Your Love and Grace, LORD

What a weekend this has been, LORD. The hours just sped by as I rolled with every task. Thank you for providing plenty of grace. You sustained me throughout. I didn't get a chance, though, to post anything here. I miss this special way of talking to you already, LORD, when I'm unable to do it.

My Pastor has left for a short term mission to the Philippines. That leaves the rest of us filling in for him while he's away. I tell you, LORD, it is a huge hole to fill. Grant us the anointing and the enabling of your Holy Spirit, dear LORD. Let us be found faithful when our Pastor returns.

More than ourselves, LORD, please bless our Pastor as he works to complete his assignment. He travelled with a team of ministers to set up an assessment center in the Philippines for church planters. My understanding is that they are expecting 15 church planting couples to attend the center. Our prayer is that all 15 couples will be successful. LORD, 15 successful couples represent 15 new churches. Four of these are planned to be here in the USA. Please smile upon our desire to plant churches. We want to be in your heartbeat. We want to be useful to you in your work of kingdom expansion.

Here is the latest, LORD, on Jennie Logsdon Martin. She is supposed to fly and be at this place she calls "Stanford" by Monday. Apparently, the treatment she could get there just might enable her to walk again. I continue to pray in her behalf, LORD. Please, do grant her desire to heal. Enable her to enjoy again fishing, rafting, and all the wonderful things she enjoys in your Creation. Give her more years, LORD, to inspire many of us, your children, who see in her your sustaining grace.

Also, LORD, please watch over the election in Iraq. Enable it to continue as scheduled. Embolden the Iraqi citizenry to invest in liberty and freedom by voting. Shield them and our troops with your mighty hands from harm. Frustrate the intentions of the insurgents. I am certain that from their viewpoint, their end is noble and holy. Teach them, though, LORD, that your love and grace call for compassion and persuasion---not murder---of unbelievers.

I pray, dear God, that you will enlighten those even in the free world who are strangely opposed to the Iraq election. I thank you for the viewpoint expressed by Bill O'Reilly on this. It helps to have a perspective out there that places things in their proper places. If we leave it to the liberal press to call it, they will spin things so out of shape that good becomes bad and vice-versa.

Thank you again for your grace and love, LORD. You cause the sun to rise and the rain to fall on everyone, blameless or wicked. You enable life to flow, you provide air to sustain life, whether we believe in you or not. Your longsuffering patience is enjoyed by even those that shake their fists in your face and heap insults to your Name.

Be glorified, dear Father. For your mercy endures forever.

In Jesus' Mighty Name, I ask it, LORD. Amen.