How did you know?

How did you know that my burden was great?

How did you know that the pressures of the world can be overwhelming?

How did you know that I needed meaningful connections with beautiful women?

How did you know that my spiritual well was dry and needed replenishing?

How did you know that my heart longed for a powerful reminder of God's abundant, unconditional love?

How did you know that I love to sing, but can't carry a tune, so there just happened to be an available seat between Beth Sellers and Kelly Ritchey Saturday morning?

How did you know that I desperately wanted a break from cooking and potty training?

How did you know that I needed a heavenly hug?

How did you know that I needed to hear God say, "I love you, my beautiful child"?

Love,

Lori Cole

May 2009

(Written at the 2009 Women's Retreat)

My Beautiful Princess

A reminder of who you've always been.

You are so very special - truly a chosen one. You were born into royalty...through My beloved; through My Son.

You were destined to wear a crown, the finest silks and rare jewels too...You have always been "my special princess," my love and approval you need not accrue.

Your hard work and diligence will reap a full harvest if you do not faint, or grow weary. I am with you when you're overwhelmed; when your heart is hurting and when you're teary.

You are part of a royal bloodline and you are virtuous by birth. Do not fear your own "radiant" countenance, in jubilant praise - just express your mirth!

Success, blessing and favor do not a prideful heart make. So be set free from the things that hold you back...a bruised reed, I will not break.

You have found that for which you sought, because you searched for it with all your heart...you needn't worry that I will leave, for from you, I will not depart.

Your love for Me is like 10,000 flowers ...suddenly abloom...bright, breathtaking and bold. How you give away the things you never had, warms my heart and is precious to behold.

Great will be thy reward for your faithfulness and great will be thy peace....blessed will be the generations following, to which My goodness will not cease.

When angels say your name...there is a beautiful sound in heaven; the sound of love, joy, peace and forgiveness...of seventy times seven.

Be blessed my child and know that your heart is heard....Your prayers are never in vain, nor is your time spent in My Word.

Remember to lay your burdens down and to ask me for what You need...I will always come to your aide and by the still waters, I will thee lead.

Summertime Prayers

Heavenly Father,

Help me to shepherd the one's you've entrusted to me...not in perfection, but in humility,seeking Your wisdom and guidance each step of the way.

Help me be a good parent with a heart like Yours, LORD.

A heart that is gentle and kind, firm and loving; infinitely compassionate and quick to forgive.

Help me not to remember the times I've been hurt or to parent in response to how others may judge.

Show me every area in which my heart doesn't reflect yours and cleanse me of my secret faults.

May Your voice always be the One my children hear first and

the truth that echos last...far after my words have gone out, LORD, may Yours remain.

May I be the kind of parent they need...not the kind of parent they want.

And so... forever and content I remain, in Your shadow LORD, that they might know was in their life, but that You are their LIFE.

In Jesus' Name I Pray,

Amen

Hide and Seek

Be Not Afraid by Greg Olsen

Mommy, Why is God so sad?

What makes you think He is sad?

Most people think He is always happy, but sometimes I see Him crying.

Why do you think He is crying?

Cause there are so many of His children that are hurting!

He doesn't want anyone to hurt. He just wants to take everyone in His

arms and tell them it's going to be okay. He wants everyone to know

how much He loves them...but He's still sad sometimes.

How come?

Because a lot of people don't know He cares.

He can see them and hear them but they can't see or hear Him.

Why?

I think because they hurt too much and they're afraid He isn't real.

What do you think we could do to help?

Maybe if we told them to not be afraid, they would be able to

be brave and look for Him... and you know what?

What?

They would find Him!

How can you be so sure?

Because He doesn't ever hide from us.

You know how we play Hide and Seek and one person hides and the other person seeks?

Well God, He wants us to find Him and so He never ever hides and He always,

always would rather be "it."

How do you know?

Because when we say, Okay, we are going to hide and who is going to look for us?

He always says, "I am."

Meditation for Dedication

This is a beautiful excerpt from the book God Guides by Mary Geegh sent in by Vicki Kelly. May it bless you as you receive the truths contained within it's lyrical prose.

Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, control me this day, in all I think and do and say - every second along my way. Help me to change for the better and not decay. Help me to repent - to be born anew - so that I may see and turn to Thee, and as a child be - that I may enter into Thy kingdom and live - deny myself, and learn to give.

It was for me that Thou didn’t endure the shame, suffer and die, and rise - that I might laugh instead of cry - that I might sing instead of sigh, that I might love instead of fear, care instead of hate, trust in God instead of worry, walk in the Light instead of Night. Be king, gentle instead of mean. On Thy Holy Spirit let me lean.

Help me to cast the beam out of my own eye, to take up my cross daily, and follow Thee - humbly, lovingly, gaily.

Let Thy Truth make me free: hate-free, fear-free, greed-free. Within my heart and eyes make and keep me pure and true. Lord, use me then to bring Thy cure. Make me a channel of Thy Love, Joy, Peace, and Righteousness.

His answer comes to the “listening man” determined to know and obey God’s plan. “Everyone shall be taught by God.” “God-Control” - that is true Education. “Obedience is the Key.”

My Task: To do God’s Will - to forgive and not complain. Relax instead of strain. Be patient instead of mad; Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. To take up my cross, crucify self and pride, - Let God be my guide.

Christ did not die in vain. He arose - Risen indeed! To supply each soul’s deep need by His Holy Spirit - The Father’s Gift. Accept this Gift of God, and Him who speaks; You’ll never thirst again for that pet-scheme or indulgent dream, stained with guilt, fear, pride and strife -He gives you Power to have New Life. He in you shall conquer.

Be of good cheer - don’t fear - Let Him have control of your heart, body, mind, and soul. Be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven. Listen to Him. Hear Him, Obey Him.“If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

“Deny yourself, take up your cross daily, follow Me.”

“Abide in Me, My words in you, ask what you will, it shall be done.”

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, all the other things shall be added onto

unto you.”

Follow Him up the Hill of Calvary. Behold the Light!

The Abundant Life; the world set free from hate, fear, and greed - men, women, children - God- inspired! God-controlled. The Cross of Christ gives New Birth. His Holy Spirit gives New Life to ALL on earth.

The Government shall be upon His shoulders:

The Crucified risen Lord - born indeed - to save and govern and guide you and me and the whole world with Victory over sin and need.

Lord Jesus, Holy Ghost, make us Thine. “By They Spirit armed and led and skilled - to obey Thy Plan till it be fulfilled.” Thy Redeeming Love for all Thy world. Victory! Victory! Lord, to Thee.

Prayer for the Sheep by Andrea Baine

Matthew 9:36 NIV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Is my life what you had in mind?

I feel I'm fallin' behind... on the outside I look fine,

My heart is dark as wine,

I look to You, to pull me through

the quicksand of my life... I look to you...to pull me through...

Be the Shepherd of my soul, Shepherd of my soul,

Be the Shepherd of my soul.

Lyrics by Grand Prize

Prayer: Cause us, Heavenly Father, to listen for Your voice. Cause us to reach out to other sheep who need a kind gesture, or a friend. Cause us to yearn for and allow You to be the Shepherd of our souls, to give You full access without our pride putting up a wall; show us where we are trying to hold the rod and staff ourselves and trying to shepherd ourselves or allowing anything else but You to do it, and tear it down Father. Thank You that the battles are Yours LORD, if we will just let You. Thank You for doing it all for us because of Your tender mercies, compassion, and lovingkindness toward us. Thank You that we are Your righteousness by the precious blood of Your precious Son, and in that, we rest. We love You LORD!

1 Peter 2:24-25 NIV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Amen.

And All That's In Between

"In between the casually spoken excess and the rare void of silence is a place where our well-intended words strike a chord and hit the mark."

Heavenly Father,

When we break the sacredness of silence that we so often take for granted...may our words be worth waiting for and may they be life-giving to the hearer.

Forgive us for the times we speak and neglect to just listen.

Forgive us for the times we speak because we want people to hear us.

Forgive us for the times we speak before we should have...or didn't speak when we should have.

May we be content when no one is listening...no one is calling...no one is responding...but You.

May we be comfortable in other's silences...in the awkward moments...and in the spaces left unfilled and communication left unanswered.

May we realize our speech and our hearing are gifts from You that awaken us to the world around us and yet desensitize us to it at the same time.

May what we choose to listen to and what we speak out, both be things that honor You.

May what we do and how we live speak louder than words ever could.

Let us not defile our hearing nor waste our words...but rather let us fine-tune our hearing and spare our words so that we listen more and talk less.

And with that being said....

Thank You and Amen, LORD!

And I'll stand in awe of You, Jesus
Yes, I'll stand in awe of You
And I'll let my words be few
Jesus, I am so in love with You

Lyrics from "Let My Words Be Few" by Phillips, Craig and Dean

A Valentine Prayer

Cant stop now, I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life...

I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is

 I know you can show me...
Lyrics by Foreigner

Father God,
Make us mindful of covenants. Whether it be our relationship with You LORD, our spouse, our children, our relatives, our co-workers or our friends...make us mindful of agreements we've entered into and promised with our hearts to keep.
As Valentine's Day approaches, impress upon our hearts "what love is."
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Love is not an emotion, it is a choice. Love covers a multitude of sins but it is never the excuse for them.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends.

1st Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is not always easy but true love is always sacrificial. Love cannot lie. Love does not desire, crave or need. Love is the greatest gift because it gives itself.

Love looks like a shepherd, feels as intense as a gale
force wind or as soft and gentle as a lamb, tastes like honey
and sounds like a symphony. Love is not safe, it often
hurts like the other place...but if you let it, it heals and
it whispers peace, it calms the storm, it protects,
defends and it saves lives. Love is that powerful.

Love is when God transcends through our flesh.
Love is His heart overtaking ours.
Devotion is our hearts always desiring it to be so.

~Gina Higgins