Sharing and a Request for Prayer - Beginnings

Some scripture I have been
mulling over... thought it may be helpful for others who have been /
are going through a time of barren wastelands and desolation... I love
God's promises here. I made some notes and did some
italicizing/underlining for myself.

I was reading through this during devotions a week or so ago and
was struck in a meaningful way. More specifics from me below the
passage, and a request for prayer.

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Joel is speaking to God's people who have been sinning against
Him - God sent a great punishment to them, a swarm of locusts that
wiped out their land - they marched like an army over them and left it
desolate. (verses 1-11)...

A Call to Repentance

12 "Now, therefore," says the Lord,

"Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

14 Who knows if He will turn and relent,

And leave a blessing behind Him--

A grain offering and a drink offering

For the Lord your God?

(The blessing that God would give would be something to be given back to Himself!

*A grain offering - "It was a sweet savour offering, like the
burnt and the peace offerings, it was something pleasant and sweet to
God with no thought of sin-bearing or cleansing of sin in the offering.
It was a freewill offering given voluntarily not under compulsion" See
more here

*A drink offering - "speaks of the joy of God when His work is
complete and His people are in full possession of their blessings" More here

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,

Consecrate a fast,

Call a sacred assembly;

16 Gather the people,

Sanctify the congregation,

Assemble the elders,

Gather the children and nursing babes;

Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,

And the bride from her dressing room.

17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,

Weep between the porch and the altar;

Let them say, "Spare Your people, O Lord,

And do not give Your heritage to reproach,

That the nations should rule over them.

Why should they say among the peoples,

'Where is their God?'"

(Everyone was called to repentance, no one was excused from the public, corporate confession)

The Land Refreshed

18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,

And pity His people.

19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,

"Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,

And you will be satisfied by them;

I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

(He will return to them what his judgements took.)

20 "But I will remove far from you the northern army,

And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,

With his face toward the eastern sea

And his back toward the western sea;

His stench will come up,

And his foul odor will rise,

Because he has done monstrous things."

(God will destroy the army he raised up to punish His people.)

21 Fear not, O land;

Be glad and rejoice,

For the Lord has done marvelous things!

22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;

For the open pastures are springing up,

And the tree bears its fruit;

The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,

And rejoice in the Lord your God;

For He has given you the former rain faithfully,

And He will cause the rain to come down for you--

The former rain,

And the latter rain in the first month.

24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,

And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

(God promises to be faithful in restoring and bringing full fruits and blessings on His people.)

25 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,

The consuming locust,

And the chewing locust,

My great army which I sent among you.

26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

And praise the name of the Lord your God,

Who has dealt wondrously with you;

And My people shall never be put to shame.

27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:

I am the Lord your God

And there is no other.

My people shall never be put to shame.

God's Spirit Poured Out

28 "And it shall come to pass afterward

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your old men shall dream dreams,

Your young men shall see visions.

29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:

Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

32 And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.

For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,

As the Lord has said,

Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

(Amen.)

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Tom and I have been talking about our desire for a baby and I feel
like we have gone through and are coming out of a dark valley in many
areas (family, marriage, work, physical and spiritual). We feel a
sense of new hope and have resolved to do what we can in '08 to be sure
we are both physically, spiritually and emotionally prepared to receive
a new child should the Lord bless us. We are committed to prayer
toward this end in a new way... for a healthy pregnancy before the year
ends. My work load has decreased and both of our desire for a new baby
has increased, in our eyes it would be a wonderful time to add to our
family... we pray that God agrees. :-)

Will you join us in prayer? For our trust in God and belief in
His promises; for self-discipline in areas of healthy eating, vitamins
and supplements, and most importantly devotions and prayer; for Tom to
grow in faith, leadership, and his love for God; for me to grow in
faith, submission, humility and joy; for our children as they pray and
hope and watch.

I just wanted to share with you and ask for your prayers. Thank you!

Amber

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