Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The sun is shining, the birds are zipping by and the squirrels are climbing up and down the oak trees, and God is in charge, so all is well.
Have you all noticed how many butterflies there are this summer?. I see yellow ones, copper colored, brown, and large and small. It seems they are more plentiful this year than most for some reason. My beauty berry bush has really expanded this year, but I haven't noticed any berries on it. It reminds me of the mulberry tree we had in our yard when I was growing up. Of course, that was before clothes dryers, so the purple stains were not welcome on the clean clothes. But the birds like the purple beauty berries, too!
I was in time at the park yesterday to see an anhinga shaking his feathers vigorously before spreading his wings to dry..sort of like wringing out the water or shaking like a dog. It never lost its balance on the dead log, though. There were few people out in the heat of the day, but I am always impressed with the gnarly , twisted branches of the oak trees, contrasted with the green of the leaves and the deep shade. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
How do I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.
1 Peter 3:12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.
Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.
Philippians 4:6,7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
There's no limit on prayer. Big requests, small requests, and all sizes in between are welcomed by God. If something bothers us, it should be brought to God.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
amaryllis
