Praying for Others

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I am worn out.

Me: You know you can’t shine if you don’t fill our lamp. I have an encouraging story for you.

This is from the book Psalm 91 by Peggy Joyce Ruth and Angelia Ruth Schum

One of my most memorable and exciting experiences was when I recently had the privilege of speaking to some of the residents of Seadrift, Texas, and hearing them tell stories of God’s magnificent protection over their soldiers during World War II. This is their story of the boys who went off to war and the families who stayed behind to pray for their safety. Joe Fred Coward, along with Hollis and Gerald McCown, said that they experienced miraculous protection during World War II, and they knew why. There was a group of mothers and friends in their hometown of Seadrift, Texas, who were fervently praying for their safety. Coward and the McCown brothers were among fifty-two soldiers whose photos were placed in a large picture frame at a church and prayed over daily until they returned. Everyone I interviewed was still excited to tell me, “All fifty-two came home!”

And, behold, Cushy came; and Cushy said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 2 Samuel 18:31 (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Jesus is the reason for the season.

Me: Amen!

This is a short video devotion.

click on the link to watch the video

Proverbs 14:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. (NKJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

No Greater Force

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: That looks yummy!

Me: Thank you!

This is from Choose Love by Stormie Omartian

There is no greater force in the world than God’s love. All the weapons of hate and cruelty cannot stand against it. The spiritually blind and intentionally evil try to oppose it, but they cannot ultimately win. That’s because all creation was formed and is sustained by God. And He gives each of us a free will to choose His love for our lives–or not.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me; O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Forgive Others

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I don’t know if he is worth forgiving with that attitude.

Me: Let’s talk about that, so that God can help us.

This is from the book Praying Through Life’s Problems by Stormie Omartian

Pray that you will forgive others. Often our greatest times of hurt, trial, difficulty, or disappointment occur when someone fails us–or we feel they have. People can hurt us deeply. But our fulfillment and happiness don’t depend on other people, they depend on God. Of course we rely on other people for certain things and it’s painful when they let us down. But the ultimate success or joy of our life doesn’t depend on them. We have to forgive and release them and not continue to suffer over what others do or don’t do to us. Ultimately our reward is in God’s hands. If we surrender our disappointment to God and say, “Be my light and lead me through this, Lord,” then His work will be accomplished faster. But if we wallow in the darkness of bitterness, casting blame toward God and other people, we end up suffering more.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20 (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Now that is high cotton!

Me: Well, thank you I tried.

This is a short video devotion

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 14:6

A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands it. (NKJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

The Lord Teaches

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I’ve got to toe the line today.

Me: That’s right.

This is from Lord, Teach us to Pray by Andrew Murray

And the first thing the Lord teaches His disciples is that they must have a secret place for prayer; everyone must have some solitary spot where he can be alone with his God. Every teacher must have a school room. We have learnt to know and accept Jesus as our only teacher in the school of prayer. He has already taught us at Samaria that worship is no longer confined to times and places; that worship, spiritual true worship, is a thing of the spirit and the life; the whole man must in his whole life be worship in spirit and truth. And yet He wants each one to choose for himself the fixed spot where He can daily meet him. That inner chamber, that solitary place, is Jesus’ schoolroom. That spot may be anywhere; that spot may change from day to day if we have to change our abode, but that secret place there must be, with the quiet time in which the pupil places himself in the Master’s presence, to be by Him prepared to worship the Father. There alone, but there most surely, Jesus comes to us to teach us to pray.

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Psalm 32:6 (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Marbles and Grapes

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: It is time to get ready for Christmas!

Me: Yes, but remember Christ.

This is from the book The Quest for Character by Charles Swindoll

Marbles or grapes, which will it be? Every congregation has a choice. You can choose to be a bag of marbles….independent, hard, loud, unmarked, and unaffected by others. Or you can be a bag of grapes….fragrant, soft, blending, mingling, flowing into one another’s lives. Marbles are made to be counted and kept. Grapes are made to be bruised and used. Marbles scar and clank. Grapes yield and cling.

Not everyone will try to be a grape or agree. Do not let that discourage you today. You can be a grape and from that others will be grapes with you. You can shape the congregation and have the body become what Christ wants the body of the church to be.

And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

MARK 1 : 11

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: The air is gettin’ chilly.

Me: Yes, time to warm up by the fire.

This is a short video devotion on Proverbs

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Christ’s Love

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I love Pecan Pie!

Me: Here is some of what Christ loves!

This is from Grace Abounding by John Bunyan

The church, and so every saved soul, is Christ’s love even when loveless.

Christ’s love is without a cause.

Christ’s love has been hated by the world.

Christ’s love continues when under temptation and desertion.

Christ’s love is from first to last.

I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodialpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Hazelnut

Posted on by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Look at all these nuts!

Me: Yes, but they can tell you about God also.

This is from Mother Juliana, 1373

He showed a little thing, the quantity of a hazel-nut, lying in the palm of my hand, as meseemed, and it was as round as a ball. I looked theron with the eye of my understanding, and thought, “What may this be?” and it was answered generally thus, “It is all that is made.” I marvelled how it might last; for methought it might suddenly have fallen to naught for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding, “It lasteth, and ever shall: For God loveth it. And so hath all things being by the Love of God.” In this little thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it. The second is, that God loveth it. The third is, that God keepeth it. For this is the cause which we be not all in ease of heart and soul: for we seek here rest in this thing which is so little, where no rest is in: and we know not our God that is all Mighty, all Wise, and all Good, for He is very rest.

Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psalm 32:2 (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org