All we hear in the news these days is how our country is in trouble, and how we are getting attacked by an economic crisis. While I believe this to be true and terrible, there is another attack that I am slowly and quietly watching that rips my heart out on a whole other level. All around me I am watching a mounting and increasingly strong spiritual attack on God’s people in this world. Over the past few months, I have seen SO MUCH garbage taking place, and as I watch, friends, families and acquaintances all around me and all over this earth seem to be getting hammered in what can only be described as an all out, full scale massive attack on God’s people. I cannot explain it. But, it feels like everyone I know is getting hammered. It feels like Satan is coming at his enemy with a ferocity I have never experienced.
I have seen good people die. Beautiful children are stricken with horrible diseases. Many friends are losing jobs. Marriages of friends and family are in deep trouble. Teens are listening to lies and finding themselves in pregnancies devastating to them and their families. Missionaries are being attacked on all fronts. Dear ones are making life choices that are deadly. Friends are addicted to life-taking drugs and in trouble with the law. Children are sick. Churches are struggling. Entire Christian colleges are shutting down. And this list could go on and on.
It takes my breath away. Every corner I turn seems to be defeating. I am afraid to talk to anyone else to hear the bad news that surely must be waiting. It is getting to me and I am feeling weak.
And I do not like this, and I do not accept this! Though we are pressed on every side, we are NOT defeated! My God is stronger than all of this. I cry out to him for deliverance. Lord, please feed the hungry I see all around me. Give your people jobs. Please wipe out cancer, and protect our children. God protect our teens from the sinful influence all around them. Help us guard our hearts. God heal marriages and strengthen families. And above all, give us courage and peace dear Lord.
I cling to the promise of your son that “in this world we WILL have troubles, but take heart, for I have overcome the world!”
Guide us and strengthen us, and may we press on daily in love. We will not be defeated for He who is in us is greater than he who is in this world!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
I need peace
Almighty, ever-living God, You give strength to the weary and new courage to those who have lost heart. Hear the prayers of all who call on You in any trouble that they may have the joy of receiving Your help in their need. Sometimes
Everything seems so meaningless and nothing appeals to my better instincts.
Help me to remember that Jesus gave meaning to everything in the world.
Let me bank on that fact and get over this time of difficulty,
to really trust in the depths of my being that you will never let me down.
Slow me down, Lord. Ease the pounding of my heart with the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlasting Lord. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory.
Thank you for loving us and listening to me. You know the depths of my heart...its beauty and its ugliness. I pray you take it and make it what you will have me to be.
Everything seems so meaningless and nothing appeals to my better instincts.
Help me to remember that Jesus gave meaning to everything in the world.
Let me bank on that fact and get over this time of difficulty,
to really trust in the depths of my being that you will never let me down.
Slow me down, Lord. Ease the pounding of my heart with the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlasting Lord. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory.
Thank you for loving us and listening to me. You know the depths of my heart...its beauty and its ugliness. I pray you take it and make it what you will have me to be.
please read this
This is a great article regarding the post-election highs and lows. I agree with his opinions....it was a tough one. My own heart wrestled with the who to choose. I agreed with both. I disagreed with both. But .......what now?? Let these words speak to you:
here
here
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Letter to the President
I have read many fake letters today to Obama. Some were good, others were totally absurd. So, I thought I'd take a shot. I took some from all of them, added my own words and here we go:
Dear President Obama,
I congratulate you on a victory in a fight between two good men. I pledge that I for one will be praying for you. Your speech was amazing and historic last night. I pray you hold true to what you said. I am grateful that you truly seem to believe in hope and change for the better, and I believe you can draw the best out of us as a country to be a part of this. I pray that we will now stop the lip-service and commence the action. It is up to we the people to be the change that you speak of, so please inspire us to do so. I believe you are a very smart man. I may not agree on some things with you, but still think you are admirable. I admire how you resist the quick and easy answer to complex problems. I respect many of your positions. I also respect the way you seem to truly love your family deeply. While I understand that you believe your plan may actually reduce abortion rates in America (and I believe it just may), I can never agree with you on the stance of pro-choice. I believe in life, and think you do too, so I continue to pray that the only one who will ever make a difference in this area, our shared Father in heaven will take action when He is ready. I admire how you care for the weak and defenseless, and the downtrodden and defeated. Please lead us in an energy revolution like you promise. Help us break our addiction to oil and treat this beautiful creation of God with a deserved respect. Bring our boys home from that war, but please do so slowly and with much prayer and intelligence. We need you to lead. You have spoken often of a better way. Now, please please show it to us. I would never want your position or power. I cannot imagine the stresses it brings. We pray for you and your family. We pray for your safety and health. We pray that you look to God for guidance. Thank you for championing hope…now please bring it to us!
May God Bless You-
Brian Pannell
Dear President Obama,
I congratulate you on a victory in a fight between two good men. I pledge that I for one will be praying for you. Your speech was amazing and historic last night. I pray you hold true to what you said. I am grateful that you truly seem to believe in hope and change for the better, and I believe you can draw the best out of us as a country to be a part of this. I pray that we will now stop the lip-service and commence the action. It is up to we the people to be the change that you speak of, so please inspire us to do so. I believe you are a very smart man. I may not agree on some things with you, but still think you are admirable. I admire how you resist the quick and easy answer to complex problems. I respect many of your positions. I also respect the way you seem to truly love your family deeply. While I understand that you believe your plan may actually reduce abortion rates in America (and I believe it just may), I can never agree with you on the stance of pro-choice. I believe in life, and think you do too, so I continue to pray that the only one who will ever make a difference in this area, our shared Father in heaven will take action when He is ready. I admire how you care for the weak and defenseless, and the downtrodden and defeated. Please lead us in an energy revolution like you promise. Help us break our addiction to oil and treat this beautiful creation of God with a deserved respect. Bring our boys home from that war, but please do so slowly and with much prayer and intelligence. We need you to lead. You have spoken often of a better way. Now, please please show it to us. I would never want your position or power. I cannot imagine the stresses it brings. We pray for you and your family. We pray for your safety and health. We pray that you look to God for guidance. Thank you for championing hope…now please bring it to us!
May God Bless You-
Brian Pannell
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Tales of the Strong Armed King of Denver
I hope my friend Mr. McCool still reads this, as he may like it, seeing as how he, being the hometown nashvegas, commodore cheering fool he is...was likely a fan MUCH earlier than we were!
My son LOVES football..is is crazy really. He has all kinds of favorites but his most fave team is the Denver Broncos. His favorite athlete alive is Jay Cutler (he even has a Webkin toy named after him). See below:
Anyway....at night every evening as I tuck him in, he asks me to regale him with a "Jay Cutler Story". It has become quite fun. Sometimes they are silly fantasy tales of the strong armed King of Denver fighting mystical creatures. Last night Jay fought 3 angry panthers (Jude usually requests the themes). He's informed me that next I will be telling one of Jay versus the friendly Patriots.......
So if you ever need a good story...give me a call :) Go Broncos!
My son LOVES football..is is crazy really. He has all kinds of favorites but his most fave team is the Denver Broncos. His favorite athlete alive is Jay Cutler (he even has a Webkin toy named after him). See below:
Anyway....at night every evening as I tuck him in, he asks me to regale him with a "Jay Cutler Story". It has become quite fun. Sometimes they are silly fantasy tales of the strong armed King of Denver fighting mystical creatures. Last night Jay fought 3 angry panthers (Jude usually requests the themes). He's informed me that next I will be telling one of Jay versus the friendly Patriots.......
So if you ever need a good story...give me a call :) Go Broncos!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Trick or Treat
It was a crazy busy week. I had much to do at work and much to do at home. It was a tough one dealing with friends who were hurting and confused. I dealt with friends stuck in terrible sin. I even dealt with knowing friends who had gotten terrible news and were reeling. But, it was still a good week, because my God is good, and even when he takes away, he gives.
The peak of the week was of course Halloween. We got together with our friends and their kids like every year and had a great night. We hit up our little neighborhood here. It was small scale but I would have been content with it. But oh no ….we ventured to a neighboring community called Nunan Square in Jacksonville. It is wealthy and well known for going all out for trick or treaters!
It was nuts! Remember the scene in ET where it’s Halloween and EVERYONE is out and about and costumed…it is so crowded it looks fake? Well, this was that scene! People were everywhere! The kids had to wait in line to trick or treat! It was cool but a little too much, so we left after one street.
Afterwards we all came back to the house, sorted our loot and ate homemade caramel apples! Here are some pics of the fun.
The peak of the week was of course Halloween. We got together with our friends and their kids like every year and had a great night. We hit up our little neighborhood here. It was small scale but I would have been content with it. But oh no ….we ventured to a neighboring community called Nunan Square in Jacksonville. It is wealthy and well known for going all out for trick or treaters!
It was nuts! Remember the scene in ET where it’s Halloween and EVERYONE is out and about and costumed…it is so crowded it looks fake? Well, this was that scene! People were everywhere! The kids had to wait in line to trick or treat! It was cool but a little too much, so we left after one street.
Afterwards we all came back to the house, sorted our loot and ate homemade caramel apples! Here are some pics of the fun.
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