Praying For Your Children

If you are joining me because you saw my article about Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, welcome to my blog. I am so thankful you stopped by to visit. Please leave me a comment, I would love to get to know you more!

When I first began to spend time with Christian women, they asked me if I prayed for my children. Well, that offended me a bit. Of course I prayed for my children. Doesn't everyone? Did I seem like someone who did not pray for my children? I prayed for my children...every day...well, maybe not everyday...well, at least every few days...well, I prayed when I remembered...for their health, their behavior, their school work, and the like.

However, as my heart grew closer to God, and I learned more about prayer, my prayers for my children changed. God taught me WHAT to pray...things I never ever thought to pray for them. In this post, I want to share with you what God taught me.

Heavenly Father, Creator of every good and perfect gift. Thank You for entrusting me with my precious children, Lauren and Bo. Father, I commit these children to you, and I pray that my children will.....

receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior

love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength

commit their lives to make Jesus Lord

fear the Lord

learn to pray and praise Your Name, the Name above all names

have thankful hearts

know who they are in Christ

be protected from the evil one by the blood of Jesus physically, spiritually, and emotionally

love the Word of God

learn to hate sin and love righteousness and holiness

believe their bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit

glorify God in their bodies and remain pure until marriage

find healthy, edifying, godly, and wise friendships

walk in the wisdom of the Lord

know the joy of the Lord

seek to please God and God alone, not themselves and not others

maintain a deep devotion to Jesus and Him alone

find the godly mate God is preparing for them even now

grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man

I ask this in the powerful Name of Jesus Christ My Lord, AMEN.

Chicago...Harpo Studios...A Day to Remember

Friends,

Where do I begin to tell you what an amazing time I had in Chicago?! Thank you for your prayers and your inspirational words of encouragement. Please know that God was at work in and through them in powerful ways!

We had a great flight to Chicago on Wednesday. Upon landing, we headed over to Harpo Studios and grabbed a semi-relaxing lunch at Wishbone about a block from the Studios. God provided for us every step of the way, down to parking spots and perfect timing.

We arrived at Harpo about 3:20, and I was to begin a live recording for the show at 4:00. As we walked through the wrought iron gates and tight security, my stomach churned...excited and nervous all wrapped up on one. We met the entire production team and listened in as they pre-recorded a show to be played while Dr. Berman is on vacation.

About 3:50, stomach really churning now, I entered the recording studio to meet Dr. Berman. She greeted me with such kindness and made me comfortable after our first few words. We talked about our families and a bit about my story.

A few minutes before we began, a woman walked in the studio that I had not seen before. She introduced herself as the Executive Producer over all of Oprah Radio!!! She said she "just happened" to be in town for the day to do an interview with Gayle King that morning and asked if I would mind if she sat in on the interview!! As I said, God was truly evident every step of this day.

Alicia, Dr. Berman's producer who invited me, is a most delightful woman and also put me at ease. As the minutes ticked off, and we were about to begin recording, she encouraged me with words of wisdom, a big smile, and a thumb's up. I could see my sweet husband sitting behind her which brought me comfort because those last few seconds before recording began, I wanted to run out of the room!!

Alicia told us I would be on anywhere from 15-50 minutes, depending upon how the interview was going and how calls came in. Well, the moment the interview began, it was INCREDIBLE. Sharing my story is always hard the first few minutes...but necessary to set the stage for what God has done. As the interview proceeded, Dr. Berman allowed me to share that my faith in God and God alone is what healed me from by pain and brokenness. She graciously gave me several opportunities to share that part of my journey. For all of you who prayed for that, praise and thank God!!

We took several calls, and Dr. Berman allowed me to answer their questions, and then she would join in with her thoughts. We went the entire 50 minutes!!! She mentioned my book several times throughout the interview and encouraged women to buy it who had been through this experience.

I am so thankful to Dr. Berman, to Alicia, and to the Executive Producer of Oprah Radio for airing a story about surviving sexual assault. As I said in my earlier blog, the statistics are astounding, one in six women are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, one in four college women are assaulted while in college, and sixty percent of sexual assaults go unreported. We need to publicize this information, to encourage women to go for help if it happens to them, and to educate women on how to protect themselves and what to do if it does happen to you. Dr. Berman and Oprah Radio did that, and I am so grateful!!

Wednesday, April 22nd is a day that I will never forget...a blessed experience I will treasure forever. I thank God that He took the words we spoke and used them to bring hope, healing, and pertinent information to the women He drew to the radio that afternoon. And I continue to pray that He will do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine with it.

By the way, that night my husband and I shared a romantic (and delicious) dinner at Quartino's in downtown Chicago. It was WONDERFUL and such a treat after our long but exciting day!!

Blessings to each of you...so thankful for you,

Sexual Assault...A Crime of Opportunity

Rape. A word every woman fears.

I will never forget arriving at the emergency room on June 7, 1986, walking up to the triage desk, and the receptionist asking me, "May I help you?"

"Yes," I replied, "I need to see a doctor."

"What are you here for?" she asked matter-of-factly.

As the words rolled off her tongue, I hesitated and then spoke three words I never thought I would utter: "I was raped." As the words came out, shame and humiliation surged through my body.

From that day forward my life has never been the same. It is now my passion to not only share the hope and healing I have found but also be the source of information and education that I never had.

Do you know that 1 out of 4 college women are sexually assaulted every year? Do you know that 1 out of 6 women some time during their lifetime will be the victim of sexual assault? Do you know that approximately 60 percent of sexual assaults go unreported every year?

The statistics are astounding! In this blog and the next, I would like to share some very important facts with you regarding sexual assault.

Sexual Assault Is A Crime Of Opportunity!!! What do I mean by that? Rarely is a woman assaulted by a stalker. A perpetrator selects his victim because by her unintentional actions, she has made herself an easy target. By following a few simple steps, you can avoid being an easy target. I learned some of these first hand. Please share them with all the women you know!

S - Avoid Compromising Situations
never leave your drink unattended
never accept a drink from a stranger
only accept a drink when you see the bartender pour it and hand it directly to you
never be alone with someone you do not know
always be sure a friend or family member knows who you are with and where you are going


A - Be Aware of Your Surroundings
know where you are at all times
know what is going on around you
know who is around you
never have conversations within range of a stranger that reveal you will be home alone, closing a business alone, etc.

F - Go With Your Feelings
if your intuition tells you something is not right, pay attention and respond (chills down your spine, hair stands on end)
flee if you feel uneasy or uncomfortable
call 911 if you sense danger
never ignore your feelings because they may save your life

E - Don't Be An Easy Target
secure your home and car by locking your doors and windows at ALL times
never walk alone at night ANYWHERE
never open your door to a stranger
ALWAYS ask for identification when expecting workmen

Some of these sound simple and obvious. But I violated three of these prevention steps. I had a conversation out at the pool which unintentionally announced to everyone around me that I would be home alone. My roommates left our front door unlocked which allowed the rapist easy access. I had a "strange" sensation when I walked in the apartment and saw our front door locked because we usually left it unlocked for each other. But I ignored that "feeling" and walked up the stairs right into the arms of an armed, masked man.

Please read these, learn them, and follow them!!! Pass them on to your friends. You may very well save a life!!

Wendy Live on Oprah Radio!!

Only God can open such amazing doors!!! Next Wednesday, April 22, 2009 my husband and I fly to Chicago for an interview with Dr. Laura Berman on Oprah's Radio Network. The interview will be live from Harpo Studios at 4:00 CST/5:00 EST. I am so thankful for this opportunity.

Much of the time when I speak, I focus on the Christ-transforming part of my story. This interview gives me the opportunity to focus on another important facet...prevention and education. Sexual assault is a crime of opportunity. Rarely is a rape victim specifically targeted and stalked for days or weeks. Rather, a victim is one who, by her innocent actions, has made herself an easy target. Perhaps she left her front door unlocked (as I did). Perhaps she walked to her car alone at night. Perhaps she left her house key with the valet. Perhaps she unintentionally let it slip she would be closing at work that night alone. Perhaps she accepted a drink from someone she did not know well. There are important steps we as women can take to protect ourselves.

And in the terrible event you find yourself at the hands of a rapist, there are important steps you must take immediately following the assault to protect the evidence and yourself.

These are the issues I will focus on next week with Dr. Laura. I pray the Lord will open the door to share the amazing healing I have experienced as well. I trust He will give the words that will feed every woman listening no matter her faith.

Please pray for God to work in and through this interview to reach women with the message He has for them. He knows what each woman needs...what their journey is. Pray He would fill my mouth with His words. Pray for favor with all whom God puts in our path. Pray for safe travels. Pray for my children.

I am so thankful for each of you who so faithfully encourage and pray for me and my family.

Be sure to visit my blog again on Tuesday where I will post the information that I will share on Dr. Berman's show.

Paul's Prayer

In my quiet time a few weeks ago, the Lord took me to Ephesians, Chapter 3. In verses 14-21, Paul prays a prayer for the believers in the Ephesian Church. Paul's words took me deep into thought, especially as I read Ephesians 3:18 in the Message:

And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

In the NIV Paul prays that we

may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know that this love surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Paul prays that believers in Jesus would know experientially the immense love of Christ...the exceeding greatness...the unsearchable riches.

Why did He choose words like high, wide, deep, and long? Because He wants to show us the incredible capacity of this love.

The breadth of God's love reaches every age, every gender, every nation, every race and class

The length of God's love has no beginning and no end, it reaches from the foundation of the world through eternity

The depth of God's love reaches to the depths of our souls, nothing can hide from His love, no sin is too great for His love

The height of God' love reaches to the highest heavens, we have access to the throne of God and can approach that throne in full confidence

Paul goes on to say that when we know this love, we will be made complete!! In the King James translation, he says believers will be "filled with all the fullness of God."

Sweet friends, our God is waiting to fill us with Himself to full capacity. His desire is for us to enjoy Him fully...His grace, His peace, His love, His forgiveness, and His gifts.

The word "filled" here is not like filling a cup with water; it is from the Greek word "pleroo," which means "to be controlled by." God wants His love to control us fully...every area of our lives.

You can hear the measure of God's sacrifice in the words, He gave His only Son. The person God sent to save us from our sins was His one and only Son.

Add to this the horrific death by crucifixion that His Son had to endure, it becomes clear that the sacrifice God made...the sacrifice Jesus made...is indescribable. But God chose to do this because He loves us with a love that is INFINITE AND INEXHAUSTIBLE!! It never runs dry.

How much greater is this love when we consider how unworthy the recipients! It is out of the riches of His grace, the unsearchable riches, that He chose to do this great act for us.

I pray this day that we each would KNOW this infinite, inexhaustible, and indescribable love.

Precious Father, thank You for the amazing gift of love we celebrate every year at this time. Thank You for sending Your One and Only Son to die a criminal's death so that we could experience how high and long and deep and wide is Your love. Father, if anyone is reading this that doubts your amazing love or has never experienced your love, would you confirm this love to them. Would you reach down from your throne in Heaven and by the power of Your Holy Spirit make Your love real in tangible ways. For all who read this, Lord, would you help them to see their needs and their unanswered prayer in the light of your love. Help them to know that nothing has come into their lives that has not first passed through Your loving Hand. Help them to know that You will provide all they need when they need it. Thank You that You will be faithful to that which we commit to You. I ask this in Your Son's precious name. AMEN

The Highest Love

Holy Week...a most precious week calling us to pause and reflect on the true meaning of LOVE. If you are joining me from Proverbs 31, www.proverbs31.org, and read the daily devotional I wrote today, I am so thankful you stopped by.

In a few days, Christians celebrate the greatest gift ever given...the unconditional love of God as revealed through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus.

In our world today, more often than not people reject Christianity, labeling Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, rigid, and intolerant. These words break my heart because if the world could really see and know the TRUTH behind Christianity, they would change their minds. Those words describe some Christians but NOT the heart of Christianity.

John 3:16 says,

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God's love is unconditional. Conditional love says that if you don't measure up, if you don't perform, if you don't obey, if you don't meet my needs, I will not love you.

God's love for us has no relation to our behavior. It is everlasting and never changing. We project conditional love on God because as human beings it is nearly impossible for us to grasp unconditional love. It seems unreasonable to our human understanding where we need to perform, to deserve what we receive.

But God's love is "agape" love...SACRIFICIAL love...the love that sent Jesus to the cross. We need only believe God did that for us...paid that debt for us in full for all our past, present, and future sins...and accept that gift, and it is ours!!!

When we know that love and fill our hearts with that love, we live differently. We don't want to mistreat, to judge, to criticize, to hurt...we want to love with the same kind of love. The deeper we grow in relationship with God, the more He fills us that love, and the more that love transforms us.

If we as Christians would LIVE this HIGHEST LOVE, the world would not only love Christians, but be drawn to Christianity.

This Easter season, let us make it our prayer to receive the love of our Father, the gift of His Son, and commit to use it to change our little corner of the world.

Easter Blessings to you,

Amazing Answer to Prayer - Update on Lauren

Words escape me again.....

I wish there was a way to reach through this blog and see each of your sweet faces and give you HUGE hugs!!! You filled me again and again with every comment you left and every e-mail you sent.

Yes, you encouraged me, but you also gave me opportunities to pray for you...to take my heart and mind off my own trials and turn them toward yours. I found such great joy in that. Together, we have been living out God's promise in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I scheduled an appointment with another orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion on April 28th. I did not want to wait that long to determine next steps, but that is what he had available. After reading through many of your prayers, Scriptures, and promises from God yesterday morning, I left for Bible study with a heavy heart.

While I was sitting in prayer for leader's group, I shared with my friend, Lynn, the appointment we had scheduled and my dismay at having to wait almost a month. Lynn asked who our doctor was. When I told her, she smiled and said, "you know, Wendy, the wife of that doctor's partner is sitting right next to you!!!" Sally and I talked and by lunchtime yesterday, Lauren had an appointment for 8:30 this morning.

Although she is not healed...yet, Lauren has a peace now. He told her she can be as active as she wants; she can continue to cheerlead and tumble; in fact, he encouraged it. We can rest in that right now. Her pain comes and goes, and we can work with that through exercise and medicine if needed. God is good!

Blessings and much thanks to each of you for loving and praying for our family,

Wendy