Adding Wisdom to Strength

Adding Wisdom to Strength

As an often overwhelmed mother of many, I crave inspiration where I can get it. I’m also a word person, and a single word can sustain me for a long time.

While on my way to a family reunion with my younger kids, we visited a coal mine tour in Pennsylvania. I wanted them to have a sense of their family heritage, since my great-great-grandfather Heinrich Hess, a German immigrant, was a coal miner in that area.

In the gift store after the tour, I found a bin of engraved rocks with words on them. Many of them – such as “Organize” and “Simplicity” - appealed to me, but I decided to narrow my choice to a single one: “Wisdom.” Right now, wisdom is the crying need of my heart.

So today, as I unpacked our vacation treasures, I placed my “Wisdom” stone next to the “Strength” stone I had picked out last year on my birthday as a gift from my daughter. The juxtaposition of the two stones together reminded me of a key principle in life: 

We need to always add wisdom to our strength. 

There are so many things we can do, that we have the power to do. I am glad of that. In the past year, I have needed the strength of courage, energy, and focus to step up and do things that needed to be done. Strength is good, but we desperately need wisdom to make right choices and apply our strength to the right things. These are not always obvious, even when reading the Bible. The Holy Spirit can guide us more specifically as we listen closely with a yielded heart.

I sat yesterday to read my old leather bound Bible and write notes in my Scripture journal. I opened to 2 Corinthians 1, where I had left off my study, and read verse 12.

“Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God.  We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.”

I thought about this as I wrote:

“This is what I want to be able to say as a Christian.  This requires consecration to God, and wisdom about what he requires. I need to think of this verse as I make decisions for the future, especially ones that affect other people. Some things may seem godly which are not. Some things may seem worldly which are not. What will bring the most glory to God? What is the best way to show his redemption and rescue in my life? How can I lead my children in the ways of the Lord?”

[Side note: Are you curious why I said, “Some things may seem godly which are not. Some things may seem worldly which are not”?  We must not be naïve in our attempts to please God. In the garden of life, we need to be careful not to be snagged by the thorns, even ones that seem pious. Remember that Jesus himself said in Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”  You can read more at the bottom of this post: Follow the Way of Love.]

As I contemplate my future and the choices I need to make, I know I need both wisdom and strength. I want to live with sincerity and holiness in the midst of a world of heartache and confusion. Pray for me, will you? Write to me, and I'll pray for you, too!

Some of my favorite wisdom verses to ponder: 

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, but deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”  James 3:13-18

“Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.  The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.” Ecclesiastes 9:15-17

As Heinrich Hess wrote at the end of his 1886 memoir,

"At my confirmation I selected this verse, Psalm 143, verse 10, "Lord, teach me to do thy will for thou art my God.  May your good spirit lead me on a smooth road."  The Lord has lead me up to this point and I know that He will also lead me further on if I will only believe in Him.  My wish and will is to make myself subordinate to Him and to be true to Him until my end."

Thank you, Heinrich. That's a wise word for me 128 years later in 2014.

Wisdom and strength,

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

P.S. You might also enjoy The Simple Yet Mighty Gifts of Acceptance & Affirmation and Dignity, Decisions, and Liberty of Conscience 

Power: What Price and Purpose?

Just riffing off of a stream-of-consciousness journal entry from a few months ago...

I was thinking that there is a certain strength in having ordinary weaknesses.  In the movie The Amazing Spiderman, people turned into giant lizards capable of terrifying strength and power after being exposed to an airborne chemical.  But who would want to be that strong and powerful if they had to become a lizard to get that way?  That kind of brute strength is devoid of the sensitivity that being an authentic human entails.  It completely lacks aesthetic beauty.  It is only capable of destruction, not creation.  It wants to control others but cannot control itself.  I can't imagine living the limited life of a megalizard.  I'm not into city squashing.

In some ways, our true strength grows from our weaknesses: because we cannot do things alone, we must do them together.  Our resulting relationships and cooperation  leads to healthy inter-dependency.  Our weaknesses also remind us to depend on God's strength and to guard against the wrong kind of pride.  

Becoming aggressive (physically or otherwise) can result from using pride, power and position for what they can get for you, not to build devotion to God nor loving relationships.  It leads to ultimate downfall.  On the far opposite end of the spectrum,  low self-esteem keeps us passive, paralyzed and vulnerable to victimization.   A healthy self-confidence enables us to step out boldly in service and creativity. We can be assertive, claiming what is rightfully ours while helping others attain their goals, too. This is a win-win situation.

Physical weaknesses, disabilities and pain can challenge us to come up with creative accommodations, using our brains and hearts to keep accomplishing what our bodies can't do.  Work smarter, not just harder. Synergize.  Invent. Be aware of the struggles of others so you can show compassion.  Use whatever kind of power you have for the good of all.

We should still pursue physical strength and vitality, keep in shape, and get medical help for injury and disease. But we also realize that our inevitable weaknesses can paradoxically plant in us the humble seeds of true greatness.  Success is not just handed to us on a golden platter, but is an on-going process requiring effort and cooperation.  We learn and grow together as people made in God's image, and overcome the odds through perseverance,  effort, and supportive relationships.  

Jesus came among us in the limitations of human flesh, great power constrained and channeled into great sacrificial love.  He wants us to have true power, creative power, beautiful power.  If we want to make a difference in the lives of others, it cannot be by selfishly controlling them.  We must love them. Love is the strongest influence of all.

~*~*~

And finally, a little of what the Bible says about power and weakness.


But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Isaiah 40:29

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Romans 15:1

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:3-9

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.  But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.  Luke 22:24-26

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength... But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  1 Corinthians 1:25,27

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  Hebrews 12:12

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  2 Corinthians 4:7-9

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  Ephesians 3:16-21

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:10-13

25 Years Later, Looking Back on a Miscarriage

Twenty-five years ago today...

I miscarried our second baby at six weeks.

I wrote about this five years ago and a relative told me how much it meant to her, since she had just experienced a miscarriage herself.  Here is an updated version of it...

~*~*~

Several of my dear friends have had miscarriages in the past year or so. I know at least a little of how they feel, because I miscarried our second baby on April 22, 1988, when our oldest was about ten months old. 

I remember my friend Darlene warning me, "You may feel fine now, but in a couple of weeks you might have a hormonal backlash. You may feel really horrible for a while, but it's normal. Don't think you are going crazy." I'm not sure I believed her at the time, but she was right. Two weeks after my miscarriage, my emotions went wild for several days. I was edgy and angry, like a monster case of PMS. So when I hear of a mama who has had a miscarriage, I pass along that helpful tip. Most of the women I have talked to have confirmed it to be true. If you have a miscarriage or stillbirth, do allow yourself to grieve your loss, even as you learn to accept it. Get your rest. Your body and soul need it. 

If you have lost a little one, I also encourage you to be comforted by the testimonies and counsel of others who know what it is like. You can find many web sites and books on the topic of pregnancy loss. I find that even now, I have a very soft spot in my heart for wee little children and their mommies. When I see them suffer in any way, it pulls at my heartstrings. And I still grieve the miscarriage now and then. I don't think about it often anymore, but when I do, I allow myself to feel it and to receive God's comfort. As I was thinking about writing this article, I couldn't sleep. I got up early in the morning and paced the kitchen floor, weeping. But it is a good kind of mourning, the kind that knows joy will come again. I will hold my little one in Heaven, where he or she is already safe in the arms of Jesus, waiting for Mommy and Daddy to catch up! That's the truth about God's grace! 

Bolivia Trip #2, 2009 

And there was joy after our mourning. Just under a year later, our second daughter made her grand debut, followed by eight more children after that. I thank God for granting me this precious baby just a year after my loss and growing her up into such a lovely young woman.   I realize that if I hadn't lost our second pregnancy, this daughter would never have been born, and she is a treasure.  She has a very soft spot in her heart for people who are suffering.  She and her husband are active in ministry to the homeless in Orlando and to impoverished regions of Bolivia, where they are leading a short term missions team this summer.  (It will be her fifth trip there.)



Not every grieving mommy will have another baby.  I can't promise sunshine and roses.  The ache may linger for a lifetime.  But God knows the End from the Beginning. We can trust him to work out all the details in between. 
Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

Decorating and Organizing Bathroom Areas on a Budget

Dear friends,

Creating a post about bathrooms seems trivial compared to a lot of more important things I could be writing.  I have a whole list of posts I want to do!  But this morning, the bathroom. Why?  Because it's such a practical place, and finding new ways to make it work can bring more shalom and beauty to your day.  Besides, as you'll see, there is a little bit of a social justice theme in this post anyway.

I'm on a pretty tight budget, so a fancy bathroom redo is not in my near future.  But there are always little things we can do to perk it up and organize it more effectively.

Here's a little tour of my master bath area and then two pictures from our hall bath.

I use a full size garden flag for my bathroom curtain.  It lets the light through beautifully, while providing enough privacy.  It's also moisture resistant.  There are mini-blinds behind it, as well as a Renuzit air freshener bought for a dollar at Walmart.

My bathroom walls are painted peach, and I've certainly got a springtime theme going on in there.  My mother made these two small stained glass pieces, choosing the camellia and magnolia because they grow in our back yard.

I just installed this wall hook to hold my clothes while I'm the shower.   (I don't like setting them on the small sink counter or trying to hang them over the towel bar.) This hook is extra sturdy, and cost about $3 at Walmart.

The back of the sink can get really cluttered and cruddy if too much stuff is stored there.  I left out just the basics. I put a bunch of the stuff up in the medicine cabinet, like our deodorants and my husband's shaving cream can that kept leaving a rust ring on the counter anyway.   You can read about how I organize the medicine cabinets in our house here: Organizing First Aid Supplies, Medicines and Supplements.

I just gave up using a traditional toothbrush / toothpaste holder because I could never fit the folded end of the toothpaste tube in the hole they provide.  I bought this cheery flowerpot at Deals for $1.  I like the combination of colors on the three items I left out.  And I love the lever style sink handle.  I can turn the sink on with the back of my wrist if my hands have germs on them.

Under the sink, I store sanitary supplies and cleaning items in bins, along with a container of peroxide.  We keep a bucket underneath the sink pipes to catch any possible leaks.

We salvaged the cabinet above from a neighbor who was moving. I replaced the existing handles with decorative knobs from Walmart.

The metal toilet paper roll rack is another new addition. It holds four rolls, and it's easier to get to than the cabinet if you're sitting on the toilet and realize there is none left on the current roll. :-) I bought it for around $7. We buy our toilet paper in bulk at Sam's Club. Each roll is individually wrapped.  I think that is so much more sanitary!

Our house is about forty years old, and we've lived here about half that time. We finally had to replace the shower door several years ago. My smart husband decided to hang a shower curtain on the inside of the shower door to keep the water off it. It keeps it so much cleaner, and will certainly extend the life of the door. He can easily take the curtain down for cleaning, or replace it cheaply.

My husband just bought this shower rack for me.  We used to keep the shampoo bottles in a bin on the shower floor, but I prefer this!  I used a little white duct tape to keep it snugger against the wall.

We also store big bottles on the towel bar at the other end of the shower.  A narrow little basket (which rests on the bar) and a suction cup caddy hold smaller items like razors or tiny bottles that would otherwise fall down.

We had a ceramic soap dish that hung from a bracket that was bolted to the wall.  Unfortunately, it fell down and cut my ankle up.  I replaced it with this suction cup soap dish, $1 at Deals.

We have periodic plumbing problems, and the toilet has been known to overflow into the adjacent dressing area.  We had to rip the carpet out and replace the whole floor in that area with ceramic tile, which I love.  That's a good thing, since we just had another bad backup a week or so ago.  So easy to clean!

Speaking of plumbing problems, we also had a leak in our shower behind the wall a while back.  My husband had to cut the drywall in our dressing area to get to it.  That left two damaged areas of drywall.  Until recently, the top one was covered with a tapestry, and the bottom one was just there for all to see.  During my little bathroom redo, I decided to do something about it.  I moved the Success poster from over my desk. (You'll see in a minute why I needed to do that.)  Then, to cover the smaller hole, I bought a sturdy basket (wire frame reinforced) to hold my hair dryer.  I found it for $5 at Walmart.  The ceramic bells to the right were a gift from my husband when we were dating; they are from his trip to Venezuela.  You might see the edge of a set of white ceramic birds at the left.  One of my daughters bought them on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. 

Two other sets of South American bells -- these from Bolivia -- were gifts brought back from mission trips by another two daughters.  They hang from the top of the mirror.  

The rack below (also seen above) is a very recent gift from a daughter who ordered it from Ten Thousand Villages, a partner of the Mennonite Central Committee.  It was created by Cooperative le Semilla de Dios (the seed of God) in El Salvador.  The stories of these two fair trade charitable organizations are fascinating, so be sure to click those links and check out their beautiful gift items that benefit the local economies in Third World communities!  Did you notice the theme of social justice in Latin America for my dressing area?  Yeah, that just all came together nicely.  You can't read the poem on that Success poster two pictures up but the last lines are, "To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." You can read the rest at A Desk for Mom.

Also in this dressing area, on the floor underneath the counter, are a large basket to hold clean towels and a small bucket to hold used wash cloths and hand towels before laundering.  Clean wash cloths and hand towels are stored in the drawer attached to the counter.  You can see those here: Organizing and Laundering Your Linens.

We also keep toiletries and personal care in other areas of the bedroom.  Some of mine are in this white cabinet that sits on my desk.  That's where the Success poster used to hang.  My neighbors gave this cabinet to me several weeks ago, and it's just right for making the most use of my space.  Small kindnesses like this are such a blessing.  What can you do to bless someone else?

My husband's dresser has a tray for his personal supplies and favorite medicines.

In the full bathroom down the hall, I just want to show you two things...

This shelf sits above the toilet, with the vertical pieces going down to the floor on the sides.  The kids tend to be a little sloppy with their stuff, but that's just real life.  I rarely go in their bathroom! The shower curtain is an under-the-sea theme.

And finally, a bit of humor...  I found this at Salvation Army for 79 cents, and just hung it up!  I guess charity and justice start in the home, in little ways.

Well, those are my bathrooms -- or at least the parts I'm willing to show!

I hope you've come away encouraged that you can make even "the least" parts of your home look pretty without breaking the bank.  Use what you have, buy inexpensive stuff at the dollar store or Walmart, and then you'll have more money for the important things in life -- like being kind to others around the world.

For shalom and beauty, 

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

P.S. This post will be linked at several blog parties.  You can find the list of my favorites here: Link  Ups.

My Hope Is In You

May integrity and uprightness protect me, 

because my hope, Lord, is in you.

Psalm 25:21

This is my verse for the week.

Based on all the troubling news 

we've faced lately in our community 

and in our circle of friends, 

I really need it a sense of hope.

My husband called me outside to see

this beautiful rainbow this morning.

It's a double rainbow, 

but only a half rainbow since it has no left side.

Maybe that's a symbol that hope

is not always configured the way we expect.

It's not always readily apparent.

We need God to reveal it to us,

to lead us on the right path.

But it is our choice to seek and follow,

and to love the truth enough to do what is right

even in the storms.

Show me your ways, Lord,

    teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Grace,

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

This post will be linked at:

 

Sweet Shot Tuesday 

You can see my current photo collection here: Sweet Shot 2013.   

Raising Homemakers

Wise Woman

Whole-Hearted Home

Walking Redeemed

Still Saturday

The Sunday Community

Scripture and a Snapshot

All Saint's Day and Quotes on Prayer

My Little Explorer
(Will she be a jungle missionary someday?)

Happy All Saints Day, my friends!

I ate leftovers for breakfast -- leftover Reese's peanut butter cups, M & M's, Kit-Kats, Snickers...  Yes, we are recovering from a Halloween-induced sugar rush at our house this morning.   I took my three middle school / high school kids to a youth group party at the church office last night, and after trick-or-treating in that neighborhood, I sat at the door with my little explorer, who gleefully handed out candy to folks coming by the office.  (It's in a planned community with live-work units, so the place was packed!)

And now it's All Saints Day, that oft forgotten holiday.  I'm no Catholic, but I still like to pause and reflect about the saints -- believers in Jesus -- who have gone before me. This morning, I thought a fitting tribute might be a collection of quotes on prayer and compassion by many wise and good saints from yesteryear.  This is good for me, because prayer hasn't exactly been  my strong suit lately and I'm trying to get back into it.  I especially need to pray for my own children!  Maybe it would help to read "Teaching Our Children to Walk With God" by Shiela Catanzarite.

Grace and peace,
Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com


Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all. - D. L. Moody

Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence. - W. S. Bowden

He who has no vision of ETERNITY will never get a true hold of TIME. - T. Carlyle

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? - Corrie ten Boom

Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him. –James Hudson Taylor

You must GO forward on your knees. - James Hudson Taylor
Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize and condemn, but redemption is costly, and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but it takes heart to comfort. –Samuel Chadwick 

There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him. - William Law

If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for. - Charles Spurgeon

It is not the bee's touching on the flowers that gathers the honey, but her abiding for a time upon them, and drawing out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most on divine truth, that will prove the choicest, strongest Christian. - Joseph Hall 

The Christian on his knees sees more than the philosopher on tiptoe. - D. L. Moody

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. - E. M. Bounds

The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray. - Samuel Chadwick

And we ourselves are 'saved to save' - we are made to give - to let everything go if only we may have more to give. The pebble takes in all the rays of light that fall on it, but the diamond flashes them out again; every little facet is a means, not simply of drinking more in, but of giving more out. - Lillias Trotter

It is wonderful what God can do with a broken heart, if He gets all the pieces. –Samuel Chadwick

You shall find this to be God’s usual course: not to give his children the taste of his delights till they begin to sweat in seeking after them. - Richard Baxter

Lord grant that the FIRE of my heart may melt the lead in my feet. - Unknown

Work as if everything depended upon your work, and pray as if everything depended upon your prayer. - William Booth

When we get a glimpse of the worth of a soul, and begin to realize that we stand between lost men and Heaven or Hell, then we shall have real concern and the Lord will hear our prayers of intercession. - J. W. Mahood

How long will it take us to learn that our shortest route to the man next door is by way of God's throne? – A. T. Pierson

Oh! men and brethren, what would this heart feel if I could but believe that there were some among you who would go home and pray for a revival – men whose faith is large enough, and their love fiery enough to lead them from this moment to exercise unceasing intercessions that God would appear among us and do wondrous things here, as in the times of former generations. - C. H. Spurgeon

Some people become tired at the end of ten minutes or half an hour of prayer. What will they do when they have to spend Eternity in the presence of God? We must begin the habit here and become used to being with God. - Sadhu Sundar Singh

Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness. -William Carey

The Church has not yet touched the fringe of the possibilities of intercessory prayer. Her largest victories will be witnessed when individual Christians everywhere come to recognize their priesthood unto God and day by day give themselves unto prayer. – John R. Mott

Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. God’s voice in response to mine is its most essential part. - Andrew Murray

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. - William Cowper

Pray not for crutches but for wings. - Phillips Brooks

God never ceases to speak to us, but the noise of the world without and the tumult of our passions within bewilder us and prevent us from listening to him. - Fenelon

God will do nothing but in answer to prayer. - John Wesley

I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done. - Hudson Taylor

God never intended His Church to be a refrigerator in which to preserve perishable piety. He intended it to be an incubator in which to hatch out converts. - F. Lincicome

When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows we go to fetch strength against him, and therefore he opposeth us all he can. - Richard Sibbes

Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. - John Bunyan

Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer. - John Bunyan

Prayer is the midwife of mercy, that helps to bring it forth. - Matthew Henry

The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.-Thomas Watson

Bear up the hands that hang down, by faith and prayer; support the tottering knees. Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down. - John Wesley

Are you living for the things you are praying for? - Austin Phelps