Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a joy filled day! Al is at men’s group and I just put a dinner in the crock pot as I am trying a new recipe. We have Bible Study this afternoon and then I have Women’s Bible study at church tonight. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   Prayer is powerful and able to move mountains! It makes a difference in our lives and for those whom we pray. It can change the very outcome and bring victory but the enemy would whisper that our prayers have no effect. Don’t believe him for we have a direct line to the Lord.
   Scripture is full of prayers and Jesus told us to pray and to never to give up or lose heart. (Luke 18:1) We can pray for encouragement when we are struggling and ask that He would lift our spirit. We can pray when we need guidance and are unsure of which way to go. When we feel guilty over sin in our life and need forgiveness and to be set free, we can bow in prayer. Maybe we are sick and need healing, we can come in faith for His healing touch. Or we have concern for loved ones that don’t yet know Him; we can ask that he send people into their lives to point the way. Other times we might be so overcome with gratitude for all that He has done for us, that we lift our hands in prayer and thanksgiving. We could go on and on, but prayers can cover everything.
   I wonder why we often try to solve our problems on our own before turning to the Lord. It should be our first response so we can know if we are to be even a part of the answer.
  Jesus lived a perfect life and yet He took time alone with His Father and asked for strength etc. Surely, we who are so imperfect, need to pray and seek the Lord all throughout our days.
  Perhaps you remember reading in 2002 about the 50 Christian truckers who got together to pray that the sniper would be caught that was causing terror in Washington, D.C.  One of the truckers, Ron Lantz, was soon to retire and believed God would answer their prayers. I read how he told others that God was going to use him to catch the sniper. One day while driving he felt led to pull into a rest stop in Maryland, which was only a couple miles from where the truckers had prayed. He could hardly believe it as the Chevie car that was being described on the radio was right before him. He read the license plate that matched and dialed 911 immediately. While he waited, he drove his truck across the exit ramp so there would be no escape route. The police arrived and apprehended the murders without incident. We can be assured the 50 truckers who prayed knew that their prayers were powerful.
Challenge for today: Pray throughout your day and watch for God’s power to be unleashed.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy