Day 5: Addendum I feel I need to post

I feel like I need to say something about the election.

Those who know me, know my Christian beliefs. Those who don't, well, I hope they know I'm a Christian by my words and actions. I try not to get "preachy" in my blog. I don't feel, in general, that it is the place to be preachy.

Still I feel like I need to say something.

Over the past few days I've gotten several e-mails concerning the elections and the fact that we need to pray that God will turn the election around and that the "right" guy would win -- if we prayed. One last night especially disturbed me because it was specifically asking for a miracle in the election and that the election would turn in the "right" way.

I did pray. I prayed that God's will would be done. I still pray that God's will be done.

I am so worried that there are now those who will feel that God got it wrong. That God has somehow foresaken our prayers. That is not true at all.

I so want people to step back and realize, now espcially, that God is in control. God will use this for his glory. Nothing has happened that isn't God's will.

As Christians and Americans we need to continue to pray for our country. We need to continue to pray for the political leaders here in the U.S. and around the world. We need to remember that everything is God's. He has a plan and even if we may not understand it, we need to remember that it is there.

Edited to add: Not only do we need to pray, we need to take action. Write letters to your Congress. Speak out against what you don't agree with. Prayer is great. Prayer is powerful. But I also believe that prayer without action on Christian's parts is not as great and powerful as it could be.

This is Stephen Curtis Chapman's song Yours. Listen to the chorus.


I walk the streets of London
And notice in the faces passing by
Somthing that makes me stop and listen
My heart grows heavy with the cry

Where is the hope for London?
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
As I'm reminded
That every street in London in Yours
Oh, yes it is

I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
They're waiting for a cure no one can find

And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours

And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours

And I walk the sidewalks of Nashville
Like Singapore, Manila and Shanghai
I rush by the beggar's hand and the wealthy man
And everywhere I look I realize

That just like the streets of London
For every man and woman, boy and girl
All of creation
This is our Father's world

And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything

Here is the new verse Steven wrote following the death of his daughter, Maria
I've walked the valley of death's shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I've had to let go of more than I could bear
And I've questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.

And we are Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
All the greatness and power, the glory and splendor and majesty
Everything is Yours
Yeah, it's all Yours
We are Yours
The glory and honor is Yours, everything is Yours

Answered Prayers

I was raised to believe, and do believe, that all prayers are answered. Sometimes the answers aren't what you want or expect, sometimes the answer is wait until the right time, and other prayers are answered in the way you want and quickly. Still, any prayer you pray is answered according to God's perfect will and plan.

The last of the forms of answer is the way P's recovery has been. I know there were people all over the world praying for his recovery and following his story. The outpouring of support and prayer/happy thoughts/white light have humbled me a bit, especially as I watched my nephew's recovery.

He was released from the hospital on Sunday. That was a day before we were told and a month or so before any of us expected the week prior. From all reports, he is doing amazinly well. Thank you, God.

Please call, I have some bad news...

I got a phone call from Moma on Saturday afternoon asking me to call her back because she had some bad news. Given the recent trip home to see Granny, I figured she was calling to tell me that Granny was not doing well or worse...

That was not the case. She called to tell me that my 16-year-old nephew, P, had been in an accident. I actually didn't speak to Moma when I called but Daddy instead. As he told me that P had been taken to Amarillo via Life Flight and that he wasn't responding to pain stimuli, his voice cracked. At that moment I thought I was losing my nephew or worse, had essentially already lost him.

My sister C blogged about it much more eloquently than I could have. (first post, second post, third post) I tried to post about it, but was I was a little afraid to and the words just wouldn't come. P is healing now. I think he's going to have quite a road in front of him, but given that he's 16 and healthy, maybe it won't be too bumpy.

All I can say now is, Thank you, God. Today is the National Day of Prayer and I know that today, I pray prayers of thanksgiving.