"Yours and Mine"

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Dear Friends,

A few weeks ago, I shared with you about sitting in my car down by the river early one Saturday morning and having my time with JESUS as the rain fell from the sky. As the droplets splashed on the surface of the water and on my windshield, I was inside the Jimmy reading my Bible and praying about a particular burden the LORD has laid on my heart for the past several months. It has been a particularly heavy burden, and often very difficult to carry. I have often carried it to my LORD but I don't know if I don't know how to lay it down, or the LORD just keeps it there so I will pray about it often. That morning as I was praying, GOD impressed on my heart to go and pray with my dear friend, Wanda, about this burden, as well as for a special burden she has had with her daughter being estranged from their family for a few years now. That Saturday morning as Wanda and I prayed, I shared with you, that her daughter who lives out of state was actually in our town, unknown to Wanda, visiting her granddaddy. The LORD knew that Wanda would need some extra support that day, and led us to pray together, as her daughter didn't call or come to see Wanda, or let her see her two little grandsons. Little did we know, that since that time, GOD has made a way for us to pray together almost every day, and though we pray about many things, depending on how much time we have or how tired we are, we specifically pray for our two burdens the LORD has laid on our hearts. I have shared with Wanda over and over, that since she and I started praying together almost daily, that my burden has become so much more easier to bear. Most of the times, Wanda and I pray together over the phone, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the day, at night, in the car, sauna, Wal-Mart, or wherever we get a chance, we call each other and pray. I have to watch praying in the car. This week as the kids and I were traveling up to Dollywood, Wanda and I were praying over the phone and Hannah Beth said from the back seat,"Mama, quit shutting your eyes while you pray!" The embarrassing thing is I was shutting them, temporarily, and I didn't even realize it:).
I can tell you this, GOD sure is knitting together mine and Wanda's heart since we've been praying and sharing our burdens. We've done a lot of sharing our burdens together in the past...that's what good friends do, but praying together about them, has really made a difference in both of our lives. I told her I can't believe how much lighter my burden has gotten since we've be praying together. Oh, it's still there, very much in my heart, but its just easier to bear, and Wanda will tell you the same thing. Since the time we started praying together, Wanda's care for her aging parents has greatly increased as their health has rapidly declined and her husband was recently diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, he's had some really good reports from the doctor but it is still scary any time the "C" word comes into your life. The load has become heavier, but Wanda has shared over and over that the LORD is carrying her with "wings like eagles" because of all the prayers that are going up for her, not just mine, but so many others who are praying for them. I am so amazed and encouraged by the strength and courage GOD is giving her to carry her through this difficult time in her life...why am I so amazed when GOD answers our prayers? Oh me of little faith...

As I think about Wanda and I sharing each other's burdens through prayer, both of us trying to pray in faith, yet, asking CHRIST to help our unbelief, I am reminded of a most encouraging devotion that Charles Spurgeon shared in the evening reading in Morning and Evening for Sept. 28 about trusting GOD to answer our prayers:

"Go again seven times."-1 Kings 18:43

Success is certain when the LORD has promised it. You may have pleaded in prayer month after month, without any evidence of an answer. However, it is not possible that the LORD will be deaf to HIS people when they are in earnest about a matter that concerns HIS glory. Elijah the prophet continued to wrestle with GOD on Mount Carmel, even when he did not receive an immediate answer to prayer. Never for a moment did he give in to fear that he would not be served in Jehovah's courts. Six times, Elijah's servant returned to him, unable to report any sign of progress. However, on each occasion, Elijah merely told him, "Go again." We must not even consider giving in to unbelief, but hold to our faith even to "seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:22. Faith sends expectant hope to look from the top of Mount Carmel. If nothing can be seen, she sends again and again. Far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, Faith is animated to intercede more fervently with her GOD. She is humbled, but not discouraged. Her groans are deeper, and her sighs more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the LORD. Delayed answers often cause the heart to search itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation. Deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and our hearts are cleansed of idolatry. The great danger is that people might give up and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in praying and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain. It will be the same with you. The "token for good" (Psalm 86:17) will surely be given, and you will rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of "like passions as we are" (James 5:17). His power with GOD did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with increasing persistence, and you will receive what you ask for."

As I mentioned earlier, the kids and I did have the opportunity to go up to Dollywood (www.Dollywood.com this past weekend for their National Gospel and Harvest Celebration month. If you've never taken the family this is a great time of the year to go. The leaves are turning colors, and they have all kinds of craft demonstrations throughout the park like woodworking, making sorghum, making fiddles, basketweaving, dulcimer playing, etc. My pull up there was to hear the Crist family(www.cristfamilymusic.com) and the Isaacs (http://theisaacs.musiccitynetworks.com/index.htm) sing, two of my favorite gospel groups. The kids, enjoyed riding the roller coasters, bumper cars, scrambler and other rides in the park, and I was so blessed with having them accompany me to three of the concerts. We left Sunday morning, about 3 hours later than we planned, since the kids had late nights and our dear friends the Radcliffe's were staying with us...but we still managed to leave about 8:30 a.m. I got impatient trying to get off, but GOD's timing was perfect. Our friends, the Crist family, didn't sing until later on that afternoon, so we got there in plenty of time to hear them, and they did a great job. I sure am proud of Jackie and Bre (see their picture above with Hannah Beth) and what GOD is doing in and through them as they sing for HIM with their family. What a blessing they are to us and how good GOD has been to them to open so many doors for their family to sing for HIM. After we saw them, and visited a few minutes, I headed off to hear the Isaacs and the kids went and rode some roller coasters. The LORD blessed me with sitting up close in both concerts. What a special blessing from the LORD it was to see this group that has encouraged my heart and the hearts of so many through their music. GOD used Sonya Isaacs to inspire me to learn to play the mandolin 3 years ago and man, can she play and sing for the LORD! Maybe when I get to heaven I'll be able to sing and play like her...naahhh. That night, after we left the park, the kids and I headed up to Gatlinburg and ate at "Bubba Gumps" restaurant. My grilled salmon and steamed veggies were absolutely delicious and the kids both enjoyed shrimp. We were all tired, but we walked around the strip for a while and the kids enjoyed some new "mirror maze" they have up there in Gatlinburg. They have grown wise about the "tourist traps" up there, they've experienced most of them, and so they didn't rush into throwing their money away. While they were in the mirror maze, I took that opportunity to give Wanda a call and pray together for a minute. After the mirror maze , we headed back towards the car, stopping along the way in Baskin Robbins for ice cream. The next day, we went back to the park and while the kids hooked up with the Crist girls and rode rides, I enjoyed hearing the Isaacs again. That really was a special blessing as afterwards I had the opportunity to talk with Sonya Isaacs for a few minutes. She was really friendly and really liked my Palin button! I was more than honored to give it to her, - that's what she's pointing to in the picture above. I asked her what type mandolin strings she used on her mandolin and she wrote it down for me...the exact same kind my friend Zac Ferguson told me about a couple of years ago...thanks, Zac, you gave me great information! If anyone is interested she uses D'Addario EXP 74 extended play strings, and she plays a Gibson Fern Mandolin, which she has her own signature series...she didn't tell me that, but a guy who was with her shared that with me. Anyway, it was a thrill for this ole girl who has been kind of stand offish to talk with her in the past when she usually has so many people crowding around her.
I thank the LORD for the special time HE gave me this past weekend with my kids...HE reminded me on the way up there when Hannah Beth was a baby, and a friend of ours had a "Mother Daughter" weekend with her daughter, that I wondered if I would ever get to do anything like that with my daughter when I was in so much pain and could not hardly hold Hannah Beth, much less do fun things together. Well, I think you know the answer to that if you've been reading these emails for any length of time. GOD has blessed Hannah Beth and me with many special times together, and this weekend we were blessed to have John Mac with us too. He didn't cramp our style too badly:)...in fact, we had a great time together and so glad he could come along with us, just wish my hubby had been able to also. I praise the LORD for allowing me to do so many special things with my children and my husband through the years. Truly "HE has restored the years the locust have eaten," and even made us "richer" through it. Not money wise, though HE has so abundantly supplied all our needs in CHRIST JESUS, but through our trials HE's making us to be more like JESUS, and "HE is to me, more precious than gold." HIS faithfulness to give me the desires of my heart to restore my health and be able to do things with my family gives me the faith that HE will answer my prayers again and give me the "desires of my heart" for this burden HE has laid on my heart.
While we were in Dollywood, the Isaacs sang a song that GOD has really been using to minister to me called "Yours and Mine," from their "Heroes," CD. When I listen to Lilly, the mom, sing this with her daughters, I think about how GOD has led Wanda and I to "bear one another's burdens" to make them "Yours and Mine." What a blessing and encouragement and strength to my heart has come as a result of her loving me with CHRIST's love and sharing my burden with me. She has taken time out of her packed schedule to pray with me, almost every day, and some nights she has been so exhausted that it's all she can do to stay awake while we pray. My faith and hers has increased as we see GOD answering our prayers in little glimpses like the "little cloud," and we call those our "miracles for the day." One of those miracles was her daughter returning for a visit to see her son play football here recently and Wanda did get to see her this time...two visits in two months, hum, and she hasn't been here in probably two years until a couple of months ago...wow. We are trusting HIM to answer our prayers in "torrents of rain," as we share our burdens and make them "Yours and Mine." Hum...maybe that morning I was praying at the river when it was raining was a sign of HIS "showers of blessings" to come:)...yes, I'm believing that it is!

With all HIS love,
mitzi

"Yours and Mine" by Rebecca Isaacs Bowman, Sonya Isaacs

I hope I didn't wake you (It's never too late)
My heart is so broken (Honey, it'll be OK)
I wish you were here now (I wish I were too)
Don't know what I'd do without you.

If I could take the hurt all away/I'd gladly walk in your shoes
I'd rather it be happening to me than you
I'd love to turn your tears into laughter
And all of your rain to sunshine
But since I can't take it
Let's make it yours and mine

I heard from the doctor (I heard the bad news)
Oh I am so frightened (I've been praying for you)
I don't understand it (Sometimes life isn't fair)
Seems like more than I can bear

If I could take the fear all away/I'd gladly walk in your shoes
I'd rather it be happening to me than you
I'd love to turn your ears into laughter
And all of your rain to sunshine
But since I can't take it
Let's make it yours and mine.

I'll laugh with you, cry with you
You know I would die for you
Together we can make it through.

If I could take the hurt all away/I'd gladly walk in your shoes
I'd rather it be happening to me than you
I'd love to turn your tears into laughter
And all of your rain to sunshine
But since I can't take it
Let's make it yours and mine

You can watch the Isaacs sing "Yours and Mine" at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6poo__S2h8