THE POWER OF PRAYER

The answer to prayer

I have witnessed the transformative power power of prayer. Prayer doesn't change situations, it changes us!

She cried, "I can't do this!', "Make it stop!" "Mom!!!" "This is harder than I thought it would be."

How many times in life have we said this?

This is so hard!

And then she began to pray.
"Dear Lord give my body strength to deliver this baby." "Dear Lord give us a healthy baby."

To this day I have had the help that comes from God. Acts 26:22a

It was still difficult, I could see the pain on her face, but I also saw God's grace working in her and giving her the ability to do what she had prayed for - give birth to a baby!

Thank God for miracles!
Mother + Father + Baby = LOVE 

What joy, love, and peace filled the room and our hearts!

Have you ever witnessed the power of prayer and how it transforms a situation? If only we could remember that God is in control and allow him to guide and direct us. He never told us there would be no pain or suffering, but He did say He would be with us.

Dayna asked that I be present during her labor and delivery. What a blessing to be able to be there when Baby Fish was born! But what a difficult thing to witness my daughter suffering and in pain. What parent wants pain or suffering for their child? But we all know that suffering is a fact of life. 

Don't you think God finds it difficult to witness our pain and suffering?

And he had compassion on them. Matthew 14:14

Thank God that out of great suffering can also come great joy! This is so hard to remember when we are in the midst of suffering and great trials. That's why we pray without ceasing. 

That's why we pray for our loved ones, be they family or friends. We pray in every situation, we pray in the good times, we pray in the bad times, we pray when we can't imagine a good outcome, we pray!

Greater love has no one than this, that he should give his life for another. John 15:13

So now that Baby Fish is here, Dayna continues to sacrifice her time and energy. We know mothers have done this from the beginning of time, but it is still just a beautiful thing to see in action!

Baby Fish

So I pray:
Help us remember to allow God to take control, to give us comfort and strength to endure all things.
To God be the glory, great things he has done!
And He will continue to do if we allow Him.

Tell me your story. How have you witnessed the power of prayer in action.

BOOK READING FUN TURNS INTO COOKIES

Me and My Shadow have been enjoying our volunteer time at the middle school.  JoPapa was able to start volunteering weeks ago.  I had been delayed in joining this worthy cause due to my fall from Grace (my pet name for my step ladder).  But now that I’m recovered enough to sit for an hour or so with my foot on the ground, I get to join the fun of listening to these students read to us. Sharon Fairlie from Smithville United Methodist Church asked for volunteers from the church and we accepted the invitation.  That was about the time I fell from Grace. In the past weeks, the volunteers who have been there every day have made believers of the administrators there. The reading tests showed the 6th grade students’ reading skills have improved.  So the program was expanded to also include the 7th grade reading class. 

So here’s where reading turns into cookies. One of  the students I have been reading with did not grasp the significance of the passage in Touching Spirit Bear, the book we were reading.  The parole officer in this story had the adolescent taste flour, salt, soda, molasses, egg, and water.  Each ingredient was not especially tasty but some were even down right bitter tasting. But when combined…a delicious molasses cake resulted.  It was a metaphor for life! We have to take the bitter with the sweet. When I explained it like that, her “light bulb” came on and she comprehended.  Which bitter ingredient should we leave out? Each ingredient is a necessary component to making the end product - even a fall from Grace!

This story  inspired me to make these molasses cookies. 


MOLASSES COOKIES

1/3 cup Crisco
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
½ cup water
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. soda
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon

Beat shortening, sugar, egg, molasses and water. Blend in dry ingredients. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger.

Almost no imprint remains

Remove from cookie sheet and cool. When cookies are completely cool frost each cookie with:

Butter Cream Frosting

3 Tbl. soft butter
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
about 1 ½ Tbl. milk

Blend powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until frosting is smooth.

Cooled cookies with butter cream frosting

I don't think these cookies will ship very well with the frosting, but I could be convinced to ship some sans frosting. Or maybe you'll make some for your family tonight? They are light, cake like, sweet and spicy! 

Enjoy!