We arrived in North Central Indiana, better known as Michiana, on Tuesday afternoon after a two-day road trip. For some reason, this trip's destination seems to move further and further away each time. I'm certainly not implying that age has anything to do with that, just stating a fact.
We got to meet our baby Jax Tuesday night and his Da and Bibby were both able to get some quality snuggling time. We will take advantage of every opportunity to love on this sweet boy in the next two weeks.
Wednesday morning while all was quiet, I enjoyed my favorite spot of John and Michelle's home - the screened back porch overlooking the above beautiful view.
One of the books I am reading in my early morning time is about Women in Christian History. Wednesday's feature was Harriet Winslow and the impact her short life had on the education for young women in what was Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) back in the early 1800's.
Harriet was able to open an all-girls boarding school in 1820, where she taught the girls sewing and household skills while also teaching arithmetic and geography, subjects only available to boys at the time. Of course, she also taught them about Christianity. The school still exists as Udival Girl's College and has more than one thousand girls, ages five through eighteen, enrolled.
One of the things Harriet did to care for her girls, who were mostly Hindu, was to pray for the salvation of one specific girl each day. Harriet's life was ended suddenly in childbirth at the age of 36, but only history will reveal the impact she had on the lives of these girls.
Girls today still need older women to pray for them and Harriet's example spoke to me this morning. I am the mother of a daughter who is the mother of four girls, and now a grandmother herself; I am the mother-in-law of a mother of two girls, and a daughter-in love, and also now a grandmother as well. That means I am personally responsible for praying for these nine females, plus two sisters and additional nieces.
Think about all the girls and young women with whom we come in contact: daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces, girls in our church, neighbors, girls from our community, perhaps even students at your child's school.
Two of my girls are young mothers who so desire to be the best mother to their baby they can be. They need and seek God's guidance every day. I have four who are unmarried and need God's direction in meeting and choosing His chosen mate for them. One is starting a new career; one is finishing her last year of college; one is in high school and all the challenges that brings. One is dealing with health issues and on we could go.
We have young lady church friends who are facing career and pre-nuptial decisions and learning to adapt to new challenges. I have friends who have recently lost their spouse and one whose only daughter died suddenly. Some are dealing with serious illnesses and declining-health life decisions.
THEY ALL NEED PRAYER!
Even though I pray for my girls on a regular basis, as a result of this lesson from Harriet Winslow this morning, I am going to select one girl/woman each morning and pray specifically for her. I trust God will bring them to mind all day long as He deems necessary. At night I will thank Him for her and for bringing about His will for her that particular day.
Perhaps this idea appeals to you as well. Go for it! Make a list of girls you can be praying for, with a few specific requests for each one. Then rotate them into your daily prayers and thoughts. The Lord may even lead us to pray consecutive days for one particular girl. Do it! Let us be sensitive to His leading.
You might even want to tell them you are praying for them and ask if they have a particular need that day, or you may just want to keep it between you and the Lord. Either way, it will be exciting to see how our prayers impact their lives. And ours.
"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them." 1 Timothy 2:1
Now, some more scenes of Jax and the Day garden.
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And these two never miss a hug opportunity.
Oh, my goodness, looks like you are at a lovely resort. Enjoy it for me as well. And, that baby, just as the C'mas song says, "a baby changes everything." Enjoy, enjoy!
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