The Power of Prayer: Every Country

 

We live in a world full of blind, falling people: my neighbors, my fellow students, my relatives, my rural Missouri County. Jesus told us that the fields are ready for harvest; the fruit is ready to be picked though we may have to sow in tears.

It is so easy for me to make good intentions; to make great, noble and ineffective plans. And while I sit, thinking rosy thoughts, people literally die and go to a literal, Godless, burning eternity.

I feel so small and so incapable of the great work needing to be done. One thing I can do and should do first is pray.

Operation World, an excellent organization which documents the prayer needs of each country, is beginning a 60 day prayer movement praying through the world’s countries in alphabetical order. Amazing, right?

Today is Afghanistan. Please click here to discover ways you can pray for the Afghani people.

Operation World’s Facebook page added this: “The status of [Afghanistan] women especially warrants prayer. They were effectively banned from public life by the Taliban. Widows endure particularly harsh plights, and depression and suicide are common. Worse, they have a life expectancy of only 44 years, with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Female literacy is under 20%, over one-half of Afghan brides are under age 16, only 5% attend secondary school and one-third are subjected to violence. Many still suffer the traumas of years of war and of pressures such times brought upon women in Afghan society.

Although employment and social engagement can be very sensitive issues, younger girls are increasingly attending school; one-third of primary students are girls. Special radio programmes minister to women by communicating from the Bible the love and value that God holds for them. Pray for the disenfranchised women of Afghanistan, that they might receive justice, opportunity and freedom from fear and oppression, but especially that they might find Christ amid their suffering.”

Mary Slessor, missionary to Africa, said, “"Prayer is the greatest power God has put into our hands for service — praying is harder than doing, at least I find it so, but the dynamic lies that way to advance the Kingdom."

Let’s pray like it really mattered . . . because Jesus says that it does.

          Love to you!

                   Frannie

Hello!

Greetings dear friends! It has been so long since I last wrote--I hope you all don't think I've fallen off the earth! No, I haven't fallen away life has just been busy! :o)  School is almost finished for this year; I am really looking forward to having time for other things--things like catching up on letters and making dresses!

Our dear home is beginning to look more and more home-y. We had HAD a schedule for moving from the basement to the upstairs but the vast amount of rain we received last two seeks ago moved things along. :o)  My family and I had been blessed to travel to Illinois to my grandparent for Easter Sunday (and we had such a good time). But while we were gone we had our dear friends and at the time house-itter call and notify that our basement was flooding!  (Oh No!) I praise the Lord for the help our friends gave us--one family came and vacuumed water out and lifted our belongings off the floor while the poor house-sitters (who got WAY more than they bargained for) did their very best to mop up floors and live in a clammy and moist area. We are truly blessed! The Lord was also good to us in that He was faithful in meeting our needs--His grace was more that sufficient as we were up late vacuuming water.

The first night wasn't so bad; we got home from our trip and immediately went to work--I think our adrenaline was pumped up. However, when the waters began to seep in the second night I will say that I was tempted to cry a few times! (And while they won't admit it. . . I think the boys considered doing so too! :o) But God was so faithful and my sweet family kept lifting and encouraging one another. My brother and I kept trying to find reasons to laugh (to keep our spirits up) and so in honor of the situation I compiled a few of our funny ideas and up-beat conversations:

1. "Look on the bright side, it could have been sewer water!"
2. "It's a good thing we haven't put carpet in yet!"
3. "The wise man built his house upon the rock . . . and the rains came tumbling down!"  (Notice that the rains did come )
4. Dad: "I think you're just pushing the water around."
    Me: "What do you mean? I had to fight the beaver and cross the swamp to get this far!" (After I had been
    mopping a puddle for quite some time).
5. Me: "Well, I guess I can be a farmer's wife. . .I passed test #3."
    Brother: "What do you mean?"
    Me: "Well, I've plucked chickens (test #1), I've done hay (test #2), and now I've had to deal with some sort of hardship (test #3). You can't be a farmer's wife without passing those. :o)
6. "Teacher, I don't have my homework finished because it floated away!"
7. "We could have had carpet down here and this could have been sewer water!" (I repeated this one on purpose because out of all of the above I think it was the most important reason to smile!)
8. "At least we have an upstairs to move into."


:o) I'm so thankful for all of the help we received during that time. We were blessed because we only got about 1 1/2 inches of water in our basement and I believe some in our area got much more.

Since we have moved upstairs alot of progress has been made. I have put some before and after photos for you all.

                                                               Kitchen: "In the Beginning"

Kitchen: Progressing 

Kitchen: Now :o)

                                                                     Left to Right View

Dining Room: Before

                                                                  Dining Room: Now

                                                     
                                                        Laundry room with floor and paint

                                                               Dining room light fixture

We're getting there! :o)  Soon the appliances will be in (I cannot wait to have an oven to cook in! Hmm...what should I bake first--crescent rolls or cookies? Or perhaps a hearty casserole?)  And I literally am bubbling over with anticipation when I think of being able to use a real sink! Hurray!

Today is a very special day. My dear friend and sister Allie is having her 20th birthday! Praise God!

I have so enjoyed Al--she is growing into such an godly young woman. She is my late night bedtime giggler, my fellow home-keeping trainee, the gardener, the fisher, she is the fire-cracker queen,my sister in Christ, and my friend. God bless you Allie as you enter this new era in life--the Golden Twenties! :o)

I love you!

Don't leave yet, I have one more thing to share with you all! :o) Missions is something which I feel the Lord has placed a desire for in my heart and I have sought out various opportunities to try and prepare myself. I found out this week that I have been accepted to attend a three month missions training program in Ghana, Africa! Praise the Lord! The program is with Charity Christian Missions--I will spend three months a a student in study and hands-on experience all while learning more and more of what is means to be disciple of Christ. I am really looking forward to this opportunity and I trust that Christ is in control.

Dear friends, please keep me in your prayers these coming months. Pray that I may rest in the Lord's timing and will and that he would prepare my heart. Also, please pray for my authorities and fellow classmates--that they each may receive a special blessing as they also prepare! And finally, please pray for my family as I prepare to go. . .I think that will be the hardest part! (For both them and myself!) I thank you all in advance for I know you will remember me. . .I'm truly am thankful for you all. Even though I cannot physically see you I am always so excited to be connected by Christ.

Thank you for sticking with me through this longer post! I hope to soon talk about all the blessings I received from the Ladies Conference!

May the Father bless you as you walk in Him! With love, 

Closer to Jesus

   Greetings friends! I hope all is well  with you.  Today was such a lovely day; the Lord lovingly allowed the leaves to change what seems overnight into bright and lively oranges, yellows, and reds. . .truly, I am in love with this season! :o) I am thoroughly enjoying sweaters, harvest candles, slippers, and coffee and praise Jesus Christ for allowing such a nice season!
Earlier today I found a very neat website-  http://www.godlychristianmusic.com/FreeChristianSongsHome.aspx . This site has many songs by sung by Christians that you can listen to while on the computer. It is a really great tool! I’ve been listening to Abigail Miller, a lovely Christian singer. Many of her songs encouraged and challenged me, but “Compel Them” was one of the best.  If you would like to listen to the actual song, please go to this link.  May you be richly blessed!

The king had planned a wedding feast,
To honor his dear Son.
He sent his men to tell the honored guests
The time had come.
But the foolish men made light of it
And went, each one, his way,
And the king was told, "There are no guests
To bless this wedding day.

The king, in anger, sent his men--
"Go out into the streets,
And call the lost, the blind, the
dumb, the lame with broken feet,
And still when this was done,
the servant said, "Yet there is room."
The king replied, "Go out once more--
Compel them all to come."

Chorus: Compel them, compel them to come in.
Far too long they have wandered in the darkness of their sin.
There is rest at my table,
There is peace and joy within,
So compel them, compel them, compel them to come in.

And now the King of Heaven
plans the Supper of the Lamb.
We have a special
invitation from the Great I AM.
He bids us go to every creature,
Spread the Gospel word,
Go out into the highways to the ones
Who've never heard.

Oh, the highways and hedges are
so filled with lost and blind,
He said, "Go and bring as many
as ye find!"

Chorus
End (interlude) -- "compel them to come in…"

I so enjoyed this song because it reminded me of God’s love for the broken, wounded, fallen, and lost. It also reminded me of the job God has given every Christian—to go and preach the gospel to every creature. Truly our Lord is a good God!

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.” James 4:8

God's Work in a Heart

                                           Dear Sisters in Christ,

Greetings! My heart so happy and glad! A few minutes ago I opened a letter from a dear friend and sister in Christ who has been going through many difficulties. . .one is being in jail. I must say however, that her testamony shows that Jesus is real, living, kind, and good. She is growing and through these tough times she is seeing God's mercy. Praise the Lord! And through this God has been blessing me because I am privileged to see her grow and walk in the Lord. He is so merciful and good! Also, I have seen God's mercy and faithfulness in  how He is using me. I have been afraid and worried that I would write something that would hurt feelings when Momma told me that I must speak the truth. For me speaking in love is somewhat easy, but speaking the frank and real truth. . .how difficult it is! So to combine the two- love and truth- was a challenge. But, I praise God that He helped my dear friend see my love for her. How good He is!

I would also like to use this post to encourage jail ministry. "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Matthew 25:36 This is a subjest very near to my heart. Those in prison need our prayers and love. Please do not misunderstand me- wisdom is very crucial here. Listen to your parents and obey their desires for you. For example, I would visit with every person in jail pitying them and their problems, but Dad has wisly reminded me that most people in jail are there for a reason and that all my love and compassion will not change their heart. Because I look through rose-colored glasses I would take in every homeless person, but Daddy reminds me that that their are dangers and I must be wise. I am very thankful for his advice. In my case, I already knew this person before she entered jail; I was not contacting a stranger, something that could be dangerous and unwise. So again, please ask for and obey your parent's direction. With that said, I do think it is the Christian's responisbility to encourage the hurting, imprisoned, hungry, and unloved. There are many ways to do this, but single ladies can do one certain thing that is crucial- pray. Pray that those in jail may seek the Lord, repent of their sins, and use their time wisely. God can use a Christian in jail just as He can a Christian in church. He is able!

As you may have seen I'm very excited about this. I am greatly encouraged by God's faithfulness. He is living!
May the Lord bless your day today! With lots of love,