Friday, June 27, 2008

Bed Rest

Prior to my pregnancy complications, I never really thought too much about what bed rest would mean to a person, but through this experience God has taught me so much. Some dear friends have showered me with God's love in some very practical ways and in some not so practical ways and they have all been greatly appreciated.

Some kind deeds:

* A friend from my church has delivered amazing meals to me twice
* Various ones have called and emailed to see how I'm doing
* Two ladies from my church loaned me DVDs
* A friend came over and painted my fingernails one day
* Last night a friend came over and baked a blueberry pie while we visited. Then she put some laundry away and washed the dishes in my sink
* One dear lady had an edible creation delivered (fruit – yum) – this was especially nice because I’m a fruit fanatic and many kinds of flowers aggravate my allergies.
* Another friend came over with her daughter and they cleaned bathrooms and vacuumed and made some meals.

During my time of rest I’ve had time to think about things that I could do that would make the life of a person on bed rest easier:

* Its best not to ask what you can do because most of us won't say anything because we don't want to admit we need help and we don’t want to feel as if we are a burden to someone else.
* Bring meals in containers you don't need back
* Bring fresh fruit
* Take some quick fix meals like sandwich meat or peanut butter and jelly that spouses or children can prepare themselves.
* Take paper products so they don't have to worry about the sink full of dishes
* Make sure they have necessary items like toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and tissues on hand.
* Stop by and see if you can take out the trash or recycling
* Mow the lawn, rake leaves, shovel their snow, etc.
* Laundry
* Vacuum
* Call to check up on them if they are able to come to the phone or take them a cordless phone that can be placed by their place of rest. Some people may prefer quiet while others crave companionship – find out which the person needs by checking with the Pastor or someone who knows them well like a spouse or close friend.
* Ask if they are up for a visit (it can be lonely or they may need quiet depending on the circumstances)
* Send cards of prayers and encouragement
* Take them a CD of the sermon
* Pray for them, but let them know you are praying. You may call and pray with them over the phone, pray while you visit, write your prayer in a card you send – or if you are uncomfortable with those at least tell them you are praying. Prayer is powerful and encouraging.
* Send encouraging Scripture verses
* Loan them DVD's to watch or books to read or volunteer to pick up some library books
* Think of a unique way to share your love and concern specific to your gifts and talents

I am confident that everything is healing and that I should be lifted from bed rest by July 2nd after my doctor’s appointment - I will update after my appointment. Thank you for your continued prayers for me and the little treasure.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Special Prayer Request

Please keep me and the baby in your prayers. I fell in the church parking lot on Sunday (slipped on water). Then this morning I had bleeding and had to go into the doctor. She said the baby is okay, but that I have placenta previa. She wants me to do nothing for 3-4 days and to down scale my activities after that. She said that 90% of the time the placenta will correct itself.

I'm a very active person and I walk/jog 5 miles a day (six days a week). The doctor said jogging and running are now not an option for me and she wants me to walk slower than usual and to only exercise in 15 minute intervals. So if you see me misbehaving...tell me to stop it.

Keep us in your prayers!

Thanks,

Robin

Thursday, June 12, 2008

A Contribution in Eternity


How can $4.00 make a difference in eternity? Because of the increase in the cost of gas these days $4.00 can barely buy a gallon of gas. BUT $4.00 supports one minute of World Mission Broadcast (WMB) airtime through radio, the Internet, or television. On the air since 1951, WMB reaches even the remotest parts of the world, with words of hope and holiness... Each year millions of people hear WMB programs and lives are changed because of what they’ve heard.



As of April 22, 2008, World Mission Broadcast is reaching the unreached in:

30 Languages
73 Countries
94 Programs
7,012 Broadcasts

Last year was the first year I was truly challenged to make a sacrifice to give to WMB. Previous years I just gave a token offering that didn’t require sacrifice on my part. The challenge came through a work of fiction based on real life – Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. His novel shares how radio broadcasts encourage persecuted Christians who can’t openly attend church and reaches those who don’t know of Jesus. Randy’s book made the plight of those who haven’t heard of Jesus very real to me – so real that it hurt and made me want to do something that mattered, something that made a difference.

Excerpt from Safely Home:

They have been praying for three hours before we arrived.”
“So the meeting must be nearly done?”
“No. Just starting. Chinese believers have motto: ‘Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power.’”
(p. 289)

Join with me in prayer for persecuted Christians and for those who are yet to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and HIS gift of unconditional love and salvation through World Mission Broadcast. Consider what amount you will share to reach the unreached with the good news of Jesus.

From WMB Website:

Giving to World Mission Broadcast provides the means to reach millions around the world for Christ, providing the funding for program production, airtime, and follow-up materials. Holiness programming, delivered by radio, television and the Internet, is reaching into the far corners of the world with the message of Jesus and his redeeming love and helping to disciple those who respond. The prayer and financial support of individuals and local churches are vital to this broadcast ministry.


Gifts to World Mission Broadcast can be given through the following methods:

Online – World Mission Broadcast

Send a check made out to:

World Mission Broadcast
6401 The Paseo
Kansas City, MO 64131

To learn more about the work of World Mission Broadcast sign up for the newsletter here.

Or

Contact WMB online or call 816-333-7000 ext. 2745


If you have a few moments, I encourage you to read through these requests and pray for the listeners they represent. Nothing will support the work of World Mission Broadcast (WMB) globally, like your prayers. Feel free to pass these requests on to your church’s prayer groups. Thank you for your support of WMB, and especially for supporting the listeners.

Rick Guilfoil, Director,
World Mission Broadcast



Responses from South America
www.Esperanza.net—October 2006


Below is just a small sampling of the prayer requests sent in by WMB listeners in October 2006:


“I need strength and hope to keep going in this world.”
Margarita, 41 (Venezuela)



“I want to know more about God.”
Gabriel, 42 (Argentina)



“I want to know Jesus.”
Felix, 20 (Peru)



“I need spiritual peace.”
Daniel, 45 (Colombia -Listening to the radio in a taxi)



“I want to know how to be a ‘valuable woman.’ I want to learn to be a woman of wisdom. I have low selfesteem.”
Carmen, 45 (Chile)



“I need to leave this spiritual poverty.”
Luis, 25 (Bolivia)



“How can I know the will of God?”
Islene, 32 (Colombia)




Please pray for these individuals and the families they represent and consider once again what you might do to make an investment in eternity! Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Prayer of the Heart

Please join in prayer with my friends, Tam and Papa. This week Tam shared a post - "Pressed to Pray" and Papa just today sent out a call to Please come pray with us! so I thought it would be a good time to continue sharing from Opening Windows compiled and edited by Mary Fairchild. I'm going to spend the next few posts sharing the discussion questions from Your Fresh Take.

On page 97 at the end of the chapter by Leanne Payne – Open to “Prayer of the Heart” the questions are:

Think back over your recent petitions to God. What do your requests tell you about the desires of your heart? For the next week, keep a daily prayer journal that includes a list of your petitions.

When I was thirteen I started my "letters to God" in a spiral notebook, when that book was full, I started another and on and on. Somewhere along the way I quit recording my prayers and regret it. They show you so much. First of all they give hope because you can see how God worked in situations you have long forgotten and secondly you see changes in yourself and realize that God is making you into His image one day at a time. You can also watch your handwriting mature - haha

As you have matured in your faith and knowledge of God, how have your prayer petitions changed? Do you sense that your heart is more closely aligned with God’s heart than it was five years ago? How or why?

My prayers definitely changed from the time I was 13 to my mid-twenties when I quit journaling them. They changed from fairly self-centered to thinking more about what God desires. I still have room for growth as I'm guessing most of us earthbound souls do... I'm a different person than I was five years ago because God has changed things about me that needed changing, but as I see myself now I know that I still have more needed growth in Him.

Choose several Scriptures passages that are meaningful to you. Turn them into petitionary prayers. To edify other Christians, discuss how God has made His presence real to you as you have turned biblical promises into petitions and waited in faith for God to work.