Where Did YOUR Journey Begin?

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 

"Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou has anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23

I was nine.  One of the most unpopular girls in school.  One summer one of the most popular girls, Carol Brucato, invited me to her house for something she called "Vacation Bible School".  Well, I knew what school was and vacation, but had never seen a Bible.  I HAD to go!

When I asked my Mom for permission to spend five Saturdays at someone house for an hour she was not going to let me, until I said a word that seemed magic with power -- Bible.

Mom said we didn't have a Bible, reaching a straw she thought would end my desire to go.  Instead, she looked at me curiously and said, "If you can get your Daddy to buy you a Bible, then you can go."

Well, my Daddy loved me to pieces and when had he EVER denied me anything!  So off I went to ask him.  He too got a curious look, took me off to Ritters (which was the only place that sold Bibles in the little town I grew up in). 

We asked the lady at the shop where they were and she took us to a wall where there were many Bibles.  Most had real gold edges on the pages!

Daddy gave me a choice of five.  I walked up and down the shelf where they all sat and touched each one.  All had black leather (well it wasn't actually leather) covers, but one...one had a zipper and the zipper had a little gold cross on a very delicate gold chain.  This then was my first Bible.

No one liked me at Vacation Bible School, but we did memorise the 23rd Psalm.  That was the beginning of my long and grateful journey to the Lord and with the Lord. 

Can you remember where your journey began?  Think about it this weekend and thank God for preparing the way for you to come to Him so well.

Take care with love, especially His!  Your servant and friend in Christ, who prays for you each morning, Darlene

NEED PRAYER UPDATES PLEASE! 

• Please continue to pray for the special person you identified two weeks ago in your assignment until they fall into His arms.  Then you can pick another to pray for!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

• ·        UPDATE - Brody and Trish - will be celebrating their wedding vows 16 July; and yes he will still be on a scooter.  Pray for his continued healing.  He has many operations yet to go to repair his crushed ankle. 
• ·        UPDATE - Adrian - Has had the flu for the last three weeks.  Unable to get out of bed. Unable to make it to his regular cancer treatment infusion, rescheduled to 20 July.  Pain is very high and he is miserable.  Please pray the Lord will hold him and cuddle him gently through this.  The Leukaemia Foundation person is still not around.  I'm going to try to contact them from here for Adrian.  Pray for Adrian's companion dog, Toby, to remain healthy.  He is very important to Adrian's mental well-being and a clear gift from the Lord during this time of pain and loneliness.
• ·        UPDATE - JR - one of my brother's lifetime friends was found to have three brain tumours.  The largest was removed in emergency surgery.  He is home now and new tests have revealed he has small cell carcinoma, which is spreading rapidly.  They intend to hospitalise him in the next week or two to begin treatments.  Pray for his wife, family, friends and the health carers as they deal with this serious situation.  Tim has shared his testimony with JR.  Pray his heart opens to the love and grace of Jesus.

NEW PRAYER REQUESTS

• ·        Dwight - (Doris' brother, age 91) came from Florida to visit her over 4th of July, which is a praise! We all got together and had a great visit!
• ·        Aunt Donna - (Doris' sister, age 84) has dementia. Please pray for her daughters for guidance in her care.

PRAYERS SPECIFICALLY FOR SALVATION

• ·        Lennie - PS ex-son-in-law.  Please pray for his salvation.  He is father to PS' 11 yr. old granddaughter's whom she spends 1/2 of her time with because of shared custody.
• ·        Paul - is feeling unwell.  Please pray for his health to strengthen and that his heart melts enough for the Truth to touch him where it hurts.  He has not had work since 2011!!
• ·        UPDATE - Aunt Dot - still in hospital.  Pray for her boys.  She feels she has done what she can and must now leave it to the Lord.  Her husband has been in China for years (unsure of the reason) and perhaps he will come home to see her before she passes and he too may find the Lord attractive.  
• ·        UPDATE - Sarah (early 30s) - still urgently in need of psychiatric help, is living somewhere safe (with a family?) and has held down a job at McDonald's for 2 weeks, so far.  Still will not communicate with her mother or brother - only answer texts from her father with "Yeah, right!".  Pray her family is resolute in demonstrating "tough love" with her.  Pray the Lord captures her heart through this situation.
• ·        DB's father - (84 years) now home and doing better.  She thanks you for your faithful prayers and asks you to keep praying his heart opens to Christ through this experience., he is an avowed – and boastfully proud – atheist. 
• ·        Chester (Adrian's friend) with pancreatic cancer that he has the  energy, strength and resolve to deal with a worldly system that continues to abuse him; and that someone will come share Christ with him soon.
• ·        Keep praying for the two unsaved women in Jo's Bible class:  Angie and Liz.
• ·        Wezley - Rachael is not able to find Wezley's mom to get an update.  Her husband lost his job and the family may have moved.  Keep praying for the entire family!

PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

• ·        UPDATE - Sergio - Finally found a new role and is very grateful for your many prayers and for the compassion of the Lord in his life.  He is in Mexico City and work for graphic designers there is rare. 
• ·        Toron - (18-year-old) Pray for him to find direction and encouragement and most of all to come to the Lord. 
• ·        BG - Is growing stronger and stronger each day now that treatment for his headaches has begun. 
• ·        UPDATE -Raven - The new cancer meds have given her life back.  She loves the Lord and is grateful for His compassions.
• ·        Doris - (my "second Mom" - age 97.5)) Still filled with energy, enthusiasm and good health.  Pray she stays strong and keeps sharing the Lord with everyone who will stop long enough to listen to her.  Would love to see her this side of heaven! 
• ·        Praise the Lord and pray for the many individuals in Russia, US, Australia, UK, Poland, Germany, France, Portugal, American Samoa, Romania, Ukraine, Estonia, Singapore, China, India and Alaska who are regularly reading the WeakDay Devotion on-line.  The blog seems to be gathering an audience in unexpected and mysterious geographic locations.

PRAY FOR THE WORLD

• ·        That the Lord's hand is dramatically apparent in the lives of all who receive and read these devotions.  That His mighty works will be worked out in each life for His purposes and glory in surprising and wonderful ways!
• ·        For Christ-centred, Bible-based revival in the USA and religious freedom for Christians wherever they may be.

PRAY FOR THOSE WITH ONGOING HEALTH CONCERNS

• ·        UPDATE- David R - Doctors have confirmed this week that the vision loss in his left eye is result of a localised stroke.  But will not return.  His right eye now has a cataract and signs of macular degeneration. 
• ·        UPDATE - Joanne - sister to David, who is being overwhelmed by dementia and macular degeneration.  She is one of the most gracious Christian women I have ever known. 
• ·        UPDATE - John - having a sun melanoma removed from his arm soon.  Still having difficulty reading (after stroke 2 yrs. ago).  Test show no new injury in brain, but no more healing of blind spots in his eyes.  Was re-tested by speech therapist who so no regression from healing he achieved at end of his 4 months therapy after the stroke. Please pray for complete healing and/or more patience and grace. 
• ·        Sandy - Tests are inconclusive, yet her symptoms persist.  Pray for wise doctors.  They suspect Crohn's Disease.
• ·        Julia -(who had the concussion we have been praying for) has been cleared by the Dr. and continues to heal. But now she has shingles on her back!  She is only 37 yrs. old.
• ·        My brother, Tim, with COPD (Cardio-Obstructive Pulmonary Artery Disease).  The weather is too hot and humid now for him to be active or outside much.  Thank you for praying for him.  Pray his heavenly Father gives him extra wisdom as he supports his friend JR through this time. 
• ·        CK - (suffered a stroke in April) is back at home, having speech therapy for his inability to read, also. He is still not driving and his wife is taking him to the various appointments involved in his recovery.

ONGOING WORK RELATED

• ·        UPDATE - Jo - Her project ends this Thursday.  She will be having a talk with her boss and perhaps they will still extend her engagement.  Pray she waits patiently upon the Lord.
• ·        Fion - please pray for his Mother.  He has returned to work and was given additional duties that are far too much for anyone.  Pray for wisdom for the organisation and/or courage for Fion.
• ·        Deepak - has worked tirelessly for years to develop his business and needs people to pay what they owe him.    

ONGOING PRAYER

• ·        Mr. Hale, an 85-year-old who needs help understanding the benefits he has from the Veterans Administration
• ·        Fin - has settled into his new home where a friend cares for him.  He has just lost his aunt...Please pray for him and his family and friends at this time.
• ·        Shan needs clarity of purpose and direction for his ministry.  He and Gemma are now married and starting a new life.  Pray it will be steadfastly focused on the Lord.
• ·        Hans is waiting for a place in a new training clinic (which may take up to 6 months).  Pray he finds Christian companions and leaders wherever he is.
• ·        Bettina for additional strength and wisdom.

FOR THOSE IN FULL-TIME SERVICE

• ·        Doug McIntosh - in each of our lives we can point to spiritual "parents and unique encouragers".  For me there are many.  One key contributor to my love of Bible study is Doug, my pastor.  He was diagnosed 16 Feb 2014 with multiple myeloma.  What a great man of God he is!  Please pray for him, his family and the church he has worked so faithfully in, Cornerstone, in Lilburn Georgia.
• ·        Jo and Steve - Please pray their individual ministries in NZ and reconciliation with one of Jo's sisters. 
• ·        Audley and Beverly (stroke survivor) for help with their situation and his return to ministry.
• ·        Stu and Jo and their grown children, Laura and Jason - a family serving in full-time ministry in New Zealand.  Keep them strong, healthy and resolute. 
• ·        Isaias and Judith - in the Philippines.  Pray our Father continues to keep them strong and safe and that they find balance.  They give so much to so many for so little.  Take a moment to learn more about their tireless ministry:  Go to:  http://www.afciworld.org  Look for "Nations" then click "Philippines".
• ·        Please pray for my good friend, JB, that our loving Father provides him with ample opportunity to continue his ministry.
• ·        Buddy and Susan Smith and Kevin and Sandy Currell need your prayers for their ministries in Australia.
• ·        The Catholic Church and the new Pope need your prayers that he will always put Jesus first in all his decisions.

SOMETHING NEW FOR PRAYER WARRIORS

• ·        Elaine and Jim -in Hong Kong have begun an online church with a special prayer room that is open 24/7.  A small army of dedicated prayer warriors is waiting to pray with you.  Please pray for them and go here to learn more:  Https://www.thelittlechurchworld.org/prayer-room

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS

• ·        Linda and Ian, Rob and his daughter, DB, PS, Reg, JD, Annette and Lyle, Carla and Paul, Jeff and Rachael and their wonderful families.  Grateful thanks for their practical support and encouragement over many years.