If my people....

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

S.D. Gordon: " The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean people who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those who take time to pray. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important, very important, and pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer."

Oswald Chambers: "Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work."

Joni Erickson Tada: " Frankly, the only way you and I can develop a real appreciation for prayer is to pray. Prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Spirit can teach. Pray for prayer. Pray to be helped in prayer. Pray until you appreciate prayer.

Like art, like music, like so many other disciplines, prayer can only be appreciated when you actually spend time in it. Spending time with the Master will elevate your thinking. The more you pray, the more will be revealed. You will understand. You will smile and nod your head as you identify with others who fight long battles and find great joy on their knees.

You will appreciate not only the greatness of prayer, but the greatness of God."


Dear God, Help me to be a woman on my knees. Now as in any time you need your people to pray for your people- those who are yours and those you are drawing to yourself. Heal our land. May your people, me included, change this country because we are changed into who you have destined us to be. Thank you that you hear our prayers. Amen

Two voices in my Head

Okay I am not schizophrenic even though at times my kids may think I am crazy. The two voices in my head have the names of condemnation and conviction. Condemnation says : "I can't believe you did that. You can't do anything right." It will go on and on and before long I feel covered in guilt with no hope of digging my way out. Conviction which is the Holy Spirit's voice says maybe you should apologize for those words you said to your husband or is that something you should really be watching on TV. Conviction's goal is repentance and reconciliation. Condemnation's goal is guilt and misery. Romans 8:1,2 says "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Jesus Christ the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." I am learning that when I hear those words of condemnation they are lies from the evil one. God's words draw me to reconciliation and a right relationship with Him. His words have grace where Satan's words have judgemental. Putting on my helmet of salvation, I am able to stand firm in my identity in Christ. I am not perfect but I am forgiven. I have been saved by grace through faith. So on those days when things are not going well I need to be in God's presence so that I can filter out what is his voice and what is not. My prayer is Ps 139:23,24: "Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Dear God of grace and truth, Forgive me for those times that I let the evil one convince me that I am not worthy. Forgive me also for the times I block out the truth in the midst of the condemnation. God may my hope be in you and you alone. Show me how to walk in the way everlasting. May I be holy as you are holy. Amen

Teacher Tuesday

Here are some little things that will help your student as they get older in their math class. Some are obvious. Others may not be. I am looking at this from a high school teachers perspective of what skills students need to already have.

1. Always have students show their work or explain how they got their answer verbally.
2. When doing word problems, students should label their answers and even sometimes write a sentence stating the solution. This will help the student reread the problem and make sure he or she found what they were really suppose to find. It also helps them analyze what the number they found actually means.
3. Remember you are teaching problem solving. When they ask a question, ask one back. Sometimes the best way to learn is through trial and error. Don't be afraid to let them go in a wrong direction just so they can better understand the right direction.
4. Don't forget there is sometimes more than one way to solve a problem. I often find myself backtracking when I find my daughter has solved the problem just fine but in a different way.
5. Practice makes perfect.
These are good reminders for me as I teach W and D. It is also challenging to sometimes solve problems at their level knowing their certain tools they have not learned yet.