Saturday, March 28, 2009

Prayer Lives are Powerful Lives

Part of our relationship with God is to experience his peace.





Phil. 4:6-7 says "Do not be anxious about anyting, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,presentyour requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.



Many times I find myself in a difficult situation, I am upset, angry, or something, and I am ashamed to say but at times what do I do in those situations, pick up the phone to call my sister, mom, daughter, or friend for advice.



This week, I am praying that when those situations arise, my first thought will be on my knees. As the verse says, in everything, be in prayer, present my requests to Him. And, His peace will guard my heart and mind in Christ.



Beth Moore states that to experience the kind of peace that covers all circumstances, the Bible challenges us to develop active, authentic prayer lives. Prayer with real substance to it- personal and intimate.





The better we know God, the more we trust Him.



The more we trust Him, the more we sense His peace when the wintry winds blow against us.



Dear Father,

Help me to walk wisely, to walk in step with you. I want a personal and intimate relationship with you. I put you first today, and trust you Father.



I lift Ashleigh up in prayer to you, I give her to you. I know you have big plans for her God. Help her to hear you, to feel you, and God, whatever you have to do, I trust you to make those situations happen in her life to get her attention. PLease keep her safe until she comes back to you.



By your grace,

natalie









Natalie

Saturday, March 14, 2009

TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!!!

NatalieI absolutely love this verse; "Taste and see that the Lord is g00d." Psalm 34:8

We are huge K.U. Jayhawk Fans! Those darn Jayhawks went out the first game of the Big 12 Tournament! We had planned on a weekend full of cheering for our Jayhawks, but....that did not work out as planned. So, now I have kind of a bad taste in my mouth for basketball. Didn't even care to watch MU. take on Baylor in the championship.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 I am so glad that we can always count on our Heavenly Father to always have that same sweet taste, God is so good!

Even when our plans do not line up with His, even when I "think" I know best, we can always know that God has a plan for us, he will work things out to be good,

yes, He has a purpose for us,

a plan for a future, with Him in eternity,

a plan for us, yes, our hope is in Him!

Sometimes that "hope" in Him is the only thing that helps me make it to the next day!

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving me a hope and a future, thank you for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, thank you for always "tasting so good".

Bless those who are hurting today, help them to see that thru you, there is a hope and a future.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

He will satisfy that void.....

Oh my! I posted last nite, where did it go? Thought I had this blog-stuff figured out!!!
I am so thankful, one of my students I work with moved last week to a new school. Im notthakful she moved, thankful she is in a better place! Amanda had been in a very abusive home. 2 weeks ago she told me she would be moving to live with her dad. While I hate to let her go, her home now is so bad, I just prayed for her to end up in a better place. She does not know her dad very well. I spoke with her new stepmom today and they are thrilled to have her! They let her buy new things to decorate her room and she is getting her hair done this afternoon. (mom shaved it due to headlice) Amanda will begin her new school tomorrow. Please Lord, give her a caring, compassionate teacher.

I am reading a new book, Breaking Free, by Beth Moore. I love her books and always learn lots from her! She talks about how God wants us to find our satisfaction in Him rather than waste our time and effort on things that cannot satisfy.

Is. 55:6 tells us that "Those who are spiritually thirsty and hungry need only do do this; "Seek the Lord while he may be found;/ call on him while he is near."

Moore also says that she believes that God creates in us a nagging dissatisfaction in every person. He doesn't want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent. God purposely created us with a need that only He can meet.

While salvation will save us, we are not completely satisfied unless we have a daily relationship with Christ.

Isa. 55:1 - Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

Dear Father,
My prayer to you today is that I will experience a relationship with you daily. Lord, help me to see you, to feel you, and help me to hear your voice God. Help me to be a blessing to others God.

Lord, please be with Ash, keep her safe, and God, help her to see you thru me. I ask that you begin to change her heart's desires so that she will want you for herself.

Bless Sawyer as he begins baseball and keep him safe.

Help Bryan to minister to all the boys he is coaching. Thank you God for giving me such a wonderful husband!

In your name, AmenNatalie

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Sissy's Song

NatalieI heard a new song on the radio the other day titled Sissy's Song by Alan Jackson. As I listened, the song talks about a little girl who had to leave too soon but she is telling her family "don't worry about me, I'm ok, up here walking with Jesus." She sings about how she just flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels.

After missing Malorie for 5 years, I've been thinking lots about her and if she were here how we would be visiting different colleges and making plans for her future. Gosh, sometimes it's hard to see how different our plans are from our Father's Plans for us. I've just been missing Malorie so much lately, and.....so very homesick I guess.

As I listened to Sissy's Song, thinking about how we used to call our Malorie Sissy, I know God let me hear it, at just the perfect time he new I really needed to.


She flew up to Heaven on the wings of Angels,

Don't worry bout me,

I'm doin alright,

Thank you Father, for the joy I have in the memories of Malorie, for letting me smile as I think of her, and for giving me a hope and a future and of spending eternity with you one day.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

I can do all things thru Christ...Phil.4:13

I have been so looking forward to getting my blog up and going and to begin posting, now that the blog is ready, I have had the flu! This is the first day I've had my computer on in 3 days.
So, not much going on with the Adkins this weekend.

Fri. we did watch my son's last game of the year. It was parents night too. On Thurs. I began to think about if Malorie were here with us, we would have gotten to go down on the floor with her since this would be her Sr. Year. All day Fri.I couldn't help but think about how things would be if Mal were here with us today. Gosh, I miss her sooo much! It's so hard to see her friends excited to move on to their next adventure after highschool and wonder what she would be looking forward to if she were here.

Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me." At the start of the home basketball games, as the starters names are called, each player throws a small basketball out to the crowd. Bryce, a dear friend to Mal., thru his ball to our oldest daughter, Ashleigh. He had written on the ball, the above verse, Phi. 4:13 and then had Mal's Name written on the ball. I absolutely love how Malorie's Friends still remember her!

Two of my dear friends also sent me flowers at work Fri. to let me know they were thinking of me and knew Fri. Nite would be difficult. It's awesome how God knows exactly when we need that "pick-me-up".

Since I have been under the weather these past few days, I have gotten to read more of my Bible and talk with our Heavenly Father. I have to say, one of my favorite things to do is to go to my bedroom, close the door, and move inside with God.

Since Mal went to Heaven, she has taught me, and continues to teach me so much still today. I think I finally realize that praying is praising God in ALL circumstances.

Dear Father,
Forgive me for not always praising you during the storms. Just as you say in Jer. 29:11, I know you have a plan for each of us, I am so thankful that because of you, we have a hope and a future. And because of you, one day, I will get to hold Malorie in my arms again! Natalie