Today I have struggled as to what to write and share. Over the past few days there have been many different feelings and emotions that I have had to work through. I have seen the great work of God in the lives of certain individuals and have also seen the pain and devastation due to sickness, addiction, sin, and death. Recently there have been a few events that have affected my family that have affected us deeply. The battles that I have been facing have made it difficult for me to hear from God like I have in the past, focus on His word intently, in reality to accomplish anything that I feel that I need to do for the kingdom. In simple terms, I have been a scrambled mess. I pray often over what is written in *Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.* But as I pray and let God know that “I was thinking” and He says, “your thoughts are not My thoughts.” And then I say “maybe if we go another way”  and He responds ”your ways are not My ways.” Then in frustration I say, “I can’t do Your will” and He tells me in a still small voice, “He is with me and can help me to do what He has called me to do.” I feel like I let God down so many times and He reminds me that I was never holding Him up, He was holding me up. My prayer, Dear Lord, thank You for all that You do for me. Help me to live this day with Renewed attitude of Gratitude. Please clear my mind of the distractions of all that is going on in the world so that I can hear from You. When this world closes in on me, remind me of Jesus’ example – to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. Please continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for the broken. I pray for those who are lost and can’t find their way because at times I am one of them. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood because I know those feelings all too well. I pray for those who don’t know You intimately for I visit that place way too often. Give me confidence in believing that there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than what You can handle. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. Thank you for being a gracious and loving God. I praise You in my pain. I thank You for my trials. I trust You when I am tempted to lose hope. I love You when You feel so far away. You alone are my hope, strength, light, peace, and most of all my comforter. Help me to glorify You in all that I do by the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God and not my own, in Jesus’ precious and powerful Name, Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support for the ministry activities that God has entrusted to me at pastord.blog@gmail.com