Prayer Requests

Enjoy the Journey

By Lisa B on October 9, 2008

Don’t worry about the destination, just enjoy the journey. That’s what Duck’s been saying to me this week. We’re packing up and heading out. We’re riding our motorcycles north to the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Leaving this afternoon and coming home Sunday. Keep us in your prayers for safety if you don’t mind

I’ll be Twittering as we go when I can — and when my phone has service. The updates will be compiled and posted here, or you can check my Twitter page to see how things are going.

We’re celebrating 12 years of marriage this weekend It actually seems that the time has flown by! We’ll see how I feel after the weekend though

| Filed Under: Blessings, Marriage, Motorcycle, Prayer Requests, Vacation

Many Prayer Requests Today

By Lisa B on July 18, 2008

In the light of all the new fashion around here, I have several prayer requests that have come up.

My niece, Tiffany, is in the hospital. She’s due in October and I can’t do the math right now to figure out how far along she is — but she’s running a high fever and dehydrated. Please pray for her and her baby to be ok and for the Drs to figure out why she’s feeling cruddy.

A friend, Jennifer, told me yesterday her husband just found out he has cancer. They are not sure what kind, etc. but will be going back to the Dr. on Tuesday. He is in his mid-thirties (I think) and fairly young. They have 2 beautiful little girls, the youngest of which just started school this week.

Heather is in San Fransico at BlogHer. Pray for her to stay focused on Jesus which can be difficult during a secular event of this magnitude. I pray God uses her to reach out to women there who need some good news in their lives. Also pray for the flight back. Heather’s not good at sitting still for so long.

Duck’s work is going through some changes. They may not necessarily be bad changes, but change itself is hard for people to deal with — especially since they’ve been comfortable doing things a certain way.

Doodle is finishing her first complete week of fourth grade. I tried to help her with her homework last night, but it was a struggle. She doesn’t understand why she has to go to school — why she has to learn this stuff — and why she has to do homework. She’s not very motivated to learn. Duck and I need God’s guidance on the right ways to motivate her.

Thank you for praying for these needs. If you have anything I can pray for you about, please feel free to leave a comment here or you can email me at lisab (at) simplyhis (dot) org if it’s a personal matter.

| Filed Under: Prayer Requests

Looking For A Few Good Churches

By Lisa B on July 12, 2008

I must have had a major brain fart. I wrote this last Monday and thought it posted. I wondered why no one had commented on it, and I just saw it in my drafts folder. So I’m posting it today.

This past Sunday, the pastor preached on knowing God’s Will. It was a great sermon, and one I desperately needed to hear. It confirmed in me some other things God’s been leading me to in the past few weeks after She Speaks. See, I’ve been working on my quiet time, prayer time and reading my Bible. I’ve been praying that God would lead us to the church He wants us to serve in. We’ve been visiting this church for a few months now and I think Duck and I have both been wondering if this is “the one.”

In an effort to get involved a little more, I decided to take Doodle to a Girl’s Night Out at this lady’s house. It was neat how she had stations set up for a pedicure, manicure, makeup and hair. At each station, there were tips for that station as well as scripture to help each of us remember it’s not just about looking good on the outside, we need to be concerned with our insides as well. There were other daughters there who were much younger than Doodle, and others who were much older. At one point, I had let Doodle go into another room with a couple of teenage girls. Hindsight is 20/20 though, and I should not have let her be put in that position. Doodle was very upset because the girls had pushed her into a closet and wouldn’t let her out.

Since that happened, we’ve been questioning whether this church is the place for us. I’m not sure how to explain it, but hopefully you mothers will understand. We know there’s no such thing as a perfect church. We know there are going to be kids who do stupid stuff. But we need to do our best to protect Doodle, and I failed when I assumed those teenage girls would have enough sense to be nice. I have been praying about it, wanting God to show us where He’d have us to serve.

During Sunday School, I was making a mental list — you know, good on one side, bad on the other. The Sunday School class is good. The preaching is great. The music was good for awhile. They have a small children’s ministry — not a lot of kids in Doodle’s Sunday School class and it’s either second or third grade through fifth grade. They have a small youth group. Most of the congregation are older, more mature people.

A big thing for me in a church is the pastor. How does he preach? Does he use scripture? Are we even reading the same book? This may sound funny to those of you who have always been in a good church, but I’ve been in a church where the pastor twists scripture to justify whatever he desires. Thank God, He convicted both Duck and I that we needed to get out of there. A good part of this church is the pastor.

I’ve been waiting for Duck’s direction on joining the church — well, that and God’s direction of course. I find that God will confirm what He’s telling me through Duck. That’s one of my prayers that God makes us like-minded — there are less struggles that way. Unfortunately, the pastor is leaving this church. After his wonderful sermon on God’s Will, he turned in his resignation. I truly believe he is following God’s Will for his life, so it’s hard to be ill with that. I am, however, disappointed. I feel like this was confirmation that this isn’t the church for us.

I’ve heard pastors say before that you just can’t please everyone — meaning there will be people who church hop. I do not want to be like that. I desperately want to find a church where we should be serving and learning. It’s hard not to have relationships with other Christians where you can get support, prayer and grow in Christ. I hope and pray that we are not just being “difficult” to satisfy and are seeking God’s Will.

If you don’t mind, pray for us to find the church God wants us in. That is our greatest need right now.

Just out of curiousity as well, what would you have done if you were me when Doodle was upset? I don’t think I handled it very well at all, but I know we’ll have to deal with bullies more in the future. Maybe I can handle it better next time with your advice.

| Filed Under: Church, Prayer Requests

Not exactly according to plan

By Lisa B on June 13, 2008

Yesterday didn’t go at all according to my grand scheme. I was not able to stay off the computer as much as I’d hoped — I had a work project to complete. I did refrain from reading blogs, and only checked email for ones regarding the project. Duck worked from home which always throws my schedule off, and he convinced me (although it wasn’t that hard) to not clean house and ride our motorcycles to lunch.

When we rode to lunch, it was the first time I’ve gotten my bike on a major highway. I think the fastest I got the bike up to yesterday was about 63 MPH. And that was fast! Without a windshield, the wind was coming at me from all angles. I was afraid of one big gust knocking me over, but I survived! The vibration in the bike was a little much at that speed — something that Sportsters are known for I think. I was tired even after a short ride and that’s just not how it should be.

I need to give Duck a big THANK YOU! for riding my bike to put it in the shop. I think he had it up to about 70 MPH and had a much longer distance to ride it! My bike is too small for him and not comfortable at all. He takes such great care of me

I played in my last softball game of the Spring League last night. One of my players broke her foot attempting to slide into home. Please keep Nikki in your prayers. She’s in a lot of pain and can’t swallow pills. I hope they give her some strong liquid pain medicine! Other than that, we lost by at least 11 runs that I know of. The team we played shouldn’t really be in a church league, but since Duck warns me to watch what I say on here, I’ll leave it at that.

The best part of yesterday was when Duck paid me a compliment. He said I’m doing really well on my bike and looking more comfortable. I still have to learn a lot — how to park and I can’t back the bike up in our driveway to go out by myself. But that’s ok — I’m headed to the gym. Maybe if I get some bigger muscles, I’ll be able to roll my bike over the gravel to get it out. For now, Duck’s relieved I can’t go anywhere on my bike without him

| Filed Under: Fitness, Marriage, Motorcycle, Prayer Requests, Softball

Computer Fast

By Lisa B on June 12, 2008

I’ve been reading more and more about the attacks the devil’s been making on attendees and presenters at She Speaks. Lysa’s been fasting Diet Coke which is quite admirable. Sorry, but I’m just not ready to give up my Coke yet. What I will give up is my computer — blogging, email, IMs, etc.

I have been lazy (there’s really no other way to put it) in taking care of my house and my family. I’ve been lazy in reading my Bible (or not reading). I’ve been lazy in a lot of things. Well, today I’ve decided to stop being lazy, get off my computer, pray and clean. Yep, I can have some really good conversations when I’m doing manual labor.

So, if you need me badly, call my cell phone. Pray for She Speaks and every one involved. I’ll be back online tomorrow afternoon sometime … if I don’t explode first

| Filed Under: Bloggin', Home, Personal, Prayer Requests

Ongoing Attacks

By Lisa B on June 10, 2008

As I’m mentally trying to prepare for She Speaks, I’ve been reading several blogs of ladies who are also going. One common theme I see developing is one of fear and doubt.

I have been struggling with similar feelings. I think one of the greatest accomplishments of the devil is to distract Christians. I know God is going to move in a major way at She Speaks. The devil’s already been attacking some of the staff at Proverbs 31 and I know he’s been attacking the minds of attendees.

Some women have posted their goals for what they are hoping to achieve at this conference. For me, I can’t really come up with any goals. I want to go with an open heart and open mind. I want to soak up all the knowledge I can from the wonderful women I’m sure to meet. I don’t have any proposals to show a publisher. I don’t have any speeches to give in a speaker evaluation group. I’m just starting out.

In many ways I feel unworthy to go. Deep down in my soul, I dream of being a wonderful, witty speaker at women’s events. This, my bloggy friends, is the first time I’ve written those words — and I’ve never told them to anyone. I first had the desire when I went to a Women of Faith conference 5 years ago. The speakers are all wonderful. They have such strong stories to share, and I believe I have a story to share as well.

I chickened out when signing up for She Speaks and took the writer’s track. I do have a desire to write — on blogs — to share what I know, but I don’t know that I necessarily want to be published. As Mary DeMuth shared on her “So You Want To Be Published” blog, you can write and be an encouragement to others and not be published.

When I think about speaking in front of people, I’m reminded of a Christmas program at my childhood church. I was in Kindergarten, maybe, and I worked hard to memorize John 3:16. I was the first in line to step up to the microphone and say my verse. I froze. I saw my Daddy sitting a few rows back, and I ran off the stage. I jumped in his lap and curled up in his arms. People laughed. I guess I was “cute” but I didn’t feel like it. I remember the girl behind me stepped up to the mic and said my verse and hers. How humiliated I had been, but oh, how safe I felt in my Daddy’s arms.

I know it’s silly to think of an experience that happened many, many years ago. I share it now so you will know if you ever see me standing in front of a group of ladies talking, it will be because I feel safe in my God’s arms. He’s going to be talking through me when it happens, because there’s no way I can do that on my own. Come to think of it, it’s a lot easier to sit here and write for a blog and imagine no one but family reads My focus should always be on God and His will for my life. I am easily distracted though and start to look out at the crowd. Do I fit in with them? Will they like me? What makes me think I’m special to stand up here and talk to them?

When you say your prayers for the next week or so, please pray for She Speaks — the attendees, the presenters and all the people behind the scenes. Because there is a battle raging even when you are saved. The devil really likes to make us stumble, fall and reveal our humanity. The great thing is that God takes that humanity and does God-sized good with it. So take that and shove it, devil.

The best advice I have for everyone is to stop focusing on yourself — your lack of writing skills, your lack of blog readers, will anyone like you, whatever it is that you are worried about — and focus on God. Because when you focus on God and His greatness, nothing else matters.

Note: Along these same lines, Cathy @ Mommy Motivation asked me a bunch of great questions about blogging and writing that I’m going to answer at simply His blogger. Check over there often as it’s probably going to take me a few posts to get through it all

| Filed Under: Blessings, Bloggin', Personal, Prayer Requests

Prayer Request: Emma’s Surgery

By Lisa B on June 2, 2008

Most of you probably know about Especially Heather — she is an amazing lady — she was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year and this is after dealing with many health issues with Emma, her daughter. Well, Emma needs our prayers today. She’s in surgery — there’s been a problem with her heart. Please go to Especially Heather’s site and pray for them today!