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

Thankful Thursday: My Steadfast Constant

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Father, it’s certainly been an interesting week.

Emotions have run high; from stomach wrenching anxieties, to moments of inspired joy, in the last seven days I believe I’ve covered the gambit.  And yet Lord, through all the ups and downs that pervade my life, I always have one piece of firm ground to stand on :

Your love for me.

You lift my heart in moments of grief, and cheer with me in times of joy.  You refresh my spirit when the world says I can’t, and reassure me that in You, all things are possible.  You forgive my failings, even when I struggle to forgive myself, and above it all Father, You never leave my side…

You are My Steadfast Constant Lord, and for that I am ever grateful.

And continuing that note of thanks Father, this week I’ve also been grateful for:

511. Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls.

512. You giving me “My One Word” for 2012.

513. A wide variety of Biblical Commentaries online to assist me with perspective.

514. Finding a free, easy backup plugin for WordPress to keep PhatherPhil.org safe.

515. Some books on loan to me from Ewell’s-St. Paul’s library.

516. Being reminded of my true identity in Christ.

517. Finding deeper meaning through reading multiple translations of Scripture.

518. A quiet breakfast out with my family after church last Sunday.

519. That You willingly share our struggles and pain, and use them to draw us closer.

520. A reminder on a dear friend’s blog today to pursue You with reckless abandon.

521. That in times of stress, Your presence brings me the renewal I need.

522. The opportunity to welcome a new family to church last weekend.

523. Finding new ways to reach out and be the Hands and Feet of Christ Jesus.

524. Sharing a 6-Pack of tacos with Aidan at Hardees Wednesday night.

525. A very special gift.

Heavenly Father,

I thank You Lord, for all the gifts You grace our lives with; both those that infuse our senses with Your presence, and those that gently hold us in our moment of need.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

“My One Word” 2012

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

About this time last year Lord, I joined with many of my Christian Blogging brothers and sisters and began to think and pray about choosing a single word to guide my steps throughout the year.  In the end, although I was unsure as to why at the time, You very clearly placed the word “Accept” on my heart.

As I look back over the past year Father, Your reasons for Blessing me with that word become very apparent.  2011 was a year filled with struggles, and joy, with pain, and enlightenment.  And yet, when I attempt to “compile” the year’s experiences and summarize what truths I’ve been given in that time, Your word for me keeps showing up…

I Accept that I can’t fix everything, or solve every problem…

I Accept that I’m dependent Father; needy of Your presence in all parts of my life.

I Accept that only by consistently seeking humility before You, can I find true strength.

I Accept that I’m Your Beloved Child.

And so many others Father…  “Accept” makes perfect sense to me now.

So now we come to 2012.

As You know Father, I started praying about this year’s word a couple weeks ago.  You’ve been relatively quiet on the subject so far, but this morning on my ride to work You broke that silence…

Well Lord, once again, it’s not what I would have chosen, nor what I expected.  Nonetheless, I trust You Father, with all my heart, and Accept this word as the precious gift it is.  I have no idea what part my word will play in the coming year, but I Promise to keep my mind, and my heart, open to Your voice.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Let Go, and Let God

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

This morning Lord, I spent some time chatting online with a friend regarding some trials she and her family were going through.  We were discussing the importance of remaining open to finding Your assistance in unexpected places, and a story I’d heard some time ago came to mind…

There was a man whose farm was located on the banks of a flood-swollen river. As the water rose, a neighbor drove up in a Jeep, urging him to leave before the farm was flooded. “Oh, no,” said the man confidently, “God will save me.”

The water rose higher, and the man was forced to move into the second story of the farmhouse. A police boat soon came, and the officers called for the man to hurry and get into their boat.

“Oh, no, that won’t be necessary,” the man insisted. “God will save me.”

Finally the house was completely engulfed in water, and a Coast Guard helicopter swooped in to rescue the man, now perched on the roof. Again he refused. Just then, a huge wave of water swept over the house, and the man drowned.

When he got to Heaven, he stormed at the Lord, asking WHY God had let him die when his faith had been so strong.

“What do you mean?” asked the heavenly Father. “I sent a Jeep, a boat, and a helicopter … and you wouldn’t budge!”

When I look at some of the most powerful Blessings You’ve brought into my life Father, a good many of them came about in ways that I never would have expected.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

Help us Lord…

To realize Your Blessings don’t always present themselves as we expect,

To recognize Your gifts when You place them in our path,

And to suspend our disbelief, accepting Your aid when it’s offered…

To let go, and let God.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil