Thank You!

I am home from therapy. My precious therapist prayed with me and we had a good sesssion. I could feel your prayers. Knee unlocked and went to 114 degrees. My ultimate goal is 120. I am so encouraged. Still lots of pain to work through but I think I can do it. I love you. Thank you so much for your prayers. Please pray for my sister, Mary Jane. Today is her birthday--her first one without her son, Matt. If you didn't know it already, I love you. You are so precious to me.

Please Pray For Me

I go for therapy in two hours and my knee is locked and will not bend to the position the therapist wants it to--I've been through lots of pain in my life with ruptured discs, having babies with no anesthesia to speak of, etc. etc but I have never experienced anything that even remotely comes close to this. Please pray either that I will be able to bear the pain or that my knee will unlock. I feel like I can't take much more of this. My heart goes out to you who suffer pain like this every day of your life. Thank you.

Just a Short Note

Hi there!  Surgery went well--rehab is tough!  Time consuming, painful, etc. etc.... Some days I wake up and think I am making progress--others I feel like I have taken some giant steps backwards--at any rate,  some things I have not been able to do are two of the things I love most--reading and writing--so-- needless to say I haven't been on the computer much except to rent movies--I am so thankful for my laptop--it has been a lifesaver. I am spending up to 6 hours a day on the Continuous Passive Motion machine--at the angle I am now, it prevents reading comfortably so I have watched a lot of television--something I haven't done in years--and something I am anxious to get away from as soon as I recover enough--I also go to outpatient therapy three times a week and other exercises here at home.  By the time I am through with it all, I am exhausted--also became anemic due to loss of blood during surgery so it has been tough trying to regain my strength. I hate for this to sound "all about me."  I hope all of you are doing well--please let me know in the comments section if there is any way in particular that I can pray for you and yours.  Still coveting your prayers, Dianne

Peace I Leave With You

Sunrise brought the dawning of a glorious day here in central Arkansas, a Bible study from Philippians 4 that my husband had prepared for us, and the promise of great peace.

 I went to bed last night and slept without an anxious thought and I give God all the glory.

 I want to sincerely thank you, my precious friends, for all the prayers you have lifted heaven's way for me. I am feeling them in a mighty way.

 The last few days have been very hard and I have been very anxious and I was certainly not the poster child picture for Philippians 4--you know--anxiety free. But satan lost and God gets the glory because today my heart is at peace.

I usually handle things better than I have for the past week or so but this has proven to me once again that without God intervening I have no ability to "handle anything."

 I pray that your heart is at peace today also--no matter what you are going through.

 Jesus said: 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

Prayers for Phillip

As most of you know I lost my nephew, Matt, a little over a month ago--a very sudden and unexpected loss--but God--yes, I said "but God"-- For if it wasn't for Him and His peace that passes all understanding I honestly don't know where our family would be.

 Matt's brother, Phillip, was in Afghanistan at the time of Matt's death. The next morning after Phillip arrived home, my sister walked in and found him fast asleep on top of the washer and dryer.

 It seems that in Afghanistan, one way the soldiers deal with the effects the war has upon their sleeping patterns, is to turn the dryer on and get on top of it so that it "lulls them to sleep." I've heard of new parents putting their babies in their car seats and doing this but had never heard of an adult taking advantage of this.

So I am asking for prayers for my nephew, Phillip, today, in a far away country defending the United States of America--him, with his wounds still so fresh.

And prayers for all our soldiers today--and I pray that the Prince of Peace would invade their sleep patterns and give them sweet rest.

River of Delights

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, 

 your faithfulness to the skies.

 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.

 O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

 How priceless is your unfailing love!

 Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Psalm 36:5-9

Loyal Friends

Hi loyal friends. Just wanted to check in with you and let you know that I am scheduled for knee replacement surgery later this week. I will be popping in and out over the next several weeks--I have no clue if I will feel like posting or not but just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't think that I had deserted you.

 I would love it if you would consider going to the "Pray With Me" section of my blog and praying some of the prayers for those listed at the bottom of the page--all of the Renewal Ranch guys are listed there as well as some of your sons and daughters and nephews and nieces.

 And while you are at it, would you please say a special prayer for my husband as this will not be an easy time for him either. Please continue to pray for my sister and her husband, Mary Jane and Mike, in the loss of their son, Matt. I appreciate you, fellow blogger and prayer warrior, more than words can express.

 Love, Dianne

P.S.--a bit of good news--our highs are supposed to be in the high 70's in a couple of days.  We can hardly wait.  It has been a doozy of a summer--many all time records broken and we are so ready for a cool down.  Sure hope it is nice where you are today.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,  but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

Here is another little video of Renewal Ranch I thought you might like to see--it has been updated some--might still have the same song--I hope you will flip over to see the very last picture if you don't have time to look at it all--there is a cross in it--and shortly before that there is a picture of a lovely gal, the girlfriend of one of our guys, and I would love to see if you can guess who she strongly resembles.

Uncharted Waters!

Would we think it absurd if a sea captain abandoned his compass for the day--just because he had crossed these particular waters before and thinks he knows the way? Frankly, I would not want to be on that particular vessel.

 How is it that we as Christians think we can abandon God's Word for a day? Is it because we really don't think we are abandoning His Word but think we have enough of it stored in our hearts to see us through the day? Is it because we are too busy? Is it because of priorities?

 In my Christian walk I have had periods of dedication to God's Word--times when my devotion was so great that I would do anything not to miss the reading of His Word--no matter what was on my schedule or what time I had to arise to do it--and I have had periods when I was not devoted--when the least little thing could send my attention flying off in any direction.

 And yes, I know the consequences of both. I know how fresh manna from heaven feeds the soul, the thinking, the reactions, the wisdom, the faith. And I also know how trying to store and use yesterday's experiences with God and His Word are not the food I need for today.

 God himself would not let the Children of Israel, as they roamed through the desert, depend upon yesterday's food.

We will experience uncharted waters today. Will we be prepared or will we be floundering? I encourage you to go to His compass today, His Word which will lead, guide and direct you.

 If we come to Him while the sailing is smooth, it will be natural to come to Him when the uncharted waters get choppy and breakers threaten to take our last vestige of hope.

At the very top of those angry waves when the storm has reached its peak, when we are hanging on with all our might, the sharks of doubt and fear below us, if we will look up, we will be able to see into the expanse--the lighthouse beckoning on the distant shore.

Charles Spurgeon reminds us of this in his morning devotional for today.

Be assured that thy God will be thy counsellor and friend; he shall guide thee; he will direct all thy ways.   In his written Word thou hast this assurance in part fulfilled, for holy Scripture is his counsel to thee. Happy are we to have God’s Word always to guide us!   What were the mariner without his compass? And what were the Christian without the Bible? This is the unerring chart, the map in which every shoal is described, and all the channels from the quicksands of destruction to the haven of salvation mapped and marked by one who knows all the way.   Blessed be thou, O God, that we may trust thee to guide us now, and guide us even to the end! Charles Spurgeon