Thankful Thursday: Through the Heart of a Friend

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Yesterday morning, I hit the wall Father.  The cumulative weight of many insomnia-driven nights had finally exacted its penance on me.  And when the alarm abruptly announced it was time for me to awaken for our time together, for the first time in a great long while Lord, I shut it off and laid back down.

An hour or so later the alarm once again fulfilled its mission, brutally reminding me of the day that lie ahead.  Caving in to its insistent call, I pulled myself from beneath the covers.  As I sat on the side of the bed desperately attempting to shake the cobwebs loose from my resistant mind, the loss of my “Still time” in Your presence sat uneasily in my heart…

I count on that time…

I look forward to it…

And yet, today I’d missed it.

Determined to refresh my spirit, I reached for my daily bread; the daily devotional message I read each morning from my Stand Firm men’s magazine.  This attempt however, also proved fruitless as I realized that a new month had begun, and my February edition was nowhere to be found.

“Wow…” I thought.  “I’m really not doing very well for You today Father…”

As my failings of the morning took deeper root, my weariness took on new life.

And then my mobile phone lit up.

“Hmm… No one texts me at this hour… This can’t be good.” I thought.

Resolved to more of the morning’s direction, I begrudgingly picked up the phone and read the message…

“Good morning.  You came to my mind, so I prayed for you and your family.  Just wanted to let you know that.  :-)”

And in a single moment Father, my day changed.

I’d overslept…

I’d missed my Scripture time…

I’d misplaced my devotional…

And yet,

You found a way Lord,

To remind me that You love me,

Through the heart of a friend.

Thank You.  🙂

Continuing to count my Blessings on this sunny Thankful Thursday Father, this week I’ve been especially grateful for:

541. An upcoming visit from some dear friends.

542. Some beautiful unseasonal, spring-like weather this week.

543. Getting to catch up a little with a friend I haven’t seen in a while today.

544. The honor of being asked to pray for someone in need.

545. “Remote Control” software that allows me to service computers anywhere.

546. A wonderful surprise gift of a Jason Gray CD, containing the song “Remind Me Who I Am”.

547. A wonderful, long walk in Blackbird State Forest this past Sunday with my two boys.

548. Finally getting to watch the movie “Courageous” with friends this past Saturday.

549. Getting to “Sit in” on a worship practice today.

550. The most powerful act of love in history.

551. That a good friend of our family is experiencing the relief of Your healing following some serious health problems.

552. The opportunity to assist another church with their web presence.

553. Text messaging on my phone that helps keep me connected to those I care about.

554. Chicken Cordon Bleu, shared with friends.

555. Seeing Your hand at work in my relationships with others.

Heavenly Father,

I thank You Lord, for all the many Blessings You bring to our lives each and every day; both those that boldly reveal Your presence, and those that grace us in the silence.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: An Opportunity to Share

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Today Lord, I’m truly Blessed to be sharing some of the inspirations you’ve given me over at a fellow blogger and friend’s site; Healthy Spirituality.

Jean’s blog is always an amazing source of encouragement, education and inspiration to me Father, and I was absolutely honored when she asked me to write a post for her.  I’ll admit it Lord, I struggled for some time with what I felt You wanted me to share, and then again with finding the right phrasing to bring that truth to life.  Thankfully though Father, the words did come and I pray that I did Your message justice through their employ.

Continuing to count my Blessings Lord, on this very Thankful Thursday I’m especially grateful for:

526. That I have people who challenge me to grow closer to You, and hold me accountable for that commitment.

527. A wonderful movie event held at Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC last Friday night.

528. The care and assistance of a business client when some friends of mine were in need.

529. Skype and webcams allowing me to “visit” with friends far away.

530. An unexpectedly good client meeting today.

531. Steak Fajitas.

532. Your healing presence with two members of our Tuesday night study group as they dealt with injuries and illnesses this past week.

533. That the Internet allows me to connect with other believers all over the world.

534. A fun evening last Saturday playing cards with friends.

535. Being reminded of some powerful truths while watching “Facing the Giants”.

536. The abundant opportunities You give me to share the Gospel Message with others.

537. The lessons of Winter.

538. Friends that see when my heart is heavy, and push through the barriers I put up.

539. That when crises struck members in our Tuesday group this past week, the other members came together in love to support them.

540. That in You, we don’t have to be defined by our past.

Heavenly Father,

I thank You Lord, for the many Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light the night as a monument to Your love, and those that grace us quietly, whispering Your message from the shadows.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

All For God’s Glory

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV)

In this powerful passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against performing acts of charity strictly to obtain the recognition of others.  While we’re certainly called to reach out to those in need, it’s important to do so with pure intentions, and in such a way that God’s glory is the recipient of those Blessings, not our own.

Stewards of God’s Varied Grace

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)

All gifts from God, be they temporal, tangible Blessings or endowments formed in the Spirit, are intended not only to Bless us, but are also to be used for the benefit of others in His name.  For when we share the bounty of God’s grace with those around us, we truly glorify His desires for our lives.

Thankful Thursday: Drawn Closer With Every Word

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Looking back over the last year Lord, so much has transpired here at PhatherPhil.org.  Hundreds of “Emails to God” were shared, precious connections with fellow Christian bloggers were formed, friendships were developed and nurtured, and each word I wrote drew me ever closer to Your side.  It’s been a powerful first full year Father, and I’m excited to see how You’ll use this ministry in the coming months.

Continuing my weekly tradition into the New Year Lord, I present You with the first Thankful Thursday list of 2012!  And even though we’re only a little less than a week in, signs of Your gracious love abound.  This past week I’ve been especially grateful for:

481. Our Tuesday night Small Group Study gatherings starting back up following a two week break.

482. Seeing the excitement in Jonathan’s eyes working with his new electronics project kit.

483. Seeing Your Blessings showered on a friend and her family this week.

484. Sharing a stuffed crust pizza with the kids.

485. The “Walking Dead” marathon on AMC last Saturday.  🙂

486. A wonderful visit from our good friend Katie over the weekend.

487. Seeing Your influence in unexpected places.

488. An extra day off this past Monday to relax and rejuvenate.

489. An inspiring and uplifting message delivered by a guest pastor at Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC last Sunday.

490. That during the many struggles I faced in 2011, each time You used those times of trial to draw me closer to You.

491. A reminder from a dear friend today that even in the midst of our struggles, Your Blessings abound all around us.

492. Your calming restraint when I feel myself getting angry.

493. Celebrating the beginning of the New Year in the company of close friends.

494. The cleansing appearance of our first (albeit minor) snow this morning.

495. You nourishing us in our drought.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for the many gifts You grace us with each day; both those that announce Your glory like the first light of dawn, and those that Bless us subtly like the shadows of the setting sun.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil