I so need to share this with you

Hello to all of you. I have to tell you this story. I am going through a trial with my mom. It is not easy. I have a young lady that I work with, who I am also friends with and her father is a pastor. She has shown me times of such great wisdom, from the mouth of babes. She handed me a CD of her father's sermon from Sunday. She said she never thought to give it to me before now, she gives it to another woman at work but not me. I was so blessed by this CD. God does not make mistakes and His timing is always what we need. The CD was about Praising God no matter what. What a revelation to me. We need to praise him no matter what. He udes PSALM 34 and also this passage which is a little long but I feel God really wants me to share this. Acts 16:

 ²² A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. ²³ They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. ²⁴ So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

 ²⁵ Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. ²⁶ Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! ²⁷ The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!"

 ²⁹ The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

 ³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." ³² And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. ³³ Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

 ³⁵ The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!" ³⁶ So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace."

 ³⁷ But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!"

 ³⁸ When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

Praise Him in your triumphs and your failures. He is alwasy their and I know that I need to thank Him for my mother and continue to praise Him no matter what. He brought me this far, He will never let me down. I pray you all have a blessed day.

In Christ
Karyn

Hi, Karyn.
That's one of my favorite stories in the Bible. The jailer was trembling because, first of all, he'd felt tremendous fear--if a prisoner escaped on your watch, you forfeited your life!--and because Paul & Silas did not escape when they had the opportunity to do so, the jailer was under extreme conviction of the Holy Spirit. No doubt he had heard their praise songs and felt the earth quaking. He had heard, felt, and seen the power of praise.
Here's a song I hope you'll enjoy. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYw_lWwwA8
Keep on praising. God is moving in the cir****tance with your mom.
Blessings,
Mary

God is so good and I thank you for all the inspiration you give me straight from God's mind to your mouth to my ears. I thank God for that. I also love "Praise The Lord". I thank you for this because that song will be in my head all night until tomorrow.


In Christ
Karyn

Thank you for sharing that.  My mother and I are estranged right now.  She is 82 years old and has buried both of my brothers in the past three years, and out of bitterness, she cut me off and has told me to never darken her doorstep again.  My sadness is deep, because I have spent my entire life not accepting that Mom is mentally ill and incapable of giving me the love that I have craved and needed from day one.

Yet, I forget that Abba Father has love abundant and overflowing. 

Thanks,
Trish

Trish, I am so sorry that you are going through this. It really is not easy. I have found though in the last 2 days that as long as I look to God and ask Him how to deal with the issue I find the right path. The emotions that go along with it I have had to give to Him also because the emotions is what casues me to react in a way that is not pleasing to God. God has shown me that no matter what happens He loves me and My mom more than any human being ever could, so my love for her may not be enough but God's love for her is. I have also, with God's help have had to give up trying to make her see my point of view and allowing God to take cover. This too shall pas, Trish and you will only become closer to Him for it. Praying for you and God Bless you for sharing something so painfull.

 

In Christ

Karyn