I love to pray, I really do. And it’s such a huge honor to pray for dear friends. And people I just met. And people I don’t even know.

But the last few weeks I haven’t been committing a whole lot of time to prayer.

I’d like that to change.

Just tonight I came home from a little gathering of awesome women with my arms and heart full of some big needs. Things I can’t do a lick about. Things only GOD can fix and heal and help.

So I’m going to talk to HIM about them.

Can I pray for you today?

(Ava and my niece Mia who is visiting–with her parents–from South Carolina this week. LOVE that little girl!)

p.s. If you haven’t heard, we’re having a little Radical Read-Along here on the blog starting the first week in September. We’d looooooove to have you join us!

EDIT (8:58 pm): Super Saver Books Sold Out! More coming later in the week…

I tried to write a post last night, but the exhaustion won over. This morning I feel refreshed and ready to face the pool. And the dentist (Ava). And the eye doctor (me). Okay, not really, just trying to psych myself up.

There is much going on, and I’m trying to get used to this new normal. Having all three girls home, Gabe at work, owning a pool pass, trying to get our Cambodia ducks in a row, and blah, blah, blah. By the time I get in the swing of things, I’m sure summer will be over.

Oh well.

The Cambodia support-raising is going well. We are just stinkin’ blessed to know so many stinkin’ generous people. Man alive.

And I have an exciting offer today. You know those Restaurant Super-Saver Coupon Books? Well, my aunt Lisa gave us EVERY PENNY from the 5 we sold. And then gave us some more! So, I have 5 to sell today, and 1 can be yours for a $15 donation toward our trip.

We keep all the $, and your coupon book almost pays for itself when you buy a Domino’s Pizza and get one free. You can also get free Big Macs and Long John Silver’s Sampler Platters and Arby’s Roast Beef sandwiches and AUNTIE ANNE’S PRETZELS (be still my heart) and Big Buford Burgers and Hungry Howie’s Pizzas and on and on and on.

The first 5 people to tell me they want a coupon book get one.

And one more thing. You know the Worlds Apart Project? Where I wrote that book (it’s a download that you can read on your computer or print out) and I’m selling it to make money for missions? Today only, the book is just $1. Just click here and donate $1, and I’ll e-mail you the link to the book.

Now, if you don’t want coupons (fabulous coupons!) or an e-book, I still want to hear from you, because an entire summer is too long to go without connecting with my computer friends. And here’s something I read this morning that really stuck with me.

In all our thinking about Christian service, prayer needs to become fundamental instead of supplemental… Prayer is the work; it is the essence of the task to which we are called, and apart from it, all other work, and I mean Christian work, is a sheer waste of time and energy divorced from the basic work of prayer. Everything else is insignificant. (Scottish theologian Eric Alexander)

A good word for me during this busy time. How about you? Can I pray for you? Leave a comment or e-mail me privately.

So, for the Listers:

1. Comment if you want a coupon book for $15.

2. Click to donate $1 if you want to read Worlds Apart.

3. Let me know how I can pray for you.

4. Give me a quick update on your life.

I appreciate you, friends! Have a great Tuesday!

My dear friend and pastor’s wife gave me a bit of a fright after church this morning, hugging me fiercely, then grabbing my arm and saying, “Is everything all right with you??”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because all week long, God kept saying, ‘Marla. Marla, Marla, Marla, Marla!’ I was so glad to see your eyes today! You’re sure everything’s okay?”

“Uh… I’m pretty sure.”

And then I went home and thought of a whole bunch of things that are wrong with my life. And I’m totally blaming her.

No, seriously, there’s nothing worth complaining about in my world. So maybe I’m in a bit of a funk. So maybe I’m a little confused and uncertain about what I’m doing/where I’m going/what’s supposed to happen next. So maybe I’ve been grouchy lately (seriously–ask Gabe) for no good reason.

Our Life Group meeting tonight helped put all that blather into perspective. We had an amazing time with Jen, who’s back in the States on a quick 2-week break from her life/work in Cambodia. We each shared a little bit about what’s going on in our lives (it’s been a few weeks since we’ve gotten together).

Then Jen shared more about her work in Cambodia and what God is up to over there. Crazy awesome stuff in a dark and oppressive place. She stressed over and over and over again how much she and her teammates desire to be covered, buried, slathered in prayer.

Then we took turns praying for her, and man, you could feel God’s presence like He was sitting on your lap. I so want to be faithful in praying for her (and her teammates, and her pastor and his family, and the little girls being trafficked, and the men who keep these child brothels in business…).

And I desperately want to be 100% sure (like Jen is) that I’m smack dab in the middle of God’s will for my life (even if what I’m doing is super hard).

And I really, really, really have a burning desire to take a trip to Cambodia.

And I’m applying for my passport tomorrow.

And we’ll see what God has in store.

I really, really, really want to seek Him first in my life.

What’s on your heart right now? How can I pray for you today? Your request doesn’t have to be as heavy as sex trafficking. God wants us to bring all our burdens to Him, big or small.

This is my second stab at this post, because my first was full of angst and made me wince to read it. Hopefully this one is more palatable.

I did not have the best day.

It started out GREAT, if not early. My mama called at 2:30 am to tell me that this little beauty had arrived (my newest niece, Mia Noelle). I am so in love with her already and praying that I’ll get to meet her while she still has that adorable newborn look, smell, feel and cry. (Please, Lord, please!)

So, that was 2:30. It all went downhill from there.

Nothing that happened was my fault. That’s the good news. The trouble is, while I can’t choose my circumstances, I CAN choose my reaction. And I chose the WRONG reaction. Over and over and (sickeningly) over again.

I won’t share all the sordid details, but I very nearly did NOT survive one of the worst nights EVER with one of our children. It was so horrible. Again, it started out as all her and her issues. Then I must have decided it would take too much effort to handle her in a patient, godly, calm manner, and I exploded. She’s forgiven me, God has forgiven me, but man. I feel like I’ve been emotionally shredded.

Thank you to those of you who prayed, because things drastically improved (then got bad one more time). Now everyone is in bed and hopefully very near sleep. New mercies in the morning–praise the Lord!

Got my world rocked just a bit this afternoon. The retreat I thought I was speaking at on February 12th is actually on February 5. YES, THE DAY AFTER FEBRUARY 4TH. Thank goodness the miscommunication wasn’t my fault, and I’m still available to go. But I’m not at all prepared and praying for the biggest epidural God has on hand.

Add in a couple disappointments, a couple frustrations, and this, that and the other thing, and I just want to quit.

Quit what, you ask? Oh, I don’t know. Just quit.

I was actually thankful tonight for a sinkful of dishes so I could take a breath and ask God to please calm my heart in the midst of what (to me) feels like a lot of trials.

But then I spent 90% of the time bemoaning my pitiful existence.

Spare me.

I think I’m on the upswing, but I would love your prayers. I know it’s the only chance I’ve got to survive this weekend. And motherhood. And life.

And maybe you could share something HAPPY from your day. That would make me smile.

I was praying over your requests this morning and wondered how things were going. Any updates? Anything else you want to add? Lots more room in my prayer journal.

Love you guys!