Good Evening, Family!⛓
This week, we praise God for:
💟 Kristina is praising God that everything with their insurance has been worked out and Seth has an MRI scheduled for June 7th! 🙌🏽
💟 The Edmond Family secured vaccination appointments, and are grateful to God and ask for prayers that they won't experience any adverse reactions!
💟 María thanks God for keeping Jordan safe while he's away from home, and asks that we keep him in prayer always!
💟 All of the young people at the Lighthouse. Their willingness to help, to serve and to lead are an inspiration to everyone. We are so very BLESSED to have each of them! 🤗
We are also praying for:
✝️ Armando's family and loved ones. God, in His infinite mercy and love, called Armando to rest from the battle he had been valiantly fighting against cancer for so long. Pray for the Lord to comfort and encourage his wife and children as they look forward to that great day when they are reunited; never to be separated again.
🛐 Nelly's neighbor, Provi, who is having a pacemaker put in this week and is very nervous. Pray for a safe and successful surgery and a quick recovery.
✝️ Micharen's grandmother, who will be traveling from the Dominan Republic. May the Lord shield and protect her on her journey.
🛐 Our brother, John Vega, who is still awaiting test results. We are praying for good test results and renewed health!
🛐 Nelly, and for answers to her health questions. May God grant her team of doctors the wisdom they need to figure out this mystery.
🛐 Diana, Leiana’s mother, as she grieves this unimaginable loss. Pray for strength as she has to endure the prosecution phase of this nightmare.
🛐 Bianca, Vishal and Sebastian Suri. May the Lord shower their beautiful family with blessings from above.
🛐 Our sister, Evelyn, as continues to recover from her surgery. May she experience less pain with each passing day towards a full recovery.
🛐 Vasthi's friend, Rosa and her family.
🛐 Micharen's aunt, uncle, and cousins, Ralph and Jr. May the Lord work out miracles on their behalf.
🛐 Doris' friend's daughter, Ari, who was exposed after visiting a friend's home m the friend's dad, who is a police officer, had Covid and was not aware. Ari was informed once he tested positive and she is now positive as well. Pray for taking for them both and for protection for Ari's family.
🛐 Maria, who has been suffering from Tinnitus in her ear. She’s asking for prayer as she is going to see a specialist. Let’s ask for wisdom and for the doctor to offer her much-needed relief and healing.
🛐 Angelica, as she has been given new and exciting opportunities at work, and in her educational career as she pursues her Master's degree.
🛐 Doris, and her daughters, Jackie, Amanda and their children, Skylar, Heaven Lee, Dorian, Zaire and Amir. May God keep working miracles in their lives.
🛐 Seth...that God would continue to shower him with His goodness, grace and love. May God work out the NEXT MIRACLE in his life! Pray for his MRI, that Seth would handle it well and that the results would be favorable, knowing that God has always come through.
🛐 Anna Ortiz. Kristina provided us with this update: They found another lump behind her neck and she's now receiving treatment for that as well. Despite it all she's in good spirits and thankful for the prayers.
Tonight's Devotional kicks off a short series that will be featured every Thursday night. As most of you know, for several years The Lighthouse at Riverside has been involved with Prison Fellowship. It's a program that helps introduce Jesus to those in prison, so that they might experience real hope and life transformation. Each year, The Lighthouse requests from Prison Fellowship and their Angel Tree ministry the names of children in our area whose parents are in prison. Then those names and their Christmas wish lists are given out to The Lighthouse Family and they shop for, wrap and deliver those Christmas gifts to those children and their caregivers. It's a beautiful experience for all!
Each Thursday, you will read short devotionals written by prisoners that paint a picture of how each writer grew in Christ by studying God's Word and surrendering to Him. I hope you're blessed and inspired by this series entitled, "I SURRENDER". 🙏🏽
I SURRENDER MY DESPAIR
If ever a person "walks through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4, KJV) it is in a prison. But despair need not conquer us. When we trust God, our lives can become joyful despite the circumstances. Our God is all-powerful. He will comfort and care for us.
BRUISED BUT NOT BROKEN
"A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." (Isaiah 42:3)
When I arrived in prison, I was on the edge of a complete mental and physical breakdown. I had known Christ in my youth, but had strayed so far from Him that I no longer believed He existed. I had traveled all over the world, lived in Haight Ashbury in the late sixties, built a lucrative narcotics business, and been on the run from the "feds" for almost 10 years. My nerves were completely shot.
By the time I got to prison, everyone was waiting for me to fall apart completely. I could feel a battle going on in my consciousness. On one hand I wanted to blow myself away and take as many people with me as I could, but the other side of me was restraining that destruction. Yet I was growing weaker and weaker. I was terrified I would soon lose all control.
Finally I came to that breaking point and cried out to Jesus Christ, "If You want me to live, you’re going to have to save me!" And I suddenly knew His presence; I knew He would spare me from destroying myself. I began to read the Bible and discovered it was full of people like me who had made big mistakes and caused a lot of pain, yet had been forgiven and healed. I committed my life to Christ. Then I saw that same healing process slowly taking place in me. I had been bruised and battered inside, but I was not broken. He restored me. I was no longer bent on destruction, but filled with new life. And as I told others about Christ’s work in me, I saw their lives change as well.
Those of us who have spent time in prison may well be "bruised reeds," but God, in His grace, has restored us completely!
Mark,* released from federal prison
What a beautiful testimony !