30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

Day 9: I am thankful for my church Covenant Church McKinney! I started attending this church in 2010 and since then, have grown tremendously in my faith and knowledge of my God and my self. There is something so amazing and awesome about this church. You can feel it when you enter - the people, the atmosphere, the worship team, the worship music, the sermons, and the prayers - something about this church just strikes you and penetrates through to your heart. All stress, worry, and burdens lift upon entering. As soon as the music begins . . . boom! That "something" hits you again and you realize what it is: God, like never before! His presence is so thick, so captivating, and so real at this church. You can't help but release all the pain, hurt, and struggle you have up to God and as you do, there is an instant feeling of His love, peace, joy, healing, and restoration. Such a transaction in itself is a miracle. I have grown so much, in so many ways, the past 3 years from being a part of this church. I now am confident of who my God is and who I want to be and I owe it, in large part, to this church. Much love to my Covenant family!

http://www.covenantmckinney.org/ 

Encouraging Pastor Warren, His Family, and His Church

Interested in encouraging and helping Pastor Rick Warren (who recently lost his son), his family, and his church? You can!

Statement from Pastor Rick Warren:

Dear Friends,
Kay and I have been overwhelmed by your outpouring of love since Matthew’s tragic death. You are true friends, especially with the vitriol from haters we’ve received. Friends show up when others walk away.
If you missed what happened, click here to read my letter.

You’ve asked, “Is there anything we can do to help you?”

The answer is yes! We could use your help right now in FIVE PRACTICAL WAYS:

1. Sign a petition that urges educators, lawmakers, healthcare, and congregations to raise the awareness and lower the stigma of mental illness, and also to support families that are dealing with mental illness on a daily basis. Thanks for adding your voice!

2. Offer your help and prayers to those around you who are caring for mentally ill family and friends. They need your encouragement more than you realize

3. Fight mental illness with an online gift to The Matthew Warren Fund for Mental Health. Your gift is tax-deductible. Or, you may mail a check to
The Matthew Warren Fund
Saddleback Church
1 Saddleback Parkway
Lake Forest, CA 92630.

4. Send a note of encouragement and sympathy.

Pastor Warren's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pastorrickwarren
Pastor Warren's email: PastorRick@saddleback.com
Or mail a card to the above address.

5. PRAY

We are reading every note. We’d love to hear from you here on Facebook, or you can email us at PastorRick@saddleback.com. Your prayers and words continue to strengthen us.

Pastor Rick

Warren, Rick. "Join Us In the Fight Against Mental Illness." Saddleback Church. 13 April 2013. Web. 15 April 2013. .

Pastor Rick Warren's Son Passed Away

Pastor Rick Warren's son passed away Saturday after an unfortunate decision to commit suicide. I have never met Pastor Warren or his son but I respect him and his beliefs and have joyfully been subscribed to his daily email devotionals for several years. Please keep Pastor Warren, his family, and his church in your prayers.

http://news.yahoo.com/church-pastor-rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide-211206608.html

Father,

We lift up Pastor Warren, his family, and his church to you and pray in the name of Jesus for your healing power to cover them, guide them, and bring them through this as stronger and greater for your purposes. We ask that you fill them with supernatural strength, endurance, perseverance, courage, and encouragement. In their weakness, sadness, and misunderstanding, may they look to you. May they remain focused on you God, trust that you have their best interest at heart, and grow in unsurpassable ways. Father let them feel your holy presence. At a time when all eyes are on them Father, we pray that their faith will not fail and that their love and trust in you will shine even brighter. Father we pray against all spiritual attack, hindrances, and harm on the family in the name of Jesus and pray for your mighty protection over their minds, hearts, and bodies. We know you have a purpose in this that exceeds our knowledge and we trust in you God for you are good. Father thank you for your love and for answering our prayers. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Dreams

As you know, I want to be healed. I want to walk, run, jump, move, and feel again. I'm ready. I tried stem cell treatment and it helped and I feel it is still helping but as I sit here today, I am still paralyzed.

I have grown in indescribable ways since my car crash - ways that I would have never grown had I not been in a car crash. One way in particular that I've grown is in my faith. I have learned how much God loves me and how He is always there with me. Although I cannot always see where a path is taking me or understand why things are the way they are, I have learned that everything that happens is for the best and I need to trust God.

I believe with all that I have that one day God will heal me. One day . . . I feel it in my spirit. I feel it in my prayers. I feel it in my tears. This June will be 7 years since my car crash. I am not sure if I am just hoping and wishing or if God is speaking to me through my affliction but I feel something telling me that I will be healed on the seventh anniversary of my car crash: June 16, 2012.

I have had numerous dreams in which I have been healed and even others where God specifically healed me. I wanted to share a couple of my dreams with you.

On March 25, I had two dreams. In the first dream, a girl I went to high school with entered my presence and gave me an odd look as I stood in front of her. She then said, "I heard you were exponentially healed!" It was as if by me standing in front of her, what she heard was true! Immediately afterwards, I dreamed that the devil was trying to take over my mind and body. He had many different strategies. I tried and tried to rebuke him and command him to leave me alone and almost was defeated but in the end, I won. Then I woke up.

Two nights ago, I dreamed that my Boyfriend was trying to help me stand. My knees finally locked and I stood griping tightly to my bed. He had to leave my side for whatever reason in which I was left alone. I began to pray and ask Jesus to heal me. As I finished praying, I tried to move my feet and hands and I was healed! I remember saying, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!" Then, Billy walked into the room and saw me and what God had done!

Thank you Jesus for healing me. I believe!

Please keep me in your prayers! Thanks so much!

My Nanny

At the beginning of January, we received a saddening phone call that my Nanny was in the ER, had a stroke, and may have damaged the part of her brain that controls balance and memory. My parents, sister, boyfriend, and I left the next day and drove to Alabama to see her. When I finally saw her, she looked like her old self but had lost weight and appeared very weak. I hugged and kissed her and told her that I loved her.

We soon heard that her doctors discovered cancer in her esophagus (near her stomach) and brain. I immediately felt sick and weak myself. She is my only grandparent left. My Dad and his brother were raised by her alone and are very close to her. Death and age are so difficult to bear. Especially when it is a loved one. She is now using oxygen and has to lay down every three hours from being so tired and to relieve her constant headaches. They called in hospice three weeks ago.

Please keep her and our family in your prayers. She is a great and strong woman who has been an inspiration to me throughout my life. Father, I pray for your will to be done in this situation. I lift up my Nanny and I pray God that she will be strengthened where she is weak, held when she cannot hold up anymore, comforted, and continued to be used for your purposes till her last breath. Father, please bring health to her body and nourishment to her bones. God, please use this situation for good. I pray God that we will lean to you for understanding. Please heal the broken relationships and hardened angry hearts in this family. I pray that your Holy presence be felt. Please allow her to eat and keep her food down and surround her with love. May she know you are with her. I pray for the salvation of those in this family that do not know you Jesus. May your love feel ever more real to them. I pray all of this in your Holy and Mighty name Jesus, Amen. Thank you Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-12 (CEV)

Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up. None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin.

But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children, "When the Lord punishes you, don't make light of it, and when he corrects you, don't be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own."

Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.

Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be HEALED, instead of getting worse.

"Hebrews 12 (Contemporary English Version)." Biblegateway.com. Web. 26 June 2011. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2012&version=CEV.

AMEN & PRAISE GOD FOR GUIDING ME TO THIS VERSE!