sunday inspirations...prayer is like football

A Conversation with My Lord

Matt. 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Hello Lord, I love you.

I love you back, my son.

Sometimes when I want to pray I can't. I am too exhausted, too tired, too hurt, too wiped out, in too much pain…

Yes, I know about that and I am with you. You must remember that even when you cannot utter words, even when you have no words, you can be with me in a spirit of prayer. Prayer to me is like music coming from your soul just to me. Prayer is the way we connect. Even when you cannot utter one word but you come to me or even just want to come to me then I am glorified. Prayer is the most important part of life. No matter what you might have to go through during the day, the time we spend together in prayer is the most important.

What do I do when I cannot utter words or when I cannot even think of words.You can still pray by resting in me.

I see the intent of your heart. I see what goes on in your heart, mind, and soul. When you cannot utter thoughts or words, you can think about me. When you cannot utter thoughts or words, you can rest in my presence. When you cannot think of anything to say you can still connect to me by wanting to connect to me.

Sometimes it seems you do not answer.

I always listen. I always understand. I always know what you and others need. Yes, it may seem I do not answer but I do answer. I answer in ways you cannot know or understand. I answer in ways that you cannot even pray about for my ways are mysterious. My ways must remain mysterious for a time, but I always answer. When you pray for healing, although healing may not seem to come, healing will come at some point. When you pray for healing and the person you pray for comes to me after they leave their body there is more than healing. Healing of the body is not the ultimate gift I can give a person. The ultimate gift I can give a person was sent to you in the form of my Son who died upon the Cross. Through Christ and acceptance of Him in a person's heart and soul, there will come a day when healing happens by shedding the physical body and sailing away into my Light and Love and Heaven. When you leave your body you are healed but not just healed for you are given a new body. So when you pray for healing for the people on your list, someday they will be not just healed but transformed. I go beyond doing what you ask for. I go beyond answering what is prayed for. You would not believe it if I could show you how far I go beyond what you ask for in prayer. This is why prayer is so important. Prayer is the great shield between the evil of the world and you. Even when the evil one comes and tries to destroy you and destroy your body, when you pray there is a victory being assured in my heavenly realms. Think of prayer like football. Every time you pray you score points against the opponent. When you do not pray, the opponent scores points against you. When you do not pray, the points build up against you and you lose. The real winners in life are not the people who live a long time or who have money, wealth, fame, or position. The real winners in life are the people who pray to me in humility and contriteness.

I love people who pray and am able to do great works because they pray to me. When you pray in any form at all, you are talking to me. I am your father, your creator God. I want you to always be talking to me. Always be in my presence no matter what your mood, your emotions, your feeling, your thoughts, no matter what, I want you to be talking to me. Even when you cannot think of anything to say to me, you can be with me in your heart. When you are with me in your heart, you are in prayer with me. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone prayed all the time. Imagine what a different place the world would be. In heaven, all the beings on all the levels pray all the time. We all connect in this supernatural glorious way. In heaven, all the spirits rise all the time. We are in infinite motion rising all the time for we cannot be kept down. In heaven, we are sailing upwards all the time. On earth, when you are bound by your body, and because of the physical and emotional pain of life, you cannot sail upwards except when you pray. When you are alive on earth, you build up fuel for your journey upwards throughout eternity when you pray. When you pray there are ripples of my love that go throughout the world to people you do not know. When you pray for one person then others are receiving my love. When you pray for all the people you know, then all those people receive my love and people beyond them receive my love.

Lord, in our world today it looks like we are at the end of all things. It looks like the end of our lives and way of life. It looks like even our freedom of worship can be taken away along with our families and people we know. When we pray, what happens to this world? When we pray, does it make any difference in the war against darkness and evil?

Yes, it does make a difference. It makes an enormous difference. Like I said before, think what a dark world the world would be if no one prayed. The amount of prayers prayed by the number of people praying by the intensity of the prayer in their heart makes up a supernatural equation. The prayers people pray determine many things in the world. The prayers determine the future of the world. Jesus did not know when the end of all things was to come and when He would come back to you because of the prayer equation. Prayer is the determining factor in nearly all events. Imagine how important prayer is and you cannot imagine enough! If all people prayed at the same time on the earth, then things would change immediately. When people of the earth do not pray, then things devolve. It makes no difference whether people pray with their lips, mouth, or vocal chords, as some believe. When you pray, you must pray in your heart of hearts. When you pray, come to me and I will hear you for I love you, and I will always love you. I will always hear you and I will do what you ask me but you may not know the time, place, or circumstances of my answers. Feel my presence in your heart. Feel my descending beam of love coming over you. Feel my uplifting and upwelling power from within you. Rest in my hiding place within the great dome of heaven where we can always meet. I love you my Son.

I love you Lord.

Thank you my son. I love you back. Give my words away and feed my sheep.

Sunday Inspiration Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.

sunday inspirations...crossing a destination yet unknown

Today's Sunday Inspirations is an account of an experience I had earlier this year which, I shared here at Sojourner's Place. I often think about this brief experience as it has left a lasting impression on me. It has been said, that when something happens to you that is so profound that it stays with you that it is the voice of God telling you to take heed and listen.

Crossing a Destination Yet Unknown

This morning, I had a very interesting, strange and inspiring experience. On my way to perform my civic duty (I’ll talk about that in a future post) I encountered an elderly man attempting to cross the street with a walker. Just prior to my approaching him, I heard him ask a woman for assistance. Blurting out something in what I considered in a tone both rude and disrespectful, the woman quickly scurried away leaving him to fend for himself.

Obviously afraid to cross the street during its downtown morning rush – I offered to help the Elder. As one would expect, he was extremely grateful and we began our two block walk to his destination. During that walk, I learned that he was a retired CPA, had suffered a stroke about a year ago, and that his doctor – a woman – suspected that he would have to continue to use the walker for at least another six months. The Elder is the father of three; two sons, both engineers and a real estate agent daughter.

This elder spoke to me about many things during our walk including Islam and its tenants regarding the importance of women and mothers and the need to respect one another. He spoke of how ants will help each other to survive in their world in the absence of competition. He said that only humans feel the need for competition, degradation, and humiliation against one another creating divides, hatred, and the inability to coexist.

Reaching his destination, I knew that he would have to climb about 4 concrete steps. I remained at the bottom of the steps and helped him to steady himself by holding onto the railing. Once steadied, I took is walker to the landing and then returned to the Elder to assist him up the stairs. The doorman – who was watching all of this – then, assisted him into the business establishment. Before saying our farewells, the Elder said to me, “I asked God to send someone to help me cross that street. And he sent you. He sent you – the nice lady with a pretty smile – a lady who is now my daughter.” The Elder then kissed my hand and blessed me with a good and prosperous life. I thanked him, claimed the blessing, and proceeded to my destination to perform my civic duty.

Everything happens for a reason. And while I may have been placed at the right time and place to help the Elder cross the street, I sincerely believe that this unknown Elder was placed at that spot to safely cross ME to a destination yet unknown.



Sunday Inspiration Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.

sunday inspirations...tomorrow is not promised

In light of the events this week that have no doubt touched us all, this message below just seems appropriate to post. Ironically, I received this via email earlier this week from a colleague. I pray that we all remember to make the most of our Today. Be gracious and humble. Be helpful and warm. Be loving and caring. Because, it is very true that "Tomorrow is Not Promised".

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are and who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be: your neighbor, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they seem painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential strength, will power, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul.

Without these small tests, whether they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere, safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life and the successes and downfalls you experience create who you are, and even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart...

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you many never be able to experience it again...

Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen, let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high...

Hold your head up because you have every right too. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself...for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either. You can make of your life anything you wish.

Create your own life and then go out and live in it! "Live Each Day As If It Were You Last...Tomorrow is Not Promised" --Author Unknown

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.

Sunday Inspiration Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

sunday inspirations...choices

I pray that you will be as inspired by the story below as I was when I received it earlier this week. I am passing on to you a little spark of love and humanity.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in t he right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second , gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

"That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world".

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

May your day, be a Shay Day & share this amazing story with those you love.


Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.


Sunday Inspiration Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

sunday inspirations...am i not human?

Heavenly Father,

We pray for those whose lives are lived on the margins of nations and suffer from the wars that others fight around them. We pray for the warring factions, that they may see themselves under the gaze of God and those who suffer for their cause. We pray for the peoples of Darfur who are haunted by fear of violence, hunger and hopelessness, that they may continue to be fed, visited and defended. We pray for the work of peacekeepers, negotiators and the humanitarian organisations that security may prevail. We pray for the Government of Sudan and for her unity. We pray for peace in the name of him who is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This prayer was offered by The Archbishop of Canterbury on September 15, 2006. His introductory words continue to ring true nearly two years later:

We do well to reflect on that experience of southern Sudan as we pray for Darfur today. We are all under judgement in how we exercise the power we have, whether it is great or small. When in Matthew’s gospel the disciples asked Jesus when they visited him in prison, or when they saw him naked or hungry, he replied, “When you clothed, visited and fed the least of your brothers and sisters you did so to me.

So my prayer as a Christian is that we may live internationally as we seek to live locally: that we are all children of God, with no more or less value in the eyes of God than those whose names and villages we do not know.

For today's Sunday Inspiration, in conjunction with the Am I Not Human? Campaign, I urge all Sojourners to remember our fellow men, women, and children who are fighting for not only their freedom but their very lives in Darfur. Find out more information about the Am I Not Human? Campaign at Sojourner's Place and Roots of Humanity.

Sunday Inspiration Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.


Photo Credits:
Prayer for Darfur* by annieA on Flickr
Darfur Prayer by n_alcedera on Flickr

sunday inspirations...be careful of who helps you

A man woke up early in order to have his morning devotion (prayer) in the Lord's house. He got dressed set on his way to the Lord's house. On his way to the church, the man fell and his clothes got dirty. He got up, brushed himself off, and headed home. At home, he changed his clothes, and was, again, on his way to the Lord's house.

On his way to the church, he fell again and at the same spot! He, again, got up, brushed himself off and headed home. At home he, once again, changed his clothes and was on his way to the Lord's house . On his way to the house of God, he met a man holding a lamp. He asked the man of his identity and the man replied 'I saw you fall twice on your way to the house of God, so I brought a lamp so I can light your way.

The first man thanked him profusely and the two were on their way to the house of God. Once at the house of God, the first man asked the man with the lamp to come in and pray with him. The second man refused.

The first man asked him a couple more times and, again, the answer was the same. The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in and pray. The man replied, 'I am Satan'.

The man was shocked at this reply. Satan went on to explain, 'I saw you on your way to the house of God and it was I who made you fall. When you went home, cleaned yourself and went back on your way to the house of God, God forgave all of your sins. I made you fall a second time, and even that did not encourage you to stay home, but rather, you went back on your way to Church. Because of that, God forgave all the sins of the people of your household. I was afraid if I made you fall one more time, then God will forgive the sins of the people of your village, so I made sure that you reached the house of God safely. '

So do not let Satan benefit from his actions. Do not put off the good you intended to do as you never know how much reward you might receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good.

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.




More Sunday Inspirations Participants:

Afroamericawriter - Bria - Georgia's Angels - Hagar's Daughter - Marvalus - msladydeborah - Villager - Mrs Grapevine - Talulazoeapple - The78MsJ

sunday inspirations...be encouraged

As we prepare to face the week ahead, I pray that we are all encouraged to "let go and let God".

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind [and] one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Rom 15:5-6

Speak the Truth!

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old SjP ain't got nothing more to say.

View more Sunday Inspirations from the following Sojourners:

msladydeborah Villager The Mooche MarvalusOne MrsGrapevine Hagar's Daughter Georgia's Angels The78MsJ bria Vanessa [on the black hand side] Afroamericawriter Marvalus Talulazoeapple

Sunday Inspirations...pay attention

This week's Sunday Inspiration comes by way of the Christian Weekly Devotion by Pastor Bill. Remember to always pay attention no matter what!

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:19:
“We have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.” NLT

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Doyle evidently told of a time when he climbed into a taxicab in Paris. Before he could utter a word, the driver turned to him and asked, “Where can I take you, Mr. Doyle?” Doyle was flabbergasted. He asked the driver if he had ever seen him before.

“No, sir,” the driver responded, “I have never seen you before.” Then he explained: “This morning’s paper had a story about you being on vacation in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always arrive. Your skin color tells me you have been on vacation. The ink spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French.