This week is Senior High week at Camp JIM.  My oldest, Angel, is the cook and the next two are campers.  Kind of quiet at home.

Angel said her future dorm room reminds her of a camper cabin.  Awhile back, I  wanted to make her a quilt out of her old camp t-shirts.  I pulled together as many years worth as I could find still in decent shape and cut the fronts off, and that was as far as I got.  I was intimidated and afraid I’d mess them up.  When she said her dorm room looked like a camp cabin inside, she also said she had thought about the would-be quilt… I decided to try again.  If I mess it up, so be it, but it would be nice to give her that gift when she heads off this fall.

So, I have almost 15 years worth of shirt samples.  She was just entering 1st grade her first year as a little Cub Camper.  She was a camper every year through 12th grade, she was a DIT for many summers, counseled two years, and this summer she is cook.  What an amazing ride.  Some shirts were worn out.  I’m thankful for some dear friends who have donated their shirts when they learned about my project.  I am replacing/rearranging some, but I’m making progress…

And have you had a baby fix today?

This is my journal of Ephesians 3:14-21.  This is a Power Prayer, for praying God’s will any day.

I’m in the New American Standard Version.

vs. 14– For this reason… (because Paul’s tribulations are for their glory.  Restates verse 1 which said he was a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles).  For this reason Paul bowed his knees before the Father…

Paul’s prayer for the believers:

vs.15– from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives it’s name (all believers throughout time?  Or simply stating that God is the father of all that has ever been created?)

vs. 16–that  God would grant them, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man. (What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints? Chaper 1:18 This is one of them.)

vs. 17–so that Christ may dwell in your hearts thru faith and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

vs.18–may be able to comprehend with all of the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth (the measure of God’s love for us, in us, and thru us?)

vs. 19– and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

vs.20– Paul just finished praying these amazing things for the church, and then he says, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us,

vs. 21– To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and forever. Amen.

PT: Wow.  We use verse 20 and talk about how God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, but in context Paul is talking about what God does in us.  He prays that Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith.  He asks that we will be so rooted and grounded in love so that we can understand the fullness of God’s love, and truly KNOW this love so that we can be filled up to the fullness of HIM… mature.  What a prayer.  This is one example we can repeat often and know that it is God’s will.  Whatever we ask God to do, according to the power that works within us, He is able to do immeasurably more. 

Oh, God!  I bow MY knees.  I ask that you will grant me, according to the riches of your glory (which are greater than I can even imagine), to be strengthened with power through YOUR SPIRIT in my inner self so that Christ may dwell in MY heart thru faith… God grant that I may always be rooted and grounded in love, able to comprehend the enormity of your love which surpasses knowledge.  God, knowledge is good, but please grant understanding.  Fill me up, God.  Show me where I have need of repentence, to clean out what does not belong and allow you full reign in my life.  I praise you, Lord, that you are able to do far more abundantly beyond all that I can ask or imagine according to your power at work in me.  Oh, God, please do it—change my heart, and all glory be yours.  In Jesus name, the name above all other names, Amen.