(September 4, 2009)
Prayer House News!
I had a wonderful time in prayer last night.
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Please pray for Ruth Riutta. She is having surgery today.
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Will NBC be surprised??
*Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation..
NBC is presently taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency.
Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject.
Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off their web page. Poll is still open so you can vote
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Devotional
Earlier this week we put out a request to help someone buy a stove for their home. They had been without one for the past year. On the same day of the request someone gave us the $350.00 for the stove. Sue Puder and her daughter Cori went to Sears and purchased one for her. The following is her thank you to us.
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Dear Reverand Auch,
I don't know where to start or where I can find the words to express how grateful I am for not just the stove, but the message that the stove brought my family. I have been sick on and off for 20 years, but the worst challenges intensified over the last three years.
About two months ago I had woken up and collapsed. I was completely numb on one side. Did I have a stroke? A brain tumor? What could it be? When I told my employer about the fall, I was told that "it was all in my head". All of the sudden people who I thought were friends actually began looking for ways to verbally and emotionally attack me when I became weepy telling them how frightened how I was.
I was so confused.
Why now? Why now that I am already so frightened and so tired from (what I now know is advanced) Multiple Sclerosis and being poked like a pin cushion by doctor after doctor? The emotional and physical exhaustion was overwhelming.
My husband was having to travel week after week, so I was alone for long periods and barely able to keep up with trying to keep my job and the very basics of parenting and home-making. At one point, I contacted a person I thought was a friend and told her that I couldn't even wash my dishes. I was losing my strength and coordination. I was dropping and breaking dishes and I didn't have te strength to even unload the dishwasher. I could barely wash my hair, fold laundry.... My "friend" who doesn't work replied "oh heavens, I am just soooo busy these days.
Maybe in a few weeks you'll feel up to me stopping by and having some tea." I was flabbergasted.... I just got through telling the person I considered one of my best friends that I couldn't even do my dishes and how exasperasted I felt not having family close by at a time "like this" and how I couldn't afford to hire help to clean the house and do the lawn and all this person could say was "maybe in a few weeks, I'll stop by and we can have tea?"
The loneliness and despair set in deeper and deeper. Then I sent a letter to my church explaining that I just cannot physically handle everything myself, especially with my husband having to travel week after week. I asked with help mowing the lawn, walking the dog and a few things that my 12 year old could not do for me day after day. While my daughter was being a great help, she still is just a 12 year old.
Week after week after week passed, I did not even get a call from my own congregation. Not one person stepped forward to help. The reality that I meant nothing to the people in my congregration plummeted me into the deepest depression I had ever faced in my life.
No matter how much I read and re-read Romans 8:28 and so many of my other favorite scriptures, I just could not get past my need to have a person reach out and care about me. Even though I know that God never fails us and that his timing is perfect, I did not know how much more loneliness I could bear.
I won't bore you with all the other medical issues that were uncovered, as well as work and life issues, but this part is relevant to my thank you note.... A few months ago, I had broken our stove while trying to clean it. It would have cost more to fix it than replace it with a decent used one. As time allowed, I looked in the newpaper and internet to find a used one and could not find any in my price range.
I went to an appliance store that generally has used stoves and nothing... Then....Susan Puder came by one day last weekend to pick up Cori after she babysat for me. Susan asked if there was anything she could do for me. I knew that Susan struggled with back pain so I felt bad to ask for any help. But then I realized that perhaps she could help me watch the newspapers and miscellanous ads for a used stove.
So, I asked her to keep her eye out for a used stove. Just imagine my shock when only a couple of days laters when Cori and Susan brought by a birthday card with a picture of a new stove as well as the Sears receipt for the pictured stove!!! I was stunned. Speechless! I thanked Cori and Susan and as soon as I heard the door shut as they left my house, the tears of gratitude started flowing.
My husband, a computer systems, logical skeptic (a "reluctant" Christian) was also speechless. I asked him if this was "speaking" to him. He told me that it was pretty hard to deny that my prayers were heard. Much more than my prayers for a new stove... but my prayers that God would hear the deep loneliness that was boring a hole in my heart.
And this is the part where I run out of words because no work or collection of words could express my gratitude for the kindness, love and generousity I have received from your congregation.
This kindness has brought me comfort and peace beyond description. I feel like my heart has been set free from the bondage of sadness and loneliness that I allowed to creep into my mind, body and soul. I feel replenished and renewed.
I have been reminded that God's timing may not be what we want, but always what we need. Thank you, thank you, thank you... for opening your hearts to me and my family. Please know that this kindness will uplift me for years and years to come. In His Preciousl Love,Darci
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Medication: A Merry Heart
Defensive Driving Course
One of my co-workers got a speeding ticket and was attending a defensive-driving course to have points erased from his license.
The instructor, a police officer, emphasized that being on time was crucial and that the classroom doors would be locked when each session began.
Just after one class started, someone knocked on the locked door. The officer opened it and asked, "Why are you late?"
The student replied, "I was trying not to get anotherticket." The officer let him in.
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