Tomorrow we leave for Africa.
It is a statement of terrific weight.
Please, if you remember, pray for the children we will be helping, that they would know they are loved, for Lee and the other workers at the orphanage, that they would know His Strength and His Peace, and for us, that we would be united as a group and would ardently seek after Him. Thank you. We love and miss you all.
3 comments:
Hi there fellow team peoples:
Thanks for coming over yesterday so that our home group could pray with you for your trip. We believe very much in blessing others we trust. Know that God is in you, with you, and all about you (Practicing His Presence).
I spoke to you also yesterday about a special prayer for the children at the orphanage. It is very simple yet profound. Before the prayer, here is a section from the book 'Illusions of Intimacy' by Signa and Conlee Bodishbaugh (friends of Leanne Payne).
"When parents begin to understand the long-lasting deficits that a lack of sense of being can cause in their children, they will begin to grieve over ways in which they have contributed to their child's deficits. When they become convicted of their own sins and/or ignorance of parenthood they will be filled with a heavy sorrow and self-condemnation.
However, godly conviction of sin leads to a guilt and sorrow unto repentance rather than a grief unto self-hatred and self-condemnation. it is important to take your grief and sorrow to the Cross, giving it to Jesus, and asking Him how to pray effectively for your child.
We suggest the following prayer for you who have contributed to a lack of sense of being in your children, whether they are still infants or grandparents. it is never too late for God to work His miracles in anyone's life.
PRAYER FOR A CHILD'S SENSE OF BEING
Lord, I ask You to give me divine insight into my relationship with my child. Help me to see our situation with my child. Help me to see our situation in truth, neither exaggerated nor diminished.
Show me the relationship as You see it.
Where there was sin or ignorance on my part that led to the neglect of my child, reveal that to me in truth.
Show me, Lord, the physical, emotional, and spiritual voids in my child due to my negligence.
Lord, I confess this to You as sin. I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me. Wash my sorrow from me and release my child from my sin and the sons of society. Lord, You make up the deficit in my child and only You can.
Fill the empty places in my child's heart and heal any division between us.
In Jesus' name, Amen." (page 237-8)
Back to my thoughts...
In the case of those children to whom you minister, you can modify the prayer. They are not your children, of course, but your prayers have the same efficacy, as Elijah's.
Laying a hand on the chest of a small child, or holding it close, or even as you carry that little one, you can 'smuggle' a little prayer in to that child's heart...even by asking God silently to come into that place in the child's heart where brokenness or abandonment/loneliness exists.
It is that simple.
Remember, you are sacramental channels of Jesus' Life and Love. It is not you, but Christ. And he REALLY wants to bless others through your obedience...just like Abraham. That is the blessing we have of being 'grafted in' to Israel...by faith (like Abraham) and living in grace (through Jesus).
Nike (Just do it!)
Prayer and love,
All us here at home group,
Alistair & Deb McPherson
Blessings to you. We will be praying and checking in.
Love,
Nan
teamafrika!
how long does it take to get to afrika?
you've left about 15 hours ago.
i hope your feet have hit the afrikan soil with much excitement.
praying for you.
{love}
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