Ladies prayer brunch

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.

That was our key verse for our ladies brunch on Saturday. I told a little story about hope, and shared a few scripture verses. Below is that story and the verses.

I heard a story about a man who was imprisoned during Napoleons reign. While sulking in his dungeon one day, he etched on the wall the words “Nobody Cares”. A few weeks later, through a crack in the dungeon floor, a little green shoot sprang forth, reaching toward the tiny ray of sunlight that came from his small prison cell window. The prisoner began giving a portion of his daily water to the little shoot and it began to grow. One morning the man awoke to a beautiful flower. A tear rolling down his face, he crossed out the words, “Nobody Cares” and replaced them with “God Cares.”

The story goes on to tell that His devotion to the flower was reported to the Empress Josephine. She was so very moved that she convinced Napoleon to set the man free. How many times do we feel like “Nobody Cares”? God has planted little shoots of hope in each and every one of our difficult circumstances — Perhaps we’re stepping on them, not even noticing they exist. Perhaps we’re pulling the shoots before they spring forth into beautiful flowers. God wants us to be released from our prisons of despair. Look around! See what God has planted since the beginning of time especially for us today. Be encouraged! There’s so much work to be done!

HOPE: Because God is working on your behalf. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. ROMANS 8:28 JOY: Because God has a plan for you.“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “…plans to give you hope and a future.” JEREMIAH 29:11 PEACE: Because God will be wherever you go. I am with you always. MATTHEW 28:20 LOVE : Because God deeply cares for you.How wide and long and deep and high is the love of Christ. EPHESIANS 3:18 STRENGTH: Because God gives you everything you need. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. PHILLIPIANS 4:13 CONFIDENCE: Because God made you who you are. God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. GENESIS 1:31 COURAGE: Because God can do more than you can imagine! With God all things are possible. MATTHEW 19:26

We had a wonderful morning together. Our prayer time was sweet. I'm blessed to be around such wonderful ladies who love the Lord. Here are a few snapshots from our morning together.

Leslie, Pat and Jan

Our table where we had sweet fellowship.

Leslie, Pat, Jan, Muriel and Marsha