Category: Overcoming

The Prayers of Black Women: Lord Please Heal the Sick

Artist: Henry Lee Battle
Artist: Henry Lee Battle

Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  James 5:14-15

Dear Heavenly Father:

Thank you once again for a day I have never seen before.  Lord, I pray for the sick and the shut-in.  I pray that you will comfort their hearts about

their life and health challenges.  I pray that you will heal them so they can return taking care of themselves.  But until you decided their outcome, I pray that you will send honest trustworthy people to help them.  Amen.

Prayers of Black Women: Lord Please Help Those That Struggle With Sadness

Artist: Henry Lee Battle
Artist: Henry Lee Battle

Lord, someone is low in spirits today. It seems as if their mental and emotional wheels are stuck in the mud and they can’t move. Everyday they wake to the challenge of overcoming sadness. Please help them to get going this morning. Please give them a reason to smile in the midst of adverse situations. Please help them create and put in motion healthy life plans to live happier lives. Amen

Inspirational Fridays: Liang Yaoyi and The Courage to Face Death

No Life Should be Lived in Vain

Liang YaoyiAs I ponder for meaning to the end of a young life I searched for meaning to my existence.  The world has lost a key-player.  His name is Liang Yaoyi.  He was only 11 years old when he died a heroic death of a man.  He lost his life fearlessly to brain cancer.  Which means he did not leave the earth as a beaten spectator.  He was in the game of life!  And he was indeed a key-player that world will miss because . . .

Had he lived he would have became a doctor with purpose.  He would have been a trail blazer to the world of medical science.  He would have set the world on fire with new medical ideas.  His ideas would have taken medicine to greater heights as his love for life became contagious.

His unselfish dying decree surrender him as a leader that understood he had came to the end of his journey.  And what is so amazing about his death is:  Liang Yaoyi passed the torch of life by donating his liver and kidneys as he bravely recognized he own life was ending.

And I do hope you realize I am writing about the bravery of an 11 year old boy.  Fate gave him choices that have spiritually flatten adults; but, he fought to the end of his life with a gallant spirit of a victorious man.  RIP Liang Yaoyi for your young life was not lived in vain.  [tears]

A Beautiful Woman’s Advice on Loving Life

The Prayer’s of Black Women: Praying For The Homeless

Artist: Henry Lee Battle
Artist: Henry Lee Battle

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Be of the same mind toward one another.  Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.  Do not be wise in your own opinion.  ~Roman 12:15-16

Today, Lord, give me the ability to push my troubles temporarily aside.  As you give me the comforting words to say to a friend in distress.  Lord, I also ask that you give me the words to pray for the homeless everywhere.  

Lord it is easy to take your blessings for granted when personal wants are fulfilled.  It’s easy to forget about those that are sincerely in need as long as personal needs are being met.  

Heavenly Father, this morning I’m praying that you touch the hearts of those that are blessed with a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, clothes on their backs and shoes on their feet with a spirit of thanksgiving.  Lord, help them to see, myself included, how blessed we truly are despite of unachieved goals.  Help us to become steadfast in giving to the less fortunate with cheerful hearts.  

Lord watch over the homeless.  Give them their next meal without question or delay.  

Your Loving Daughter ~Annette

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Prayers of Black Women: Amazing Grace by John Newton

John Newton

John Newton is the author of this spiritually enlightenment hymn.  At the age of eleven he became a seaman and later was imprisoned.  After escaping from those that held him captive he found work on a slave-trading ship.  It was then God began to work on his conscience about the cruelties of slavery.  And it was then when he wrote this beautiful hymn as a testament to his transformation from being a slave-ship captain to becoming a Christian.

Most often God takes our wrong to right the wrong of man’s inhumanity to man.  We’re His wonderful creation with the flaw of cruelty attached to our characters.  It is only by God’s amazing grace that saves us from always extending the hand of destruction to our brothers and sisters.

– Prayer –

I pray this day for God’s peace in your life.  I ask God to give you His grace.  For the Bible says, His grace is enough for you and His power is perfect in your weakness as His grace is new every morning.  Have a wonderful day!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less dys to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Prayers of Black Women: Lord Teach Me How to Write

The Little Red Writing BookAll week-long I have asked God to teach me how to write.  Writing well is such an essential part of communicating effectively.  And I wish to communicate without feeling less than.

Well-any-who-how, a couple of days ago I felt guilty, again, for spending too much time on Facebook.  So, today I prayed for the Lord to help me make better use of my time.  He quickly answered my prayer!  But what I didn’t know is that He was going to make this a treasure trove day full of blessings.

What seemed as meaningless chores became nothing but inspirational moments.

As I pulled weeds and grass from flowerbeds God was spiritually blessing me.  He was giving me answers to questions I had long forgotten.  I wanted to stop my gardening chores and run in the house to grab pen and paper to write what I had learned.  But something within said, “Don’t stop!  Keep going!  Because if you stop you will not return.  Set a goal and complete that goal.”

I did everything that was shouting from within and found my hour of gardening more refreshing for my soul than the long days I have worked in my yard.

But the motivational and inspirational blessings kept coming as I entered my home and proceeded to do housework.  I would venture to write the greatest blessing for today was finding a little red book.  I would have never found it had I not been rearranging books on the bookshelves.  It was tucked underneath books I have meant to read for a year now.  The titled “The Little Red Writing Book.”

I can only assume it was a college text for one of my sons.  They seem to throw their books here and there once they’ve passed whatever class.  I, however, seem to cherish books.  So, I walk behind them picking up their discarded books and place them on my bookshelves.

I was happy to discover such a fine.  I feel like the book was indeed sent to me by God.  And He used one of my son’s to deliver it to me.  His actions answered a prayer that lay deep within my subconscious for decades; as my wish was finally whispered a few days ago.

— Prayer —

Lord, thank you for my little red book.  Please help me to understand its content.  I will cherish it always.

Your Loving Daughter,
Annette

The Prayers of Black Women: Please Bless Us With Common Sense

Artist: Henry Lee Battle
Artist: Henry Lee Battle

Lord, I have read and heard a lot this week.  Many of those stories made me feel like I was traveling through a portal of stupidity.  Often I found myself asking the following questions:  Lord, is my thinking off track?  Or are people now enjoying conflict?  And why are they enjoying being hoodwinked?  What is making them so gullible?  And why can’t they see they are being invalidated?

Lord, as I sat in bewilderment over the troubles of the world, I asked, yet, another question, “Where is common sense?”  Has it left the world?  Has it found a hiding place?  Is it sad because humankind no longer has a need for it?  Lord, where is common sense?  Because as I see things, who would enjoy heartaches, trials and tribulations?

Nothing I read or heard this week made any sense at all except for:  “Something that sounds correct could be incorrect.” 

— Prayer —

Lord, please bless the world with common sense.  For without it mankind will become void in all their ways.  So, again, please Lord bless the world with common sense.  Amen

 

Inspirational Fridays: Trouble Getting Going?

Family Travel TrailerI just got back from a five-day camping trip.  My family and I decided to join a friend and her family at a local state park.  I knew preparing for the mini-vacation would be a chore; since, I have been emotionally and physically tired for years.  But a vacation of some sort was a high priority.  So, when my friend told me that she and her family was going camping at Boyd Lake State Park, I reserved a camping spot for my family and me to join her and her family.

My friend was too excited to have us come with.  She had made plans for us as a group to do this and that.  She had made her trailer as the command central.  She had even planned several of our meals (without consulting me).  Her efforts were those of a true friend but her services were not totally needed.  As you can see, my dearest and sweetest friend took it upon herself to make plans for everyone without consulting with anybody.  And had the women of both families checked with each other about the trip perhaps hurt feelings could have been avoided.

My friend had failed to see I wanted some me time.  I wanted to escape the demands of my demanding life.  I wanted to sit and or lay in the comforts of cleanliness.  I wanted to enjoy my trailer that has been for years a BIG source of disappointment in some mental capacity.  But, nevertheless [sigh], the trailer belongs to me and mine and we love it despite of all the headaches it has given us.  And we are always overjoyed to use it when it is not in the shop for months at a time because it was poorly made.

However, with all that was going on mentally, I had very little time to freely think about the direction of my life until now.

I got the below YouTube video from a fellow blogger and I thought I would share the powerful message with you:

The Prayer’s of Black Women: The Story of Jonah by Mary Margaret

November 11, 2021

3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

Jonah 1:3

This is Throwback Thursday! So! I’m reposting one of my favorite posts. I first shared this video on June 15, 2014, at 6:45 am. It appears 7 years later I will be reposting this wonderful video around the same time.

So much has happened within those seven years of living life. I’ve lost my mom. I’ve become a great grandmother! I’m told my oldest grandson’s girlfriend is having twins. My children are doing great, making wonderful lives for themselves. Two wonderful women have been added to my family, along with a host of new friends and family members. And all of that good stuff can’t compare to my spiritual growth. I’m over the moon concerning my spiritual journey. It has been tough and often I’ve felt like throwing in the towel but . . . OMG! My life is on fire because of my spiritual awakening! And this repost can’t be more appropriate when it comes to sharing what I learned from my latest lesson.

LESSON LEARNED: God loves everyone, including our enemies and people that come across as unlovable. He expects us to show those that are lost or have lost their way compassion. Our actions will light the path for His love and mercy to become healing ointments. Bottom line! God wants all of us to be saved despite our differences. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Lord, my recent private prayer request was that you cover my enemies with your blood. I wanted the blood of Jesus to open their understanding. Allowing them to see they were their greatest obstacle when it came to not getting money bequeath to them. But how can they see when everyone spiritually in their life is superficial. Show me how to pray for them. There is nothing worse than being lost in the maze of life. Amen   

PARAGRAPH FROM 2014

I have been in church for nearly 53 years.   And I have never heard the story of Jonah with so much feeling.  Mary Margaret is full of passion for telling this great story.  Her passion causes her to be very (and I do mean very) animated.  Enjoy this cute little girl telling the story of Jonah.