A WOMAN'S VIEW ~ Lenore Buth

Does prayer really work?

A lot of people wonder about that

What one person calls an answer to prayer another labels "luck" or "coincidence."

The other day a friend told of not being able to find her Kindle. "I took my house apart. I went through every place I could think of. I absolutely could not find it.   

"Finally I remembered to ask God for help. About two minutes later I realized I hadn't checked the wooden box on my counter. I checked the box and there it was. I think God was just waiting for me to ask so He could answer my prayer."

Is it really that simple?

No, it's not. That would be a "push-button God," wouldn't it?

I have learned over the years that yes, God does hear our prayers. The  answer may not always be what we ask for, but it's always what we need most. Sometimes we get a "wait" and it takes awhile before we can see see that God did answer but we didn't recognize it at the time.

And sorry, sometimes what we need most is to learn from the experience--and that's an answer, too, because it's a lesson we needed to learn. (Or am I the only one?)

One thing's sure: God does want to hear what's on our hearts. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.                             --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Do we pray only about the Big Things? Or everything? 

Another time I was with a group of friends and one who lives alone told about trying to change a light bulb that refused to budge. "I was about ready to give up," she said.

"Finally I just said, 'Lord, I don't want to have to call someone to come in. Please, Lord, help me!'

"Then I decided to give it one more try. A couple of twists and that bulb came right out. I know it was just a light bulb, but that day it seemed proof that God is watching over me."

People standing around her soon chimed in with their own stories of how they saw God's hand in various situations and challenges. Some were accounts of real times of crisis and others of small, everyday things.

It didn't matter. We listened and rejoiced together that God is faithful and He really cares about each one of us. 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  --1 John 5:14

You've probably heard people say, "Prayer really works."

That's not quite accurate. The truth is God really works.

He can bless us with or without our prayers, of course. Still, when we pray and things seem to "work out," then we know it's God answering our prayers and we give Him thanks and praise.

Or to put it another way, because we pray we look for His hand in our lives. That is, we see His hand already to work in our lives and therefore, we thank Him. We know it's God, not luck and not coincidence.

As for whether to pray only for Big Things or for everything, I vote for the latter. Listen to the Apostle Paul meant in Philippians 4:6-7:

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.

As the song says, "He's got the whole wide world . . . in His hands."

That includes you and me, so let's just relax and live and be at peace.

Blessings,

Lenore

 

 

The case for watching our words

The other day a friend said, "I don't know why, but I rag on my poor husband all the time--about nothing.

"That sweet man never gets angry, just waits for me to run out of steam and keeps on loving me anyhow."

Maybe you catch yourself falling into that trap once in awhile.

Me, too.

Especially with my own sweet husband, who unfortunately happens to be an imperfect human being.

(Like his wife.)

Home, the 24/7 proving ground

It's at home that we slip up most often, isn't it? Because our loved ones love us we feel free enough to blurt out whatever comes to mind.

Yet if you're like me, your mom told you, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything."   

We tell our kids, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 

Sometimes we're not so good at living out those truths in our day-to-day conversations with the person(s) we say we love the most.

Here's the hard truth I didn't want to look at

Our thoughtless words at home speak louder than our words at church.

They reveal what's inside us.

Every time we open our mouths we bring chaos or comfort. As the writer of Proverbs 12:18 (NIV) put it: 

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Over the years I've grown somewhat wiser and more aware of myself. I've also learned to say from the heart, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

My husband always does, but we both know no apology blots out the memory of hurtful words.

Now, about those loose lips . . .

Some of us, um, forget when we're supposed to keep a secret. Or we carelessly share way more information than outsiders have a right to know.

Even without evil intent, we can do harm.

There's a remedy available, but not at the drugstore. I discovered it at a time when it was essential for me to, shall we say, keep my mouth shut about confidences that had been shared. I found this wonderful verse from Psalms and it became my frequent prayer.

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. --Psalm 141:3  NIV

I've found that verse "hits me and fits me." It reminds me to think before I speak. It helps me control my wayward tongue.

Did somebody mention gossip?

I'm not a gossip. You're not a gossip.

We do talk about others, however, often in loving concern. To us, that doesn't feel like gossip. 

To the subject(s) of our conversation, however, it probably does--unless we have their permission to share their stories.

Here's the problem: As soon as we tell another person we lose control of what happens next.

We can never predict the ripple effect of our words once they leave our mouths.

Gossip is not a new phenomenon. Solomon, the writer of most of Proverbs, knew that once we share a juicy bit of information, it can't be unsaid.

The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person's innermost being.  Prov. 26:22  GW. 

Nothing about human nature has changed since the time of Solomon.

Recalculating our aim

That's a word the recorded voice on our GPS often uses when we fail to follow the directions given. Then we may hear, "recalculating."

That's what the Psalm 141 verse noted above does for me. It helps me recalculate the direction I'm taking and sets me back on the right road. I've found that repeating Bible verses like this reminds me who I am and how I want to be.

I can't do it on my own. Thanks be, I don't have to. 

Neither do you.

All we need to do is ask.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. --Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Peace and joy,

Lenore

Not to worry, God's got it all covered

This morning it's safe to say you're either feeling on top of the world or down in the pits.

Friends, it's time to regroup. So let's take a few deep breaths, digest a few truths and get a grip.

My mother loved poetry and often quoted a fragment of one of Robert Browning's poems:

God's in his Heaven, All's right with the world.

It was true in 1841. It's true now.

Besides . . .

1. This is not the first election where U. S. citizens disagreed on who should win.
2. Every single time, no matter who won, the U.S.A. endured. 
3. Every single time each of the states in the U.S.A. survived.

This has been true since 1776. Have we who live in the 21st century become so weak as a people that we fall apart when things don't go our way?

I don't believe that for a minute. Do you?

Most important of all

God is still in his Heaven--and all around us. Still ordering the affairs of the world--even when we earthlings judge it to be falling apart.

Even now.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Rome when most, if not all, civil rulers were pagans and the Emperor Nero was in the first five years of his reign. Who could blame those believers if they didn't want to be subject to the Emperor and his cohorts?

For just a moment step into their sandals and suppose Paul wrote these words to you:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.                        --Romans 13:1  ESV

I'm pretty certain those early Christians didn't much like those words, aren't you?

Do you think they appreciated those words? Did they understand how Paul's words could be true? That's unlikely, because they're hard words.  

Hard words, even now, for us.

What are we to do now?

If we're feeling a bit lost today, the Apostle Peter gives us the answer in 1 Peter 5:7  ESV:

... casting all your anxieties on him [God,] because he cares for you.

Because he cares for us. Period. In every time. In every situation.

So why do we feel anxious? Because we want to know what's ahead and how it will all turn out.

We can't. You and I see what's right in front of us. Today.

God sees--and knows--all of time and events from before the beginning of the world until after end.

Chuck Swindoll compared it to the difference between watching a parade through a knothole in a fence vs. watching from the reviewing stand.

It's enough to know that God accomplishes his purposes through human beings, the good and the flawed. (Just read the Old Testament.)

Where do we go from here?

Whatever our opinion may be of our elected officials, God has more to say to all of us, writing through Timothy:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.                           --1 Timothy 2:1-3  ESV

No matter who they are or what their position, our leaders need our prayers that God will guide their decisions. Leaders in Government, leaders in our church, schools and in our community.

They need our prayers whether we voted for them or not and not just today, but every day. They are human beings, with the same limitations as you and I. 

We're called to pray for each other, too.

Pray for our husband or wife and our children.

Pray for our faith family, our local schools and our community--and also work to make them stronger.

Why? Because as goes the family, so goes the nation.

Lovingly,

Lenore

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding reasons to rejoice in the midst of . . . whatever

Maybe this is a year when the phrase "celebrate Thanksgiving" makes us laugh. Or cry.

Perhaps money is tight or health is bad or one of our kids has taken a bad turn. Whatever the reason, a turkey won't fix it.

Stories of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving seem a million years away from today. 

Yet I think they can teach you and me a lot about how to live our lives--and celebrate God's goodness.

Don't confuse The Mayflower with today's cruise ships 

The Mayflower likely was a merchant ship only 64 feet long, about as far as from a baseball pitcher's mound to home plate. 

Because these 102 people were considered  "cargo," they were crowded into the dark cargo space, an area about half the size of a basketball court. Ceiling height was less than five feet.

The Pilgrims' group included 18 married couples and their children of various ages. Two wives were pregnant. One delivered her child enroute.

The l-o-n-g crossing 

The Mayflower crossed the Atlantic at the breathtaking speed of about two miles an hour.

For 66 days these families and singles lived in that confined space with little privacy and poor ventilation. Nine weeks of praying God would protect them through squalls and raging storms and bring them safely to the New World where they could worship Him as they thought right.

Finally, on November 11, 1620, the captain spotted Cape Cod and dropped anchor offshore.  

No inns with warm rooms and cushy beds awaited them

They had only The Mayflower for lodging and provisions stored onboard. 

Only the cold, gray unknown, their fears and their faith in a faithful God.

The Mayflower would sail back to England in spring. Knowing that drove the men to keep going as they daily rowed to land, working together in the cold to build basic shelter for their group and also the chickens and pigs they had brought.   

All that year they also dug graves. By that first Thanksgiving only 50 of the 102 Pilgrims who left England still breathed. Of the 18 married couples just three remained intact.  

Yet despite their heavy hearts, the survivors gathered to thank and praise God for His goodness to them. They looked around and gave thanks for what was left and for what they had learned.

Do we have what it takes to do the same?

If we've lived awhile we've learned that even when life is good, it's seldom easy. Passing on our stories of how we experienced God's faithfulness will bless our children and grandchildren--even if they roll their eyes.   

The Pilgrims' story provides the perfect lead-in.

 Find the way that feels most comfortable.

• Remind everyoneto be sensitive of people's feelings--children, too
• Share memories and instances when you knew God was blessing you and/or your family, whether past or present.
• Write what--or who--you're thankful for. (Just speaking it is fine, too.)
• Take turns reading your lists and talk about what's been written.

It's a way to connect heart-to-heart

However we choose to open up it will change the feel of the day and draw us closer as family and friends. Like the Pilgrims, in any situation if we take our eyes off ourselves we can find reasons to thank God. 

Thanking God leads to rejoicing. And isn't that the way we Christians are meant to live 365 days a year?

Here's a Bible verse to hang onto:

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.  --Colossians 2:6-7 ESV

Thanking God for you, dear reader,

Lenore  

 

• Note: The Plimoth Plantation, a modern-day recreation of Plymouth Village, is worth taking a detour anytime you're on the East Coast. It also has a wonderful website that will make you feel on-the-scene: http://www.plimoth.org/                  
 

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Think there are no miracles today? Read this woman's story

Think there are no miracles today? Read this woman's story

Does God still work miracles today?

I don't know your definition of a "miracle," but this news story fits mine.

Meet Ruby Graupera-Cassimoro and her newborn daughter, Tally.

You are looking at a woman who had no pulse for 45 minutes. 

It happened September 23, 2014, at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Ruby, age 40, had just undergone an uneventful cesarean to deliver a healthy baby girl. 

In the recovery room she complained of shortness of breath, then suddenly went silent. 

This second-time mother's heart stopped

For the next three hours a team of doctors and nurses worked tirelessly, using chest paddles and compression. During the final, discouraging 45 minutes Ruby registered no pulse at all. 

At some point it was determined she had suffered a rare amniotic fluid embolism. This can occur when fluid that surrounds a baby in the uterus escapes into the mother's bloodstream and heart, clogging it, creating a vacuum and stopping circulation.

At last doctors called family members into the operating room so they could say their goodbyes. Physicians told them they could do nothing more for Ruby and they were ready to pronounce her dead.  

Nurse Julie Ewing accompanied the family out of the O. R. They all held hands and prayed, with the nurse on her knees.

Then doctors noticed a blip on the monitor 

Could it be that Ruby's heart was beating again? 

Yes--and it kept beating!

Despite 45 minutes without a heartbeat Ruby woke up. She showed no evidence of brain damage.

No bruises or broken ribs from chest compressions.

No burns from the four or five times doctors used electric shock to try to restart her heart.   

Hospital spokesman Thomas Chakurda said Ruby's survival is a story of two miracles--her resuscitation and no serious brain damage. 

"It’s 'divine providence,'" said Hospital spokesman Thomas Chakurda. "Today she is the picture of health. She's at home, perfectly healthy and caring for her newborn.”  

So was she really dead?

Ruby told ABC News, "Oh, I was dead. My husband tells me, 'You were gray. You were cold as ice, and you were dead. You had no color in your lips.'" 

In an interview with the Christian Post, Ruby said, "I don't know why I was given this opportunity, but I'm very grateful for it. God had the right people in the right place."

The inevitable question 

Especially when we or someone we love is seriously ill--and we've prayed God would heal--the same question haunts us: Why doesn't God heal everyone? 

I cannot answer that question. I wish I could.   

What I do know is that God gives life. 

All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. --John 1:3 (ESV)

He knows the number of our days. (Read Psalm 139, especially verses 14-18, and be blessed.)

He loves people enough to provide a way for us to be at peace with Him.

God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16 (ESV)  

God's love for us is absolute and never changes, even when His answers to our prayers don't match our specific requests.  

Whatever your situation, hang on to hope

I love what God said to the prophet Jeremiah in what looked like an impossible situation. To me, it's a verse to cling to in tough times.

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" --Jeremiah 32:27  (NIV)

Ruby's story shows us miracles still happen. Everything we know about God tells us how.

Comments?

Growing along with you,

Lenore

 

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