Prayer, Appeal, Petition, Supplication: Whatever you call it -It's Important.

There are many times in my life that circumstances around me have caused me to fall to my knees in prayer. I have mentioned many times that our children were ill a lot when they were younger. Not the usual colic or cold, they were both born with heart conditions and back then, that was not as easy to deal with as it is now. Hubby and I spent many hours in prayer on behalf of our children. We also had some wonderful friends (prayer warriors) who prayed for us and with us.

When life gets to us, when we feel heavy with worry, pain, anxiety, fear or guilt, we can often find ourselves praying more than when we feel happy, encouraged, joyful and excited. If only I could bring my joys before God as often as I bring my woes. Perhaps that is one more reason we have problems, to remind us we need God.

Matthew 21:22:" If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." So does that mean if we believe we will win the lottery, and we pray about it, it will happen?  No, it means that we have faith in God, so we believe that He has only the best in store for us and will care for us, so our prayers reflect that belief. Because we have that faith, we will not be asking for the winning lottery ticket, but will ask for daily bread. That prayer will be answered.

Hubby and I have a wonderful and dear man who is very ill and on our hearts. He is our friend, our brother, and one of our church Elders. He has been battling an illness for some 2 1/2 years and many of us have been praying for him and his family from the beginning. It is starting to look like, from the worlds view, that his fight will be over. We are saddened by this of course and yet we know that God is good and we continue to follow God's word. Romans 12:12: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." We all continue to bring our friend before our Father, knowing that He knows best if our friend will stay here with his family, or if he graduates to the glory of Heaven and sees the face of our Father, and hears "Well done, good and faithful servant."

If you are a praying person, I solicit your prayers on the behalf of our friend and for his family. Thank you. His name is Duane!