Tag: Covid-19

An Old Prayer. Today, our heart’s prayer and desire? #3

Ravi Zacharias spoke from the Book of Nehemiah to a group of missionaries many years ago.

His final encouragement, a memorized prayer written in the 1700’s by Charles Wesley, became my primary take-away:

O Thou Who camest from above,
The pure celestial fire t’ impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
On the mean altar of my heart.

There let it for Thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return,
In humble prayer and fervent praise.

Jesus, confirm my heart’s desire
To work and speak and think for Thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up Thy gift in me.

Ready for all Thy perfect will,
My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death Thy endless mercies seal,
And make my sacrifice complete.

Today, I’d like to work on memorizing this outstanding prayer, that it remain in my remembrance.

As we walk through a world-wide pandemic together, each has their own set of circumstance, yet we all have grief of loss. Each of us, are pressing through loss.

Shall we not walk up to Jerusalem, the city of our God, so to speak, with the song of Ascents, with newly kindled hearts?

I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
    as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, Psalm 123:1-3.

The Living Words revive us by giving us a place to look outside ourselves, our governments, our world.

Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith Hab 2:4. 

Apart from God we’re nothing. He graciously, through the blood atonement of His Son, grants mercy to those who believe.

Can we hear the voice of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness of our hearts today,

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Today . . .

Behold with me? Shall we confess our sins, each quietly to Him?

“And trembling to its Source return in humble prayer and fervent praise.”

“Jesus confirm my hearts desire to work and speak and think for Thee. Still let me guard Thy Holy Fire and still stir up Thy gifts in me.

Ready for all Thy Perfect will, my acts of faith and love repeat, ’till death Thy endless mercy seal and make my sacrifice complete.

May we open God’s Word and proclaim A Song of Ascents together:

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.
 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
    our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
 The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we are filled with joy.

 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
 Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them Psalm 126.

O Thou Who camest from above,
The pure celestial fire t’ impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
On the mean altar of my heart.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

A Tribute to Annie. A Success Story to Word Weavers

Rivers run through our history and folklore, and link us as a people. They nourish and refresh us and provide a home for dazzling varieties of fish and wildlife and trees and plants of every sort. We are a nation rich in rivers     Charles Kuralt

Word Weavers International and its Local Chapters, much like a river, helps nourish and refresh writers and provides a home of comfort and a kick to produce dazzling life and bold expression to bring glory to God.

Rivers move and cover great amounts of ground.

Years ago at a one day Word Weaver’s Conference, guest speaker, Eva Marie Everson, the President of Word Weavers International, concluded with attendees standing in a circle of prayer.

Reluctant to admit, the words in the prayer which spoke to me were, “Dear Lord, some of these writers might be writing to encourage others in their writing. Help us all be faithful to accomplish Your will, to Your glory, in Jesus name.”

Who wants to simply be an encourager to others’ writing? No one. But, those words God spoke to me.

Perhaps, this is a success story.

I began writing devotions after my cancer battle ten years ago. I felt a need to express “God’s Hand” of grace and help for me.

I joined Word Weavers International and made the commitment to attend the monthly critique meetings with a written piece, as consistently as I could. Encouragement, direction, and help from Word Weavers, (and my son for the technical side), helped me set up my WordPress blog.

Challenged with time struggles of work and family responsibilities, fighting writing demons of perfectionism and doubt, the writing continued . . .

s-l-o-w-l-y.

I have published nothing.

A move from New Jersey to South Carolina thirteen years ago separated me from Children’s Ministry friends from my old church, as Annie was, but fb helped keep us connected.

Annie read my blog posts and began messaging me many years ago asking questions about writing, etc. I told her of Word Weavers, shared links, helps, and tools.

I soon noticed that some of my Word Weaver friends became her fb friends.

Annie Lovell began calling herself an author on her fb page.

For the last few years, Annie poured out her passion and love for the Lord writing, God Moments by His Amazing Grace by Annie Lovell on fb posts. 

Her Timeline announced: Annie Lovell: All about Jesus, The Christ, who died, shedding His blood on the Cross, paying for my sins!

TimelineAboutFriendsPhotosVideosCheck-Ins

God Moments by His Amazing Grace by Annie Lovell were constant inspirational notes to promote growth and love of Jesus. Many of her fb friends greatly enjoyed her posts.

Annie’s cover photo was changed as Covid-19 spread throughout the world. Little did anyone know, but Jesus would soon be holding her in comfort against this dangerous virus.

March 18th, Annie offered her services to challenged families:

March 18, 2020 While you are homeschooling/remotely/digitally educating your kids, if you need assistance with understanding something that has been assigned for your child just let me know! I am a certified Elementary and ESL teacher, If I don’t know it, I likely know someone who will! I’d be happy to answer questions! #bettertogether(Teacher friends copy, edit and paste)!

On March 19, 2020 she wrote of the old hymn: Near to the Heart of God, and shared thoughts:

There is a place of quiet rest,
near to the heart of God,
a place where sin cannot molest,
near to the heart of God.

Refrain:
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
sent from the heart of God,
hold us, who wait before thee,
near to the heart of God.

2 There is a place of comfort sweet,
near to the heart of God,
a place where we our Savior meet,
near to the heart of God. [Refrain]

3 There is a place of full release,
near to the heart of God,
a place where all is joy and peace,
near to the heart of God. [Refrain]

March 19, 2020 Remember this old hymn, that’s where Jesus is and we can find rest there! No matter how high the storms in our lives go, we can always find rest “near to the heart of God.” Take a moment if you want and quieten yourself as we draw near to God(Jesus)! Thankful He lives in us and through us using trials to make us more like Him!

March 21, 2020 post was a shared memory: 

CoronaVirus this year instead of snow, but He is still giving us time to stop and reflect!! 2 Years AgoSee Your Memories
March 21, 2018 · Annie's friends"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" - Psalm 46:10I think God is talking to us this month! If you can’t stop and reflect on your own then I will send some snow to slow everyone down and offer them a time to reflect and “be still and know that I am God.”

Annie became sick, but shared posts:

God Moments by His Amazing Graceby Annie Lovell March 21, 2020The Lord just reminded me of these verses I learned as a child! Maybe you can teach them to your children!Psalms 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.Psalms 56:4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?

Annie Lovell went home to be with the Lord, March 28 due to Covid-19. This was a response to Annie’s last post: 

Thank you Annie Lovell for this last post of scriptures!
 The Lord is now your keeper. While we miss you and while we are sad we rejoice that you are sitting at Jesus’ feet! Love you so much! Miss you.


From her family's tribute they wrote,
"Annie . . . shared God's love daily through scripture, encouraging messages, songs, and sermons through her online ministry, "God Moments by His Amazing Grace." She worshipped her Lord joyfully, unashamedly, and powerfully . . .  A quote from her final online post reads: "He did it all, we did nothing. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Annie Lovell, an author who shared the glory of God’s truth, wrote with passion to link others to God’s Word . . . which will go on living to nourish and refresh for all eternity.

I thank Word Weavers International and my Local Chapter for its far reaching help to me, which I believe was an encouragement to Annie.

Like a river, Word Weavers provides a home for a dazzling variety of writers, sharing the riches of God.

To God be the glory!