Winter Camp!

I was on here to see what exactly I had posted before winter camp last year, and I saw that I hadn't posted anything. What I did notice, was my post winter camp post from last year. I really want to do a follow up post but I am going to wait until I return to do it. This is mostly a public reminder for me to do so.

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So. On to business.

Once again I am asking that you pray.

Pray that God speaks to the youth in a new way, that He grabs their attention and moves mightily this weekend. Pray for them by name: Travis, Kaleb, Tarah, Jessica, and Lizette. They each have travelled different journeys, and I ask that you pray that God meet them right where they are. And that they be open to the things of God.

Pray for traveling mercies, and cooperative weather.

Pray for the leaders of the camp to be open to the direction of the spirit.

Pray for our leadership that are going. for Nate, Lizzy, Kasey, and I. That we get some good bonding time with the teens that are going, and for God to use us to impact lives.

Pray specifically for Nate, that as he leaves Hattie and Caden at home, that he will be able to know that they are in good hands and not worry about them. Pray that Hattie has a smooth and hopefully restful weekend.

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I know I am excited, but because of some things going on in Stacey-land am pretty distractable right now. I will update soon after I get home, but have an insanely busy week ahead of me upon my return.

Be a Blessing!

Here is an update posted by Kori about Richard, they have had a rough week, and I know if any of you wanted to send a card to Richard, the entire family would be truly blessed. As always, I am asking you to pray for this sweet family that God has placed on my heart.

<3, Stacey

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From Kori's blog:

Cards for Richard

So as you all know my wonderful hubby is in the Hospital. He has really been struggling with the pain. We knew that as the Cancer progressed that pain was destined to come along with it. We just weren't expecting it this soon. Seems like things are happening so fast here lately.

Anyhow Richard is feeling a little low. And after receiving emails form several of you I decided the best way to cheer him up and let him know just how many people are thinking and praying for him, for us, is to just flood and overwhelm him with cards and letters of well wishes and good thoughts.

I know the boys would love to see all the cards coming in and to be able to bring them to the Hospital to their Dad would make them feel like they were helping to make him feel better.

It's the little things in life that mean the most and I would love it if you would help in this project.

Any cards, store bought cards or if you have kids have them make a card, if you teach you could have your class make cards, if you're one of those scrapbook divas you could go crazy, Sunday School classes, just use your imagination. Have fun! Make it a project.

Also if you wanted to blog about it and ask your readers to participate that would be awesome. So feel free.

Here is our address.

Richard & Kori McCulley
P.O. Box 261
Graysville, Alabama 35073


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when the waves come crashing down...

I have a blog friend, well, in reality she is more like a blog stalkee, but I digress.

Her and her family are going through those hardcore stormy seas, that we know only God can take care of, and while I just have to tell God that I don't understand why things happen the way they do, I know HE is in charge. Kori's faith in the midst of her storms inspires me, and all I can do for their family is pray.

I know that you, my faithful readers, are mighty prayer warriors, and I am asking for you to pray as well.

Kori's husband Richard has battled Cystic fibrosis for much of his life. He has already outlived the average life expectancy for CF patients, and yet here they are fighting another battle. Richard has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. They are now living each day in hopes of more days to come.

They have two adorable boys. My heart goes out to these boys in ways that people who haven't lived my life just don't get.

Please pray for Richard's health. Pray for Kori to have strength and for her faith to endure. Pray for those boys.

If you want to check out their story head over to Kori's blog: http://lifeasacferswife.blogspot.com/

In all of the fervor...

to concentrate on being healthier, I think that we (especially me) forget to think about how our inner self can be healthier.

In Proverbs it says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." And in one way, I have been challenged by this, to make sure that I am not placing my heart in a position where it will be hurt by people. I have a tendency to worry so much about making the people I care about happy that I overlook it when they hurt me. I just can't do that anymore. At some point I have to make a stand to take care of myself, and I am vowing to do this now.

This may mean that I will not give you the answer you are looking for when you asking me something, but in order to serve God in the way he has called me to, my heart needs to not be in a continual cycle of hurt and repair. In order to grow, I can not be in recovery mode all the time.

Please pray that I make wise decisions about who I spend my time with.

Fear Factor

I find it random that all around me fear is being discussed. It is in my daily Bible readings, it is the topic of our last Bible Study, I heard God speak to me about fear at Sunday night prayer... I know God is trying to get my attention about fear, but I am still finding myself paralyzed by it.

I NEED to go to prayer tonight, but am afraid to.

There are more than a few reasons why I would rather not go and all of them have to do with fear.

So I am here, asking for prayer. I need to courage to go tonight, because at this moment staying home is the better looking of the plans, but I know that I NEED to be there.

...

On other notes, my aunt has a "short circuit" in her brain that has been making her have seizures and pass out, she is also slowly suffering from kidney failure. The plans are for one of my cousins to give her kidney to her mom, but my aunt is 75 and so I don't know what exactly is the plan.

So if y'all could pray for her too, I would appreciate it.

Uncomfortable

This week is Week of Prayer @ Calvary.

Last Night we focused on searching out hidden sin and just making sure our hearts were aligned with God's. I know that for me, the last year has been a ginormous dose of that, so last night I found God pointing out little things to me, and as He was doing so, I decided that some times it is the little things that can be the most uncomfortable to have removed.

Sometimes it is easier to have a steel pole removed than it is a splinter. They both hurt, but if the pole comes out easier than the splinter than the smaller splinter can be as uncomfortable or more to have removed.

I have ben finding that I am more afraid of the pain of the removal of the "splinters" in my spiritual life, and am like the little kid who pulls their hand away when you come at them with the tweezers.

But the splinters have to go.

God can't make me whole until I let him pull out even the littlest splinter in my soul.

It isn't comfortable at all but it needs to be done.

Tonight our focus is on Unity, Guidance and Empowerment...