To put feet on our prayers, let's contact our reps.

Contact your Senator
http://www.senate.gov/

Contact your Representative
http://www.house.gov/

Here's what I've read about contacting them, for what it's worth.

First, obviously, be polite. Otherwise, you'll be laughed at and probably dismissed.

Second, stick to one topic per post or letter. Often, an aide skims them and merely checks off yes or no on a list of topics. If you write about more than one, it might not get noted.

Third, be encouraged that you wrote. They consider one letter as representing 10,000 more constituents in agreement. It does hold weight.

So, Encourage the ones who vote like you do. They're probably fighting a hard battle.

I read the first two books of the tome, _Advise & Consent_ for a book report. I was touched by the idealistic young man who went to Washington only to experience a very un-idealistic "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" modus operandi. If you don't support my pork project, my whole sub-committee will vote against your project.

Finally, be sure that if God tells us to pray for everyone in authority, then he hears and answers. And He reigns!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuLr5rQmp0 "He Reigns"

Healed of CP

Does anyone know Bob Turner? Tell him I'm looking for him. Want to catch up.

I met him years ago in a home meeting. He played the piano beautifully for our worship, then he gave an amazing testimony I later verified w/ his h.s. secretary. I love to believe wonderful things and tell others, but I don't want us to be deceived. I want to verify. I did.

***So I didn't put words in her mouth, just asked if she remembered him. She did.***

Bob was born with CP and at 14, his left side stopped growing. His left arm and leg were shorter and drawn up, and he walked with a dragging limp. His parents bought him an old piano for coordination therapy. He'd pound on it in frustration. One night, a friend took him to a home prayer meeting and they laid hands on him and prayed. His left arm and leg straightened out and even his teeth on that side came in longer.

His parents didn't believe it when he ran up the stairs to tell them. They had been through so much for so long. His mother put her pillow over her head. His father said, "Let's see if it's there in the morning." It was.

He went back to school on Monday and teachers pulled him into their rooms to ask what happened. A Bible club was formed and at the end of the year, an assembly program speaker had to cancel, and Bob and the host of the home meeting were allowed to give their testimony to the whole school.

All this, the school secretary corrobrated--in her own words, not mine. Except for one mistake. She said, "He went to a revival..." No. It was just a living room full of believers.

Bob spoke in several churches in the area, and in my living twice. I made more friends on those occasions, strangers brought in by friends into my packed house.

It would seem that God is still in the healing business. Several times, the Bible says Jesus healed them "all." Nowhere does it show him refusing anyone with the words, "I think I'll let you keep this affliction. It will make you more spiritual."

Nowhere does it say in the Bible the age of miracles is past.

I don't know why everyone isn't healed who asks with faith.

But it does seems to happen more on the mission field than it does in more educated countries. Ask a missionary.

I do know that some people are, and I hope that knowing that builds faith. However, even that is not what we should dwell on. We should dwell on the Word. We should dwell on this from Isaiah 53: "With His stripes, we are healed."

And who does the healing? We are told in Hebrews that Jesus is at the right hand of God. They are seated in heaven. Who does that leave to do the healing on earth? The Holy Spirit, God's presence on earth.

James says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." I'm no expert. I just suspect that God appreciates it when we recognize all three aspects of Him in their different roles, and acts accordingly. I know it did in Bob's case.

My heroine's little girl is very ill and a new believer prays for her. This believer just lost a loved one, himself. He says he doesn't know why everyone isn't healed. He just knows that healing was part of the work of the cross. "With His stripes we are healed." So he prays for the toddler in faith, believing, and....

Closed--Too Wet & Too Wild

I'm reading about changing ourselves and how difficult it is, even with God's help. We're "comfortable" with what is familiar. Change for the better may seem artificial, uncomfortable.

I once rode past a Florida water park, Wet 'n' Wild, after a violent storm. A new sign stood out front: "Closed--Too Wet & Too Wild." I laughed and went on by.

But God will not just go on by. He will change us if we tell Him we regret our shortcomings and want Him to change us. He'll forgive us and make us peaceful and calm, regardless of any storm. And let us live with Him forever.

Knowing He loves and accepts us, we can do the same for ourselves and change and grow and become the kind of person He plans for us to be. And that is success.

My heroine, Maggie, had massive self-doubts. Two people died because of her shortcomings, she believes. She searches for answers on the dark side and her artistic, funny, sunny self almost gets lost in the process. But she gets by with a little help from her friends and learns the truth from a surprising source.

Scroll down and push the Ready button in the margin for more information, if you like.