Holding up Your arms

Yesterday I listened to a sermon podcast by Pastor Rod Loy at North Little Rock First (www.firstnlr.com). He talked about the Bible story where Joshua, the young man, is fighting, and Moses, the old man, is praying with his contemporaries holding up his arms. When Moses' arms are up, they are winning the battle. When the arms are down, they are losing the battle.

The idea behind this sermon was not about praying for missionaries, although that would have been awesome! It was about praying for our young people and our children in our churches--an incredible application.

But, as I listened to the story of Joshua and Moses, I thought about those of you who read my blog and pray for the work we are doing.

We are here and we are able to do what we do because of those who come behind us in prayer and finances. Your arms "stay up" in prayer for the women and staff of Freedom Home.

We don't have an major donor committing to $10,000 a month. But we have people who give $50 a month. We have churches wanting to do 5K runs with the entry fees going to our work. We have churches and individuals that commit to a bit at a time.

We don't have a major platform to get the word out. I don't have a department to do the creative websites, brochures, and videos.

But I have a blog, and we have people committed to pray.

Yesterday we celebrated Naomi's* birthday. She turned 23. I'm not sure the last time anyone celebrated her just being alive. She showed no emotion at the party, except one small smile. All her emotion is dead, except the sadness that shows from her eyes each day.

I pray for Naomi that a year from now, we will see joy and peace on her face. That next year, as we celebrate her life, we will see that Christ is transforming her into someone new.

Please pray also for her 11 month old daughter, Lexie. The baby has been malnourished and has rickets. We already see more color in her little cheeks, but we pray for God's complete healing for her small body and bones.

Thanks for coming alongside the staff, the women and myself at Freedom Home with your prayers.