Prayer Request

Dear friends,

Today I have found in my links a blog that I cannot recall how or why I added to my blogroll. It is written by a New Age believer, which may explain partly why I had added her blog. Four years ago I was still battling myself and my faith, remember?
Anyhow. She is in great need of prayers from all of you, my dear friends. For her loved one. And for herself. Please lift them both up to Jesus Christ and let us pray for their physical salvation and the salvation of their souls. And ours.

Click here to read~pray~love on. 

Amen.

On PCs, asking, and a broken nail

Hello, dear friends,

It's 8:49 p.m. as I type this. I can say I am quite pleased that my working day will be over in an hour or so.
Funny day this has been. First, in the morning, the program that I use to issue customers a special company card for discounts and special offers, refused me entrance, no matter what I tried. Until I called the exprerts. Second, the program I use to issue receipts collapsed this afternoon. B-i-g trouble if someone from Revenue poses as a customer. Eventually, all was solved with the click of two mouses: mine and mostly that of a kind employee from the company who does our technical support, and it was all fixed. "Ask the expert". It is true. Why didn't I just call straight away? The expert knows and if he is willing to help, the better. In my case, I gathered the nerve to ask for the specialist's mobile phone (he was in Athens) and tada! they gave me the number. Not what I had in mind. I thought delays,a nd "call us later". But that simply did not happen. after all, this is disorganised Greece, where people work not just on rules, but also on that unexplicable filotimo. And that is how most of the time things keep rolling. Literally, the word means "love of honour"; it may also mean dignity, courage, duty, and sacrifice. Here is some more on that very nice and meaningful Greek word.

In between the collapsing PC programs, the company e-mails us with a specific kind of paper labels we are to use in order to print the new prices after the VAT increase from 19% to 21%, effective Monday. I have been phoning local shops with no results. No one was willing to make the extra effort (a phone call) to get me the specific labels. Finally, it crossed my mind, late in the evening: the internet. Of course. If I can have something shipped from across the Atlantic, why couldn't I check their Greek dealer's web site and place an order? I just had to go to the expert.

As I type this, I'm home. It's 1:03 a.m. C,F and I just finished watching Miss Congeniality for the ninth time. We've also stocked on three movies that we hope to see over Saturday, Sunday and possibly Monday. I can't recall the names right now, but I'll tell you what I think of them as soon as I watch each one of them.

I also wanted to tell you. My blood tests came out today. Guess what? They are bound for a trip. A lovely lady customer of mine is taking them with her to America. She has had some hormone problems of her own and she has long been telling me to look after myself more. But I did not listen. Then one day we talked. Next thing she said, "Do some fresh tests, mail me the results, and I'll take them with me to some very specialist doctors I'm going to see in the States. They'll know what you must do". And so, dear friends, I'm mailing them on Monday, and by the end of the month they will be crossing the Atlantic to the US.

Among all the upheaval, I had my clarity moment. You know what I learned today? Something that has played a crucial part in a pivotal moment of my life, and that I have forgotten to put into practice in many years.

 "Ask and it will be given, knock, and it shall be opened unto you".

I do not think I am alone on this one.I wonder, why is it that we often find it difficult to ask for help, for attention, for love? I wonder, am I that afraid of a possible failure, of a betrayal of that little child in me? Is it that I am too proud to ask? Or that afraid?

Christ at Heart’s Door, Warner Sallman

And there is another thing. If you are going to do it, ask the specialist. Gather the courage and knock that door. Ask. I have wandered so much trying to find answers, but there is only One who can give me the answers I need. And He does. He has an answer to all of my questions, if I only ask. Have you read the text on my sidebar "On Prayer"? If you haven't, please do it right after this. Open the communication lines. Someone is ready to listen, if only you put your pride aside, and just ask for exactly what you need. ( Here are some verses on asking).



P.S.I almost forgot. I also managed to break a nail along the way, the third this week. How does one manage to brake their short nails? Does it happen to you, too?

Prayers urgently required

I came across the Layla Grace shop sometime ago, but I had no idea what the owner and her family was going through. Please read her blog and pray for her sweet little daughter and the whole family.

"Dear Lord, please bring your blessing to the suffering child and her family. Grace them with health and courage and take away all suffering. For You are the Power and Blessing of your people and the entire Universe. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Prayer request

Please pray and support the Bella Mella family. There are no other words, really.

Let's do this!

Please visit this blog to offer prayer and some much appreciated cards to Amy. Read this post and send your prayers and cards. I am going to send postcards from Greece first thing in the morning. Please do your best to offer love and joy. Thank you.

Prayer Request

Hello, dear friends,

I was surfing the net for some Autumn inspiration, when I found this beautiful blog. You may share freely the beautiful art that is offered. Please follow the link and send to our heavenly Father a warm prayer for this lovely lady who needs it very much.

Almighty Father, please send Your ample grace and healing to Amy. Support her and encourage her in her fight. Strengthen her body and mind through Your Holy Spirit. Free her of any pain and suffering, so that Your name is blessed now and always. Through the prayers of your Saints Cosmas and Damian , the doctors, Amen.

Urgent payer request

Asking all prayer warriors to pray for little Daisy. She has needed your prayers before and she managed to be out of hospital and with her loving parents. Please pray for her. Read more at her dad's blog. Thank you.

On prayer

I can still remember and I shall always will, the times when our second daughter, D, was taken ill with a life-threatening infection at 13 days. We spent the following three months mostly in a children's hospital, she in an incubator at first, then in a tall iron bed, me crunched at her feet, C spending the night with us on a chair.

With God's grace Virgin Mary's and St.Irene's intercession, she is growing into a lovely, giggling, helpful, joy spreading young lady. So, I am very sensitive to moms with babies who suffer one way or another. I try t always leave a comment, encouraging the mum, showing her that people care. But what I have remembered in the past year through my journey back, or, no, this is not a 'back' thing, it is all new and real to me, is the power and need of prayer.

I have compiled a list of people for whom I say a prayer every day, and I plan to post it with links on my sidebar for us to pray together and commit myself to visiting them regularly.

Praying is more than sending good vibes a person's way. Apart from the potential benefit of sending good thoughts to people, and making you feel a somewhat better person by showing some loving kindness, I can now say that prayer is so very powerful, because our lives are not ours, but God's and God is so good to tolerate us despite of our constant shortcomings, and actually not only tolerate us, but actively love us and bless us everyday, that we MUST pray, as prayer is the most active action we can take to change, to heal, to come to terms with life.

May I bring forth today for prayer, encouragement and healing, the case of Harper. I reached her mom's blog, Kelly's Corner through the My Charming Kids blog, and I urge you all, prayer warriors more experienced and virtuous than me, to join her family in prayer:


"Allmighty God, You have blessed Kelly's womb with a much anticipated and loved baby, a manifestation of Your never ending miracle of the gift of Life. You who have blessed Sarah and Hanna. You who have sent Your only Son to us sinners, You, dear God, who with Your Son's hand have healed the daughter of Jairus, You, God of kindness and mercy, we beg of thee to heal little Harper, and bless her family with her presence, as a testimony of Your never ending love. Through the prayers of Your servants and saints, the Holy Unmercenaries, Zenaida and Philonella, Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Pantaleon and Tryphon, and our holy mother, St. Irene Chrysovalantou, please bless her family amply, for the glory of your name, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Peace amidst the chaos

Hello dear friends,
I've had a most wonderful day amidst the chaos that the in-laws arrival always brings. Is that a miracle of God's grace? I am sure it is so. I have prayed that He should show to me the way I must behave to them, because I am totally confused, especially with C's mother. Take for example now: I am sitting on our bed and type (blessed phone line, after 5 months' waiting, it arrived at the needed moment, just before they landed in our home, and to me that is a God sent), and I can hear her telling C (rather shouting) what we should do from now till summer (let me remind you that we just welcomed January). We must finish unpacking, we should empty the garage, we should move the furniture to make space for a permanent bed for them, etc. etc. In her more immediate plans is baking the stuffed chicken she brought all the way from Athens (a 6+hour drive) that she knows my children detest.
Anyway, I feel so nice sitting here, knowing that my girls do their homework next door and my son is sitting next to me, chatting all the time while watching TV. I don't know if I've told you, but we don't normally have a TV in our bedroom. However, C tried to set up our computer in what is an open wardroom cum media room nook, but apparently the screen had died, so he went out and bought a new one from a German discount store that opened in our city a couple of months ago, and said screen can also play TV. So we've moved the screen in our bedroom so as to avoid prolonged contact.

I have taken some nice photos to show you of our day. As you may have seen in a previous post, today we celebrated Epiphany. It is celebrated in a very special way, so I am going to write a special post for it.

After the morning church service we visited an aunt of C that has had Alzheimer's. She is in hospital after suffering a stroke, and we hope that she will make it. I am fond of her and her husband, who is my f.i.l's brother. He is my husband's favorite relative and the first one of his relatives that he knew about our relationship, even before his parents. Both he and his wife have been very supportive of us when we moved here. There is something more special though, that links me to them. As my mother disapproved of my marriage, she wasn't present at my wedding. During the Greek Orthodox ceremony, though, the couple's parents have to share from the common cup of wine that the officiating priest has blessed. After offering the cup to C's parents, the priest turned to my side, looking for my parents. I hadn't thought of that detail, and I was quite embarrassed. Then C's oncle and aunt stepped in and said "We are". And after the service, when we had to stand in line and shake hands with our guests and well wishers, they stood in line and acted as my side of relatives, at least to those who didn't know who they were. So, in a way, Oncle and Aunt A are my adoptive parents, and I love them very much.
Please pray for her. We know she is never going to be who she used to be, she didn't recognize me or C, today, but please pray that God will grant her His best.

I hope you are all well. God bless you.

Urgent Prayer Request

A beautiful young girl, the daughter of Lisa of The Domestic Diva is going through dialysis treatment and is hoping for a kidney donor. Please stop by and pray.

Dear God,

Please extend youy Holy hand and heal Marielle's kidney's. Please sustain and support her and her family during the trial they're facing. You are the healer and the health giver, the proivider of life and light. Please shed your light on Marielle and her familly. For Your Glory. Amen.

Update on little Daisy

If you've read this post and prayed/are praying for little new born Daisy, you may want to read this update from Corey:

A few days ago I wrote about my friends' baby Daisy. At that time she was just a mere two days old and in critical condition.
Since then every day seems to be a miracle. I thought you should know, your loving thoughts, prayers, emails, wishes, concern and sending of light has aided in her singing, LIFE!

Please read this post by Daisy's father. It will have you on your knees. And please keep praying for God's precious little daughter.

Urgent Prayer Request

I have read this over at Corey's. Please pray for the newborn baby Daisy and her family.

Please God, show Your infinite mercy to your new creature and hold her up for her parents to rejoice and bless Your Holy Name. Amen.

A note from Corey: Thank you for surrounding Daisy in light. She improved yesterday.

Let us keep praying for her until she is out of harm's way. Thank you.

Prayer and Encouragement

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)

"Therefore put on the full armour 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 6:13 (NIV)

"...God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So Christos, Irene and children say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.'" Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)

Lord,
You are the true and living God, You rule over all things visible and invisible. There is nothing that catches You by surprise, and there is nothing beyond Your reach. You know our rising up and our sitting down. You know when we go out and when we come in.

"O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want." Psalm 34:9 (NASB)

"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble" Psalm 41:1 (NIV)

"Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

"For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous like Christos, Irene and children; you surround them with your favour as with a shield." Psalm 5:12 (NIV)

(From Pray It-Say It, via Angie)

Prayer Request

Dear friends,

I am well aware that there are people in much more needy situations than I am. And I pray in humble prayer for those I know and those I don't know who may be suffering and in trial while I go around caring about the ordinary.

Today, though, I feel overwhelmed, and I am going to ask for a personal favor.
I'd like to ask you to pray for us for something that is trivial, perhaps, but that has been a burden on us for quite some time.

As some of you know, we have been building a house for the past three years. It is part of an block of houses built next to each other.
We have been experiencing increasing difficulties with the Engineer/contractor over time. At some point last summer one of our neighbours and ourselves realised that he was unreliable and attempted to complete the works on our own. He wouldn't let us do so, and wouldn't pay for them himself, so things continued to go slowly. The strain on us, physically, financially and psychologically got bigger and bigger. C rarely is at work as he is overseeing the project and drives everywhere for miles each day. We are paying for the rent in our current flat, plus the loan for the new home. The long period of uncertainty is wearing us out. We also face the pressure of our current landlord who needs the flat for his soon to be married daughter till the end of June.

A couple of months ago we hired our own contractor and work progressed fast. Now that works are nearing completion, the Engineer refuses to sign the necessary paperwork for us to be connected to the Electricity etc. blackmailing us really, in order to get us to pay him extra money for work that he hasn't done and wasn't going to do anyway, as he is essentially bankrupt, after he lost his money in the shaky Greek Stock Exchange.

C was really frustrated last night. I told him that I don't really mind about electricity. I am prepared to move in with oil lamps and candles, install the washing machine at the shop's basement, eat fruit and veggies and do the occasional BBQ in our backyard.

C is going to meet him at midday today, to try to talk some sense to him. Could you please pray with me? I say to myself that God knows best when it is time for us to move, and He knows how things should work out. i am bringing all that entangled mess to His feet and pray that He should show us the way.

Thank you.

Hannah, myself and God

A dear friend of mine, sent me today a passage from the Bible. As if she knew what was troubling me yesterday and today. It is about Hannah and the troubles she faced with a rival-wife.

Now, I don’t know about you, but all too many times, I go to the phone before I go to the throne! Who do you cry to when you are deeply troubled? Do you pour out your soul to the LORD, or just pepper Him with vague prayer requests? Hannah didn’t just briefly bend a knee here, she poured out her soul! She poured out her sorrow, her disappointments, her frustrations, her depression, her confusion, her anger, her embarrassments, her anguish and her grief.

I forget to do that, it's true. I turn and turn the words uttered in my head and I just get frustrated and miserable. Yet what I should do, is pose, go to the feet of God as if He were my physical father and tell Him all about it. I suppose the fact that I never had such a relationship is somewhat hindering; yet it also is a wonderful new experience, an opportunity to free myself from the bounds of the past.

After she poured out her soul to God, the Bible shows us that her appetite returned and her countenance had changed. “Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast” (1 Samuel 1:18). Hannah was “no longer downcast” because she experienced the One and Only life-changing God in the chamber of His presence.

Have you done any serious business with God lately?
Got any problems?
Are you dealing with any difficult people?
Are you faced with any seemingly impossible situations?

Yes, God. You know there are people who make me feel sad and frustrated. You know particularly about one person who makes me feel miserable everytime she calls, always puts down my wings and makes me want to go into hiding. You also know of people who are so pushy that make me withdraw and beat myself up. Please give me the wisdom to treat every person and situation that comes to my way with a peaceful heart and a wise mind. You ARE my Father, and you know what is best for me, so please lead me according to Your will.

Heavenly Father, I come to You today and humbly ask Your forgiveness for all of the times that I’ve taken my burdens to others instead of bringing them to You. Help me to turn to You first when problems come my way. Please blanket my heart with your peace and give me strength for today.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Read Psalm 34, then write out your favorite verses and commit them to memory.

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Please God, keep in Your holy palm my beloved, family and friends. Amen.

Praying

Praying for a young mom. Please God, healer of all and giver of Life, send healing, courage and peace to her. Amen.

Prayer Request

Bad news run fast. J's godfather, who is also C's friend since their teens, has a sister who used to go out with them as a teen. She is married with two children, a teen aged son and a daughter in Primary School. Yesterday, J's godfather called C and told him that his sister was waiting for a biopsy on a tumor found on her breast. Please extend your prayers for that young mother. May the results be good for her.

Update May 6th: Her results show that she is on 2 on a scale of 5. Her doctor said that she'd rather be a 1, but right now it is not aggressive. So she is doing chemo next week and she will be treated for the next five years. Please extend your prayers for her. Thank you and may God bless you.

Prayer Request

Dear friends,

I got news of D's godfather, today. He has fallen off the stairs at work. Just a couple of steps. However, he broke his ribs and, what's even worse, a rib has penetrated his lung. He is in hospital for the third day today. The doctors are trying to remove fluid from his lung, and he is in pain.

Please say a prayer for him. He is father to two boys, aged 11 and 3, and a loving husband who is the sole provider for his family.

Thank you all very much.

Update: April 19: He is home, but last night and this morning he had high fever. Thank you, thank you for praying for him and his family.

Spring pictures

I have been indulging in some blog hopping this morning. I saved some pictures on my computer, but I thought it would be a pitty not to share them with you, my dear friends.

Melissa of The Inspired Room was in New York last weekend. She posted a lovely photo that screams Easter Parade to me.

Look at those wonderful flowers! A beautiful picture by Alicia Paulson at Posie Gets Cozy.

Heather of Hello, my name is Heather was featured in the April/May 2008 issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion.

Eggs and Easter. These ones aren't red but the composition is lovely.

For some beautiful photos and words you may also stop by Merisi and Corey. Please say a prayer for Corey's dad. Also for Tamar who had surgery today, and for Heather.
There is so much beauty in the world that God has made for us to live in!

I have also updated my Happy Turtle blog. I have included some pictures from work here. Enjoy Easter week end!

Prayer Request

Hello,
I have come across the blog of a wonderful couple and their new born baby daughter. Both mother and daughter, the husband and father, and their families need our prayers. I am the last one to be able to speak to God and pray for anyone, but if you could please spread the word and pray for them, I believe God who has brought them this far, will listen to our prayers.
Thank you!