“O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done.  Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last.”  (John Henry Newman)

We deliberately waste time with those we love- it is the purest sign that we love someone if we choose to spend time idly in their presence when we could be doing something more “constructive”.  And so it is with prayer:  there is a very real sense in which prayer is a waste of time.  God does not need our prayers and, more often than not, we will be unaware that we have “received” anything from the time we have spent in prayer.  It is because prayer is so often boring and unrewarding that it is the purest sign of our love for God that we are prepared to “waste” our time with Him, and it is only by wasting time in this way that we shall learn that it is not God who needs us but we who cannot live without Him.  (Sheila Cassidy)

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Well, I barely know what to say. I know that God is good, amazing, wonderful… regardless of what happens… but I feel such awe, so overwhelmed by how God allowed today’s events to work out.

I’ll start at the end, since that is what everyone wants to know: Aleks has been accepted as a refugee and can stay in Canada as long as she wishes to, and pursue a life here!

I must admit that I was completely fine this morning until we started prepping with our lawyer, and I could see that Aleks was struggling answering questions. I thought she was either going to faint or throw-up! The nervousness started to set in, and I had to remember the prayers that have gathered about us. I remembered about God’s hand in every moment and detail.

We had the same judge as we had at the December hearing. When he came into the room, and looked directly at Aleks and smiled before doing anything else, I started to relax a little. Laurel and I were sent from the room after declaring ourselves. We were to be called upon to testify, so we sat outside to endure the wait. We were told it could be 4-5 hours.

At this point, I realized that the man who would be speaking against Aleks’ case was not yet there! He had been particularly antagonistic toward Aleks ever since the beginning. Even our lawyer said, that this man was acting out of character in this case. Aleks was afraid of him.

We had been praying for some time that any one who was against her would not be in the room that day. Still, in the back of my mind, I thought it unreasonable to pray for the absense of someone who HAS to be there.

God has a different way of viewing things, I suppose! The man eventually did show up, only to be told by the judge that he was not needed and could leave! Our lawyer said that this has never been done in the history of his career!. I was stunned - and humbled.

A mere hour later, Laurel and I were called back into the room. I presumed we were going to be questioned, but instead, the judge proceeded to declare to Aleks that based on the compelling testimony she had given, he was pleased to extend safe haven to her in Canada. Aleks lost it, and I must admit that all of us had tears; the interpreter and our lawyer also!

The judge went on to say that she was an amazing, courageous young woman. He said that he knows that she is an asset to Canada. His speech was beyond gracious, and it was exactly what Aleks needed to hear.

Apparently he only asked her four or five questions; all the problems he could have brought up, including the late documents we submitted, as well as other things, he completely ignored. Instead of Aleks being put on the spot, being confused, doubting herself, he extended dignity to her and helped her tell her story, and then decided to believe her. It is an amazing thing!

Aleks is overjoyed, to say the least. She can finally relax a bit, and not have to dread being taken away from us, or fear the return to her father. She can look ahead to school and continue to make a life here, surrounded by family and friends.

Thank you so, so much, everyone, for your support and prayers. We are so blessed to have you in our lives!

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First, it means that there is a spirit of dependence that should permeate all we do.  Even when we are not speaking consciously to God, there is a deep, abiding dependence on him that is woven into the heart of faith. 

Second, it doesn’t mean that, verbally or mentally, we have to be speaking prayers every minute of the day.  It means we should pray over and over, and often.  Our default mental state should be:  “O God, Help….” 

Third, it means not giving up on prayer.  Don’t ever come to a point in your life where you cease to pray at all.  Don’t abandon the God of hope and say, “There’s no use praying.”  Jesus is very jealous for us to learn this lesson.  He knew our experience in prayer would tempt us to quit altogether.  So he says, “Never lose heart.  Go on praying.  Don’t cease…”

We are told to pray, “without ceasing”.  We may do it anywhere, anytime.   It is the air we breathe.  But that will cease to be the case if there are no disciplined times set aside for prayer and a plan to keep them.  If you want to have a vital hour-by-hour, spontaneous walk with God, you must also have disciplined regular meetings with God for prayer.  A husband who says he never has special times alone with his wife because the daily air is charged with intimacy will not long breathe that air.  The plants of ceaseless prayer grow in the garden of persistent discipline.  (John Piper, When I don’t Desire God)

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~Jason

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The 40 Days of Purpose was a great book— I didn’t keep up to everyone as there were days when I needed to ponder just part of a chapter for the whole day.

I hadn’t quite finished the book when Philpott had it’s Ministry Fair. The Fair happened to coincide with Page 230— part of the “You Were Shaped for Serving God.”

“Visitation” was something that appealed to me - Bill Paterson has a great system - and if I understand it correctly - each shut-in has four people assigned to them - and throughout a month, that shut-in will be visted by the four.

Bill Paterson arranged and took me around to meet my four ladies. I was curious about the matches he had made for me as none of the ladies had ever had any children, and one had never been married. There were two retired missionaries - one had served most of her life in Tibet and India and another had served in the Canadian North and had served in the Dutch Army. What would I have in common with these four ladies?

You know what? That didn’t really seem to matter. I am so interested in their experiences and they appear to be interested in my experiences, that the visit speeds by.

Each time I visit - and I call ahead to see what day is best - I read and prepare a small devotional. One one lady likes the Daily Bread. It doesn’t seem to hard to steer a conversation around to the spiritual, as we are at least two who have gathered in the name of the Lord. Before I leave, we pray.

Some weeks I think that I just can’t possibly fit in a visit - but the Lord is gracious for timing and the time that is spent with these ladies is a wonderful time. I know I get more out of spending that time with them than they do with me.

I should mention that there is quite a battallion that Bill has organized and Philpott people who have been doing this for years and years. Some visit - some take shut-ins for appointments and some get groceries and some even go and read. Some send cards off to say that they are remembered.

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Listen carefully to your own prayers.  Do you approach God with secret annoyance – as if He’s apathetic while you are the one who is truly concerned?  Do you believe that God is less compassionate than you are?  Listen to the spirit behind the prayers.

When we pray out of our spiritual poverty, we are adding our voice to a mighty chorus that has been prayed for centuries.  The most mature souls have sought God with this spirit.  The deepest writers, beginning with Isaiah, have understood the depths of our weakness:  “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”  (Isaiah 64:6)

Adopting a self-emptying spirit means admitting that there is no way, absolutely none, that we can ever display humility unless God takes pity on us and imparts His own Spirit to transform us from within.  (Gary L. Thomas, The Glorious Pursuit)

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