Join Me in Prayer...

I have run into so many people who have said, "I've been praying for you ". Each day, I receive messages from friends that want me to know they have just spoken with our heavenly father on my behalf. Letters, emails, etc. all come in regularly telling me that we are in your thoughts. Let me start by saying, we can certainly FEEL the prayers. I have given a few of you some specific prayer requests. Today I began thinking that I should list some requests here. I would LOVE for you to join me in praying for some very specific things.

1. Our house is for sale and we NEED for it to sale quickly! Mainly, because we won't be so pressed to find a new career for Scotty if we don't have this house note to make each month. We aren't sure where we will go if/when the house sales. But I do know that even if we stay in Clinton, I don't want to live in this spot. So, that's first on our list.

2. Secondly, I am desperately praying for direction for Scotty as far as career. When I was a sophomore at MC, I experienced God guiding me towards a career in education in a BIG way. Scotty has NEVER experienced that kind of direction. Now, God has always provided for us, and Scotty has been able to do things that he enjoys and is gifted in, but he has just not felt that feeling of 'THIS is what I was meant to do'. I have literally pleaded with God that now would be the time that Scotty experiences that kind of calling.

3. The obvious prayer request is that God would lead us WHERE HE wants us to be. This one is tough for me. There is a part of me that wants to stay right here and show everyone what God can do. That is the part of me that LOVES this sweet place. Scotty and I have both been here 18 years! Wow. That is the longest I've lived anywhere. We met here, got married here, I started working in a district that I love here, we had our kids here.... And mainly, we have formed relationships with some of the most caring people that have ministered to us
through each and every one of those events. Ugh... I get sad when I think of leaving our life here.

Then, there's the part of me that occasionally gets nauseated just sitting in a car rider line just because I've ended up in line near someone I really didn't want to see. There are nights that I leave the soccer fields so worked up that I find it difficult to fall asleep hours later. I HATE to think of leaving the comforts of home, but there is something to be said for going somewhere that we can start over. And, there are consequences for sin. Leaving our home might just be one of them.

4. Pray for Scotty. Some of you may not be ready to read this, but I need to write it anyway. As long as I've known Scotty, he has struggled
with self doubt, shame, feelings of defectiveness, and unworthiness. He became a believer at age 18, and fell in love with God and His word.
The first ten years of our marriage, we both grew in our faith; but, sadly, Scotty still experienced these feelings. As I'm studying When Godly
People again, I'm understanding that Satan (the liar) encouraged those feelings of shame, unworthiness, and defectiveness until Scotty
began to act in those ways. If that description seems too simplistic for the horrible things that have taken place, I am truly sorry. I tried to
make the description as concise as possible for this post. The beauty of God's work in Scotty's life right now is that he can now see himself
as God sees him. The moment the truth was out, walls that Scotty had put up as a defense mechanism began to come down. And as he
was able to truly see God's love, he was able to also feel loved by me in a way that I'm not sure he ever had. Naturally, he experiences
waves of sorrow and regret DAILY. I believe that's normal, but I would ask that you pray with me that God would protect him from Satan's
darts of shame and guilt.

5. Last one. I promise. Pray for our marriage. There is no way for me to describe what is going on in our marriage now. And, you don't really want all of the details anyway. But just imagine that walls that we each put up for years that kept us from connecting with each other deeply... the way that God intended for us to connect... have been demolished. We communicate like never before, we ENJOY each other's
company, and we are studying the Bible together daily. The most amazing thing is that we've discovered how DEEPLY we still love each
other. So, what's the prayer request? Please pray that God would guard our hearts. I know that Satan would love to attack us now while we
are wounded and recovering. Pray for our strength and continued dependence on Him.

I really didn't intend to go on and on for so long. I know that you aren't surprised. Words can't express how grateful I am to be able to share from my heart and know that I am surrounded by people that love me enough to intercede on my behalf. You are such a blessing to me!