PRAY WITHOUT CEASING-1 THESSALONIANS 17

When I learned that my friend, Esther, had been put in ICU with double pneumonia I decided to go pray with her. 

At times she couldn't talk for coughing and choking. We had to call for a breathing treatment at one point but her concern wasn't for herself. She said one way or another she knows where she will be. Her concern is for her family. 

We talked of waking in the middle of the night with one or the other so heavy on our minds we had to pray immediately and of discovering later why the urgency. We shared our hopes and dreams for our children -the highest on our list is where they will spend their eternity, how they are living their lives.

She said someone asked her once how you can pray "without ceasing" and she said "How can you not when your heart is breaking?" 

A winter storm was coming in so I had to leave but it was sweet visit, besides, she needed to rest. She was to have a procedure done that afternoon to help clear her lungs. If not for the storm my visit would have been later in the day and I might have  missed getting to talk with her. 

For some reason yesterday and this morning, I looked back in last year's prayer journal. Exactly a year ago, my prayers were much the same. Prayers for safekeeping, good favor for "All Mine". A prayer for a safe delivery of great, granddaughter, Kenzley, in a few days. I had also written that it was 0 degrees, the same as today. It's the same in previous year's journals-petitioning the Lord for this one and that one for whatever the need, current happenings locally and worldwide to remind me of the time frame. 

Today there are 20 miles of people on a highway who have been stranded for over 16 hours in Kentucky where there was 2' of snow. That fact will be on today's page in today's journal with today's concerns, today's blessings and today's thankfulness.

I pulled this poem from my notebook yesterday. This post was planned to be written then, not this morning. The poem was written several years ago, it isn't dated as I usually do.

LORD,

I offer my life as a prayer

that each day others will see Jesus there,

that the Samaritan in me shows them I care,

that I will help someone their burdens to bear,

that with those You send me my sweet Jesus I share,

that I will keep loved ones from Satan's dark lair,

that nothing I do gives You cause for despair,

that to You I am daily a breath of fresh air-

LORD, 

I offer my life as a prayer. 

17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thess 5:17-18 

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16 

May God bless and keep you and yours today, and may you be safe and warm

Carolyn Wainscott

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