I am so blessed that in my beliefs, I can go straight to God with my prayers through Jesus Christ.  I can be doing anything at anytime and say prayers for thanks, requests, and praises.  Through the Holy Spirit I can also receive answers!  We so often think we must be in a holy building or place to do this.  But isn’t everywhere and everything that we know about Holy because of God?  A building or structure cannot contain God.  Only man can contain God.  Freedom is wonderful!  No matter your beliefs, exercise your prayers today and every day.  Do not overlook your freedom this week.  As we celebrate this Thanksgiving season, give your thanks for this amazing freedom.  Exercise it greatly with your freedom of prayer anywhere and anytime!

Praying

I pray in the dark of night.

My prayers go out in the light of day.

On the way to the doctor.

Coming home from the grocery.

 

I pray in the shower.

While I decorate with flowers.

As I wash up dishes.

And as I sweep the floor.

 

Prayers go up in my big soft comfy chair.

They go out as I pray on the front porch.

I pray loving on my puppies.

And with my head on my pillow as I dream of my children.

 

I pray over the amazing food I am given.

And for the warm water as it hits my face in the morning.

My pleas are heard at a stop light.

And in line at the department store.

 

My prayers fill the sky that is filled with winter stars.

I pray in the garden.

And on the church bench.

Beside the small creek under the trees.

 

I pray at the hospital with family.

And at the ballgame with friends,

Invocations waft out as I cap my strawberries.

And as I smell my coffee.

 

I pray as I gaze upon the stars.

As the sun rises,

My voice is heard by God.

During the sunny day,

I give thanks by prayer for the sun and fluffy clouds above.

 

At the end of the day,

My requests are made as the beauty of the sun disappears in an array of colors.

And when the dark comes upon the Earth,

I whisper my pleas to God.

 

When the butterflies flutter by,

They carry my prayers to God.

I pray into the eyes of the deer,

And know I am heard by God.

 

The birds listen to my prayers,

And chirp them to God.

I whisper my prayers to God,

And the white birch waves them into the heavens so He can hear.

 

I have been given the grace to come to God anywhere, anytime.

My prayers can happen anywhere, anytime.

And they are answered anywhere, anytime.

When I am praying and listening anywhere, anytime.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

With us being in this Thanksgiving season, lift your prayers up!  And be ready to accept those answers!  The greatest gift we are given is the freedom we have in our beliefs within this country.  Give thanks in a very big way this season with prayer!  My prayers for you and yours during this season are that you are blessed with joy, love, free beliefs, and free prayer!  I am so very thankful for the love you show me!

Love,

Rennae

 

 

Grace

 

 

 

 

I can not explain why, but dread seeps into my heart this time of year when the clocks have fallen back and bring the dark out so early.  It’s like the whole community rushes from wherever, work or activities, to their safe space before the darkness takes over.  It also makes our hearts heavy, and we seem to retreat, sometimes from ourselves and others.  Although this is a tough time, we must push to continue shining our lights!  We must consciously keep our minds and hearts open and beating!  Seeking positive, good directions and thoughts.  Don’t let that darkness dominate!  Take your dark and make it into a sky with lighted stars!

The Dark at Dusk

It comes so quickly now.

And it last so long.

The trees’ silhouettes appear like black spaces in the sky.

The dark creeps down and covers the sun.

 

The pitch black appears.

And it causes a clearness in the air.

The coyote’s screech can be heard clearly.

The dark brings a chill to the night.

 

We hustle and scamper to get inside.

No one waits to be left in the dark.

Because it is in the dark where our nightmares arise.

Our greatest fears surface so they can be seen.

 

The hand of the darkness moves across the hills, the grasses, and the trees.

Until it smothers everything with the absence of light.

The dark is a pitch, deep black canvas.

That canvas is a background for silence that is very clear.

 

For some reason the dark pulls us deep into depression.

It takes away our shadows.

And makes our heart so cold.

Cold toward others and ourselves.

 

Our bodies want to slumber where the warm calls us.

We seek the light provided by the inside.

We are led to the fire provided internally.

Comfort draws us in to escape within the light.

 

The day light will arrive when it comes about slowly again.

It will have a longer stay.

All our shadows can be seen again.

And the sun will cover the dark.

 

The light will break the abyss of the dark earlier.

And it will stay late.

The dark can only hold us for so long.

Our lights will only be covered for a short time.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

I pray for you and yours a bright transition during this intercession toward winter.  Surround yourself with warmth and warming souls!  Read encouraging writings, warm with coffee, cocoa, fires and blankets, and soothe your transition with friends and family conversations.  Blessings of light upon you this week as the dark moves in!

Love,

Rennae

 

 

Journey

 

 

November is always a time we think of thanks.  We pour our hearts out and give thanks for so many things and everything.  I just always think of my Mom and Dad at this time.  They never turned a stranger away for a meal, and they always gave what little bit they had in helping someone else.  This was their thanks for their blessings!  If money wasn’t given, then doing a job for someone or being there to support someone was what they did to serve others.  During different holidays, like Thanksgiving, you never knew who might show up to share a meal and the blessings of the day.  We so many times think that to serve someone, we have to put on a big show or spend enormous amounts of money, but it does not have to be like that at all.  I do not know the number of people whose souls were comforted by conversation under the garage with Em and Jim while sipping a cup of coffee.  My parent’s names may not be on a library building or highway, but their names are in the hearts of many people!  I realize they never knew how many people they served, but I saw how many they did.  A word of encouragement, a pie, a call, time to just listen, or the smallest sincerely unimportant act of kindness.  So, as you give thanks this month, think of small things you can do for others that demonstrates thanks for their being.  To repeat myself, it does not have to be a big deal. Just paying for someone’s coffee behind you in the coffee line, letting the Mom with three small children cut in front of you in the grocery line, or a word of thanks to your checker or waiter/waitress.  Passing your thanks on in a way of “humble hands” will go a long way in this world!

Humble Hands

I looked at his rough hands.

And thought of the many planks he had carried.

I glanced into her heart.

And saw all of those that she had helped.

 

I really tried to look beyond the physical attributes I saw.

It had become hard these days.

Caring and remembering where they had been.

And where they had gone.

 

Their sweet bodies showed the signs of life.

Life lived to the very fullest.

But in a hard way.

And for a long time.

 

They genuinely cared for their family.

Always believing in an extended one.

Calls of love each day.

Celebrations together every season.

 

They always gave thanks.

For the pennies they had.

And for the souls they treasured as friends.

Enjoying kindred spirits during rough times.

 

Always being thankful enough to share.

If not with money.

With hard work, food, and support.

But always there for those in need.

 

Sharing every day,

Not just once in a big way.

Giving their smallest morsel or their last penny,

So others could be blessed.

 

Demonstrating that service is giving.

And giving is love.

Believing it is by the humble hands we serve.

Not by arrogant hearts.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

During this month make your thanks “humble hands”, and serve someone in a special way!  Look for the opportunities.  You will be surprised how many times God sends an angel your way to help.  Don’t overlook the opportunity to give thanks by serving!  Serving others is serving God.  I thank you with all my heart for joining me this week!  Thank you for allowing me to serve you with encouraging words and love!  I am so thankful for you!

Love,

Rennae

 

Blessings