A Very Specific Prayer...

Tonight I asked for a very specific prayer at church. Normally I would just put down an unspoken request, but the Lord laid it on my heart that I needed to share a portion of the unspoken request. I gave just a short version of the relationship problems that I have with my mom and grandma and shared the burden on my heart about desiring reconciliation but not seeing that happen. We prayed for it among many other requests. As it turned out there is another woman who attends our church that is having similar issues with her mom. We stood around after church and I shared the majority of my story with her. Now when I say the majority of my story that includes my own shortcomings. She was really open to what I had to say and I pray that God got the glory during my story. I did share with her where I felt God had led me and that I looked to His Word to guide me at all times. I told her where I had really messed up at Ciara’s Thanksgiving breakfast, but that I had asked for forgiveness from God for that. To me it’s always encouraging when other people look to their church family to fill a void from a broken genetic family. What God has given me in a church family has so far surpassed any wish I had for a real family. They are my real family. We are tied together through the blood of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t get any more real than that. After we talked she walked away encouraged in the Lord. We both promised to pray for each other and to continue to lift each other up as we see each other. I goes to remind me of the passage where Jesus said He didn’t come to bring peace but division. He said in that passage that father would be divided against the son and mother divided against her daughter. He also said anyone who didn’t love Him more than their family wasn’t worthy of Him. God has drawn a very clear line for those who choose to follow Him. I always seek His wisdom in this situation and though I don’t always make the best decision, I do make an effort. If you would, please pray for all of those who struggle with broken families; not just us with the problems that I have already stated but also for those children that come from divorced families. Our families are in a very sad state and desperately need the love of Christ pulsing through them. We all need more of the love of Christ in our lives. With the season of giving and love among us now, I pray that we are filled with the love of Christ and that we can show it to all of those we are around.

Melissa Fitzwilliam