Tag: bear one another’s burdens

Trials

Keep Believing

meghanewhite

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This beautiful wisteria climbs along my backyard fence. It was in full bloom a week ago. I love the contrast of these stunning purple flowers against my brown backyard. The historic winter storm in Texas killed off most of our plants. I was so happy to see this gorgeous plant thriving.

It’s a picture of my life right now. We are smack dab in the middle of some hard things. Still waiting for answers on my husband’s health. Still waiting for complete healing. Still waiting for the catheter to be removed so my husband is no longer in constant pain. Yet we are being blessed by God every day during this entire ordeal.

When I look around, everything is brown. Will there be new life again Lord? Will you really heal Tom? Is this our future?

Wednesday of this week was awful. Tom had an appointment with the kidney doctor. It did not go as well as I was hoping and praying for. We have nicknamed the nephrologist Dr. Doom and Gloom. I met him once in the hospital and he’s not my favorite doctor. He’s a brilliant doctor and speaks honestly and that’s important, but he is not an optimistic person, and that’s bad.

Tom’s kidney function is still not good. The improvement has slowed down, almost stopped. That was not news I was ready for. It broke my heart. All I could see was brown. No signs of life. My heart was ripped in two. My hope was stomped on.

But God reminded me that Tom’s story is not done.

I smelled something so lovely. Wisteria gives off the most delightful fragrance. Because we had so many flowers the smell was powerful. I could smell the wisteria flowers over smoke during a fire we had in our fire bowl one night. You just could not stop the fragrance or cover it up.

In the middle of the trial, God’s beauty and blessings abound.

The love that has been poured out on us is overwhelming. Our church small group is incredible. They have given us countless meals, prayers, words of encouragement, and the most amazing Easter basket with a generous cash gift. Tom’s co-workers took up a large cash donation and they all signed a beautiful card with well wishes. Friends and family are praying for us and checking on us. My in-laws have been so supportive and generous. Our church has blessed us with so many prayers and a gift card from one of our pastors and his wife.

I could go on, and on with the many blessings we have received. That’s just how good God is.

I got a text on Wednesday night from my friend, and prayer partner, Roger. He is 78 years old and leads the prayer ministry at my church. We have prayed together for many things, and many people as we serve on the prayer team side by side. I respect him like a father and in some ways he is like a spiritual father to me. He reminded me to persevere. God bless Roger for that.

God bless the many friends and family who have sent an encouraging text at just the right time. I love all of you!

Yes, there are still a lot of unknowns. Still lots of waiting. But God is not done, and new growth is coming. So I will look past the brown and lifeless looking things to the beautiful. That’s where my Father resides.

I still believe in miracles. I will continue to trust God for complete healing of Tom. I will persevere by the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I will follow Jesus out of this. He is a way maker where there seems to be no way.

I am a very visual person and many times God speaks to me with pictures. When Tom was in the hospital I kept seeing Jesus walking on a tight rope over a huge jungle ravine. I could only see His back because He leads. I am to follow Him out and keep my eyes fixed on Him. Jesus is the way out.

I don’t always understand how God works but I trust Him. God is completely trustworthy.

Thank you for your prayers and love. It means so much to me!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1, KJV

Love you all,

Meghan

Please send me your prayer requests anytime meghanewhiteauthor@gmail.com

Prayer

Do a Prayer Walk Through Your Neighborhood

meghanewhite

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We are the church. It is not just a Sunday, one hour event. We take Jesus with us everywhere we go. The Holy Spirit dwells in every Believer. We have the incredible opportunity to step outside of the comfort of our homes and share Christ. There are many ways we can do this. One way is to pray. 

I have started walking through my neighborhood and praying. Not prayers for my own needs, or the needs of my friends and family. I have my own prayer time at home for those things. I am praying specifically for my neighbors and my neighborhood as I walk. 

I get some exercise and fresh air which is fantastic. I also get the benefit of walking through different parts of my neighborhood each time I go out. There are hundreds of homes in my subdivision. As I walk past each home it is a reminder that people live there. Families and individuals, all made in the image of God.

Some homes have Christians, Muslims, and other religions. Besides the neighbors right near my house, I don’t know anything about all the other people in my neighborhood. God does. So I pray according to His will and His word. 

It’s easy to do. You do not need any special training. You do not need any special equipment. You need Jesus and a decent pair of walking shoes. That’s it.

The main goal of my prayers is for the salvation of anyone in my neighborhood who is not following Jesus. After that, I pray whatever the Holy Spirit brings to mind. I pray quietly to myself or in my head. 

Here are some of the things I pray as I’m walking:

-Knock at their doors Jesus and at their hearts.

-Draw them to Jesus.

-Open their eyes to see the reality of their sin.

-May they have repentant hearts.

-Let them hear you, see you, and know you Jesus.

-Thwart every evil plan of the devil.

-Bring your peace to each home.

-Protect each home and our neighborhood.

-Fill our neighborhood with your presence.

-Let no one perish without knowing Jesus as Savior.

-Bring hope where it’s been lost.

-Provide for every need.

-Heal the sick and diseased.

-Protect the children.

-Flood every home and every heart with you, Jesus.

Those are just a few of the things I pray. It changes as I’m walking as the Holy Spirit brings specific Bible verses to mind or specific things to ask. Also, I picture Jesus going down the middle of the road ahead of me. He leads the way and goes to each door. 

Prayer works because we are inviting God to take over. It’s all Him. We just need to ask.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:17-18, NASB 

Elijah was a prophet but he was also an ordinary man. He prayed and prayed for no rain and there was no rain. Then he prayed again for rain and it rained. God heard his pleas and answered Elijah’s prayers.

What if we pray earnestly for our neighbors to come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?

Imagine if at least one Christian in every neighborhood, in every city, in every nation, committed to pray for their neighbors and neighborhood.

God moves when His people cry out to Him. 

I live in a place with year-round nice weather, and I am able bodied. I can easily take a short walk and pray. You may live where you get snowed in. Maybe you live in a rural area and your closest neighbor is acres away. You can still pray.

If you live in a rural area.

You can walk your property and pray for your neighbors, even if they are far away.

You can do drive by prayers for homes and neighbors.

If you are not physically able to leave your house.

You can still pray for your neighbors and your neighborhood.

You can pray through an apartment building.

Go past each door and bring that presence and blessing of God.

Pray for that annoying neighbor.

Pray for that isolated neighbor.

Pray for that friendly neighbor.

Pray for every neighbor.

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. James 2:8, NASB 

Love you all,

Meghan

Father God,

Thank you for your perfect love for us. Thank you for Jesus and His shed blood to save us. Fill our hearts with love for our neighbors. Help us to see them the way you do. Teach us to pray and be light to our neighbors. Give us opportunities to be kind, helpful and show the love of Christ. 

Amen 

Faith, Spiritual Warfare, Trials, Uncategorized

For the Hurting, You Are Loved

meghanewhite

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Are you hurting? In deep pain? Someone I love is hurting deeply. They are struggling with suicidal thoughts. It breaks my heart. They’ve lost hope. When we lose hope, all we see is darkness. We think there is no way out. That’s a lie.

There is always hope. Jesus Christ is our hope. He can pierce the darkness with His glorious light. Cry out to Him. He hears you. He sees you. He will make a way for you.

Thus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
 who brings forth chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
 “Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.

(Isaiah 43:16-19, ESV) 

 

If you don’t know Jesus, today would be a great day to change that. Jesus knows you and loves you beyond comprehension. Jesus died for sinners, which is all of us. Our sin debt is paid in full.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV) 

Call on Jesus. Ask Him to save you and He will!

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13, NIV)

I wrote a letter to my young friend who is in deep pain. The Lord gave me the words. The names have been changed. If you, or someone you know, is depressed or struggling with suicidal thoughts, feel free to use my letter and personalize it. I pray it can help others. May God be glorified.

Please ask for help if you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression. I know it’s not easy, but your loved ones care so deeply about you and want to help. You are not alone.

Love you all,

Meghan

 

 

 

Dear Elizabeth,

I’m very sorry that you are hurting. When you hurt, I hurt too. You are dearly loved by so many. Your mom and dad love you more than you will ever know. Your brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and so many other family members love you so very much. 

There is one who loves you more than even your mom and dad. God loves you, dear sweet Elizabeth. Your Heavenly Father knew you before time began. He looked at you and said, “This one is going to have a voice like an angel, and a pure, compassionate heart.” 

Elizabeth, there is one YOU in this whole wide world. God has a purpose and a plan for you, but you’ve got to trust Him. Give Him your pain, and heartache, and questions. God can take it, and He wants you to give it all to Him. You are not designed to carry such pain. 

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

(In the Greek, cast means to throw, hurl, or toss) 

You have the freedom in Jesus to throw your anxiety on Him. This is not a suggestion. We are told to do so. Elizabeth, throw it on Him! If you have to throw it a hundred times in a day, then do it!! You have freedom and Holy Spirit power in you!! That means you’ve got the power of God in you. The moment you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you received the Holy Spirit. This is not spooky stuff, it’s the amazing truth. 

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13 

Those bad, evil, lying thoughts that come in your mind are not the truth. A thought or idea does not mean it’s the truth. You will have many thoughts all day long, some are good and some are not. If the thought does not line up with the word of God, it’s garbage. 

God will NEVER:

Call you names

Tell you to hurt yourself.

Tell you to hurt another person.

Tell you anything that goes against His word.

 

God says:

I love you.

You are my precious daughter.

I made you with an everlasting love.

I will carry you when you can’t walk.

I am a way maker.

Give me your pain.

Give me your doubts.

Give me your fears.

Trust me.

I will never leave you.

 

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 

When you get a bad thought in your mind, picture Jesus holding a stop sign. Give the bad thought to Jesus. Those bad thoughts have to come under the authority of Jesus. Tell the stupid thought “No!”

Praise and worship is another powerful tool to fight back against the battles that go on in our mind. You invite God in when you worship. So sing out praises to the King of Kings! Even if you don’t feel like it. 

But you are holy,

you who inhabit the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3 

Elizabeth is God’s chosen one. 

Elizabeth is God’s special possession.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

He knows everything about you. Every pain, every sorrow, every sadness, every bad thought. All of it. He loves you and will never walk away from you. He can handle your disappointments, doubts, fears, anxiety, and questions. If you let Him, Jesus can turn your deepest pain into something so beautiful. Trust God. He’s bigger than you can imagine. Bigger than your hurt. Nothing is impossible with Him.

For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37

I’m here for you if you need to talk. 

 

With Love,

Meghan 

 

Heavenly father,

I lift up precious Elizabeth to you. Give her hope, peace, and comfort. Set her free from these tormenting thoughts. Your word says she has the mind of Christ. Let Elizabeth hear your voice above all the noise, above the lies. Let her hear your truth that she is loved, she belongs to you. Let her hear your powerful still, small voice. Give Elizabeth wisdom and discernment. Help her take every thought captive, and make them obedient to Christ.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

 

 

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