And in the morning, rising up a great while before day,
he went out, and departed into a solitary place,
and there prayed. Mark 1:35

Jenna from Feminine Farmgirl has put up a challenge for April ~ that of  Self-Control ~ diligence in spending our quiet time with the Lord each morning. Sometimes it is so easy to forgo that quiet time with the King of Kings, especially if we are I am running late, and it is not something that I am proud of.

It is that time when the tone for the day is set, and I carry His message through the day with me. This last month there have been very few days when I have not spent quiet and productive time with our Heavenly Father, as I have needed to call on His strength, guidance and wisdom in all things pertaining to our home and family. Perhaps it is good that He puts us through the difficult and trying times, for it is in those times that we are drawn closer to Him.

This last week has been particularly trying for me, as I have had stitches in my foot, due to dropping a bowl of cat dry food and the bowl smashing. My foot required stitching, and then developed an infection in it, but my friend, Gwenda prayed, claiming God’s promises and His mighty healing power. Guess what ~ the infection is gone!

My husband has been a tower of strength, as he has supervised the children while I have spent my quiet time with God, and this time is just so special. It is truly quiet time with our children studying, and I gain so much more out of the time spent with God, when there are no interruptions. I praise God that I have a husband who helps me to keep my appointment with God each morning and helps to make it special, and I praise Jesus for restoring our fellowship with God, so that we can spend time with Him, hearing His voice, praising Him and spending time in prayer with Him.

Why do we spend time in prayer and meditation with God? Because Jesus set us an example, that’s why!

Father, I thank You that You have blessed me with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

Through skillful and godly wisdom is my house (my life, my home, my family) built, and by understanding it is established on a sound and good foundation. And by knowledge shall the chambers (of its every area) be filled with all precious and pleasant riches – great priceless treasure. The house of the uncompromisingly righteous shall stand. Prosperity and welfare are in my house in the name of Jesus.

My house is securely built. It is founded on a rock – revelation knowledge of Your Word, Father, Jesus is my Cornerstone. Jesus is Lord of my household. Jesus is our Lord – spirit, soul and body.

Whatever may be our task, we work at it heartily as something done for You, Lord, and not for men. We love each other with the God kind of love, and we dwell in peace. My home is deposited into Your charge, entrusted to Your protection and care.

Father, as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord in Jesus’ name. Hallelujah!

Scripture References

Ephesians 1:3

Proverbs 24: 3,4 AMP

Proverbs 15:6

Proverbs 12:7 AMP

Psalm 112:3

Luke 6:48

Acts 4:11

Acts 16:31

Philippians 2: 10,11

Colossians 3:23

Colossians 3: 14,15

Acts 20:32

Joshua 24:15

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. Psalm 86: 12

for:~

• Answered prayer for my husband – his spots are healing, and his pain relief seems to be working this time. Praise You, heavenly Father that You have heard the prayers of Your people and that you have been swift to respond. Your Word says that You will never leave us nor forsake us, and God never lies.

• Our children, who have been a tower of strength through the difficult times – milking, feeding animals, doing dishes, cooking, ironing and generally helping whenever help is needed, but especially for the hugs and words of encouragement and affirmation that mean more than anyone could ever know.

• Friends – blogging friends , internet friends and real-life friends who are true prayer warriors, picking up the challenge and being prepared to pray for my husband – from the bottom of my ♥, I thank you all.

• A good hospital and doctors in our local area – this is so important at times like this.

• Our church – praise God that our church building will be going ahead – thank you Lord, once again, for answered prayer.

• Our home – warm, comfortable beds; food on the table, protection from the elements, fresh goat’s milk and a place where we can say that we truly feel close to God, as He brought us here.

• The ability to be able to homeschool - In Germany it is illegal to homeschool, and Sweden seeks to introduce a law stating that homeschooling will only be allowed under “exceptional circumstances”. Please pray that God will work with the authorities to block this law, and that Swedish homeschoolers will have the ability to be able to homeschool openly. I pray that God will open the eyes of the authorities to the benefits of homeschooling. Praise God that we, in Australia, have the freedom to be able to homeschool openly!

Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Ps 106:1

Praise You, Almighty Father for:

• Keeping us strong while my husband is waiting for a total knee replacement in August. Please keep him pain-free until then, and help the months to fly by.

• Your constant provision over us – providing the food that we eat, money to pay the bills, the home that we live in, comfortable beds, rich creamy goats’ milk to drink and Your Son – our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ who gave His life that we might live in a relationship with you.

• My husband, who continues to soldier on, doing what he can, and I praise you, Father, that he can still milk the goats. That is one job that none of us is especially keen to take on, but it looks as if my son will be milking the goats while my husband is incapacitated.

• Our children, who have shouldered more of the responsibilities of running a hobby farm while my husband waits on a new knee. That, combined with their schoolwork has kept them very busy indeed.

• Friends – especially blogging friends and IRL friends who continue to strengthen us and help us to come into a closer relationship with you. Friends, like Kylie, who almost had me in tears of joy over the poem that she wrote while looking at my blog – beautiful poetry, God-honouring poetry.

• For the beautiful ground-soaking rain that He has sent us. So far we have had 13mm, and it’s still raining – YAY!

• That we live in Australia, where freedom of religion is one of our choices, according to our Constitution, but please keep our politicians in your prayers, for there are moves afoot for:

1. “Equal Opportunity” provisions requiring para church organisations (such as Christian book stores) to employ people that do not practice a Christian lifestyle.
2. Formal directives stating that the discussion of Intelligent Design or Creation is no longer acceptable in science lessons in South Australian Christian schools.
3. Draft changes to fringe benefit laws which will make it difficult for churches and charities to meet payroll costs.

Please pray that the Family First party will continue to fight for freedom of religion in Australia, and that Robert Brokenshire will gain the numbers needed to defeat these motions in Parliament. Our religious freedoms are being eroded at an alarming rate.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1: 7

…our church, where we are loved, welcomed and valued for who we are and what we have to contribute. The person who shared his testimony today said, “Your attitude determines your altitude”, and this is so true. Our attitude affects more than just our family and friends – it affects everyone who comes into contact with us.

…my husband who is continuing to soldier on, doing what he can, when he can. I think that God is using this time to strengthen our love for one another and our faith in Him, and He carries us through the difficult times.

…our children, who have stepped up to take on extra chores while my husband’s knee is painful. I suspect that he needs a total knee replacement, and that will mean lots more work for everyone, especially in regard to milking the goats – could be very interesting.

…friends – IRL friends, blogging friends and internet friends who help us to grow to be more like Jesus, mirroring His love and friendship to all.

…His provision over us - we seem to have just enough money to pay the bills, put petrol into the car and put food onto the table; and I’m content with that, for with more, there comes temptation. God supplies all of our needs!

…cooler nights, so that we can sleep well. Today’s temperature is absolutely blissful; 27C and a cool southerly blowing. It appears that summer is almost over, and soon winter will be upon our doorstep. I am standing upon God’s promises, praying and believing that our Heavenly Father will provide the warmth needed for winter, for He says that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

…homeschooling and the freedoms that we have, here in Australia. In other parts of the world it is much more difficult to homeschool openly and legally. Please pray for the governing powers in Germany, that the laws will be softened, so that people can homeschool openly, legally and without fear of reprisals. In Sweden, young Dominic Johannson is still separated from the love of his parents – please pray for the swift reuniting of Dominic, Annie and Christer.

…resources from Our Daily Bread. Last night we watched the first story called A Marriage Reborn, on a DVD called Love’s Lasting Call – it is a DVD explaining how to have a good marriage. Good marriages don’t just happen – they are built upon God’s blueprint for marriage. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says that a cord of three strands is not easily broken, and the three strands are God, the husband and wife. I am really looking forward to the second part, which is A Promise Kept.

by Germaine Copeland

This prayer is included in the prayer book, Prayers that avail much for Mothers, and it is the most beautiful prayer that I have ever read, for our children, and it helped to remind me of my duty as a parent. I hope that you find it as enlightening as I did. God promises that His Word will never return to Him void.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray and confess Your Word over my children and surround them with my faith – faith in Your Word that You watch over it to perform it! I confess and believe that my children are disciples of Christ, taught of the Lord and obedient to Your will. Great is the peace and undisturbed composure of my children, because You, God, contend with that which contends with my children, and You give them safety and ease them. Father, You will perfect that which concerns me, I commit and cast the care of my children once and for all over on You, Father. They are in Your hands and I am positively persuaded that You are able to guard and keep that which I have committed to You. You are more than enough!

I confess that my children obey their parents in the Lord as His representatives, because this is just and right. My children __________ honour, esteem, and value as precious their parents; for this is the first commandment with a promise: that all may be well with my children and that they may live long on earth. I believe and confess that my children choose life and love you, Lord, obey Your voice, and cling to You; for You are their life and the length of their days. Therefore, my children are the head and not the tail, and shall be above only and not beneath. They are blessed when they come in and when they go out.

I believe and confess that You give Your angels charge over my children to accompany and defend and preserve them in all their ways. You, Lord, are their refuge and their fortress. You are their glory, and the lifter of their heads.

As parents, we will not provoke, irritate or fret our children. We will not be hard on them or harass them, or cause them to become discouraged , sullen or morose, or feel inferior and frustrated. We will not break or wound their spirits, but we will rear them tenderly in the training, discipline, counsel and admonition of the Lord. We will train them in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.

O Lord, my Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on or above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. I sing praise to Your name, O Most High. The enemy is turned back from my children in the name of Jesus! They increase in wisdom and in favour with God and man.

Scripture References

Jeremiah 1:12
Isaiah 54:13
Isaiah 49:25
1 Peter 5:7
2 Timothy 1:12
Ephesians 6: 1-3
Deuteronomy 28: 13
Deuteronomy 28: 3, 6

Psalm 91:11
Psalm 91:2
Psalm 3:3
Colossians 3:21
Ephesians 6:4
Proverbs 22:6
Psalm 8: 1,2
Psalm 9: 2,3
Luke 2: 52

Our first stop was the op-shop in Gladstone where we bought my husband a nearly new pair of Fletcher Jones trousers for $3.00 and a white peasant-style skirt for me for $1.50.

Next stop was Vinnies in Port Pirie, where we bought some shorts and T-shirts for my son, a pair of work trousers for my husband and a gorgeous short-sleeved white blouse for my daughter. God is so good, as He knows what we have need of before we even ask, but He likes us to demonstrate our faith in Him by asking in faith, nothing wavering.

Then we went to Goods @ Gertrude, where we found a beautiful glass bowl that matches a plate that we bought nearly four years ago – talk about Providence!

I know that many people have a problem with op-shopping, but for us it has been a Godsend, and it all started out with a friend from church giving me a skirt that she no longer wore. I wore it, and this started me thinking – if I could wear somebody else’s hand-me-downs, what was the difference between that and buying clothes from the op-shop? Op-shopping is so much cheaper, the clothes are usually pre-shrunk and it is not difficult to find modest clothing there.

After this we went to One Stop Water Shop, where we bought a new skimmer net, vacuum head, barracuda hose, chlorine and Nature2 Water Purifier for the swimming pool.

Then, it was time to make our way to the doctor’s surgery for my appointment. I haven’t before met a doctor that is on time with his appointments, but this one was. When we told him about my symptoms, he said that I need to have an ultrasound doppler scan, and that in the meantime he would put me onto Adalat to help control the symptoms. Praise God – my prayers were answered, and this doctor is going to tackle one problem at a time.

My husband then shouted us out for dinner at Barnacle Bill’s for dinner and bought ice-creams for dessert, and it was great – no dishes.

On the way home we went grocery shopping, and my husband had to waken all of us, as we had full tummies and had experienced a very full day. We completed the shopping and arrived home at about 6:45 pm, exhausted but happy in the knowledge that our day was one more testimonial to the power of our great God.

I would also like to thank all of the people who have supported me and kept me in their prayers, for the power of prayer can never be underestimated. ♥

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.