I'm sure we have all survived something we never thought we could get through. I am re-claiming my strength in the name of Jesus. Please stand by me, and re-claim your own power and strength. No-One can break us, No-One can have power over us, with out our permission. Let us form a bond and hedge around our children, that No man, nor person can break. In Jesus name, AMEN.....

Amen,reg,amen.

Amen!

I will gladly stand with you reggie in reclaiming our strength in the Name of or Lord And savior Jesus Christ!

I've had many times now in my decades of life that I would never have made it through the grief, trails and despair without the prayer and support of my fellow Christians.

The darkest time in my life was when I lost my oldest son in a car wreck two days before Thanksgiving of 2005. He had just gotten out of TDCJ on parole six months earlier after serving almost 4 yrs on a 6 yr sentence for for DUI and was doing fairly well. Well, since I am some what disabled and limited with traveling and live in OK and he was in TX I had only gotten to see him one time after his release but he was 'coming home for Thanksgiving' and we were going to 'catch up on talk'. We had goten very close through all of our letters and had always had a special bond between us, so I was so looking forward to his visit and I had just talked to him on the phone the night it happened.

It was such a shock when I heard a knock at the door early the next morning and it was my daughter with the tragic news. There are no words that can really explain what happens in a parent's very soul when they are faced with burying a child. It's just some how against nature by our way of reasoning so even after the shock wore off several months later and I was faced with just sheer grief, finally did come to place in my heart where I could truly accept God's will in that event, but it took all I had to get there, to say the least.

I thought that would be what surely killed me but you know what? ..God got me through even that tragedy and His grace has kept me going for almost three years since then. Now I have the assurance that my precious first born son is 'truly home and truly and forever free'.

To GOD be the glory!

But now once again, I am faced with the possibly of my youngest son going to prison, too. This has been a real shock to me still being so fragile from the lose of his brother, so I am currently in a place that I need to reclaim my strength too.

I can't go into any details on this present situation right now because it's all still tangled up in the courts but the past few months has really sapped my inner strength.

SO yes reggie, moma K and Bless, I am standing with you and all those who will also step up to do so as well ..and right now in claiming for us all ...

"In all things we are more than conquerers through Him that loved us".
(Romans 9:37)

To God be the Glory!!

Dear Reg and Sisters,
I stand in the gap with you all. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus paid the price so we can claim victory over him. I am learning to put my spiritual armor on each day, we can not allow the enemy to defeat us. I pray for unity among all of us, there is much strength among us all.
God bless.
Susan

Amen! Thank you Reggie. Just when you think you're down, someone comes along and says----no you are not. Get up, get up now! THANK YOU ALL. Thanks whitewolf for sharing...

Amen!

wonderful words, reg, from our pain we emerge stronger..our faith is tested not because God doesnt know how strong WE are...but so that WE may know it is real and we will be empowered by it!

whitewolf....my first born son died in 1974 before he turned 3...my youngest son is in prison.

I would think that losing a child is enough let alone this, but then again, I remind myself that dead or alive in prison or free...it has no bearing on our time together for eternity. this is just a blink in time.

On standing firm... I offer these scriptures....

Exodus 14:13 2 Chronicles 20:15 -17 Psalm 20 Psalm 31 Ps 40:1-3
1 Corinthians 15:58a 16:13 Galatians 5:1 Ephesians 6-11-18 (14)
Philippians 1:27-28 4:1c,4-8

AMEN Reggie! What a great post! I needed that as well! God is Great! And He will take good care of each one of us and our sons.
******{BIG HUGS FOR YOU REG}}}}}

There she is ladies, our Reg. Won't be beaten and ready to rally. What's not to love! Amen Reg.
Wendy

This song says it all....and together we are stronger!

Hands...Jewel...
If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after
We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
We are God's hands
We are God's hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5gQe...eature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5gQeA5uETU&feature=related)

I think you ladies have said it all....
So, I stand with each and every one of you!
mama's-tears

Whitewolf, Jancy, The death of a child. WOW! I do not know how you do it. I want to feel strong but I do not. God Bless You and thank you for being here for us new people. I have to believe if you can make it I will too.
lynns

WHITEWOLF,can I ever tell enough how much it meant to me.that you opened your heart to us,we will all stand together as mothers,because somewhere in this HUGE FIGHT for our children,we also have to fight for ourselves,I will always believe that god has a special purpose for us,WE are special,and the first thing i thank god for every morning,is that he has bestowed upon me the grace to continue to be strong and to resist giving up,in all i have been through,never once has that thought entered in my mind,whitewolf,you are the tower of strength,your son is now where the struggle is over,all is beautiful,and i pray im not out of line,and we should all feel lucky still,to be able to have our children,but by the grace of god,may we all be able to truly laugh out loud again one day.

Amen....Reg.......yes, we stand together in the gap for our children Lord Jesus and we ask that you provide protection for them and for us, Lord. Protect our minds, protect our hearts, help us keep our eyes turned upward and know that you have not forsaken us, no matter, how heavy our burdens....thank you Lord Jesus for the love you have shown us and the love you put in our hearts as mother's, that we may stand in the gap for each other, and hold each other up to you when one is weary....Thank you Lord, for the lessons we are learning, thank you for the bond that we have.....Father, we know you hate sin, so we know you are with us in our fight against the enemy that would lie, steal and kill our families...Thank you Lord Jesus for your wisdom and love that you depart in each one of us....

AMEN Cat! AMEN!!!

Reggie, I

Reggie, I just wanted to say how much I love your quote" What's right is right, even if noone is doing it. . . What's wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it". I found myself quoting it to my yougest son today. I got a call from school about unusual defiance from him at school. Of course I overreacted because of flashbacks to problems with my son currently in county. I balled my eyes out on the phone with the teacher. I think she felt sorry for him and worried that events at home are causing these changes in behavior (he has always been a good student with good behavior) She ended up relenting on making him write the Declaration of Independence. He can be stubborn and would not write it because he said he was wrongly accused. Anyway, I have to be careful not to freak out with him. Being a good parent is so hard. It is a good thing we do not know that in advance or the survival of the human race would be in jeopardy!

Dear parents, I admire you all much for retaining your faith. I don't understand how you have done so. When my son was arrested (sensational crime and trial by media here), I lost my job because my employer didn't want the notoriety of me being on staff. People who had been my friends for years, Christians all, each decided they didn't have time to visit or call me. My husband couldn't deal and bailed. But I hoped and had faith, trusting the promises of the Bible--and continually faced down despair because there was no "peace that passes understanding" or any sense that God was even with me (not making everything better or doing what I wanted, just letting me know I wasn't alone). Only when I let go of hope in God for this world or the next have I found some stability. Suffering IS, and we each are alone in our personal nightmares. I wish someone had a different answer.

dezember, I am new so I do not have the experience behind me that the rest of these ladies do, but I am here and you sound like you are in a bad place. I am a christian who has let God slip from my life over the last several years. I have had trouble praying and like you wondered if God is really there. Since my son has been in prison I have found myself turning back to God. (How sad for God that we often only seek him out when we are in need.) But as soon as this happened all of the people from my old church where we have not been a member for years, came to our side with letters of support and prayers for mercy for my son. I have been overwhelmed with their kindness. For myself I believe that the God I know is a loving God and does not cause things to happen to us, it is just life and luck (or lack of it). God certainly did not make my son do what he did. I imagine he is like us and grieves when his children make mistakes. What is important and what he wants from us is to turn to him when we are in trouble. Not necessarily to save us from it but to help us and our child deal with it and learn from it. I thought I had troubles until I began to read some of these stories. Anyway, I read somewhere once that sometimes you need to do the action first and the feeling will follow. I don't know if I helped or hurt. I worry that I will say the wrong thing to someone who needs so much. For me I pray that God will let my son know he is there for him and help me to understand what he wants me to do with my life. We cannot be strong all of the time though and I am so glad we found this forum where we can lean on each other.
lynn

Lynns.........well said:thumbsup:

lynns such a wonderful way to put it all. dezember, I am so sorry that you are struggling so with everything. I know that God is loving and caring. He loves you so much and your son. He only wants you both to trust Him and love Him also. Yes, sometimes His ways are rather hard on us, but sometimes that is the only way we will respond and turn to Him.
when my son went to prison, a life sentence, it devasted me the first year, I thought I could not go on. But in time, with God, family, and church family, & a few real friends who stand by me, I did go on and my faith grew stronger.
God does not cause bad, but He allows it.
Job said it best... Shall we take good from God and not the bad ?
will hold you up in prayer and your son also.

Amen! Praise God! And God..... thank you for these sisters who share their hearts so bravely with me. They inspire me and I thank you for sending me here to find them. Amen.

Mary

Amen!

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where this is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Lord hear our prayers...

I love this prayer....it's been a favorite of mine for years...thanks Reg...We are all children of God and guess what, God don't make junk....!!!

:)Thanks Cat!!!! :) I love you, and every Mother, Father, Sister, Brother... PLEASE help me, form a hedge of LOVE.......Forgiveness, Understanding, and patience. Lord forgive the UnHoly...........the NON-Believers........the ones who ABUSE their Power. Please restore Justice where there is none.

Father God, I stand in agreement with Reggie and ask for a hedge of protection to be place around all of our loved ones who are incarcerated. Lord, we know that the un-believers cannot see what you see, cannot see with the eyes of love, and forgiveness. Lord, we come to you humbly, for we are not without sin in our lives, but we love you and we believe in your word. And ask that you open the eyes of the one's that abuse their power and bring pain and suffering to our loved ones. We ask that they come to know you Lord, and we ask Lord for their repentance. Lord, open the eyes of the one's that cannot feel love, forgiveness, understanding and patience. Give them new eyes to see with Lord. Lord, be with every Mother, Father, Sister, Brother and family member, give them comfort Lord. Give them peace. Lord, we know it is your will for our loved one's that have yet to repent, that they too would find their knees and raise their voice to you and ask for forgiveness. We stand here together as believer's, in the gap, for our children, Lord. We are believing that you will keep them safe, that they will be given a supernatural healing. We praise you, Jesus, for your patience and guidance in each one of our lives...Thank you for bringing us together, that we may worship as one with you.

Father God, I stand in agreement with Reggie and ask for a hedge of protection to be place around all of our loved ones who are incarcerated. healing. We praise you, Jesus, for your patience and guidance in each one of our lives...Thank you for bringing us together, that we may worship as one with you.Lord, we know that the un-believers cannot see what you see, cannot see with the eyes of love, and forgiveness. Lord, we come to you humbly, for we are not without sin in our lives, but we love you and we believe in your word. And ask that you open the eyes of the one's that abuse their power and bring pain and suffering to our loved ones. We ask that they come to know you Lord, and we ask Lord for their repentance. Lord, open the eyes of the one's that cannot feel love, forgiveness, understanding and patience. Give them new eyes to see with Lord. Lord, be with every Mother, Father, Sister, Brother and family member, give them comfort Lord. Give them peace. Lord, we know it is your will for our loved one's that have yet to repent, that they too would find their knees and raise their voice to you and ask for forgiveness. We stand here together as believer's, in the gap, for our children, Lord. We are believing that you will keep them safe, that they will be given a supernatural

AMEN............Thank You Cat. Thank you Jesus,..........Thank you. Some one, and the Lord, hears my prayer. How grateful I am........

Reggie, I just wanted to say how much I love your quote" What's right is right, even if noone is doing it. . . What's wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it". I found myself quoting it to my yougest son today. I got a call from school about unusual defiance from him at school. Of course I overreacted because of flashbacks to problems with my son currently in county. I balled my eyes out on the phone with the teacher. I think she felt sorry for him and worried that events at home are causing these changes in behavior (he has always been a good student with good behavior) She ended up relenting on making him write the Declaration of Independence. He can be stubborn and would not write it because he said he was wrongly accused. Anyway, I have to be careful not to freak out with him. Being a good parent is so hard. It is a good thing we do not know that in advance or the survival of the human race would be in jeopardy!
Lynns, TY, I wish I could take credit for it, but it's not my quote. The unit my hubby is in, uses this as their motto. I love it though, and good for you for using it with your son. I use it with any one who will listen, LOL. :) I hope it all gets straightened out at the school, some times, the teachers can be wrong. ;) Sigh........momhood is hard! But worth every minute, eh?

A BIG AMEN HERE!!! my son turned 20 this past tuesday behind them walls. and i am a breast cancer survivor for almost 3 years now..i keep all loved ones and there family in my prayers.god bless you to all.

Happy BirthDay to our sweet nephew!
Praise God his Mother is a survivor and a fighter! :)
God continue to Bless you both...........you will remain in my prayers.

On standing firm... I offer these scriptures....

Exodus 14:13 2 Chronicles 20:15 -17 Psalm 20 Psalm 31 Ps 40:1-3
1 Corinthians 15:58a 16:13 Galatians 5:1 Ephesians 6-11-18 (14)
Philippians 1:27-28 4:1c,4-8

Excellent scriptures D'Gal! Thank you! :thumbsup:
Psalm 20

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
3 May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
5 We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

9 Save, LORD!
May the King answer us when we call.

Amen to that.

People are often: unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind: people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway. ---Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Ahhhhh Reggie.........that is quote is so touching....it is the way of the world....but we are in the world, but do not have to be of the world....Thank you for reminding us...my thoughts and prayers going out to all the parent's.....may we all find peace.....~Cat

Mother Teresa was truly an angel amongst us, what a wise woman she was. Great post Reg.

Wendy

great words from two great ladies...lol Mother t and Reg.

Still standing strong! :) NEVER BROKEN!!!!!!

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 1 Cor 16:13

Eph 6:11-14 the Whole Armor of God. Standing fast. Standing Strong.

Forgive them anyway.
Be kind anyway.
Succeed anyway.
Be honest and frank anyway.
Build anyway.
Be happy anyway.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

it was never between you and them anyway. ---Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I know that the good Mother experienced this so she will probably not disagree with me that, while it it true that it is between "we" and God...there is a lot of pain attached to anyway...not that I intend to let anyone/thing keep me from the anyway...but...it is really darn painful sometimes!!!

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 1 Cor 16:13

Eph 6:11-14 the Whole Armor of God. Standing fast. Standing Strong.

YES! D'Gal, Thank you!!!!!
Peque, Mother Teresa also said "I know God will never give me more than I can handle, I just wish He didn't trust me so much". :) So yes, even she understood pain. Hang in there. (((hugs)))

Is that it? Trust? :ha: then I have to admit...I'm with Mother Theresa...I'd rather not be trusted as well. Oh well...I guess I will continue to :D and bear it.

I stand in agreement with all of you and I am taking back everything that the devil has stolen from me (some stuff he didn't steal I handed it to him but I'm taking it all back). This is what God has called us to do stand strong for each other. I am glad Reggie42 started this thread because we need to stand in the gap for our sisters and brother because some days the devil gets on our track and we can't see our way out. To all my brothers and sisters that think you cant make it we are here to say yes you can....is it going to be easy, probablly not but with God all things are possible. "This Too Shall Pass"

I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still standing strong, I will not be broken.

The LORD is my light and my salvation. Who is there to fear? The LORD is my life's fortress. Who is there to be afraid of? Evildoers closed in on me to tear me to pieces. My opponents and enemies stumbled and fell. Even though an army sets up camp against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even though a war breaks out against me, I will still have confidence in the LORD. --Psalm 27:1-3

hey regg... you should move this over to the Todays Word thread. it would be a good one for a daily reading too.

how ya doin' ? prayer always going up for you. as for all.

:grouphug:

I'm sure we have all survived something we never thought we could get through. I am re-claiming my strength in the name of Jesus. Please stand by me, and re-claim your own power and strength. No-One can break us, No-One can have power over us, with out our permission. Let us form a bond and hedge around our children, that No man, nor person can break. In Jesus name, AMEN.....

I am re-claiming my power and strength today! I won't let anyone break me down today! I have so much to live for and am blessed for! Thank You Jesus for all you have brought to my life in this time of sorrow and pain! Thank you for all these wonderful ppl here at PT that you have brought into my life to help me get through my pain! In Jesus name AMEN!!!

raising this post so others can be blessed by the words here!

Thanks! It's a comfort to visulize that hedge around all of our sons.

:( I too would like to take a moment to apologize to any one and everyone who felt my post in defending our fellow mom was rude, or mean, or offending. There was a "private" joke, that perhaps was tasteless, but it was understood between the 2 of us, and I never meant to offend or hurt any one in the process. I am taking some time to try to figure things out, and just deal with it all. The TX prison system is volatile, violent, and full of corruption. It brings me down to a low you can't possibly know, unless your own child is experiencing the abuse and mistreatment daily, and you are helpless to do anything. From CO's as well as inmates, it is corrupt. So I don't have a lot of positive support, or wise words these days. And rather than bring everyone fear, doubt, and negative thoughts, I feel it is best I just don't post right now. I do keep you all, and your children in my prayers daily. Again, I am very sorry if I offended any of you. Love, Prayers, and Blessings.