2009 - AUGUST 23 to SEPTEMBER 6 - JESUS BRING THE RAIN!

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It's interesting when two people in the same town pray for totally opposite things to happen on the same day. Years ago, my husband Steve was the preaching minister with a church in west Texas. One day two men came by his office at different times. Knowing that Steve was steadfast in his prayer life, the first one, a farmer, asked Steve to beg God to bring the rain so that his crops in the field would be nourished and not die. The second one owned a roofing company and business had been slow. He requested that Steve pray for God to send just the right kind of hail storm that people would need to have insurance companies replace their roofs, thus giving him plenty of business. God answers our prayers with "NO!" or "YES!" or "WAIT!" He also weighs the thoughts and intentions of our hearts!

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If you read my last post, you know the dilemma that barometric pressure and an ensuing storm bring to our home. As Hurricane Bill has headed for the shore, the climate on the East Coast has definitely been effected. I'm sure that there are some people who need the rain and are thankful for the storms. I scream - GOD HAVE MERCY - on days like yesterday and today! I have the head knowledge that there are reasons for most things and that GIGATTAATTGIG! Sometimes my heart screams otherwise!
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Over the past few weeks, multiple people have removed themselves from the GIGATTAATTGIG group on Facebook. Several have informed me that the more they have thought about this concept, it seems that their lives have gotten tougher. Several are just not sure that they really believe the phrase. One person emailed me and said, "Faith just seems so hard to hold onto or trust anymore." James, the brother of Jesus, responds to this in the book of the Bible that he wrote:
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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith

develops perseverance.

Perseverance must finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

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There are several contemporary christian songs that address this issue of "rain". They get us to pondering on whether or not GIGATTAATTGIG. I have put two of those songs on this blogs playlist. As you have been reading this, Michael Smith's HEALING RAIN has probably been playing in the background. Will you join me in listening to the second song on the playlist and following along with it's thought provoking words below?
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BRING THE RAIN by Mercy Me

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I can count a million times

people asking me how I can praise You

with all that I've gone through.

The question just amazes me.

Can circumstances possibly

change who I forever am in You?

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Maybe since my life was changed,

long before these rainy days,

it's never really ever crossed my mind

to turn my back on you, oh Lord

my only shelter from the storm

but instead I draw closer through these times.

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So I pray:
Bring me joy!

Bring me peace!

Bring the chance to be free!

Bring me anything that brings You glory!

And I know there'll be days

when this life brings me pain...

but if that's what it takes to praise You -

Jesus, bring the rain!

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I am Yours regardless of

the dark clouds that may loom above

because You are much greater than my pain.

You who made a way for me,

by suffering Your destiny...

so tell me what's a little rain!

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So I pray:
Bring me joy!

Bring me peace!

Bring the chance to be free!

Bring me anything that brings You glory!

And I know there'll be days

when this life brings me pain...

but if that's what it takes to praise You -

Jesus, bring the rain!

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Holy, holy, holy!

Holy, holy, holy...

Is the Lord God Almighty...

Is the Lord God Almighty...

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NOTE -8/23/09 @ 10:30 p.m.: Since posting this early this morning, I have learned that the group Mercy Me had a car run into their tour bus this month. There has been tragedy. A comment made by one of the singers includes these words:

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"Every night on stage when we introduce our song,

“Bring the Rain”,

we talk about God being in control.

If we believe what we say,

then we must continue to look at how

He will get the glory through this,

and bring healing to so many."

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You can learn more by accessing their website here:

http://www.mercyme.org/main/

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GIGATTAATTGIG!

2009: AUGUST 9 TO AUGUST 23 - TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS

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It is even in the storm that the strength, majesty and power of God are revealed:
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1. The hours of pressure before the storm arrives...
2. The dark clouds and rumbles in the distance...
3. The moment of stillness...
4. Then, much like Psalms 77:17-18 describes, "The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, Your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked..."

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Some of you have shared on Facebook about some of the amazing displays of God that you have seen in the storms, the last few weeks. I've heard of majestic lightning shows in Kansas and Nebraska. One person shared about a storm causing so much electricity in the air that the hair on people's arms stood on end in Texas. A status or two said, " enjoying more global moisturization" and "I LOVE THIS WEATHER!"

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Our daughter has excruciating headaches from multiple triggers including barometric pressure. She can tell you about 3 hours before a storm will hit with great accuracy. I have never paid as much attention to storms as I have lately to the multitude of them that have come our way in South Jersey. Today there have been two - one this morning and one as I am typing this. As the pressure changes and the darkness envelopes outside our home, the pressure builds inside Jessica's body to where she is almost paralyzed. There is no place that she can be touched on her body without it hurting. Now, as I watch the rain subside and the sinking sun peak out behind the trees, I know that her pain will decrease soon. There is light... hope... at the end of each storm for relief. Still, it is a horrible condition! God have mercy! We know that You are good - no matter the difficult circumstances!

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As Job said in his darkest times, in Job 13:15-16...

Though He slay me,

yet will I hope in Him;

I will surely defend my ways to His face.

Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,

for no godless man would dare come before Him!"

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I remember another storm. It was 1986. We were moving from Indiana to western Nebraska. Steve was driving the U-Haul truck. Behind him were two cars holding our 4 children, my sister, her husband, and me. It was night and we were on Interstate 70, in Illinois, east of St. Louis. Traffic was heavy and the storm was torrential! Our vision was limited. Driving was tedious to say the least. Then, it happened! The U-Haul truck stalled. We had to slam on our brakes. I screamed, "LORD save us! LORD help us!" It seemed that there would be no way any of us would get out alive. Hope seemed fleeting as we heard horns and the whiz of the cars passing by...

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Then, in almost slow motion, not understood by any of us at the time, it seemed that there was no traffic, no one coming behind us. It was as if we were in the eye of the storm. It was as if God took His hand and held back the traffic.

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It was later that we were to learn that a trucker had seen our horrific situation and radioed back for miles for truckers to build a wall of protection in front of us, beside us, and behind us. They did! They moved traffic over to the left of what I believe was a six lane spread of highway headed west. We were able to get our cars over to the right and breathe easier until more help arrived.

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Oh, I know... not everyone has such a "perfect" ending to a story like this. In this case, I am 100% sure that God chose to answer our prayers with "YES!"

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Just as I was typing the word "YES!", Jessica's door opened, and she headed down the hall... she is moving again... hope... LORD, save us! LORD, help us! GIGATTAATTGIG!

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HOW DO YOU RESPOND

WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE COME?

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