Plug Into The Power Of Prayer!
Never has such an expression carried so much positivity and command as "PLUG INTO THE POWER OF PRAYER!"
Today, more than ever, prayer is important to us, in so many ways. It brings us closer each day to Jesus' guiding light and his hands, but it also shoulders us in our minds, our hearts, our souls and spirits.
We face so many troubles and battles today. It's so easy to lose sight of what matters, sometimes it's easy to be guided or comforted in ways and means that don't always help us, but just remember this and this alone...
JESUS IS WITH YOU. He is with us all!
Whether you may or may not feel it, do yourself this one simple gift, this one action. Let Jesus in to your heart, let him in to your life, for he will set you free, he will guide you, he will hear your prayers and he will save you.
The Lord Jesus Christ is with us all, each day, from the day we enter the world, to the end of our time on Earth, he is with us, always.
Remember that, Jesus died for us, he died in order to take away the sins of our world.
There is a lot to be said for the power of prayer. How many times have you heard of ssomeone in prayer asking the Lord God to rescue or heal someone? How many times have you heard someone ask Jesus to be with them? You've probably had this happen to you. If you have, or you haven't, just remember these powerful words, words which will guide you onward.
The Lord God hears your prayers, He is with you no matter where you are, what time of day or night, He is there with you, by your side.
You might not think it, you'll probably question things so much that you won't find your answers, or you may turn away. Don't worry, Your mind is there to always question, to search, to understand and more.
My Testimony / Confession.
I was brought in to church life as a choir boy in Yorkshire, I started to find a connection between myself and God, I couldn't understand it for some time, but that connection drove me onwards. I never in a million years thought that certain events would happen to me, but with the events which changed my life, God was with me, I know he was with me at my darkest times, he was with me. If he wasn't, I wouldn't be here today. I believe more than ever that life has purpose and meaning, it has more meaning when Jesus is part of your life, as he is mine.
December 2017 saw me face a family tragedy, a tragedy which could have been prevented - had clinicians responsible for my dad's care, conducted the tests and interventions they should have done. His death brought my life crashing down. Mum and I were faced with the one nightmare we never thought possible, with that, I had to step up to prevent certain things from happening. That meant surrendering everything i owned, my career as a musician, etc, literally everything except clothes, shoes, the white cane I rely on to get me around, yes, I'm blind.
This is where I now place my confession to those who read this, and why this post means so much...
After dad died, I felt so trapped, lonely, lost, empty, as if I had died and followed him, yet my body was still moving, kind of like a machine, undertaking what needs to be done, but without feeling. I felt I couldn't take anymore, there was no help or support, no other family. I was caring for mum and trying to support a home for us both, worse was that the tie of dad's death, I had to undertake all the legal processes to support mum. Though I felt out of my depth, it's as if I was in "Auto Pilot" and matters were dealt with. Towards the start of 2018, the realisation of what had happened, caused me to mentally shut down. I couldn't grieve, I couldn't feel anything, not even mental or physical pain. For some time I felt like I had been encased in a soundproof room, no one could hear me screaming, crying out for help.
For some time, I felt I had been discarded by God, abandoned even by him, with that feeling, I walked away from my faith, my relationship with Jesus, my music, everything. I genuinely didn't know what to do for some time.
I confess that I abandoned not only myself, but my relationship with Jesus, I left my faith because I was hurting so much and there was no one to rescue me, no one who could feel what I was going through, no one who could get me out of this pain.
I had to go in to Prestatyn to get some shopping for mum. I felt nothing, it was as if, I was machine-like, the light in my soul had gone. I could converse with people to a degree, I never showed feelings, it was if I was cold, I never meant to be. After shopping, I found myself walking up the high street. I don't know why, I wish I knew why then, I was being carried by this body I've grown to resent, to Christ Church, at the time, no one there. I wish someone was there. It was so quiet, too quiet. I was feeling my way around, a church unfamiliar to me. I walked to the steps to the choristry, got on my knees, at first, silence, then from my voice, the first prayer I uttered for 8 months after dad passed, other than giving him his last rites in death. That prayer being The Lord's Prayer. I couldn't stop crying, I couldn't cope or handle the crisis I was trapped in. So many feelings, so many thoughts, felt so cold. From the Lord's Prayer, it was as if someone had taken over me, taken over my body, my voice, etc. I let it all out. Having done this, been there for what felt days, but was a couple of hours, I started to feel, I started to react. I needed help.
I felt so angry, betrayed, abandoned, lost, trapped, I felt I hated myself, there were so many emotions, like a thunderstorm with so much power, I didn't know what to do. I lashed out at God, I was wrong to, I sinned against God by blaming him. I know now more than ever, it wasn't his doing or his fault. I felt my life was over and there was no one there to rescue me.
Though to this day, there are still certain feelings within my soul, it was from that day, I tried to and committed myself to rebuilding my connection with and relationship with Jesus. It was hard to do without someone there to guide me through it, but in the end, my faith is stronger now than it has ever been, my relationship with Jesus is stronger than before. I am eternally grateful and thankful that he is in my life.
I hope that this post encourages you to strengthen your relationship with Jesus, brings you closer to him and Jesus closer to you each day. I hope that through the power of prayer, we can all get through the crisis we all share and that one day, some how, somewhere, we can all pull through these events together, in the loving arms of Jesus.
lew.