I'm being watched

Today at work I was reminded of one principle: my kids are looking to me for how to live. I brought one of my little girls in, three year old Hannah, in to do the computer work with me. I put her on my lap and as I was signing kids in and out for the day. She and I sat and we talked about her weekend and giggled together. Next thing I know she tapping on the desk. She was imitating me typing on the computer. She was watching everything I was doing.

It was a humbling yet sobering thought. She was watching me all the time. Meaning I need to be on my game all the time. The habits they see me doing, they will imitate and possibly carry on with them in their lives.

So let me ask you this...if little eyes were watching you, would you want them repeating what you were doing?

The Effective Prayer of a Righteous Woman

James 5:16b says, "The effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much." I'm not sure I consider myself a righteous woman. Actually, I am a dirty rotten sinner. God has saved me by His grace. I am not perfect by any means. I am just a simple servant of God trying to live how He wants me to live.
This past week my heart has been so burdened for others. I know so many people who are hurting and crying out for healing. My heart broke hearing others being so broken and beaten down. But here is the thing: I can not do a thing about these hurts on my own. That's where the idea came. I know the only One who can do anything for all these hurting people.
The original idea was to pray through the night. I didn't make it through the entire night, but the three and a half hours I spent with my Heavenly Father were PHENOMENAL. Part of the time I journaled my prayers, the other part, I poured out my heart to my Abba.
Here are some of the things I have gained from this experience.

• First, I cannot even begin to fathom how much my God cares for me and those I love. If I care so much for these people, imagine how much God's heart breaks when we wander from Him or how much joy He has when we come back to Him.
• Second, God wants to hear from me. Not only that, He says, "Come to me. I am all you need. I am the only one who can truly satisfy You. Nothing I created can complete you like I can. Just come to me."
• Thirdly, I need to be in prayer. Now don't get me wrong, I pray multiple times a day. But not often do I set aside complete blocks of time to spend just in prayer with my Creator. From now on I will be making a concious effort to set aside time each week to spend this time with God.

Yahweh,

You are so amazing. I am forever grateful for all the blessings you have placed in my life. You created me to serve You. Help me to be faithful. Give me the strength to focus on You. Help me to obey You and You only.

Your precious Daughter,

Jessi