How much longer before You come for us, O God? I read an article in the newspaper about an 81 year old woman beaten, 81! What in the world would someone want to beat an 81 year old woman for? You were with her, though. She called out to You silently in prayer and her attacker immediately stopped and ran! You are our Helper in times of trouble indeed, Lord. This morning I read an article about a baby thrown away, less than a day old. Suffocated. Oh, God, how can You continue to let us live like this? What is our world coming to? Surely You will come back for Your people soon. I don't understand why bad things like this happen. I mean, I know it's sin in the world, Adam and Eve and all that, but God, why must it be so bad? There is such an increase of violence in our country (and others) and the Godlessness is horrible. I used to not know anyone who didn't claim You as their Savior, but now I know more people who are not Christian than those who are. You tell us in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: "In the last times perilous times will come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, incontinent, fierce, despises of those who are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away." We truly are living in the last times, aren't we? I trust You with all of my heart to provide and protect us in our daily lives. Help me to live a life of hope and not fear or depression. Lord, help me find more good stories to read! Help me see the good in the world instead of all the bad. Dear Father, I need You in order to live a life worthy of Your calling. I acknowledge that I have sinned against You by directing my own life. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ's death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. I surrender all to You once again. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank You that You are more powerful than any of my circumstances. Today I ask You to increase my faith and to extinguish the fear that threatens to sap strength from my soul. Please help me to focus on You, not my fear. I lift up my shield of faith in the name of Jesus, amen.

Romans 12:1 states: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

It's said that the problem with living sacrifices is that they can sometimes crawl off the alter. Well, look at me. That's just what I did! How can I remain a living sacrifice, God? My dad has gotten my dander up again. I need Your peace, again. And I will again later, I'm sure.

1 Thessolonians 5: 16-18 says: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Okay. So I can pray continually for Your guidance and keep surrendering myself to You each time I try to crawl off the altar. I know You want more from me than the act of surrender. You want a life of surrender. Your Word, in 2 Cor 12:9-10, says: But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Father, I am weak in this area of caregiving. Please be my strength and give me a servant's heart. Help me to know that after I get some rest, good rest, that I'll be back to my normal self and not be so muddled. I love You, God, and I praise You for Your strength. Please work in my life according to Your will and purpose. I give You free reign. I feel better already! In His Name, Amen.