Let There Be Peace

- dannalundstrom

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Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.  Let there be love from every heart that shines for all to see.  Let there be one race, with no divisive mutiny.  May we all respect the multitude of opinions with humble dignity.  Let us pray for our country in a committed unity.  No eye has seen; no ear has heard the breadth of His love for you and me.  We are all called to one thing, love one another as our God loves you, me and our neighbor-all three.  Let the violence end, hatred cease, and peace and harmony be.  Please, Father calm restless, weary souls and whisper in their ears until the it flows from their heart’s, let there be peace and love on earth and let it begin with me.  Amen.

It’s All About Jesus

- dannalundstrom

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The older I get; it is not about where I get to go, but when I get to be home. It is not about what I can have, but what I can give. It is not about who I have known the longest, but who has walked with me through the most. It is not about who or what is around me, but what is within me. It is not about me at all, but a relationship with the One who gave it all. Thank you, Jesus for saving me. John 3:30~ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

Always, Thank You Jesus

- dannalundstrom

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Sometimes I do not understand the Lord’s ways, but I trust His wisdom.
Sometimes I am impatient with His tempo, but I believe in His timing.
Sometimes I do not like His answers, but I accept His authority.
Sometimes I am uncomfortable with His silence, but I agree in His sovereignty.
Sometimes I am hesitant to His callings, but I am confident in His character.
I do not deserve His grace, but I understand His gospel.
Always, thank you, Jesus that none of it is dependent upon me.

Walking Home Well

- dannalundstrom

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Father our vulnerability is the greatest gift we have to offer each other.  Embracing transparency frees us from a life of isolation, and the exhaustion of trying to appear like we have it all together.  Transparency is contagious and liberating because it gives us and others permission to be “normal.”  Father there are so many ways we try and dress up so we feel acceptable to the world, You and even ourselves.  Many are the masks of self-righteousness.  Accessorizing with them drains energy we should be using to rest in your perfect righteousness that is already ours.  Our lives are just a long walk Home Father.  Enable us to walk our beautifully, broken journeys with each other well.  Remind us we cannot do that if we are not willing to give up our need to manage what people think of us, and to have the appearance of an “altogether” life.  We are all only accountable to You.  Let us never forget you accept us just as we are, broken and inadequate, but unconditionally loved and approved.  Amen.

Daily Prayer For Living Beyond Feelings

- dannalundstrom

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There are many substitutes for feeling good Father.  Positive feelings and “being happy” become states of entitlement where we begin to believe we should always abide.  Train us to remember that feelings are fluid and fallible, disqualifying them as credible sources of truth or qualified indicators for making decisions.   It is an eternal joy; which is not circumstantial;  that is sustaining Father because it originates from You.  Joy accentuates us in times of abundance and anchors us in seasons of affliction.  We draw joy and happiness from different wells Father.  That sometimes becomes confusing in a world betrayed by the deception of “happily ever after.”  The bible says the joy of The Lord is our strength, (Nehemiah 8:10).  Assist us in living free of the entanglement of feelings and emotions and strengthen us in persevering joy.  Amen.

Prayer for Rest and Relationship

- dannalundstrom

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Father at times our world can be a symphony of noise. Many are the notes vying for our time and attention. Limited opportunities for rest leave us with insufficient avenues for hearing you. Without that spiritual space we are like singers who cannot hear their notes, lost, ineffective and out of tune. Let us not be attracted to keeping up with the pace of this world, but rather the peace of a relationship with you. When our hearts become distracted by inorganic things, prompt us that ultimately our thirst can only be quenched by things indigenous to You. Enable us with an awareness that the ache in our souls cannot be satiated by anything or anyone of this world. Countless times we buy into lies. Lies that tell us, if I could just have…I would be happy. We believe it Father and so we chase after things that were never meant to satiate our souls. All the ways we try to anesthetize that ache with possessions, friends, relationships and so much more lead us down fruitless paths void of fulfillment. When we forget, remind us that the only antidote for that soul ache is resting in the shadows of the cross that points us vertically to the one place where we will ache no more.  Amen.

Good Company

- dannalundstrom

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If you are suffering today, remember the lives of Jesus, Naomi, Job… If you have been waiting a long time for something, remember Abraham, Sarah, Moses…You are never alone in your pause or your pain. We can not always choose our position, but absolutely our perspective! Be of good courage friends, and never loose hope.

Our Greatest Grievances Are Our Most Priceless Gifts

- dannalundstrom

 

Sewn within every great struggle, and branded into every thread of brokenness are immense possibilities. Ministry, connection, growth and healing grant our greatest grievances capabilities to be molded into our most priceless gifts.

The Priceless Gift of Prayer

- dannalundstrom

 

Some time ago I adopted the practice with my children of praying for someone who was mean to them or someone else. Alternatively, I pray with and for them and myself, when we are not so nice, too. I cannot tell you how valuable this practice has become not only for them but for me, too.

It is difficult to feel bad about someone when you try to understand that we do not know what storms they are being asked to weather. After all, it is often the people who hurt others the most who need love the most.

Morning and afternoon carpools are typically when these prayers are most prevalent. The days rundown usually encompasses a lot of junk, especially the older they get. Then there came yesterday! Yesterday challenged my practice to its core because I did not want to pray for this person after what I heard. I wanted to be very angry at him, and I was for a short time. However, because we had been practicing our prayer routine so long, prayer felt like an automatic default. It was also a comforting, safe and welcoming place to fall in that moment of hurt.

Macey got in the car after school yesterday. She was choking back tears as she told me that a boy took her water bottle from her. He then told her, “I am going to hit you over the head and crack your skull so your brain will be messed up like your brothers.”

My heart sank! Contrary emotions flooded my mind. I felt sadness, anger and ultimately an empathy for Macey and a boy with a deadly tongue. At that moment, if we had not been prepared to revert to prayer, I don’t know where we would have sunk to. I am sure of this; it would not have been to a good place.

Prayer is the best defense we have in this world! I don’t know where I would be without it. I don’t know how I could parent my children without it. I am so thankful we were well-prepared yesterday with the gift of prayer. Thank you, Jesus!

Ephesians 6:10-18~ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.