Is anyone suffering?

Is anyone out there suffering, witnessing hardship, in need??
It seems everywhere we look around us today families are struggling to barely make ends meet, scrambling to find a job, watching with weary as our economy continues to fall and losing hope in our nation...well you should pray.

We had such an inspiring message today in the book of James, Chapter 5. As we closed this book of the bible and prepare to move onto a new study next Sunday Pastor Chris delivered a message on Prayer...more specifically James 5:13.
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should PRAY"
God gives specific instruction on exactly what we are supposed to do first.... when we suffer, when hardship knocks on our door, when tragedy seems to be seen at every corner (and on too many blogs) and were just weary.
We are to pray first not last....it almost seems too simple doesn't it? Our first nature naturally wants to use our strength, our ability, our resources to resolve and 'fix' our problem or fix our neighbors hardship. When that doesn't work and we have exhausted all of our efforts its at that point that we give up and pray.
I watched Mia this afternoon after we had gotten home from church and a fun lunch as a family. Its only been recent that we have been able to actually sit in a restaurant and have a calm lunch that involves ordering and eating, conversation and laughter. I love looking around our table and seeing our family of four wondering how did I get this blessed, I blinked and here we are.
So when we got home Mia was over-tired, missed her nap and insisted on playing with her babies rather than laying down and watching Jungle Book (which usually results in a nice afternoon nap on the couch if her normal nap is missed) As I was preparing dinner I quietly watched her from the kitchen. She was trying to get a little blanket to lay down perfectly in her babies bed (which is actually a clear plastic storage box) she was getting more and more frustrated with the blanket since it wasn't laying down perfectly, I asked her "mama help" to which she respond NO! Mia do it. I could tell from where I was standing that she was too tired, too frustrated and now through tears wouldn't be able to get it just the way she wanted it. It hurt my heart to see her struggling so much over something that mama could fix in a second and prevent her frustration and discouragement at her own ability.

It immediately brought back this mornings message and I thought if it hurts me this much to see my daughter struggling with something that I could fix so easily, how much more does it hurt our Heavenly Father watching us struggle in all our own abilities rather than asking Him to help.

"Is any one in trouble, he should pray".

While pondering our message this morning I remembered something about Mia. When John and I pray over her as we lay her down in her crib she is usually crying to be rocked more, read lullaby one more time and with every ounce of strength clinging to us before she has to go to sleep, but she immediately quiets when we start praying over her, when she hears Daddy calling out to Jesus and asking Him to bring comfort to our daughter, to cover her with His spirit as she sleeps. Honestly its like switching a light switch, she goes from crying out to complete silence as she listens to us pray. So I decided to use this little episode as a lesson. I sat down next to Mia who was still frustrated, crying and in tears and told her we would ask Jesus to help Mia put her babies blanket just right and put her babies to sleep. As soon as she heard me say "Dear Jesus...pure silence, she listened to my words and like she always like to finish by saying "amen" and then I told her to go ahead and fix the blankets like a big girl with Jesus' help...and wouldn't you know it she did it perfectly!!

His word will never come back void...ever that's a promise. He asks that we pray to Him first...not last and He will answer..always!! I feel like posting James 5:13 all over the house because I know that when the next 'lesson' comes for me in the midst of the never-ending toddler adventures in the Pascua home, that my first nature will take over mindlessly and I will attack my obstacle in my own strength even when my heart desires to attack every obstacle in prayer first.

If your not praying, your not trusting God and your trusting yourself....