And once again Lord, we stand at the conclusion to yet another work-week. The weekend ahead is poised to be a busy one, but one where much of our time will be spent in the company of good friends and family, so I’m very much looking forward to it. You’ve Blessed us immeasurably through the souls You’ve brought into our lives, and we relish these times with them.
On my way in to work this morning, I was listening to the local Contemporary Christian radio station when a song came on that I hadn’t heard before. As the music played I found myself inspired by the lyrics, so when I reached the office I spent some time researching the song’s origins. As it turns out, although I hadn’t heard it before the song was part of an album released in 2005 by Paul Colman called “Let it Go”, and is entitled “The One Thing”.
What a great song.
But the one thing I don’t question is You
You really love me like You say You do
We question so many things in our lives Lord, but as long as we cling firmly to the knowledge that You love us unconditionally, all those other concerns pale in importance. 🙂
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the Blessings You’ve bestowed on us this past week. Please continue to guide our motivations and actions to best glorify Your Will, and stir us to act as Your Hands and Feet so that all those around us can’t help but see Your Love. Amen.
As I’ve mentioned before Lord, I’ve become quite fond of the Thankful Thursday post each week. It serves as a wonderful look back and inspection of the prior week’s events, and helps me to truly focus on and appreciate Your Wondrous Gifts more thoroughly. Spotlighting those simple joys in life that often go by unnoticed has proved to be inspiring, and humbling at the same time. And each week, after carefully compiling my list I come to the same undeniable conclusion…
I am truly Blessed. 🙂
And therefore Father, without further ado, here’s this week’s Thankful Thursday list:
90. The cool, fresh breeze following a summer thunderstorm.
Heavenly Father, You Bless us all with so many things each day that this list could go on and on. For all those Divine Gifts that we recognize, and for those that grace us quietly in silence, I give You thanks and praise. Amen.
You know Father, I always find it fascinating to look over the statistics information for the readership of PhatherPhil.org. I’ve been Blessed beyond words with a steadily increasing fellowship of readers, met a wide variety of Your Children I most likely would have never crossed paths with otherwise, and gained immeasurable perspective and insight from the comments made to our conversations each day. I’ll admit, it’s not what I initially envisioned or expected when I started writing these “Emails to God” each day, but You obviously had other plans for this ministry, and I’m excited to see where they lead next.
As more and more people find this site in the vast sea of cyberspace, I find it interesting to read through the statistics pages to see exactly how they came to be here. One parameter that’s tracked is the list of phrases entered into Google, Bing and the other search engines that led them to click on this site. It’s a fascinating variety of terms to be sure, and it gives me a much better perspective about some of the things that people have on their hearts.
Today, I thought I’d share with You some of those searches that directed people to our daily chats. This obviously isn’t a complete list by any stretch, but these were some search phrases I found interesting…
“my son’s birthday” *This was the most searched for phrase in the list
“being used”
“thanks to my wife”
“a beautiful prayer”
“god’s gps”
“birthday prayers and blessings”
“there is a time for everything”
“thoughts on selflessness”
“dear lord of mercy and father of comfort”
“running on fumes”
“mercies in disguise”
“lord you know where I’ve been”
“prayers of motivation”
“prayer for a troubled friend”
“inspirations for sons”
“skillful hands”
“prayers of thanks for healing”
“thoughts on prayer”
“thank you to my wife, mother of my children”
“biblical reference to “i can’t fix everything””
“husbands love your wives”
“my sheep listen to my voice”
“thoughts on regret”
“lead me lord cause i can’t do this alone”
“blessed inspirations”
“kindness is contagious”
“more on us than we can handle”
“miracles and wonders”
“love the lord with all your strength”
“spiritually malnourished”
“websites of beautiful prayers”
And I just think this one is funny…
“christian song supernaturally where is superman when you need a helping hand wonderwoman hummin”
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the wonderful fellowship and community this site has enjoyed. I’m Blessed each day by these conversations we have, and by the beautiful souls that You’ve guided to join us here.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
Over the last few years Lord, I’ve been “hearing” more and more from You in my daily life and I have to tell You, it’s been a transformational change for me. While I know through Scripture and Faith that You’ve always been with me and always will be, as my Walk has progressed and I’ve learned to “listen” more carefully, I find Your Voice in almost every part of my day.
You speak to me through…
The wave of comfort and peace I get when I reach out to You in prayer.
The quick inner “watch it!” scolding I get after doing something that isn’t in line with Christ’s teachings (eg. Letting loose a nasty comment when someone cuts me off in traffic).
The warm feeling that crosses my heart when I see my children do things that Glorify You.
The quiet urgings I receive each day to step “outside my box”.
The song that plays on the local Christian radio station which delivers a message I need to hear, exactly when I need to hear it.
Feeling Your Presence whisper through the trees when I take long walks in the forest.
The “Spiritual Nudges” you give me to reach out and share Your Love.
And many others…
Heavenly Father, You speak to me in so many wonderful ways and I delight in continuing to discover new ones. As our steps grow closer, I pray that I’m able to hear Your Voice above all other sounds and make decisions that Glorify the Blessings You bestow on me.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27 (NIV)
To start our week’s conversations Lord, I want to thank You for yet another wonderful weekend. From the “Dinner and Drinks on the Deck” get-together we hosted Friday night, to a relaxing day with good friends on Saturday, and concluded by an inspiring church service and day with my family on Sunday, it was a lovely couple days respite. Thank You so much for those Blessings!
Today Father, I’m beginning a new weekly post which I’m calling “Meditations Monday”. The concept for this recurring theme is to pick a passage in Scripture each week, and then to focus my thoughts and prayers on that particular piece of Biblical wisdom and inspiration. I love the idea of anchoring the week’s conversation in “Scriptural Mortar”, and I’m excited to see where this initiative will take us.
As yesterday was the celebration of Pentecost Father, it seems only fitting that for our first Meditations Monday the verses of focus be taken from the second chapter of Acts, which describe the Descending of Your Holy Spirit on the Apostles of Christ:
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.” – Acts 2:1-6 (NIV)
This was a staggering Gift Lord, and one that continues to define our spiritual existence as Christians today. In that moment of transformation, You Blessed us with access to the most invasive and encompassing relationship with You that our mortal shells can have.
Heavenly Father, we give thanks and praise for this most remarkable and Holy Gift. I pray that we all take this time to search deep inside our hearts and dwell in that Divine Connection to You. Please guide my motivations and actions to best serve Your Will, and make my witness of Your Works effective in sharing that Grace with others. Amen.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
