Blessed Sunday to you all! 

I have missed writing to you these past few nights!  I arrived safely home from San Antonio this afternoon.  Bruce, Geni and Travis were there to greet me.  It was so wonderful. 

Riding the train is a great way to travel.  I met people from many walks of life who were traveling really long distances.  One of the ladies with whom I shared dinner had begun this leg of her journey in Mesquite after visiting her children there. Her next stop was in Palm Springs and then finally home to Oregon. 

The train was a great relaxing ride.  I did not get any work done on either paper, but I got to read a book I have been trying to finish for a long time.  The trip took longer than a car ride, but for $66.00 round trip and no traffic issues, the trip it was a bargain.

The wedding was lovely and it was great to see family again.  Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio are beautiful!!

Prayer:  “Dear Lord, on this day, I will practice what Your Word says to me.  I will follow Your will.  Give me the power to do that as I pour out my heart to You.  In Jesus’ name,  Amen.”

Jeremiah 29: 12  “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”

In all of the aspects of my personal walk of faith, I think my favorite part is to pray.  Now don’t get me wrong - singing ranks a close second, and even then sometimes I sing when I pray. But I love my regular prayer time and any other prayer times that occur throughout each day. 

The promise given in this single verse today is such a glorious promise that God gives us hope and a future, His future for our lives.  God allows us to call upon Him and carry our experiences and our cries by entering into His presence and talk to God.  In this talking to God we are given the brilliant opportunity of listening to God.  Sometimes in my prayer times I have so many things on my mind that I begin my prayers with these words, “Lord, I cannot clear the voices in my head to hear You clearly, so I think just for a while I am going to be quiet before You until my mind is quiet enough to hear Your Voice and listen to Your Word for me today.”  Then I quiet myself until God’s peace permeates the spaces in my head and heart and I am ready to listen and then to talk.  After I have quieted myself and am ready to listen then I can hear God’s still small voice or His clear and strong voice. 

My meditation tonight offers these practices, “Call upon the Lord with all your heart.  Share with God your number one burden.  Leave it there. Share with Him your number one need.  Leave it there. Share with Him your number one vision.  Leave it there.”  There seems to be a pattern forming here.  Let us bring all we are, all we have, all we need, all we desire, all for which we need forgiveness and all we long for before God remembering that the power of prayer is not in the one who prays, but the One who hears the prayer. 

Heavenly Father, Your Word instructs me to call on You and You alone with the assurance that you will listen.  I will stand on the promises of Your Word bringing all of my burdens, dreams, visions, hopes, mistakes and pain.  I lift all of these things in Jesus’ name and leave them with You to do with as You please, trusting in Your heart and Your decisions to be the best for my life. Amen.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes (crocs and socks are perfect on a train!!) count your blessings and say your prayers. 

Please pray for the newest married couple in our family, Ryan and Charity Kountz, that they may live together in God's love.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Please offer extra prayers for me as I write these last two papers for the semester.  Thanks, peace, gc