I want to share this song with you with a prayer for God to meet you at your deepest point of need. Close your eyes and bask in its truth or watch the pictures. Either way, I guarantee your soul will be blessed.

Know you are loved,

Grace

Slovakian street scene

Our Slovakia evangelistic family camp began last Sunday. Campers arrived in the afternoon and the program kicked off after supper.

Interestingly, a camp of teenagers moved into the hotel on Sunday afternoon, too. They took the floor directly above ours, and supervision was either invisible, non-existent, or taking an extended break somewhere. What can I say? The next  morning, at staff meeting, our team reported that the ruckus from above lasted until 5 AM. Furthermore, one couple on the team reported that men were drinking alcohol and breaking bottles throughout the night, directly below their window.

Miracle of miracles, I never heard a thing. When I went to bed around midnight, I stuck plugs in my ears. They obviously work very well. Our in-country camp leaders spoke to the hotel management first thing in the morning, but they received no guarantees about quieter nights ahead. Regardless, we all began praying about the situation.

We also began praying about a health issue that appeared out of nowhere overnight. One of our Canadian career staff, a gal in her 20s, is directing this camp. She awoke on Monday morning with extreme joint pain and swelling in one of her fingers. She’d neither bumped or sprained her finger to cause an injury.

Personally, I try to be cautious about not giving Satan more credit than he’s due while, at the same time, acknowledging that he is crafty, powerful, and bent on stealing, killing, and destroying. If what happened on Sunday night was spiritual warfare, then I’m not surprised. Two nights before this camp began, I woke at 3 AM from a nightmare in which an evil presence threatened our lives and the lives of our children. I can still recall every vivid detail.

In 2008, while ministering at a family camp in Slovakia, I experienced a sense of evil, too. It came not in the form of a nightmare but as an oppressive cloud that lasted for four days. The enemy bombarded me with lies about my marriage…lies that I knew were totally unfounded, and yet they came so fast and furiously that they would have undone me had I not prayed and praised my way through the darkness with my husband’s help. That experience was so black that it took nearly two months before I could speak about it to anyone other than my hubby, who was with me when it happened.

Spiritual warfare is real. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against unseen forces and principalities. We enter battle mindful that God has given us the spiritual armor we need to conquer. And so we pray and move forward, expecting Him to grant victory. Would you pray with us as we do battle for the Eastern Europeans we’ve grown to love?

The Roma people are more commonly known as “gypsies,” although, as I understand it, the latter term is slang and shows a lack of respect. They originated from India and were invited to Eastern Europe as artisans and as bodyguards for political officials. When Communism took over, they were assigned jobs such as sweeping streets.

Communism fell in 1989. At that time, millions of people lost their jobs. The people that remained employed were, of course, the most well-educated. The Roma did not qualify. Tragically, unemployment is a huge issue even today. In one Roma ghetto, for instance, the unemployment rate among men is nearly 100%. Alcoholism and incest run rampant. So does garbage, disease, and the rat population. Hopelessness abounds apart from Jesus Christ.

Church at Lunik IX, a massive Roma ghetto in Slovakia

I’ve visited Eastern Europe’s largest Roma ghetto twice. In that midst of that hopelessness, a group of believers meets to worship twice/week, shepherded by a converted Roma man and his wife. I had the privilege of meeting the couple and interviewing them for a Power for Living article about three years ago. Two years ago, I enjoyed the opportunity to attend their Sunday service. This congregation shines as a bright light in the darkness of Lunik IX.

Last weekend I worshiped with a different Roma congregation. It, too, shines in the midst of the darkness and hopelessness of a ghetto setting. When I sat down, a Roma woman dressed in her Sunday best—a dark skirt and a shimmery silver jacket—immediately sat next to me. She greeted me in her language and shook my hand. I gave her the traditional kiss on each cheek. I “introduced” her to my husband using simple English words and sign language. She understood and shook his hand, too. Then she returned to her original seat.

The service proceeded with music, an offering, the sermon, and lastly, an invitation for anyone who wanted prayer to come to the front of the sanctuary. The pastor and three others positioned themselves at the front, and within moments, men and women of all ages filled the center aisle. The worship team played and sang quietly as, one by one, these folks stepped forward for prayer.

The lady in the silver jacket was one of the four standing at the front. Each time she finished praying for someone, she’d turn toward the center aisle and smile at the next person in line. She’d motion for him/her to come and gently touch the person on the arm as he/she approached. Sometimes she’d put her arm around the person’s waist. She’d listen intently as the person explained her reason for wanting prayer, and then she’d set to work.

Her facial expression said it all. If I could sum up her expression in one word, I would choose earnest. Eyes closed, brows creased, face turned heavenward, she called on God to answer the cries of her neighbors and relatives. Knowing that they all live in the ghetto located mere yards from the church, I could scarcely imagine the scope of their hardships and the depth of their pain.

The scene moved me deeply. When the service ended, she approached me again. Without a word, we embraced in a heartfelt hug and exchanged two more light kisses. “What is your name?” I asked.

“Viera,” she said. Then, with a translator’s help, she added, “I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

“You are my sister in Christ, and I feel the same way,” I said. “I want to tell you something. When I watched you pray, I could see care and compassion on your face. I thought, This woman is a ministry leader.”

Viera’s face registered shock. “Me?” she said. Then she smiled. “Thank you, thank you.” And then she asked the question so many in Eastern Europe ask us: “Will we meet again?”

“Yes, someday,” I said. “If not on earth, then in heaven. And when we meet there, we’ll be able to speak without a translator.”

Viera nodded. “Yes,” she said. “That will be wonderful.”

Before we parted ways, she introduced me to her daughter, granddaughter, and 3-week-old great-granddaughter. She told me that she has nearly 30 grandchildren and at least that many great-grandchildren. Her son—the baby’s grandfather—is only 36. Do the math. Great-grandma Viera is probably younger than me.

I climbed into the van with a new dream in my heart. What is it? Someday, if God wills, I’d love to partner with Viera to do a women’s conference in her church. Why not? The women in her neighborhood desperately need healing and hope. Jesus provides both. Maybe He’d allow me the honor of participating in sharing the Good News. And who knows? Maybe some of you could be involved, too.

Dear Father,

If I focus on the state of the world around me…

Families broken

Integrity lost

Truth abandoned

Rights demanded

Life devalued

I could wring my hands in despair.

Instead, I will pray to You—the true and living God.

My children are growing up in this tainted, suffering world.

Their only hope is that You govern every aspect of their lives…

Choices

Friendships

Time

Entertainment

Career

Life partner.

Thank You for loving them more than I ever could.

I trust You to develop in them character qualities that honor You…

Love

Wisdom

Holiness

Truthfulness

Humility

Fear of the Lord.

Thank You for having a special purpose for my children’s lives.

Please teach them Your ways so they will…

Hunger and thirst for righteousness

Treasure Your commandments

Say no to temptation

See others through Your eyes

Serve others as Christ did

Recognize that their strength comes from You.

Thank You that Your plans are to give them a future and a hope.

As they grow up, please fulfill Your promises to…

Satisfy their spiritual hunger

Make them shine as lights in the darkness

Give them peace and add years of life

Grant them favor and a good reputation in Your sight and the sight of man

Cause their lives to prosper and bear fruit

Know the joy that comes from serving You first, others next, themselves last.

Hear this prayer for my children, dear Father.

Please give them pure hearts so they might…

Know You intimately

Obey You

Cling to You

Praise You

And love You

Because You loved them first.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

© Grace Fox 2011

Photo courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Grace Fox is an international speaker at women’s events and the author of four books including 10-Minute Time Outs for Moms, 10-Minute Time Outs for You and Your Kids, and 10-Minute Time Outs for Busy Women. Her fourth book, Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation, now has an accompanying 7-part teaching DVD and Bible study guide complete with leaders’ notes. Ideal for small groups!

“Please, God, use Moving From Fear to Freedom to encourage women of all ages. Direct listeners’ and readers’ hearts into the fullness of Your unconditional and sacrificial love. Protect them from the enemy’s tactics by guarding their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Thank You in advance for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ”

If you’re interested in knowing more about the upcoming corresponding study guide and 7-part DVD teaching series for Moving From Fear to Freedom, fill out the form on my website home page and I’ll send you info when it’s ready for release.

Speaking of moving beyond fear, I’ve meditated on Daniel’s life this week. Imagine what he may have felt like when he learned about the law written to kill him. Frightened? Probably.  Angry? Perhaps. Some people might have flown into a rage at the injustice. Some would have run for safety. Who would blame them? Not I.

But Daniel was no ordinary guy: “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God” (Daniel 6:10).

What enabled Daniel to defy the king’s edict despite facing death in the lions’ den? His faith in God, built over time spent in His presence on a regular basis. That faith far outweighed fear, filled him with courage, and even enabled him to express thanksgiving in the midst of knee-knockin’ circumstances. Wow.

Daniel’s example inspires and encourages me. I hope it does the same for you. It proves that fearful circumstances needn’t knock us off our axis. They needn’t put us into a panic. When they strike, we can stand firm in our faith and trust God – with whom we’ve been pursuing relationship – to see us through.

What difficult circumstances are you facing today? An abusive relationship? The recent loss of a loved one? A heart-stopping medical diagnosis? A job lay-off? Whatever you’re facing, know that God is bigger. Go to Him in prayer. Read and believe His promises. Give thanks that He’s sovereign, powerful, wise, and loving. Take practical action if your circumstances warrant them. And then be still and let God be God.

Know you are loved, my friend.

We spend hours in solitary confinement writing a message we believe could give direction, bring hope or change lives. We do our homework, researching the best markets for those messages. We attend writers conferences to learn more about our trade. We wrestle to understand and adjust to ever-changing technology and its effect on individual writers and the publishing industry at large. All this while trying to meet the expectations and financial burdens placed on us to market our work due to constraints on our publishers’ budgets. And then we receive the inevitable rejections, the polite no from editors. It’s easy to lose our footing, to grow discouraged, to lose sight of our calling, and to go out in search of a “real job.”

The Psalmist dealt with the same feelings but for a different reason. He’d poured his heart and soul into following God and obeying His commands. He’d done his best to live in integrity, developing and guarding an untarnished reputation. But then he began to question the effort he’d exerted. He wrote, “But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness…” (Psalm 73:2,3).

Comparing his lot as a God-fearing man to the prosperity of those who ignored God’s ways left him frustrated and envious. He asked tough questions such as, “Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?” He began slipping into the abyss of discouragement, wondering if his efforts to follow God were worth it, but then he caught himself. He wrote, “Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked…Then I realized that my heart was bitter and I was all torn up inside” (vv. 17,21).

What enabled the Psalmist to realize his precarious position? Spending time in God’s presence. Doing so renewed his perspective. It helped him realize the slippery path he’d followed and the lies he’d believed about the prosperity of the wicked.

The Psalmist then regained his footing by reviewing assurances of God’s love toward him. “Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand,” he wrote. “You guide me with your counsel; leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever…But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do!” (vv. 23-26,28).

When I, as writer, feel my footing slip…when I allow circumstances within the publishing industry to discourage me…when I begin to question my calling…I must do as the Psalmist did and go into God’s sanctuary. I must withdraw for a time, pour over the Word, and seek God’s face in prayer. Doing so renews my perspective. It helps identify the places in my heart that need revival. And it reminds me that God loves me no matter how many books sell or how many contracts I carry. He holds my hand. He guides me with his counsel and leads me to a glorious destiny. Relationship with Him is to be desired and treasured above success by human standards.

This is where my heart is today. I received a rejection on my latest book proposal last night, and I’m seeking God’s face regarding where and how to proceed from here. If I focus on rejection and disappointment, I’ll surely lose my footing. But if I keep my perspective in the right place, my heart will be strengthened in Him. No matter what happens, God loves me and I am His.

How’s your heart? Have you felt your footing slip for some reason lately? If so, how did you regain your perspective?

One of my friends, a woman I’ve known for 25 years and who ministered with us in Poland this summer, was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with leukemia on Monday evening. Then there’s my daughter’s friend whose 2-year-old was diagnosed with the same disease on the same day. And then there’s a beautiful young pastor’s wife who just discovered she has a brain tumor.

My mind can scarcely comprehend the shock and changes that these folks and their families are facing right now. As I wend my way through my to-do list, I pray for them often and ask God to be their strength. I ask Him to comfort them, to remind them of His presence, and to touch their bodies with His healing hand. And I admit, I wonder why He has allowed these things to happen to His children.

I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that the news about my friends didn’t surprise God. He’s in control, and He’s promised to be with them. No matter what happens, they can be victorious because of His faithfulness and unfailing love in their lives. My heart’s desire for them is based in Psalm 40:1-3…

“Dear Father,

I pray that my friends will wait patiently for You to help them. Turn to them and hear their cries. Lift them from the pit of despair. Set their feet on solid ground and steady them as they walk along. Give them a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to You. Amaze others with what You do on their behalf, and use their situations as a catalyst for others to put their trust in You. I pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”  

Do you have friends or family going through a hard time? If so, please feel free to adapt this prayer for them or to pass it along to someone who can use it.

The virus kept us awake nearly all night and flattened us with hourly bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. When morning dawned, Gene slowly rolled out of bed and prepared to teach our English class. I remained in the prone position, afraid to roll over lest the slightest movement trigger nausea again.

When the flu first struck a couple of days prior, my friend Ewa had assumed the role of a modern-day Florence Nightingale. She’d attended to other staff and campers; now it was time to check on us. She groaned when she entered our room and saw my green face. “Oh my friend,” she said, handing me a packet of electrolyte powder. “Mix this with a cup of hot water and take little sips over the next hour.” Then she gave me a packet of mystery powder. “Mix this with a small amount of water and drink now. Trust me.” Then she dashed from our room to continue her rounds among the sick.

The reality of spending the entire last day of camp in bed, too weak to sit or stand, left me feeling like a failure. This wasn’t the way camp was supposed to end. I’d planned to help decorate the dining area for the evening’s closing party. I’d anticipated enjoying the banquet and celebrating the campers’ English-learning achievements. The award ceremony was supposed to end the week on a joyful note. But joy was far from what I felt as I lay in bed, listening to the party happening three floors below.

Why did the mission trip end like this for me and several others? I don’t have the answer. The same is true for other disappointments in life. Things happen…situations for which we have no explanation. Tough stuff sometimes, circumstances that flatten us and leave us with strength only to cry a short, desperate prayer: “God, help.” And He does.

In my situation He sent Ewa and her mystery medication. He gave me a much-needed solid night’s sleep when the party noise ended. And He gave me the ability to let go of the disappointment caused by dashed expectations.

How about you? Have you recently experienced a situation in which you could do nothing but cry, “God, help”? If so, what was it? And how did He answer?

Perhaps the element that strikes me most is the peoples’ openness toward spiritual things. One woman said outright that she was seeking God and came to the camp hoping to find Him there. One man said he’d never been in such a group of people who prayed directly to God – he’d always communicated to God via a priest. These comments and others proved that spiritual hunger and interest is very much alive in Eastern Europe. So is the desire to learn how to raise kids and how to do marriage well.

Gene and I taught four workshops about marriage. Because of the days’ busy schedules, our sessions began at 9:45 PM. Yes, you read that correctly. It should have been bedtime, but that wasn’t the case for the 30 individuals and couples who showed up for the hour-long classes. I was thrilled to see so many attend. Many of the young adult singles (most of whom do not have godly role models) commented that our messages and personal example gave them hope for a God-centered marriage someday. PTL!

This year our team also offered workshops about parenting and about how to cope when a loved one suffers from alcoholism. These, too, were well attended. Our prayer is that these wonderful Polish people will have discovered new and practical strategies to help them face the challenges of everyday life. And our praise is that God is so big that He can use the likes of those of us on the team to accomplish anything of eternal value.

“When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the LORD. Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.” (2 Kings 4:32-35)

Here are a couple of insights that stood out to me:

• Elisha didn’t wring his hands or panic when faced with a humanly impossible situation. His first response was to seek God. His example challenges me to evaluate my response in crisis. Do I seek Him first, or do I stew and fret and finally turn to Him only when I’ve reached desperation?
• Elisha prayed alone. This was an intense situation nevertheless he didn’t run to rally his friends for encouragement. It’s fine when we can share our burdens with others, but this story tells me that God is enough when friends aren’t around. He’s the One on whom we can always call and find dependable.  
• After Elisha prayed, he moved into action. Sometimes prayer alone changes a situation; sometimes we need to do our part to make a change. As our relationship with God deepens, we become more aware of when we need to take action and if so, what that action entails.

Can you identify with any of these insights? If so, which one? Why?