by Shauna Millar | Jun 20, 2017 | Thank you
To all my wonderful friends and family who have the honor of being father’s – I want to wish you a wonderful day filled with love and laughter.
Speaking as a daughter, a father’s love is irreplaceable. It is so important to who we are and who we become. You have the honor and benefit of sharing, teaching and guiding your children as they progress through this thing called life. No matter how old or young your child is, remember that you are a template for how your daughter’s will view and interact with men in their lives. You are the template for how your son’s will treat women in their lives. You have such an important job while both raising and continuing to help guide your children throughout the years. A strong relationship will be one of the best gifts you can ever give.
Whether you are a father or a step-father or a surrogate father, you have the honor and privilege of helping to transform and guide your child(ren) through the storms that life will bring about. Use wisdom, lots of love and patience. Remember you are a port during those storms. If you do well your child(ren) will always run to you when they are in trouble. That is something that can never be replaced.
Thank you for being wonderful Dad’s! Happy Father’s Day!
by Shauna Millar | Jul 12, 2010 | Lord Hear Our Prayer
How many times have you gone to do something, only to be distracted by something else? Whether it is something as simple as the phone ringing and going to answer it, while you were getting ready to do the dishes or take out the trash?
Life happens so quickly, that we forget to take care of things. We often forget to pray. After all, praying takes so much time from our busy lives and those few minutes we can be doing so much more. No matter what the situation is in our lives though, we may forget to talk to the Lord, but God never forgets us.
When I first became a Christian, I remember hearing about how great God’s love for us is. The when we confess our sins, that He is faithful and just to forgive our sins. (1 John 1:9). I imagine Him tossing them into the ocean and them falling so far down that they are gone. As far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12) – that is how much He cares for us! And if He cares that much, how can He possibly forget us?
Sure with our minds, that are limited by what we know we can see and do physically, we also want to limit God. If we can’t do it, then how can He? If we can’t do it, why should He? Its simple, because he loves us. He loves us so deeply, that even when we turn our backs on Him (and we do) he waits patiently for us to remember Him. He waits for us to call on Him. He waits for us to seek Him. And when we do (this is the really exciting part) HE IS THERE! Waiting with open arms!
I realize that this line of thinking can open up the questions that people love to ask; If God cares, then why is there disease? Why is their sickness? Why? Why? Why?
If God loves me and never forgets me, why doesn’t He answer my prayers? I firmly believe that God ALWAYS answers my prayers. Sometimes the answer is “yes”. Sometimes the answer is “no”. And sometimes the answer is “wait”. The only answer we WANT to hear or are willing to hear is yes. Anything else, we don’t want to hear. Since we are unwilling to hear anything but yes, then it must be that God doesn’t hear us.
Lord,
Open our hearts and minds to your will. Help us to hear you, even when you tell us something we don’t want to hear. Help us to understand your ways. Your word says that if we seek understanding, you will give it to us. Help us to not only be willing to seek understand, but to accept the questions and answer that come with understanding.
Help us to know our limitations, our frailties, so that in our weakness you can make us strong. Help us to remember that you never forget us, even we we have turned away and forgotten you. Let us be a light set to shine upon a hill for others to know and love you.
We thank you for your grace and mercy in all things,
In Jesus Name we pray.
Amen.
by Shauna Millar | May 20, 2010 | General
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try or how hard you may pray, you may find yourself sick; whether its with the flu or just a cold. These times in our lives, we feel physically miserable. When you mention you aren’t feeling well, most people will respond with drink plenty of tea and/or liquids and get some rest.
When we are physically down, and we need something to help lift our spirits, this is a good time to take advantage of catching up on our reading, listening to music or simply relaxing.
So here are a few options: Have you ever heard of ‘scripture tea’. It is a tea bag with a scripture on it. I recommend the Green Tea, but there are different types to choose from. You can pour yourself a warm cup and meditate on God’s word.
If you have never read any of Jack Canfield’s Chicken Soup for the Soul. (There are several subject matters out there.) These are books filled with small, uplifting stories of everyday people. They are very inspiring and I have enjoyed several of them. Whether you just need a ‘bite’ to uplift you by reading one random story or you want the whole ‘bowl’; these stories are sure to lift your spirit.
As a final recommendation when you are allowing your body to heal from a physical sickness is praise and worship music. I love Praise and Worship; Ron Kenoly, Hillsongs, Matt Redman, Jeremy Camp. I could go on as there is a lot of really good praise and worship music out there. It is very uplifting to the soul.
So no matter what you do while you are sick, there are always ways to praise Him, to meditate on His Word and to Glorify Him through your actions.
Father God,
We come before you thanking and praising you for giving us another day. We ask a special blessing upon those who are sick today. No matter the degree of their pain, Lord, we ask that you wrap your arms of love around them, heal them. Lord we thank you that you have given us an opportunity to minister and pray for those who are sick and lonely. For those who are not feeling well, who are struggling with physical or mental pain or both Lord.
You know the needs of your people. We thank you for your healing power. We ask that you bless each and every person today. Let them know your light, your love and your power.
Thank you Father for all of these things and more.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
by Shauna Millar | May 18, 2010 | Lord Hear Our Prayer
Father God,
We thank you for your mercy and grace that you have shown our nation. We thank you that you continually watch out and keep us. Help us Lord to know your will. To know what you would have for your people. Help us to accept your healing hand in our lives and in our nation. Let us rejoice in the knowledge that you are a supreme God. You are Jehovah-Tsidkenu. The Lord our Righteousness. (Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16)
Thank you Lord for your tenderness toward our nation. For helping us to see you through the turmoil that appears on the horizon. Thank you for bringing the rain, Lord. To our nation, to your people, through your people. We thank you for being a Holy God. Worthy of our praise.
We pray for the peace and prosperity of our nation. Thank you Lord for allowing us to humble ourselves and come before you in prayer and supplication and thanksgiving.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
by Shauna Millar | May 15, 2010 | General
If you have ever been to the mall during Christmas time, you may have seen “Santa” there sitting in a big red chair. Next to him is usually a very tall tree with what appear to be brightly wrapped gift boxes. Children love to reach out for those prettily wrapped ‘presents’ under the tree because they believe that there must be something worth having inside them. How disappointed they are when they find out that they are empty. Still, some children don’t believe that those ‘gifts’ can really have nothing inside. How can a present so perfectly wrapped be empty inside?
It is like that with people as well. As a society we tend to judge others on what they appear to be. (Even though the bible tells us that we shouldn’t do this. Luke 6:37) Still we all desire to be beautiful on the outside thinking that this is all that matters – how can everyone be so wrong? Well, as with packages not all people who are beautiful on the outside are as beautiful on the inside. It is what we are; personalities, morals, beliefs, that we translate from the inside to the outside that make us beautiful. It is true that beauty is an inner attitude and some of the ‘most beautiful’ people in the world will tell you that what they feel makes them beautiful is who they are.
Looks can fade and our outward package definitely changes as we grow older and more mature. What is on the inside, who we are will become more important, not only to others but to ourselves. Having a firm foundation, a belief system that we put into practice by the way we treat others and ourselves is important.
Are you a beautifully wrapped empty package? Or does you beauty shine from the inside out?
Lord,
We thank you for who you created us to be. For allowing us to walk in your light and follow your path. Let you love shine through us, help us to know you more fully. To discover the truth about who we are and how we can know you better. Let those around us see our inner beauty as well as our outer beauty. Help us not to focus on ‘the package’ but what we can do with what we have been given.
Let your light shine through us Lord. We praise you for giving us the opportunity to show your love through us. We thank you for the wonders of your creation and the beauty in the world. Let us focus not on what our flesh looks like, but on what our hearts and minds look like. Reveal to us what you would have us to be.
In Jesus precious name,
Amen.
