EverythingElseThrownIn: What I Believe

I am in the process of revising this page--not revising my beliefs--just revising the way they are presented--sorry for the inconvenience.

Legacy of Prayer

"In praying for our children, our grandchildren and our descendants, we must learn to pray in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Our mother-flesh and our father-flesh is protective and possessive. The love we have for our children, in its flesh form, would like to control their lives and keep them from any pain, disappointment, or discouragement. Our flesh wants to rescue them and shield them and run interference for them. Our flesh will pray, "Don't let anything bad happen." To which the Lord will say, "I need to allow disappointment, pain, and failure so that I can give him the treasures of darkness and the riches stored in secret places." If we pray for our children from our flesh rather than the Spirit, we may think that God is not listening when our children do have difficulties." ~~Jennifer Kennedy Dean

catherine marshall†

"Come, Lord Jesus, and abide in my heart. How grateful I am to realize that the answer to my prayer does not depend on me at all. As I quietly abide in You and let Your life flow into me, what freedom it is to know that the Father does not see my threadbare patience or insufficient trust, rather only Your patience, Lord, and Your confidence that the Father has everything in hand. In Your faith I thank You right now for a more glorious answer to my prayer than I can imagine. Amen."

Catherine Marshall was a mentor for me when I was a young mother raising three sons and didn't get out of the house much. How I love all of her writings. She is so real.

elizabeth barret browning

"How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth
and breadth and height
My soul can reach,
when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being
and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need,
by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely,
as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely,
as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs,
and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, ---
I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! ---
and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death."
One of my all-time favorite poems. I had to memorize it in high school and I've loved it ever since.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

What I Believe