Suffering

"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
2 Cor. 6:3-10

yesterday my friend (and roommate), Denise, had an accident. now she is suffering from the pain in her ankle, along with the thought that it may be broken. she needs to return to the doctor's office in 2-4 days for a check-up. please pray for her.

as many of you already know, we are planning to move to a new apartment this weekend. denise is feeling terrible about that, because she knows that her condition is not very helpful for moving boxes and furniture up 3 flights of stairs. i feel really bad for her. so my discovery is that my empathy for her causes a reaction of prayer. seems like all night last night and all day today i've been continually praying for her recovery and her good spirits through this trial. i'm learning more and more about "struggling for the sake of others."

Loving Father,
again i lift up Denise to You. May You wrap Your loving arms around her and comfort her through this trial. please enable her to accept help from others. i cry to You for healing for her ankle. may You take away the pain. may her heart be drawn closer to Yours as she recovers. please keep her eyes and heart focused on You and on Your loving-kindness toward her. thanks for allowing me to come before You with this request. You are great Dad, and i love You. thanks for caring about Your kids. Thanks for opening a way for me to enter Your holy sanctuary. it is thru Jesus Name that I pray, Amen.

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*Denise *LeeAnn *Steven