"Thou, O LORD Are a SHIELD for Me"

Rainbow over the Sky the Last night of Backyard Bible Club
God ALWAYS Keeps HIS Promises!

                                                    

                   

"Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah"

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

    It is one beautiful summer evening here in Alabama as i sit out on my front porch in the rocking chair typing.  Midnight, our black lab is breathing heavily on my arm.  Henry, our cat is crawling in and out the railing, and Troy,  our Maltipoo,well, he is just being wary of Midnight to keep from being stepped on. The crickets are softly chirping, the crescent shaped moon is in the west tonight...and me, well, i have had a lot on my heart this week.

    Yesterday i sent you the email asking you to pray for my friend, Dana Grammer Sanchez, and the return of her little boy.  Does that name ring a bell with any of you?  Evidently, the video of her husband spanking their little boy in the backyard was all over the TV and internet last week, and in the midst of Backyard Bible Club, Father's Day, Hannah Beth being home, and not feeling too good...i missed it.

    Hannah Beth sent me a text after she went back to school, about Saturday, and asked me what is wrong with Dana?  We are both friends with her on FB and i hadn't noticed any posts by her.  At that time, i couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but shortly after i contacted her, they included me on the "Bring Zach Home," site.  I went to see her Mother, and did not realize that she had moved recently due to illness.  I could not find out exactly what happened  with Dana's little boy but was piecing together from comments folks were making on the "Bring Zach Home" site.  Thus, i asked ya'll to pray.

    Last night i was at my friend Wanda's house and we were talking about Dana and the case.  Wanda said, i told you i saw something similar to that on CNN last week.  I came home and checked it out and sure enough it was Dana's husband spanking their son.  I watched the video and i thought oh wow, but then i listened to Dana's Daddy on the Today show, explain what was actually happening, versus what the media said.   I have included that interview here, because i want you to hear what Dana's Dad shared in humility about his grandson.http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47763694/ns/today-today_news/t/stepfather-beating-boy-video-facing-charges/#.T-UjBBfY_AM   Dana and Zach lived with her parents for a few years while Dana was finishing up college.  Dana's Daddy, Terry, is more like a father to Zach than a granddaddy.  He shared on the "Bring Zach Home" site last night:
Please lift Zach up in your prayers tonight and every day and night until he comes home. from Zachary birth until june 15th there has only been 7-10 days that I have not seen or talked to him, since he has been removed (9 days) I have seen him twice and talked to him once. I have always been there for him and pray that our 
Lord surrounds him with his angels. Many churches in this great state are praying for our precious grandson tomorrow and l ask that you take some time tommorow morning to lift him up in prayer.


 The Grammer's and their extended family are very close.   

    Last night i reported to you that Dana shared they are having to go through a "full blown trial," and they were promised to get to see Zach this weekend.  When Dana didn't hear from anyone today, she called and they said, "Maybe she could see him Sunday."  Again, she is asking us to pray for her little boy, and I am asking you to do that too.

                                             Zach and his baby brother

   I wanted to include a few more posts from the "Bring Home Zach" site so you can see for yourself the love and faith this family has for GOD and one another.  

This is from Dana's oldest sister, who was a majorette for the University of Alabama, is married,  with children, teaches twirling and had a twirling camp going on this week, and loves her GOD and her family:

     Jamie Grammer Wilson

Ok folks- our fight continues, and we thank you so much for your continued support.
I just wanted to share with you what was overheard by Dana's lawyer in the courtroom yesterday. Apparently, our family and support group is, in their opinion, "Christian Wierdos." We were aware that the area was very liberal and that atheistic beliefs are growing in shockingly large number, but what we learned next was just wrong. Apparently they found it odd and bizarre that we set up a group time for our community to pray for Zach the other night. The sad part is that ZACH had wanted to participate, and as he anxiously awaited for 8:00 to arrive, the only clock he had access to was COVERED UP so that he would be unaware of the time.
I pray that little man can hang in there a little longer. We know God hears his prayer, even if if it's silent and hidden. If I remember correctly, a pretty cool guy said "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:14)
Hard to believe we are talking about America here, isn't it?

This is from a relative who posted on  the site today:

As Paul says in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--the Jew first and also the Gentile." It is clear to me that all of you are willing to fight in the name of Jesus Christ unashamed and confident in the salvation that is only offered through Him. Keep fighting in the name of Christ because when the time comes every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I am so proud to be a Grammer and very thankful that this group is not afraid to stand up for what we know is the truth. Keep up the fight because God's word will not return empty. As Isaiah 55:11 says, "It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." The word of God is living and alive and they feel it too I am sure of it.
Let's keep fighting this war not as the world does so that those who do not know Christ may come to know him personally. 2 Corinthians 10:3 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought to make it obedient to Christ." I love you all and we will not stop praying in the name of Jesus Christ.

 ·  ·  · 7 hours ago

   No matter what you think about the video, and Terry Grammar's defense of the spanking, this is spiritual warfare and a child has been taken from the home of a CHRISTian family.  It may not affect you today, but if we stand quietly by, it will tomorrow. Who would ever thought this little girl who babysat for us would one day be in the midst of national news for her husband spanking their child?   The Grammers have chosen to let the LIGHT of JESUS CHRIST shine in this dark place, and they are not going to stop praying, and not going to stop trusting the LORD to lead them through this valley.

    I hope you will choose to stand with the Grammer family in this time of their need and diligently intercede for them.  It is no accident that you are on my email list, and that Hannah Beth let me know that the Grammer family was in trouble.  GOD has called you and me to intercede for our brothers and sisters in CHRIST who are in trouble.  Please pray for Zach, that in his "captivity," he will be a missionary to the foster family he is living with, and for peace for their whole family.  Pray the foster family will be kind and patient with him.   Pray for wisdom, that Zach will be returned to his parents soon and above all...pray that GOD will be glorified in the midst of all of this. 

Dana's post on FB tonight:

Please Facebook friends. I need all those who know me as a loving mother and person to please write a letter on my behalf to bamawilson@gmail.com. This is very important and needed ASAP and no later than Wednesday. We are being attacked in so many ways. But we stand strong in Gods word. Thank you friends

     If you know her, and some of you do, please take time to write a letter on her behalf. 

     GOD reminded me today through my JESUS Calling devotion by Sarah Young to give him thanks even for these circumstances for what HE is doing in the midst of them:

Thank Me for the very things that are troubling you. You are on the brink of rebellion, precariously close to shaking your fist in My Face. You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about My treatment of you. But once you step over that line, torrents of rage and self-pity can sweep you away. The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving. It is impossible to thank Me and curse Me at the same time.

Thanking Me for trials will feel awkward and contrived at first. But if you persist, your thankful words, prayed in faith, will eventually make a difference in your heart. Thankfulness awakens you to My Presence, which overshadows all your problems.

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
—Psalm 116:17 nkjv

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
—Philippians 4:4–6


    Thank you so much for praying for my friends.  I'm not exactly sure when the trial is, but Dana's other sis said on the site today she thought it was Thursday.  I don't know...just pray for them each and every day and several times throughout the day as the LORD reminds you.


    I also would like for you to remember the Al Roberts family in your prayers.  The LORD suddenly took Al home to be with him, after he was killed in a car wreck this past Monday.  Al leaves behind his dear wife Ronda, two sons, Reed and Austin, 20 and 18, and their daughter Savannah 16.  Al and his family are members of our church, and I am in choir with he and his wife.  Al let Johnny borrow his golf cart during the campaign and we were so blessed by his generosity.  Yesterday at our church, their was a wonderful CELEBRATION of his life, not a perfect life, but a redeemed life by the blood of CHRIST JESUS.  JESUS CHRIST was lifted up and exalted through the Scriptures that were shared by Ronda and Pastor Edwin, and Br. Aaron.   Ronda read Psalm 91 and requested the choir to sing "Thou Oh Lord, " based on Psalm 3 and "The Glory and the Majesty,"based on Psalm 8.  Ronda wrote a powerful letter exhorting the choir,to sing the written word of GOD with all of our hearts because of the spoken WORD's great power in our lives. Br. Ryan read it to us during choir practice Weds. night and sent it to us yesterday morning.  I'm not sure what happened but GOD sang through us yesterday and HE was exalted, lifted up and glorified through the entire service in a most powerful way.   Br. Ryan sent us an email later confirming that to us:

Dear Choir,

What occured today is not something that can be rehearsed, practiced or manufactured. It is not the result of any one person. We experienced something today from the overflow of Christ's work in our lives. He brought each of us together and united our "overflows" then inspired it and divinely annointed it. PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!!

I need more of that kind of power in my life. I'm guilty of not asking for it more and seeking Christ more. We need more of Jesus, period! More of Him in our individual lives, in our ministry and in our church.

As a choir we need to seek that kind of power everytime we step into our role as lead worshipers. Think of the impact. II Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." Is it possible for Him to find a choir whose hearts are completely His?

Is it possbile that God has "greater things" (John 1:49-51) for us? We need to lay aside our fears and be willing to be a little uncomfortable. I have a feeling we will be amazed. her

May the power of God bring us, inspire us and annoint us Sunday morning as we gather.

Thanks for hearing my heart,

Ryan

     If these are the kinds of things that define us by the world as being "CHRISTian weirdos," i want to be in that number, and to be a CHRISTian weirdo for JESUS.  You go, Grammer Family, i want to be like you!  I want the "greater things," GOD has for me, i think.  Lord help me to be willing to suffer that YOU might BURN brightly through my life, through my family. Ronda  and her family shared the "greater things" through lifting up JESUS and HIS WORD through homegoing of her husband, their father, son, and brother.  The Grammer family is sharing the "greater things," through this trial they are going through as a family with the loss of their son, her husband's job, reputation, finacial loss, their home has been broken into since this happened, and searched by the police while they were away, national media attention....lots of losses, but GOD will give them and others "the greater things," through this valley, for HE promises to restore beauty for ashes and HE always keeps HIS promises:
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."—Isaiah 61:3.

   I have planted a couple of trees in our front yard...one of them actually i planted as an acorn, and i use those trees to remind me to pray for my children, that they would be called "trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD," that HE might be glorified."
   Please pray that for my family, the Grammer family, the Roberts family...and for your family and loved ones...because that's all that really matters in our lives...that GOD will be glorified, no matter where HE leads us.  These are "The Greater Things, " and "Thou, O LORD," are a shield for me, the glory and the lifter of my head.  "Thou, O LORD," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y284YvkYrZo

   If you have not trusted in JESUS as your LORD and SAVIOR HE stands ready and waiting for you to open your heart to HIM today.  HE died on the Cross for your sins...are you willing to repent and surrender your life to HIM that you might know HIM and "The Greater Things?"  HE loves us so much...come to him today, just as you are.  None of us are perfect, we will never be good enough...our righteousness is as filthy rags the Bible says....come to HIM, " Just As I Am."   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovYPQl93zro .

    I love ya'll, thank you for listening, thank you for praying for me and my family, for my loved ones.  I am feeling better since starting to go to the chiropractor a couple of weeks ago.  However, i had a bike wreck last week, and that set me back a little. The chiropractor said i had a rib sticking out in left field when she adjusted me that afternoon after the wreck.   I was still able to be the "Camp Nurse," at Backyard Bible Club last week, and we had five children pray to receive CHRIST!  Praise GOD from WHOM all blessings flow.  

My "Nursing Station" on the Mission Field

This coming week, we have another week on the mission field, as we are having VBS at our church.  Please pray for an outpouring of the HOLY SPIRIT on the teacher's, the children, the staff, and this "Camp Nurse." Pray that many children will accept CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR and we will all be drawn closer to HIM.  I was thrilled to get to put a couple of Band aids on at Backyard Bible Club, and wipe off a little girl who had fallen in the mud, and do some teaching about nutrition and using safer alternatives to pesticides and chemicals in the home.  Most of all i was thrilled to be a nurse on the mission field for my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST and be a part of what HE did in so many of our lives through the Backyard Bible Club....most importantly, showing HIS power to save those who are willing to come to HIM as a little child.

   Dana's last post on FB tonight:  

Dana Grammer Sanchez

Night is the hardest for me. My heart aches the most at night. I have not missed a night reading zachs devotional, reading fun books, him reading to me , and praying together. This is not right.

     Thank you so much for your faithful and earnest prayers for this dear Momma and her boy.

                                                                                       With all HIS love,
                                                                                                                 mitzi   

More Scenes from Backyard Bible Club
Thank you for your prayers-5 Children prayed to receive CHRIST!

"For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only SON  that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPIc4UFwR0Y&feature=share

"JESUS SAVES" Prestonwood Baptist Church