Thankful Thursday: Daily Blessings

The Daily Blessing for which I'm most thankful is...Prayer, hands down! (No pun intended!) How could I live without prayer? Communication with my Heavenly Father is one of the greatest blessings in my life. He is wise, He comforts me, He hears me any time of day or night. He is there and knows my cares and shares my pain. He has the power to change...me. And cares for everything that concerns me.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

What a Friend We have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials or temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge--

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer;

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Joseph Scriven, 1819-1886

Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918

  

Luke 18:1 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."

Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

1Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

It's Thankful Thursday today and Iris at Grace Alone is hosting this month. (Thank you, Iris!) We're sharing on Daily Blessings for which we're thankful! Please visit her site to participate and read other thankful posts!

I Needed the Quiet

By Alice Mortenson

I needed the quiet so He drew me aside

Into the shadows where we could confide,

Away from the bustle where all the day long

I hurried and worried when active and strong.

I needed the quiet though at first I rebelled,

But gently, so gently my cross He upheld,

And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things,

Though weakened in body, my spirit took wings…

To heights never heard of when active and gay,

He loved me so greatly, He drew me away.

I needed the quiet, no prison my bed,

But a beautiful valley of blessings instead –

A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide

I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.

* * * * *

I cannot call affliction sweet;

And yet' twas good to bear;

Affliction brought me to your feet,

And I found comfort there.

‐‐ James Montgomery

Last week, I listened to a broadcast of Joni and Friends, in which she read this poem and quote. They resonated in my heart. I've experienced God drawing me aside. Perhaps you have, too. Perhaps you're in a time now when affliction is bringing you to Him for comfort, or when you are being "drawn aside" by trials, suffering, physical infirmities.  These times in my life stand out, like mountain peaks, as times when God's Hand was upon me, not only drawing me aside, but drawing me closer to Him.


Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376
www.joniandfriends.org

A special thank you to Joni and Friends, who offered these in a free download.  I hope you will be blessed, as I was, by the thoughts expressed.  The link is below, for you to hear the broadcast, also, if you'd like. 
Listen to the broadcast:
"I Needed the Quiet" by Alice Mortenson - Joni and Friends Radio

A Poem for Parents Who Have Lost a Child

There are a lot of hurting people out there today.  One of the most painful experiences anyone can go through is to lose a child.  It's not right, somehow. You never think you're going to have your child die before you do.  These are some of the responses that others have shared with me about losing their child. It doesn't matter how old your child is when you lose them, it's always hard.  Never say to someone, "Well, at least you had them for ____ years."  Or the other extreme, when someone loses a child through miscarriage, "Well, at least you never really knew them--that would be worse."  Miscarriage affects millions and can be devastating to parents. (Click here for Miscarriage statistics and helpful information.)
Sometimes well-meaning people make things worse by playing down the loss.  In 1987 we suffered the loss of our child through miscarriage. (I believe that I may have miscarried numerous times before this, but we won't be sure until we arrive in heaven and meet "our children").
The Lord gave me the words to this poem as I grieved.  I dedicate it to you moms and dads whose little one is in heaven with Jesus now, running and jumping and playing, while you are here on earth.  I pray that it will minister to your heart, beloved hurting friend.

My Child Died Today
My Child died today.

Is anyone aware?
My Child died today.

Does anybody care?
My Child died today.

Dear God,
Are You up there?

My Child died today.

The pain is more than I can bear.

I cried out to the LORD in anguish
"How could You do this to me?"
I could not comprehend at first
These precious gems of truth learned slowly
But I felt His presence surround me
And His soft voice say,
"I feel your pain and I do care,
You're not the only one,
You see, two thousand years ago,
I also lost a Son.
I suffer with you, know your sorrow,
Understand your fears.
For back what seems only a day
A debt there was to pay:
To give to you Eternal Life
I tried to find a way
So you could live, I chose to say
My Child Died Today."
© Wendy Trachy Gunn 1988

If you know someone who is hurting and would benefit by receiving a copy of this poem,

it is available for purchase through Scribd, under my profile Titus2woman.

My prayer is that it will help bring healing to many who are hurting from the loss of a child.


These books both received an average of 5-star ratings in many reviews.  Reading some of the reviews and from what I could ascertain online, they appeared good.  However, I can't guarantee they are good or that they will definitely be a help to you, in this case, as I have not read them, (it's always dangerous to recommend books without having read them, so, please let me know, if you have read them, what you thought of them or if there is something objectionable.)  Also, I would love any of your book recommendations of Christian authors who've written on miscarriage and losing a child, especially books that are including Scripture.

The God of all Comfort

It is of the LORD's mercies
that we are not consumed, because
his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

These are very precious promises and words we can depend on. For the Lord is faithful to His Word. I have become aware this past year of the great comfort to be found in the Scriptures! I always knew that God would speak to me and direct me through them--that they were His thoughts and Truth.....but I have found in them a deep and abiding peace in the midst of uncertain times and circumstances. God comforts His children through His Word.

I also find great encouragement in singing hymns, especially during my quiet time with the Lord in the morning! I have at home a dilapidated copy of our church hymnal (it will open up and lay flat on the piano, which is very helpful especially for my kids who accompany the hymn-singing at church). I haven't memorized hundreds or thousands of hymns as Elisabeth Elliot says she did as a child, but phrases will repeat in my head through the day, which is very pleasant and helpful to my faith :)

Yesterday, the hymn "Count Your Blessings" kept running through my head! Here are the words:

"Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your many blessings,

See what God hath done."

It may not be that "every doubt" will immediately "fly away" or that you will feel like bursting into song, but the combination of applying the Truth of God's Word to the wounds of your heart, and thanking the Lord for His many blessings will eventually work as salve to your soul and healing to your heart.

One of my favorite hymns when I am discouraged is:

How Firm a Foundation ye saints of the Lord,

is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;

I'll strengthen thee, help thee,

and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand."

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow,

For I will be with thee, thy trials to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress."

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

That soul,

though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake!"

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"Blessed be God,

even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies,

and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to

comfort them which are in any trouble,

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves

are comforted of God."