may 8, 2008 - for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks - (Matthew 12:34)

top of the morning, friends....

i hope this finds you all well!

i don't really have much to report today, but wanted to ask for prayer for a few people. we all need daily prayer. the Father says that when two or more are gathered in His name, great miracles will occur.

cindy kollin - is going in for surgery today. please keep her in your prayers - for strength both physically and emotionally.

junior salyers - is battling cancer and is currently going through treatment. please continue to pray for healing and endurance.

mike salyers - my brother-in-law who is too stubborn to go to the doctor for a continuing bout of the flu and/or bronchitis.

quote for the day:

"people may fail many times, but they become failures only when they begin to blame someone else. experience is determined by yourself -- not the circumstances of your life"

- gita bellin -

story for the day (submitted by cindy kollin):

Scars… Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida , a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go.' You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of yourstruggle, He's been there holding on to you.

please continue to pray corporately for our country, our troops, our families, and our friends. remember, everyone is in the midst of some sort of physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual struggle today.

thanks to all who have sent words of encouragement about my retirement. i appreciate them more than you can know. for now, i'm going to focus on school and rehab and see what doors might be opened for me in the future.

God bless you all....

lisa - 1095