Father, thank you that we can come to you just like this. Crazy really. Lord, thank you for people. In particular, the ones you’ve placed in my path. Thank you for thinking of blogs. Thank you for encouragement and community.

God, will you love on some of my friends today, right where they are? Some of them are having struggles with their kiddos. Some are itty-bitty babies (some still in the oven!) and some are all grown up. Give them peace and wisdom. Show them that you’re in control and love those kids even more than their moms do. Help them to trust in You one moment at a time.

God, be with my friends who are lost and confused right now. Those dealing with sadness and depression. Those who have longings that aren’t being fulfilled. Those who desperately desire something that you don’t seem to be willing to give them. Help them to lean on you. Show them how much you love them. Show them that your plan for them is better than what they can imagine. It may not be traditional or “normal” or the way everyone else seems to think life should play out. But it’s something amazing designed just for them. Help them to rest in that today.

Lord, help my friends who have pressing health issues. Whether back pain or sinus infections or pregnancy troubles or unmentionable problems. Show them that you are a God who heals. Alleviate some (or all!) of their pain today. Give them some relief. Help them see the good that comes through pain. Show them how you’re growing them through this time. Assure them that they can do all things through Christ who gives them strength.

God, be with my friends who are tired. Overwhelmed, burnt out, over-committed. Those who seem to have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Those who have to balance kids and family, a job or other work, a home, and lots of time-and-energy-consuming responsibilities. Give them some super-natural strength today. Bring someone along to help them. Show them where they can cut corners without anyone suffering. Give them a few moments of real rest today.

Lord, be with my friends who are questioning their faith today. Those who aren’t sure what they believe. Those who believe in you but just have questions. And those who don’t even know if they believe you’re real. Show yourself to them in a very, very real way today. Make yourself known. Let your glory shine in an unmistakable way.

Father, be with my friends who are struggling in their marriages. Those with minor problems that just won’t go away. Those with huge problems threatening to end their marriages. God, will you speak to some husbands’ hearts today and show them how they need to change? Will you give my friends strength to keep going in their marriages and taking the high road even when it’s harder than anything they’ve ever done? Will you show them where they could make some changes, where their own hearts are hard or bitter? Will you bring healing and forgiveness and work some miracles?

God, be with my friends who are parenting alone right now. Either the little ones’ dad is out of the picture completely or his work is taking him away for long, long periods of time. Show them that you have a special place in your heart for them. Remind them that it won’t always be this way. Love them hard today, Lord.

Please comfort those who are hurting, provide for those who are struggling financially, encourage those who need some love today.

Thank you that you love us more than anything.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

(originally posted September 8, 2008)

Humbly asking for your prayers. Thanks, friends! Blessings on your weekend!

I don’t have any words this morning, but David and Amy do, and boy, are they powerful. Please pray for this amazing couple. Their testimony is rocking my world.

My girlies are home sick from school, and I’m speaking at a Mother/Daughter banquet out-of-town tonight. Please pray that I will have the strength, patience and time to meet their needs AND get everything ready for this evening. I leave at 3:30ish. Pray for Gabe too as he takes over on the homefront until late tonight. Please also pray for the women and girls I’ll be sharing with tonight. There will be about 200 of them, and God has given me some things to say that are very dear to my heart. I want the gals to be blessed and GOD to be glorified.

Love you, friends!

I’m speechless, y’all. Just speechless.

And I really want to just leave the post at that (since “speechless” technically means you don’t have any words), but y’all know I won’t be able to. It’s well after midnight on Thursday. So, it’s Friday. My babies are all asleep in comfy beds, and I’m typing by the light of Gabe’s laptop.

And I’m fighting back tears.

Okay, not fighting anymore. Letting them pool. And stopping for a second to talk to God. You can listen in if you’d like.

God, I’m feeling really, really humbled. Not humbled in a bad way–like I screwed up and fell flat on my face. But humbled as in why in the world are you blessing us so much, because it’s starting to be more than I can really bear. God, I don’t know what to say, and I don’t know why you love me, and I don’t know why all these people we’ve never met are showing us so much love and kindness. No, dumping and dumping loads and loads of love and kindness on top of our heads. Why, God?

Lord, thank you for Jack and Kaye. You know I spent most of tonight with my jaw dropped. See, I knew from Kaye’s e-mails that she was quite possibly the kindest, most generous soul in the universe. But I really didn’t know the extent of it. And I didn’t know Jack would be giving Gabe a ride in his helicopter 15 minutes after they met. And I didn’t know that Kaye would call me on my cell phone from downstairs in the kitchen after midnight (five minutes after we’d just said good night) and ask if she could do some laundry for me. And I didn’t know what Jack was going to slip into the steering wheel of our mini-van when we weren’t paying attention.

But all that aside–Lord, I love these people. Their kids (I wish I could have met you, Christy!), their grandkids (Nina’s found a new potential husband), their dog, their doves. We had such a wonderful night together. And once again, we keep saying we’ll go to bed early some night, but we’re just enamored by these people we’re meeting. Somebody, please be boring! And SOON!

I’m floored by how you’re using Kaye to touch so, so many lives. She loves you so much, Lord. So much. And Jack may beg to differ, but you’re using him in a huge way too, God. You’ve got plans for that man, and whether or not they ever include Stigler, Oklahoma, they’re something big. Bigger than Texas (if that’s possible).

Bless you, Jack. And if you need someone to write your life story, I’d like to apply for the job.

God, will you just rock Kaye’s world with blessings in the days and weeks ahead. Give her the deepest desires of her heart–because I know her heart beats right with yours. And speaking of hearts, I’m leaving little chunks of mine all over Oklahoma and Texas and frankly, it’s getting a bit uncomfortable. I really don’t enjoy getting to know these sweet and wonderful people who live millions of miles away from me. And I still haven’t met Kelli or Amanda or Mary or Sandi or Emily. Sigh. You’re killing me, Lord.

I don’t have the heart to recap our zoo trips at the moment. I’m trying to do that on twitter and facebook. But let me just say that we’re having a blast. God, you are so, so, so, so GOOD.

Praise your name! Praise your name! Praise your name! Praise your name!

I’m speechless.