ok... so I have a very weird extended family that needs Jesus in a major way. I want to give you a little background before I tell you my real story.
My biological dad's side of the family...
- 7 kids, 14 grand kids, 7 great grand kids
- 1 aunt works for IBM and is in a very high position there and makes sure we all know how much she spends on everything.
- 1 aunt who is a bartender in York and makes a ton of money but is humble and loving
- 1 aunt who did way too many drugs and married a man who is less than half her age and he did way too many drugs and lost a few brain cells... but they claim to love the Lord and get picked on because of it.
- 1 uncle in jail for the last 29 1/2 years... love him so much, he calls me angel
- 1 dad who needs Jesus so bad and needs to be set free from the demons that control him.
- 1 uncle addicted to pain meds but holds down a really good job... married for the fourth time
- 1 uncle who is going to marry his ex wife's best friend after they wife swapped.
Now do you see why I am the way I am today? Kidding! It's only by the grace of God I am who I am today and I thank Him a lot!
Now for my story... I was up last night real late because I couldn't sleep AGAIN. So as I was laying in bed asking the Lord why I was still up and a burden for my family came on me like I've never experienced before. So I began to pray for them and after I was done with them all... an hour later... I asked the Lord "why me?" And He told me because who else was going to pray for them? Oh My Goodness! It hit me right then and there that I may be the only one praying for them. So now I have a new mission and I hope I can continue stepping in that gap for them.
But then this morning I sat here wondering who prayed for me???? I am sure many have over the years and I am sure that many thought I wouldn't change but I am so glad that they never gave up on me! So never think for one minute that your prayers are wasted on anyone... even if you never see a change!
My biological dad's side of the family...
- 7 kids, 14 grand kids, 7 great grand kids
- 1 aunt works for IBM and is in a very high position there and makes sure we all know how much she spends on everything.
- 1 aunt who is a bartender in York and makes a ton of money but is humble and loving
- 1 aunt who did way too many drugs and married a man who is less than half her age and he did way too many drugs and lost a few brain cells... but they claim to love the Lord and get picked on because of it.
- 1 uncle in jail for the last 29 1/2 years... love him so much, he calls me angel
- 1 dad who needs Jesus so bad and needs to be set free from the demons that control him.
- 1 uncle addicted to pain meds but holds down a really good job... married for the fourth time
- 1 uncle who is going to marry his ex wife's best friend after they wife swapped.
Now do you see why I am the way I am today? Kidding! It's only by the grace of God I am who I am today and I thank Him a lot!
Now for my story... I was up last night real late because I couldn't sleep AGAIN. So as I was laying in bed asking the Lord why I was still up and a burden for my family came on me like I've never experienced before. So I began to pray for them and after I was done with them all... an hour later... I asked the Lord "why me?" And He told me because who else was going to pray for them? Oh My Goodness! It hit me right then and there that I may be the only one praying for them. So now I have a new mission and I hope I can continue stepping in that gap for them.
But then this morning I sat here wondering who prayed for me???? I am sure many have over the years and I am sure that many thought I wouldn't change but I am so glad that they never gave up on me! So never think for one minute that your prayers are wasted on anyone... even if you never see a change!
7 comments:
Look at you and your festive blog skin!! Any hoo, I think we may be distantly related.Our families sound familiar in too many ways. Thanks for the encouragement. It's sometimes so hard to pray when you can't see a difference but like you said our prayers work.
I love you so much! I didn't know you "when" so I couldn't have prayed for you then, but I did pray for you a lot when you were preggers with Laney Bug. I'm sure you've had many prayer warriors to cover you because you, my dear, are such a wonderful inspiration. I'll repeat it: I love you.
This is so weird. I was actually going to email you early this morning after a 10:00 p.m. feeling-sorry-for-myself-because-of-my-broken-family moment while laying in bed last night. Christmas was starting to give me the old "why am I the pioneer for Jesus in the family?" question. Then I analyzed it one two many times and decided I didn't want to burden you with family junk. This was a really encouraging reminder at a most perfect time. I stand with you girl in crying out for our families souls!!!
Maybe your MIL was praying for you, even before she knew you (I would gues - YES!). I know that my mom prayed for my spouse ever since I was a little girl and I am so thankful that she did - he turned out pretty good! I am trying to take it a step further and am praying for the whole family that my future DIL are a part of.
I would bet that Promises is correct about who might have been praying for you before they even knew you.
My parents were the pioneers in my family but there is still family stuff - and my heart weeps over those that I love who still don't know Jesus or believe the lie that they are just sooooooooooo bad that they can't be forgiven.
Thank you for the encouragement to continue to press in and pray and believe.
BTW I really LOVE the design. So bootiful!
You and I should get our families together for a Jerry Springer Show....okay, that was bad...and, I'm totally kidding. But, I do know where you're coming from. I continue to pray for my family to know the Lord so they can be set free from all the bondages that are holding them captive in the form of "dysfunction". Sometimes, I feel like me, Jay and the girls are the only ones praying for them, but it says in the Bible "where 2 or more are gathered in My Name...".
Now, I can add your family to my prayer list, too!!
This time of year, it feels as if all the dysfunctions rise to the surface, doesn't it?
My folks were (and are) the pioneers in both sides of my family. I know that who I am today is because of their prayers over us. And it's our honor to do that for our kids now.
It's often so discouraging to see just how lost my extended family is. Thanks for the reminder that I am not alone in the battle. We all have loved ones who need HIM. Even if they don't or won't know it right now.
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