MEMORIAL DAY

TAPS:
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. (Lyricist Unknown)
On this Memorial Day, as we honor those who have served our country, there is one thought to hold dear. “God is nigh. God is near.” Nothing else is necessary. Let us pray:

“Father God, on this day we honor those who have served our country, we also remember that they have honored you by defending this country you have given us. You have placed your people in countries all around the world to fulfill your purposes. That makes each nation, a holy nation. For all who believe in you, God, and call you Father, reveal your peace, your love, your forgiveness, and your grace. This madness will stop when your son, Jesus, returns. If you are not ready for his return, send your Holy Spirit of love, acceptance, and peace like a gentle rain from Heaven, that all may know you as Christ revealed you to us. Hate cannot continue to live where your Holy Spirit of Love dwells. Let every knee in every nation, bow to your Holiness, the Holiness of peace. In the name of Jesus Christ, your Son our Savior, I pray.” Amen
Doris
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2011 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.

HOLY GROUND

“When I walked the street of Jerusalem, it felt like I was on Holy Ground.” How many times have you heard that from friends who have traveled to Israel?

Jerusalem is the Holy site of three major religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and is at the very center of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to BBC News. The Garden Tomb, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are only a few of the holy sites within the Old City. These and other sites could be cut off to visitors if East Jerusalem were to go to the Palestinians, along with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Also, Israel would not be able to defend such narrow borders as are proposed, reverting back to the 1967 boundaries. If we were all to revert back to former boundaries, we would all have to fit within the Garden of Eden. We must stand with the children of Israel while they work out a solution for their brothers.

Jews, Muslims, and Christians all trace their religious linage to the tiny country of Israel. For the Palestinians to have a homeland, people with large hearts and generous natures must find a solution that does not leave Israel vulnerable to attack. As Robert Frost said, “Good fences make good neighbors.” Do I have the answer? No. But, I believe it is possible for people to live side-by-side in peace—if those involved are willing to do so. Let us pray that these ancient, feuding brothers,Isaac and Ishmael, the sons of father Abraham, may find a way to make space for the Palestinians, while respecting the good fences of the other’s border. Let us pray:

“Holy Father, creator of us all, how you must long for peace for your children, for a home, a resting place. We pray that your kingdom may come swiftly to usher in the Day of our Lord. When your son Jesus returns, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is the Redeemer. Forgive us when we have tried to tell you how to organize your plan for us, according to our desires and goals. How very foolish we are. We pray for a submissive heart that we may follow your lead and a straight spine to stand up for all of your children. We pray for peace in the middle-east, that all your children may lay down their weapons and take up love of neighbor. Give us guardians at the gate who will allow safe passage while standing strong against those who would deceive. Speak, Lord, that we may hear, not the blistering discipline we deserve but the loving words of our father. Forgive us for our unwillingness to have an open heart for love. You have a solution to this grave unrest around the world. Let us listen, let us hear. In the name of and by the power of Jesus, your son, we pray. Amen”
Doris
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2011 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.

The novel: Length of Days - The Age of Silence by Doris Gaines Rapp - will be available this summer.

Mending Wall by Robert Frost. http://writing.upenn.edu accessed May 23, 2011.
www.bbc.co.uk.com accessed May 23, 2011.

MY GOD IS AWESOME!

“Hurry up God!.”

There are some who would like to hurry God along, hastening the day of Christ’s return. Can you imagine the arrogance of someone who thinks their plan is better than God’s? Are we more capable of deciding the details of God’s plan than he is? Oh how foolish we can be?!

Some claim to know the date of Christ’s return. Jesus said he did not know. How can the son of God return in glory if we know his thoughts before he does? How foolish can we be?!

I realize that not all religions understand their calling to be a servant ministry. Any God worth believing in has to know more than we do! Our God is awesome! He is so much larger and greater than anything we can imagine or have language to describe. Why do we not trust him? Why do we give lip-service as “followers” of his, then run ahead and call to him to catch up to us? Oh how foolish we can be?!

May this be the day we begin to rely on God’s wisdom, on his plan, and on his power. Let this be the day we no longer interpret God’s looks, his thoughts, or his timing in human terms and realize he is far more awesome than anything we can imagine! Let this be the day we lay our foolishness aside and grow into the likeness of God! Let us pray:

“Holy Father, how awesome is your presence in all the earth! You have given us all that your son Jesus has and we have often cast it aside in favor of bobbles and toys. You reveal your plan for us, one step at a time. Forgive us when we try to take the lead. Walking point, we don’t know where we are going and usually get lost. We want to follow Jesus all the way to your precious feet where we can kneel in worship. We live in dangerous times, Father; we ask for the great joy of your presence and the assurance of your grace. No one can threaten you. With you in us and us in you, we are safe in your mighty arms. Praise your holy name! We pray in the name of our son Jesus, our Savior, in whose footprint we trace. Amen”
Doris

“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2011 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.

The novel: Length of Days - The Age of Silence by Doris Gaines Rapp - available this summer.

TEENY-TINY

“Once upon a time there was a teeny-tiny woman who lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet, and went out of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk.” (The Teeny-Tiny Woman by Paul Galdone)

Do we all live teeny-tiny lives? God has so much more for us! When we follow Jesus and believe in him, we inherit ALL that is his as the son of God! How large is that!?

I believe that only that which is truth and love goes into Heaven, since God himself is Love. Just think how teeny-tiny we would be in Eternity if we do not learn to love here on earth. Love still holds others accountable for the wrong they do. How can they grow in love if there are no consequences for their wrongdoing? But, our response to hate, to lies, to evil—must be to pull up the rock under which evil lives, stamp out the death and decay that hide there, and leave fragrant petaled love behind.

Impossible? No, come, sit at the feet of Jesus and learn Love. When you are in Christ and he is in you, you are in Love and Love is in you, then only love can be the response. You don’t have to work at it. You are not in control of Love. Love will simply flow forth like healing waters from the fount of God. Let us pray:

“Holy Father, Love Devine, you are the purest of pure, sweetest of the sweet, lover of love. You call to us to step out of this evil world. You wash us whiter than white in your own love, your own light, your own re-creative power. We ask that your holy kingdom may fall down like a brick fortress around us that we may dwell safely in you and you in us, that only love may remain. Forgive us when we have chosen teeny-tiny lives over the abundance you have for us. Forgive us when we have been afraid of the light and stayed in the familiar surroundings of the shadows. Give us the courage to step forth boldly into the brightness of the Son and live a life of service there, never brighter than Love, nor dimmer than the Light. In the name of Jesus, your son, our Savior we pray. Amen”
Doris
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2011 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.

PRAYER THERAPY PRIMER - free first five pages!

Celebrate families on Sunday! Go to my publisher's blog and read the first five pages of PRAYER THERAPY PRIMER. www.danielshousepublishing.blogspot.com.

If you are interested in reading more, you can purchase an eBook copy, for your computer or eReader, at www.bn.com.

Blessings and have a wonderful weekend!
Doris Gaines Rapp

THE NOTHIN' MAN

“Nothin’ in my life ever goes my way!” he moaned. I wondered what he could possibly want that he doesn’t already have, that he thinks he needs. It seems the minute we get what we thought we wanted, we either devalue it and want it no more, or we simply raise the bar and want another step higher. To what? Then I thought of that other, sweet fellow, the Muffin Man, and this contrast came to me.

“Oh do you know the nothin’ man, the nothin’ man, the nothin’ man?
Oh do you know the nothin’ man? He lives down Misery Lane.”

In 2 Corinthians 8: 13-15 we are blessed with: “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.’” (In reference to manna gathered in the wilderness.)

Our ministry in life is not to acquire more and more, with an insatiable appetite, never being full. We are to share what we have when we have plenty and allow others in our lives to be generous when we have little, for we never have too little and we never have too much. Let us pray:

“Oh Father, my God, glorious is your name! May your kingdom come in my heart, that I may experience Heaven in my life this very day. I ask that I may see your blessings all around me, like the Mallard duck pair in our back yard yesterday. Why do I miss the gold, while searching for tin? Can it be that I don’t recognize the precious prize when I see it? Let me see truth today, Father! I can search the whole world over and never find the sweetness in my own home. In your heart, we are all equal, from the Bishop to the lady who cleans the bathrooms. Forgive me when I don’t see that or bury that truth in my heart. Let me believe it, Father, so that I may take up the ministry you have for me and press on through life to the glory of glories in Heaven. In the name of Jesus, who left the streets of gold and the privilege of being in your presence, to live with even me, I pray. Amen”
Doris
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2011 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.