Saying Goodbye...

(From the Heart of She)

This past weekend we attended a graduation and a wedding. The group of student athletes that were freshman when we came to Montreat College graduated this past Saturday. In addition one of these couples got married and we had the privilege of attending their lovely mountain wedding yesterday. Another of these students, sadly, passed away this past Christmas and his family was able to come to the states and attend his honorary graduation and the wedding of his best friend. It was a weekend mixed with sadness and joy. It is amazing to see the way that God is working in the lives of these students. We are so blessed and honored to have been given the opportunity to be a part of their lives and to be able to call them friends. We know that they are meant to go, to take what they found at Montreat and use it to further God's kingdom, and we know that they will do just that- but it doesn't mean that we will miss them any less!

I have been in a bible study with Lyndsey and Erin since we arrived here in Dec of 2006. These are two Awesome women of God that will be doing great things for His kingdom. I have learned so much from them!

Howard's family was able to come from Jamacia. They were presented an honorary degree during the graduation ceremony and were able to speak regarding this honor. They also spoke of Montreat and all the people that have reached out to them during this time and what that has meant for their family.


Howard's best friend Stephen was married on Sunday. Howard's family was able to attend the wedding and all the groom's men wore Jamaican ties in Howard's honor. (Howard was supposed to have been Stephen's best man). Stephen and Heather are an amazing couple that have a vision to do sports ministry in the future (possibly in Jamaica). They are an amazing couple of faith and they will do great things for His kingdom.

We will also miss our good friend Sami. He has decided to transfer to another 'bigger' college, possibly Syracuse for soccer and business. We have tried to convince him to stay, especially because he is one of Zaba's favorite athletes, but he feels it is time for him to go.What will Mark do during soccer season without Sami around to fake injuries? :)


It is hard saying goodbye...but we know that God has grown these wonderful people in order for them to move on and continue His work.

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for future and for hope'.

Howard Fisher

Howard Fisher
(December 29th, 1985- February 3rd, 2010)
Athlete, Beloved Friend, Brother in Christ
You will be deeply missed.

I'm reading this book called 'A Quest For More' by Paul Tripp. In it he speaks about the groaning that takes place in this world. It comes from Romans 8:22-25. It states:

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Yesterday at 9:30 in the morning I was informed that one of our student-athletes, and friend, on the soccer team passed away after battling a-plastic anemia for a month. This is a condition where the bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. I read about this and learned that this is a very serious and rare condition. If this condition is treated promptly then the survival rate is good. The problem in Howard's case is that he was from Jamaica and when the symptoms started he was in Jamaica. Health care in Jamaica is poor, in fact the first hospital Howard was in, from what we hear, didn't even have running water. Efforts were made to bring him back to the U.S. to treat him. A doctor at Duke said he would take the case, a student and friend named Stephen went to Jamaica to get him and bring him back, donating much needed platelets in the process, and several organizations had stepped up to pay for a medical flight for him to return to the U.S. Howard's health deteriorated too rapidly during this process and he succumbed to the disease on February 3rd at 7:10 am.

This is what happened to Howard, now I want to try to tell you who Howard was. First and foremost he was a believer in Jesus Christ and a child of God. Howard was a very rare and special person. There were over 500 people at his memorial service today, all people who Howard had touched in one way or another. Yesterday Montreat's chaplain talked about three groups of people who were affected by Howard. There are the close friends and loved ones, the people who had a relationship with him through sports or school, and then the people who didn't have the chance to build any kind of relationship with him but knew who he was and what he was about. I fell in the second group of people. I didn't, until today, realize how deeply he has impacted my life. He was the type of person who always saw the positive in situations. I never heard a complaint come from his mouth. He grew up in poverty, while in Jamaica, with no bed to sleep on until coming to Montreat. He never once took for granted the chance he had at a college education. His smile was contagious and it was always present. He always took the time to say hello and ask how you were doing. He had a genuine care and concern for each person he encountered. He was truly a larger then life type of person. He stood 6'6" and needed every bit of that to contain his huge heart. Our lives are truly better for knowing him and I am deeply honored for the times I was able to spend with him. Chaplain Steve shared a message today at the memorial speaking about when Christ returns. It comes from Revelation 19:13-14, "He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses." Steve mentioned that one of these people arrayed in a white robe riding with Christ will be Howard, with his huge smile welcoming those who believe into heaven.

This brings me back to Romans 8 and the groaning- This verse became very real for me with the passing of Howard. Paul Tripp says, "We are supposed to groan because in every situation and circumstance we see the damage that sin has done and is doing." Sickness and death came because of Adam's sin. Something far worse than physical death occurs: eternal separation from God. There are so many people who don't have a personal relationship with Christ and this needs to make me groan. This needs to make me pray and work passionately for God's kingdom and not my own. Howard taught, with his life and his death, the importance of relationships. Paul Tripp says this about relationships, "For many people relationships are an end, not a means to an end. People in our lives are more a source of personal happiness than a tool God uses to continue the good work that He begun in us and in others. Most relationships have little or nothing to do with God, and His plan on earth. Our short-sighted satisfaction is exposed by the fact that when we look at our relationships, we do not groan. If you pursue God's plan for your relationships, you will groan, because you will be confronted with how far you and others are from what God says is good and best." Howard taught me that I don't always take advantage of the time given. At one point Howard had hurt his back and I worked with him for about a month to get him back into playing shape. If I had known the future I would have made a point to make our conversation deeper. The point is that I can never know the future so I need to be real with everyone I come into contact with. Thankfully, because of God's grace, I will see Howard again someday and continue our conversation in eternal fellowship.

I wanted to finish with a couple of poems written by Howard that were shared at his service today:

Life

Life is not measured by how many
Breathes you take but by how many
Times life takes your breathe away

Stop complaining about things you
Don't have but be grateful for
Things you do have

Live every day
Like it's your last for
Time wasted can never be regained

For experiences in life are not
Counted by your age but by
The number of encounters you have had


A Place To Rest

Finally a chance to rest
A chance for me to take
A leap of faith and be the best
Finally I can now occupy that
Wide and open space
To catch a nice clean and crisp breath
A space where I can laugh chat
And be myself
Finally a chance to rest

Thank you God for inventing snow!

(From the Paw of Me)

I hope that all of you live somewhere where you get to experience God's wonderful creation of white powdery stuff called snow! Yesterday may have possibly been the best day of my entire life. (see above photo!)The owners took me to my favorite hiking spot, and in addition to running free in the woods and creek everything was covered with snow! I wish all of you could have been there to share in the joyful experience with me and perhaps throw a couple of snowballs my way!

'Honest Scrapped' - Belated

(From the Paw of Me)


Now that all the holiday festivities have finally started winding down I decided I could take the time to open my soul to all of my loyal followers. Back in November a Ms. Sassy Pants challenged me to write 10 honest things about myself- here it goes:


1. I love eating out of trash cans! Until you have discovered for yourself the wonderful world of surprises that are hidden in those marvelous cans...judge not.

2. I have never met a dog I didn't like.

3. I have never met a person I didn't like.

4. Peanut Butter is God's greatest invention.

5. Sometimes I pretend that I need to go out so that my 'mom' will get up and I can swipe her food off of the counter.

6. I steal my 'dad's' shoes, keys, wallet, hat, sunglasses, etc. just so he will chase me around the house.

7. Wuillis is my favorite brother.

8. I know what they want me to do...I am just holding out for treats.

9. Yes, I sleep in a Snuggie. Yes, my stuffed animal 'Buddy' sleeps in the bed with me. (Real men sleep with stuffed animals!)

10. I wish my owners would hurry up and get one of those 'kids' they keep talking about so that I would have someone to play with!



Thanks for allowing me to be honest. Happy New Year!

Last Chance for the Lake and Graduation Day

(From the Paw of Me)

Greetings all! Wow! I have just been so busy with all my social outings and educational advancement I have barely had time for keeping all of you updated on the happenings going on with me. I am sure that the suspense has been killing you. So, this blog should put your minds at ease.

First: Day at the Lake!

The owners took me to Hickory to see my brother, Wuillis, and go swimming at his grandfather's lake. We ran up and down these long pieces of wood nailed together called a 'dock'. Then the owners threw some tennis balls and toys in the water and we competed to see who could jump the farthest. (I won that contest- see above photo). Wuillis won the endurance competition- swimming out to the middle of the lake numerous times over to retrieve the water toy. My stamina started to give out after about two solid hours of swimming. Oh sweet lake- I will miss you...until springtime...


Next: Graduation Day!



After many grueling weeks of hard work, intense concentration, and consumption of many treats I have graduated from obedience school. My head master, Ellen, at the Bed and Biscuit said that I made much improvement over the course of her tutelage. I can now walk with out my mother pulling on my leash. I can get numerous treats for sitting in one spot for an extended period of time. I get peanut butter and chicken just for lying down in my crate and going to sleep. And, because of my ADHD (Attention Doggie Hyperactivity Disorder) I got to switch to all turkey food! (Can anyone say Tryptophan?) Even more sleeping- Yes! I love obedience school.

And Lastly...I have just been informed by my owners that I have been 'Honest Scrapped' by someone called Sassy Pants. Stay tuned to find out 10 honest things about me. :) So Long for Now!

I Love Soccer Season

(From the Paw of Me)

Today was the first home game of the season. As you can tell by the photos included it is hardwork being the offical team mascot and good luck charm for the Montreat College men's soccer team. I arrived just before the game started in time for the players to give me a rub for good luck. Then I was off to tour the sidelines and motivate all the fans to cheer harder. Next I traveled in the golf cart with my dad to get water for the teams during halftime. Then I had to do some more socializing and motivational speaking. Unfortunately, after all this, we lost 2-1. But you can bet I will be out there next game ready to do it all again!

It's Been A Long Time

(From the mind of he)

Times have been busy. Much has been happening. Many things learned.

I've learned that if you complain or add fuel to other complaints then all that happens is the knocking down of another person. Jesus says "Blessed are the peacemakers". This is what I desire to be. A peacemaker. Someone who can put out fires, not makes them burn brighter and hurt more people. Sin makes us want to hold on to the Adam aspect of our lives. It makes us defensive when someone tries to speak into our lives in an attempt to help us. We must give God all we are. He will break through our walls and make things the way He desires. He can free us from ourselves. This is what I need to happen. I need to live in the freedom that only Christ offers.

I woke up one night a while ago an wrote this. It was fitting then and continues to be fitting now. This was written on 1/4/08:
One Road

As I walk this road

It seems to be known

Stuggles from the past

Struggles that seem to last

Hope is always there for me

Freedom is all around

Trusting that my Savior

Can save me once more

Love is the Answer

Love is the only Key

The World still continues

To fall away from me

This Road leads one place

Once place I want to be

The world leads many

Many places unseen

Sin should have no power

It's wiped away from me

Trust is the Savior

Follow The One Road

I have no poetry training so I know I probably didn't follow the proper format. Freedom is there. Freedom is true. Freedom is beautiful.

What A Summer!

(From The Paw Of Me)

Wow! The 'owners' have really been keeping me busy this summer. I have been in 10 different states in less than a month! I have meet all kinds of new people. My favorite kinds of new people are 'kids'! These smaller versions of people are great! They have as much energy as me and they let me get away with way more than the 'owners' do. They do wonderful things like leave treat bags lying around for the taking and holding pancakes and other food items right at my level.

I just got back from a great place called 'Minnesota'. Did you know there are actually 10,000 lakes there? That's right...I said 10,000!!!! I got to swim in about 5. We stayed in a place where you could see the water just outside the window! There were lots of other creatures there that I had never seen before. I really wanted to get a closer look at the animals called 'ducks' but for some reason the owners kept pulling me away.

It's been fun being a world class traveler but I am glad to be back home. I was starting to miss my own comfy bed and my nice little yard. I have enclosed some photos of my trip and my new friends. I hope you enjoy them!

A Weekend to Grill

(From the mind of he)

We just had a weekend full of grilling. We had the FCA leadership team over for a cookout on Thursday. We had the moms and my dad over on Friday and Saturday. Friday night we cooked chicken and had our first fire in our new fire pit. We managed not to catch any of the pines on fire. Saturday Mickey and Brenda came and we grilled hot dogs for lunch and steaks and veggies for dinner. Needless to say the grill is getting a workout. I love the season when you can grill and hang out outside. Family, friends and good food. We even had some intense outdoor dart games. Good times.

A New Post

(From the mind of he)

For all two of you who read this, I posted something new but started it on April 9 and didn't finish it until today, so it was posted under The Beginning.

Thanks

The Beginning

(From the mind of he, written for some reason in 1st and 3rd person )

Bare with me on this one. This is coming from a week without the wife. So in other words, sleep deprivation and many sugar highs and lows.

It all began one year ago today. It was a beautiful spring morning when little Zaba came into the world. He didn't quite know what was going on, but would soon learn what this world had to offer. He had freedom, he had a farm. He ran after four wheelers, ran with the horses, and played with his mother and siblings for hours on end. Three months go by and these strange people pull up in a green vehicle. He runs to them and greets them enthusiastically, not knowing what would soon follow. Little Zaba is taken from the farm life and introduced to the spoiled life. The life of weak-willed owners.
The Present- My friend Scott came over last night and we had a celebration of his birthday, which entailed giving him some steak. The steak disappeared in five seconds. We celebrated yesterday because I thought yesterday was the 17th. Again this goes back to a week without the wife. Anyway, it has been great times since we got our puppy. Life-changing and I have enjoyed every moment. And just think, in another year and a half he will calm down some. Maybe.

A Journey

(From the mind of he)

So I've been on this journey for the past 6 weeks or so. The journey I'm on involves this book by Paul Tripp called A Quest for More. It has been very eye opening and has allowed me to get a better understanding of the character of Christ. The book talks about the two kingdoms. The big kingdom, which is God's, and our own little kingdom.
The little kingdom is compared to a cubicle we build around ourselves. In my cubicle I have everything arranged how I like it. My timing, my purposes, my way. What God is trying to do is to punch a hole through my cubicle so I can see that there is this world out there which is in need. And once I see the need He wants to pull me through the hole and destroy my cubicle. Paul Tripp used this story as an example. He said when he was in seminary he and several of his classmates would ride to school together and discuss deep theological truths and solve all the worlds problems. Then one day he looked out the window and noticed the run down buildings, the homeless people, the lost. He was very focused on knowledge but forgot to apply that knowledge in love. I do that often. I concern myself often with how wise I can become through scripture, but forget that the point of knowledge and wisdom is to build others up. I'm too busy at times building my own spiritual resume and forget that I must decrease and Christ must increase. Luke 7 says this about the Pharisees, "...they rejected God's purpose for themselves." They had become so knowledgeable and wise that they felt they didn't need God to show them the path. They had discovered the path that fit them best.
Jesus on the other hand always lived for the big kingdom, God's Kingdom. His focus was never Himself. He never focused on the temporal or what He could see or touch. He focused on souls. I feel the reason He could do this was because His life was always looking outward. (Now don't get me wrong, Jesus spent many hours alone with God in prayer, which gave Him the strength to do this. But even prayer is reliance on God instead of ourselves). He looked around at others, he listened and invested His time in building relationships. Not so He could have friends or feel important (Although fellowship is very important). But He did this so He would know what the source of peoples struggles were. He cared and He loved while He walked this Earth, and He still does.
Now it's my turn to care and to love. To keep my head up and always be looking for the opportunity to impact the big kingdom. Self must die. Live for others. Live for God's purpose and His purpose alone.

On a side note. I have no idea when to use semi-colons.

Love vs Legalism

(From the mind of he)

I've learned that it is really easy to judge and really difficult to love. To live by grace and truth and not under the law. It says in John that Moses brought the law but Jesus showed how to live by grace and truth. So you have the law and you have grace. It is easy to let personal convictions stand in the way of loving others, or rather see faults in people instead of seeing how good they really are at loving someone that you may find it hard to love.
I know in my personal life that grace and my own judgement of others gets intermingled way too much. God is the only judge, I must show grace to all because it was shown so abundantly to me. So the question becomes, how important are personal convictions? Is it Bible based or just a human concept? If I stick by my convictions but don't love someone because of those convictions, I feel I am definitely missing the point. I also feel that you don't have to sacrifice the way God wants you to live to love people. I believe Jesus is the key. He did this perfectly. He didn't do away with the law but fulfilled it. He loved people perfectly. He loved them in a true way. He was there for them but challenged them. He broke free from the pharisees perceptions of right and wrong and just showed truth. This must be what I do. I must live in truth, not my interpretation of truth, but the Truth.
I must love and show grace. I must always listen to the Holy Spirit who screams at me often. I must stop thinking that I have it figured out and kneel down and listen to the one who does.

Faith

(From the mind of he)

Well, this ones not really from my mind, but I did read this and wanted to share it with you.

This story is about a minister in Iran.

A minister and his wife were driving through northern Iran. They came to a small village where he decided to buy water. As he stops his car he notices a man leaning against the wall of the shop with a beard and a machine gun. The wife sees the man's gun and face, takes a Bible in Farsi, and puts it in her husband's pocket. She says, "Give that man a Bible." Her husband looks at the beard, looks at the gun, and says, "No." She says, 'No, no, no. Seriously. Give it to him. Really. Please. Give it to him. Give him the Bible." So he says, "I'll pray about it." He goes into the shop, comes out with bottles of water, and they drive away. The wife looks at her husband. "You didn't give him the Bible, did you?" He said, "No, I prayed about it. It wasn't the right thing to do." She said, "You should have given him one." He disagrees and they go back and forth. So the wife bows her head and prays out loud fervently that her husband might listen to God. At that point, they have a friendly discussion that married couples have from time to time that ends with words, "Fine! If you want me to die, I will."

The husband turns the car around and goes back into the village. He gets out of the car, walks up to the man, and places a Bible in his hands. The man opens it and starts to cry. He said, "I don't live here. I live three days' walk from here. But three days ago an angel came and appeared to me and told me to walk to this village and wait until someone had given me the Book of Life. Thank you for giving me this book."

This comes from Ravi Zacharias' news letter. He also added this about the gospel. "We need to know that the gospel is simple enough to reach a little child and sophisticated enough to reach the finest minds..."

I Am Second

Hey Everyone,
Check out this website www.iamsecond.com
Brian Welch from the band KORN (remember them?) gives an amazing testimonial about how he came to Christ. Also some other 'famous' people and just 'regular' people with the same kinds of daily struggles and issues that we all face. It's a really powerful site- check it out!

What We Were Made For

(From the mind of he)


The wife and I went to visit the family in Chapel Hill this weekend. My nephew was in a way off Broadway musical entitled The Remarkable Ark.

We were headed west on I40 and at exit 113 something crazy happened. I noticed a silver car coming from behind me at an extreme rate of speed. Had to be at least a hundred. Well the driver decided to take the off ramp without slowing, and I thought to myself 'how are they going to slow in time'. Then about that time we heard a very loud screech and when we looked over the car was flipping into the trees that lined the off ramp. We called the police, pulled off the road, and went up the on ramp to determine if the person was OK. Well, miraculously enough , the lady was completely uninjured. I talked to some others who had stopped and some said she was suicidal, others said she was running from the police, while another said her tire had been flat for a couple of miles and she was still driving 90. Someone approached the car and the lady in the car told them to leave her alone. All and all it was a very strange situation.

The amazing thing to me in this situation, other than her being uninjured, was the amount of people who stopped to see if she was OK. This leads me to the title of this blog. We were made to love God and love people. We were made to worship God. What I saw out there amongst the crowd was love. There had to be about 20 to 30 people who stopped what they were doing to care for another human being. Unfortunately it seems to take extreme circumstances to bring people together for the common good. When I think about this from a Gospel perspective it makes me realize that everyone who doesn't know Christ is in a serious situation. I need to stop what I am doing and present love and truth to them. Someone did that for me when I was living in a serious situation. Their care changed my life forever and enabled me to stop running and searching. I pray in this situation that the lady who received a second chance will stop running and surrender to a loving Savior.

And on a side note, my nephew was an excellent lemur and sang beautifully.

Given to Fly

(From the mind of he)

Since February is almost up I must give this months dose of "My Interpretation of Pearl Jam Lyrics". I know you are all excited. Today's lyrics comes from a song called Given to Fly. It goes like this...

He floated back down cause he wanted to share

His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere

But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed

By faceless men, well, #@#$%^&

He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away

The love he receives is the love that is saved

And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky

A human being that was given to fly

I feel these lyrics tell a very good story of what Christ did while He walked the Earth, and what He is still doing in many lives today.

One of the best stained glass windows we saw while we were in France last summer was of Jesus standing with His arms open, as if to receive the world, while people were standing below Him with broken chains falling off their wrists. Christ came to set the captives free. He was stripped, stabbed, and hung on a tree, which was all part of Him accomplishing His purpose. The world hated Him, but He still stands. The world still hates Him, but He still stands. He is the only one who has the key to unlock any chain that may bind us. He gives His love and when we love Him in return, He frees us.

(Given to Fly can be found on Pearl Jam's 5th album, which is entitled Yield)

Spoiled Doggie

(From the Heart of She)

It is starting to slowly dawn on me how spoiled our dog truly is! So much so that I really don't want to admit in writing the evidence to that fact. I have included a picture of Zaba that captures the essence of his 'spoiledness' - his expression basically says "I soooo have it made and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it!"

on another note- I am getting spring fever big time. I am soooo over this winter. I also am really missing my family and the friends that we don't get to see often (which is basically all of you reading this!) It just seems that life is going by so fast that there is never time to stop and visit. But we are making time this summer. Zaba, Mark and I are coming to a town near you! We plan to visit A LOT of people this summer that we haven't had the chance to see in a while. (With a side trip to Minnesota!) Don't ask how we chose that destination- but there is a reason behind it. We are staying at the Gunflint Lodge on the Minnesota/Canadian border - check it out at http://www.gunflint.com/slideshow.html I am hoping to see some northern lights! (one of my life goals!) Mark's parents are also taking their children and grandchildren to Disney world and one of our good friends is getting married. Needless to say it will be a jam packed summer. Can you tell I am just a little excited (and ready for a break!)

Lastly, Mark and I begin our classes for foster parent certification next week. This is just a beginning step so, of course, we will have lots to consider and pray about along the way. We aren't going to be rushing into anything. But we have felt for a long time that this is a desire God has laid on our hearts, so we are really excited about taking the first step! Please pray for God's guidance for us as we begin this journey.

We love and miss all of you. Thank you for staying tuned to our site and reading about all of Zaba's crazy antics!

Soap

(From the mind of he)

Soap, not to be confused with soup, is Zaba's new passion. He for some reason beyond my comprehension wants the bar soap that is in my bathroom. When I took it away he proceeded to lick where the soap used to be. Strange puppy. He also really likes Dana's ear plugs, eye solution and toothpaste.
This really goes along with my continual growth in God through the dog. Meaning the things God continues to teach me through caring for a puppy. I continue to see the things that God's taking away from me because they aren't very good in His eyes (Genesis 1:31).

Surrender

(From the mind of he)

I'm involved with a Bible study with some of the guys from the college. This Monday we watched a message from a guy who pastors a church in Brooklyn. His message was about God's house being a house of prayer. He opened with the story of Jesus clearing the temple of the money changers and saying, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a robbers' den."(Mark 11:17) A House of Prayer. My life must be a house of prayer.
As the message went on the pastor said something that stuck out to me. He said if you can beat Satan in prayer then you can beat him in any other aspect of your life. I pondered this and came up with the following:

1. The last thing Satan wants anyone to do is to talk to God. I learned that talking to God is not relying on yourself. Humility will grow and pride will die with a conversation at the throne of grace.

2. Everything must begin with prayer. The Bible is truth, but if I don't seek the Holy Spirit's guidance then all I'm doing is trying to figure out what God is trying to say. If I talk to God first then guidance and strength will flow from His Word.

3. I've tried many times in life to figure things out and I always end up in the same situation, which is walking around in circles. All things are impossible without God. (for a reference on this refer back to my Lost Sheep blog about the Zaba making a break for it)

4. God has everything I could ever need. All the answers await me and are found in His presence.

I've had a continual struggle with prayer. Sometimes my tent of meeting is strong, and at other times the conversation is short or nonexistent. I know for prayer to take hold and transform I must surrender all. I must give Him my life daily, pick up my cross, and follow Him. I know He will always keep me on that narrow path. A path that I will only be able to see with prayer.