Dan & I

Dear God,

Thank you for showing me how far I had gone from Dan and for showing me how easy it could be to be honest again.  Thank you for helping us grow together.  Help us continue to strengthen our relationship and our resolve as we re-evaluate our priorities in order to take control of our budget.  As you guide us in ways to decrease our expenses, please inspire me with your vision of how to be significant while still being able to provide the income we need to maintain our home.  Thank you for giving me Dan to support me.  Help me to appreciate his fluidity even when it's hard for me as it is also what allows him to grow with me as I am evolved through your love.  Help me to maintain honesty in all that I do and to trust you to take care of us as you are for the birds and the squirrels out in our yard.  You are amazing in your patience and awesome in your glory.

Love, Ericka

My Story

Dear Lord,

I am going to write my story today.  I'm not entirely sure what all that means until I start writing it down. I am going to be as open and honest as I can be with myself.  I have some ideas of where to start, but as always, I don't know exactly where I'm going.  Thank you for bringing me through my story and for giving me the courage to share it.  Help me to write it in such a way that does not ask for pity over hardships, but glorifies you for the changes you have wrought in me.  I know I am not an easy material to work with but you have already made beautiful changes.  Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for me.  Please use my story to share your hope with those who need it.

Love, Ericka

What a great Monday!

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me the confidence to face such a busy day.  Thank you for helping me prepare for the knowns so that I can better roll with the unknowns.  Thank you for the opportunity to re-apply for financial assistance for Dan's c-pap.  I knew that although it was honest when I filled it out, it was no longer accurate when I turned it in.  Now I can fill it out with a renewed honesty and trust that you will help me to handle whatever the results are.  Thank you for sharing Katelyn and Dr. Risley with me.  The physical healing and beautiful people give me a wonderful start to my day.

Love, Ericka

For my Eastlake Family

Dear God,

Thank You for showing me the way to Eastlake and the beautiful family that You have helped us to build.  Thank You for all of the bright and shining faces who streak like blazing comets through the kids' area.  Bless all of these children of Yours and bless those families that you have allowed to help You nurture them in this life.  Support the volunteers who are so dedicated to helping our kids have such a great time as they learn about You.  Thank You for helping these children do as You've told us to do and let the acts of their love as children shine into any darkness that their families may be stumbling through.

God, we praise You for the strength you have given to Ami and her family and the grace that You have show them to light their way in a dark time.  Thank You for allowing the rest of us to bask in Your glory as You shine through their beautiful smiling faces.

Thank You for bringing us Pastor Matt.  Please continue to guide him to do what you need him to do.  Give him Your energy so he will not be weary as he electrifies us with Your word and give him Your peace so he may appreciate the many blessings You have given him.

And finally, Lord, bless our prayer team.  Thank You for using them to support me in ways that I can share Your love.  Bless each member of our team as we pour our hearts out to you so that you can refill us with that hope that springs eternal.

Lord, hear our prayers and help us to glorify You in all we are.

Amen

My Sunday Morning Review

Dear God,

Please forgive me for being too busy to pray.  I know You can do great things through me if I will only let You.

I have been trying to make food choices that are more beneficial for me this week.  Thank You for Your little nudges to move me in the right direction.  Help me to remember that guilt is not a tool that You would use.  You want me to be a support for others, not because of the pain of my guilt, but because of Your peace, love and grace in me.  Thank You for encouraging Lynnette to remind me that I know I can't be healthier by myself, but with Your spirit in me, I cannot fail.

Please help me to view my budget through Your eyes so that our finances are not just a means of our survival, but an example of Your glory.  Move me where You need me and help me to keep my heart and mind open for Your suggestions.

Thank You for waking me early enough to fulfill my commitment to Kelly and the prayer team.  Thank You for reminding me that as well as being an amazing processor, my mind is a fantastic receiver.  Help me not to forget that Your station is not the only one out there so that I can stay tuned to You.  Help me to realize that those negative waves I pick up so often are not You, and they are not me either.  Help me to show the world the beautiful creation You have made in me and thank You for using Sue to remind me that I'm still pretty darned cute.

Love, Ericka

Thank you

Dear God,

Thank You for being patient with me.  I am pretty sure this is the first time I have trusted You with my kids.  Of course, You did not let me down.  Please continue to lend me Your strength as I work to build my faith.  Please allow me to keep borrowing calm and wisdom from Your stores.  Share Your vision with me, please, that I may see those opportunities where I can share Your love and glorify You.

Thank You for giving me the courage to overcome my fear of being completely honest with Dan.  Help us to grow back together to the point that I know that honesty is my only option.

Continue to lend me Your grace, please, as I continue to face that silly snake.  Help me to keep tying him in knots today.

Love, Your friend, Ericka

Third Parent Oversight

Dear God,


I don't know what to do and I'm not even sure what kind of help to ask for.  I am trying to avoid justification of the situation.  We messed up.  I hate to think that such a dumb mistake on our part could cost us our daughter.


I am so lost and I don't even know what to think.  I know that You have a plan to help things work out for the best, but I don't know where I fit into that plan.


Where is the line between turning things over to You and giving up?  When I don't know what to do, I do nothing.  So far, that hasn't panned out so well.


Please help us not to lose our little girl.  I can't handle the idea that she might really be better off without us.


Please grant me Your peace and Your wisdom as I have none of my own.


Love,  Eeka

Frustration

Dear God,

Help me to be the parent You want me to be for my kids.  Please give me Your strength to get through my day.  Help me to find some relief from this physical pain.

Thank you.

Love, Ericka

For my Dan, kind of . . .

Dear God,

I worry about my Dan.  He has helped me through so much yet I am not very nice to him sometimes.  Please help me to find way to share my concerns with him that won't frustrate both of us.  Or show me another way to deal with my concerns.  Please let him feel your love and see that he has an important job to do here as a daddy and a husband.  Help to heal his heart so he can help you heal his body.  Please help me to be an example of your love and help me to show him a path to your love.

Thank you for loaning him to me.

Love, Ericka

For Jesi

Dear God,

I know You are already looking out for Jesi and I am doing my best to trust that You are keeping her safe.  Please help her to feel Your love and support.  Help her to realize that You and her family will always love her and that she can always come home, to You and to us.  If You could  just send her a reminder to touch base with us so that we all can be reassured that she is all right and then we can support and help her in any way that she needs us.  Please help me to trust in Your love for her and not to worry so much.

Love, Ericka

My prayer journal

Dear God,

Please help me to use this prayer journal as an inspiration and a guide.  As I open my thoughts to You, please help me to also open my heart to the guidance that You are sharing.  Please use me in a way that I am best suited, even if it is not the way I expected to go.

Thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed upon me.  Thank You for my family and help me to have the patience they need so I can help to guide them in Your love.  Thank You for providing us with a home and the means to maintain it.  Please give me the courage to face each day and every challenge with Your strength and determination.  Please help me to see through Your vision so that I do not become so easily overwhelmed by the mundane things that clutter my home, my heart and my life.  Thank You for allowing me the use of so much during my short time on this earth and help me to remember to care for all that I have in a way that reflects the knowledge that I am only keeping money and possessions on loan from You and it is my job to maintain the earthly garden.  Thank You for the friends who bless my days and support me in my struggles.  Please help me be a window through which they can see the light of Your love and a warm embrace that shows them the true warmth of Your grace.  Help me to not take pride in accomplishments as my own, as we both know that I am capable of so very little on my own.

Thank You for the gift of my life on this earth.  Thank You for all that You have given me and help me to appreciate the physical body that You have provided.  Thank You for Your love and patience as I struggle to become more worthy of all You do for me.

Love, Ericka