemia or lead poisoning. his iron was a little low, not enough that he ought to eat dirt as a supplement. i think he's just a bit crazy & driving me there with him! but the trick that about pushed me over the edge was when he painted himself & our walls with lipstick then tried to clean his hands on the carpet. i was outside planting & he had to stay inside (punishment for eating sand out of the sandbox) i was only out for about 15 minutes & he made a disaster of a mess!

soccer season is quickly coming to an end for eddie. then it's golf lessons! he is very excited about this! he went to avalanche bay with friends over the weekend (an indoor water park) and learned how to surf! he is excited for summer for sure!

i finished training today to be a jewelry consultant for women at risk. i have worked one party and assisted becky at another party. i will be hosting my first party next week and consulting another the following. it was a great day. we learned so much more about the ministry background and a breakdown of the money that the jewelry brings in. here is something i learned today:

90% of the profits made on the jewelry goes directly to the girls. the other 10% is for handling & administration costs. of that 90% here is how it works: the girls get paid for working 8 hrs a day. they earn as much working on the jewelry as a male college graduate earns. they get paid to work for 8 hrs a day however they only work for 4 hours a day. the other 4 hours are spent in counselling, praise & worship, education, on the job training. the safehouses provide healthcare for the girls & their children, education for the girls & their children, food for them. this is just an incredible program! so, if you love jewelry you should think about hosting a party! it's fun & the products are beautiful! OR if jewelry is not your thing, you can purchase a GOAT! yes, you can buy a goat for $50 for someone in africa or nepal. this gives the women a bigger status and helps provide for her family. you will be able to name the goat & get a certificate about your goat. this is a great project for families-save your change & buy a goat & name it after your family!!

there will be a day

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face There will be a day, He’ll wipe away the stains, He’ll wipe away the tears, He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

(from there will be a day by jeremy camp)

last friday my friend lost her mom. she was out for her daily walk and was hit by a car. i did not know her but i know she was an incredible woman just by her legacy.

i went to visitation sunday and was about 15 minutes early and the home was already packed! christina was doing well. she is so precious! her concerns were not for herself or her family. she said we'll be fine. we know my mom is fine. she was worried about the lady who hit her mom. that's where all of her concern was focused. no bitterness, just love for this woman.

Lord, we don't know how much time we have here, but thank you for every precious minute we have with our loved ones. I pray to leave a legacy like jan. Comfort both families involved in this tragedy. use it to bring glory to you alone. thank you for HOPE!

God's faithfulness

The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! (Psalm 103:16-18)


Our God is so good. He is so faithful! This has been a wonderful weekend. We celebrated Good Friday-the ultimate sacrifice that our precious Jesus gave-HIS OWN LIFE FOR OURS!!!

We were going over this again Saturday in preparation for RESURRECTION Sunday with our precious boys. Eddison (will be 6 in July) and Henry (will be 3 next month). Dave was finished talking and after a moment of silence Eddison said "Dad, I have been ready for like 600 years to ask Jesus to come in my heart and thank Him for taking my sins and mom keeps putting me off." A LITTLE exaggerated to say the least. He HAS asked me several times if he can ask Jesus in his heart. This started around Christmas. We were in the car and he said he was ready. I was so excited and said "Let's talk about this with Dad. He would LOVE to be a part of this special decision with us!" So, Dave got home from work and asked Eddison about it and he said he wasn't ready. For a minute I was disappointed and then relieved that I didn't rush him through this right away when he first asked. I figured, when he is REALLY ready, he will be ready when Dave is around too. I didn't want it to be a now or never moment. Several other times would come up-in the grocery store, at a restaurant, during craft time......but a few hours later when Dave would get home Eddison decided he didn't want to talk about it after all. We have been praying though and our Father is so faithful. Eddison took this precious step on Saturday night. We told him we were happier that night than when he was even born!

Understand therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love him and obey his commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Our boy made the life changing decision to lay his life down and give it up to our Father to be his Lord & Savior. He said he wants to do what Jesus commands and he wants to make Jesus happy. I knew God would bring our boys to Him in His time. They are, after all, HIS children He has entrusted to us while we are here on earth. What an honor. Thank you Lord!

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:7-10)


We told Eddison we were so proud of him! Henry kept hugging him saying he was proud & he was ready to have Jesus in his heart too (yes, I think he is too young so we just told him in a while when he gets bigger he can give his life to Jesus) He hugged his big brother and said "I hear your heart beat. I can hear Jesus talking in there. "

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. (Deuteronomy 5:10)

We are reaping the rewards of God's promises! Thank you Father for sending your Son! Thank you Jesus for loving us so much you suffered and died in our place. Thank you for NEW LIFE!!!!

the waiting game....

My lesson from (Beth Moore's) Esther this week is on waiting. When is it the right time? When is it time to wait? When is it the time right for me or someone else?? It's a great study and this is a great lesson for me. I CANNOT wait for anything-ever. I can NEVER wait for presents. Dave has never surprised me with a gift b/c I bug him so bad he caves in so I'll leave him alone. I'm not good at waiting on answers, appointments....anything. I have NO patience and struggle with the "wait and see" game.

When Dave and I were just married we were landlords of a real cute (and OLD) duplex. we had the kitchen remodeled. when we tore down the walls we found old treasures! Someone in the house must have had a drinking problem and tried to hide the whiskey bottles behind the kitchen cabinets. We found bottles from 1930 (one of them had mouse bones in it so we left that in the wall) we found a program from Grandville prom in the 50's and old cards. most of the stuff had been chewed a bit by mice (??) we kept one whiskey bottle & put the rest in a box with some of our own little memories for the next person who tears down the wall. These treasures were so fun to discover b/c they were from so long ago. If we had torn into a wall that was only a year old, we would not have found anything too unique. It would not have been the right time.

There is something I have been struggling with for a while now and God (and Dave) keep telling me to wait. BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!! I'm too used to living in a world of fast food, my internet compatible cell phone, instant messaging, express lanes. Who waits for anything anymore? Lord, I need patience. I need to focus on God's timing b/c He has the best plan for me in store. It's obvious He is telling me to wait-for who or what? I'm not sure. I'm also not good with subtle so I will need the answer on a neon billboard saying "IT'S TIME!"

Ok, Lord. I'm putting this struggle in Your hands for you to open and prepare for me when we are ALL ready! I won't put it behind a wall, just in my open hand for you to take (and take care of my heart.....)

Beautiful ONE I adore, my soul belongs to YOU!

Oh Abba Father! You are so beautiful! You are the GOD who sees, the GOD who hears, the GOD who provides!! I have no words right now. I am in awe. Thank you for my beautiful family. They bring me so much love and happiness! Thank you for the beautiful sunshine! I am looking forward to going to work and playing with the beautiful flowers you create! (and the delicious tomatoes!) Right now I am here praising you for answered prayer! Thank you for answering our prayers above and beyond what we even asked for!!

My dearest friend (we have been best friends for 25 years-since the first day of kindergarten!) is a wonderful mom. She has a darling 2 1/2 year old daughter (who we have betrothed to my 2 1/2 yr old son) We have been praying for another sibling for Presley. Not only did God answer with a big o' YES-but TWINS!!!!! I am so excited for her! I can't wait to be an aunt to TWINS!! My Tuesday prayer group prayed for her for just 2 weeks before we heard the good news that she was expecting. Then another 2 weeks we prayed that the baby would look good for the ultra sound & that's when we heard this exciting news! All I can say is thank you Father! thank you for my dear friend! I love her. and thank you for these precious babes you have blessed her with! I have always believed in the power of prayer. I was amazed at how fast & abundantly our prayers were answered!

Beautiful Bangkok

Bimala and I

Bimala runs Higher Ground Cafe in Nepal. Her husband is a pastor. They hire women who are at risk to work in the bakery. When the government decides to shut off the power, the women make beautiful jewelry. She fiercely fights for the Nepali women, and she has such a big tender heart. I love her!

Jane, Ruth & I

Jane is a nurse. Ruth runs Divine Inspiration. She teaches cake decorating. She went to Nepal to teach Bimala's women how to decorate cakes before moving to Cambodia to start her ministry. Both women are form Australia and are moving to Cambodia. Ruth will teach girls how to bake & decorate cakes and Jane will teach them health issues and run a clinic for a while for at risk and rescued girls. They are both wild and sweet. I love these girls as well!

Here is Ruth giving a brief on her ministry while we were in Bangkok


Here we are praying over Bimala, Ruth & Jane before sending them to Nepal & Cambodia. This was an incredible, emotional and powerful time spent together.



Here is our group!

Dani & Liz

Liz is Dani's cousin who lives in Bangkok with her family. They work with trafficked & at risk girls. Becky says she hopes Liz will take over W.A.R. someday. She would be great at it! She is so sincere and an absolute riot! This was before the banquet we threw for the rescued women! These are such beautiful girls (who will probably break many hearts when they go to college!) I love them too!

Here I am decorating the tables for the banquet. The theme was you Are the Bride of Christ. We decorated like a wedding reception. It was absolutely beautiful!

Here was the cake & Ice Sculptures (which were melting so fast!) The cake was pretty tasty-especially after eating jelly fish & chicken feet soup & whatever else we were eating!

The decorated tables

a precious girl playing music in the market

in the market

i wanted to taste these yummy looking treats so bad but we were told we probably better not eat anything from the market

we called this the Hobby Lobby corner. It was full of craft supplies

Some TukTuks lined up down an alley

the streets of Bangkok

Holy water at the Buddhist center

This man was releasing birds-this is how their prayers are sent up to the spirits

so many elephants at the Buddhist center

here was the Buddha/Hindu god. It's kind of a mix between the two

dancers at the buddhist center and a man praying with them

This is a statue of the king on one of the sidewalks. There were pictures of the King all over the place. There is also Buddha shrines all over too where people leave flowers & food & drinks & offerings for the gods

a river boat

so many masks all over. they were so ornate but odd looking

yard workers

more of the city

here is the night market of PatPong. everything was so vulgar. The left side of the picture was the "night market" that appeals to so many tourists. This is set up in the middle of the road. On the sidewalks are the bars & brothels.

Some more of PatPong and the night market again. The yellow "menus" the girls are holding in their hands are price lists of what you would like to do with the bar girls. There are pictures and descriptions and prices on these "menus" and they shove them in your face as you walk by wanting you to buy a service or a girl

creepy lucifer "disco" it really felt like we were in hell on these streets. it was so hot, we could hardly breath b/c of the heat, the horrors we saw & the evil oppression we felt.

again the night market on the streets of PatPong.

a street vendor

a beautiful dancer on our dinner cruise

my dinner on the cruise

some beautiful buildings we saw on the dinner cruise

Beautiful Bangkok

i loved the hot pink taxis!

one of the malls

a tuk tuk

this was a god house. they hoped the spirits would live in these godhouses & hopefully not in the hotels and homes

they beleived the pointy things on the roof would poke the evil spirit's in the butt so they could not sit on their roofs very long

a little garden at our hotel

bangkok

even Ronald McDonald was proper in his bowing. my receipt from McDonalds said "McThai"

Jeannie is one of the jewlery designers for W.A.R. here she is working in the store witht he girls who own this bead store