There are many prayers offered to God and we often wonder what kind of prayers does God really answers? What are the secrets of answered prayers? What gets God attention?

I know many of you pray. Some of you - when tragedy hits close will cry a “please help God”, others when something excited is happening in your life will say a “thank you God” and some of you are praying daily. It’s part of your religious routine: morning prayer, before meal prayer, evening prayer … you do it without thinking. And some of you are prayer warriors who can spend countless hours on their knees to pray for others and themselves with sincere hearts and expectations from God.

I personally pray a lot. I pray short prayers, when someone asks to pray for them I do it right away. Over the years I learned that we ought to ask, for everything … because Jesus said: ask and it will be given to you, but we ought to ask according to God’s will. Jesus showed us this when in the Gethsemane he was able to say: Father, not my will, but yours … these are some of the hardest words we can say, if we really mean them. It’s not easy to give up our will, totally surrender and unconditionally trust God - but it’s possible. It will never be easy, but as you get to know God better and better you will know that he wants your very best and it will be easier to give up control over your life.

Yet in my journey with God, I noticed that God will always answer those prayers that come from heart and they are longings to know Him more, prayers which will help us grow in faith.

Advent … for some it means nothing, for others means a lot. While we are in a great anticipation for the upcoming Christmas, advent is more than that. Advent reminds us that in the darkest times there is HOPE. Before Jesus came, the world was in a deep spiritual darkness and when God’s people cried out God did sent His son. It seemed for a long time; it seemed that God doesn’t hear their prayers … but God was preparing a way for his people. As we remember the first coming of Christ, we out to keep our eyes and thoughts on Jesus’ second coming. We live in a constant Advent time.

We celebrate advent in our family. Every year four weeks before Christmas I set up the candles. And every Sunday we light a new candle. But four years ago, the meaning of advent totally changed. It became really personal.

It was the second Advent Sunday. The Sunday after my baby daughter’s funeral.

Lately I meet more and more people who are desperately search for something. We are made in God’s image and it’s a desire in us to find that relationship with God. But often people try to fill that need of God with all kinds of gods.

Many pick pieces of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam and they mix it together picking the parts they like to fill their needs. People praise the Universe, and Karma for their success of failures, yet few acknowledge that there is ONLY ONE GOD.

I personally know ONE GOD only, and I am not apologetic or shamed about it. The God I know is the real God, his name is Jehovah – Yahweh. He is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, he is my shepherd, my salvation, my provider, and he is my healer, the Almighty God, my Father.

You might call me radical, but my God radically changed my life. He took all my sins, all my failures, all my mistakes and exchanged it on the cross for a new life.

I don’t know theology and I don’t know all the religious facts, I know one thing, that God changed my life. Gave me peace in the midst of my turmoil and loss, gave my strength when I had none, gave me hope when I couldn’t make it, provided when for months a job seemed totally hopeless.

How do I know that the God I know is the real God? He hears me when I call and answers my prayers. Does your God do that? Can Your God hear you? Can he deliver you? Do you know him personally? Does he know your name? The number of your hairs on your head? Does your God talk to you personally?

I don’t believe in a God image … I trust a God who is real, the one and only God, my God.

Today we remembered the events that took place ten years ago, when On September 11th 2001, four planes where hijacked in midair. Three planes succeeded in hitting their targets. With great courage and resolve, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 prevented their plane from reaching its likely target, the White House or the Capitol Building.

I remember the phone call my husband made and asked if I was watching the TV. Told him no … I had my twins who were 1 at the time and my oldest 5 home. I was a busy mom who rarely watched TV. But when I turned on CNN the pictures I saw totally changed my life and the lives of many that day. I didn’t saw when the first plane actually hit the World Trade Centre, but saw the second one and the devastation before the towers collapsed.

The most vivid picture that stayed with me was the image of people jumping out of the windows thinking that they have more chance to survive then just being on the top floors of the building.

We will NEVER forget that day. It changed the world, and it definitely changed the American nation. We will always remember the tragedy, the courage … later the love and unity. Thank you for all who serve and served.

Yesterday, the movie Flight 93 was on TV, and we were watching it as a family to help my kids understand the events of that day, one thing really thought my attention. The last phone calls.

Passengers were allowed to call their relatives. One more call, to say good bye. But the passengers from the other three planes didn’t have that opportunity. They couldn’t say good bye. When they left their homes, whatever they said last time … was their last words. Whether a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a mom, a dad, a brother, the newspaper boy, the coffee lady … whomever those people were in contact with, did they ever crossed their minds that this might be the last time when they can talk to these people?

We live in a busy world. Running with agendas to meet, goals to reach, and often we take our days, and the people in our lives granted. What if … the words I say, will be the last I could say …

God gives us time and puts us around people … do we realize the impact we can leave with our words? We can choose to be nice, and grateful, and build up people … or we can be angry, disrespectful, always complaining, draining others.

Our words carry power. It either builds up, or tears down. Every interaction we have is God given opportunity to lift someone up, to build someone up, to tell them there are valuable, and to let them know they are loved and appreciated.

When it’s not easy to hear God’s Words

There are times in your life, when you go through difficult circumstances and you feel you’re alone. You cry out to God, you pray, but it seems that there is no answer. In those times what do you do???

When you feel everything is falling apart, remember you are safe in his arms.

Sometimes is hard to hear God’s voice, sometimes your circumstances are so overwhelming that you just feel you can’t take one more step, you can face one more day, and more than anything you just want to hear His voice … but you just can’t hear it.

When it seem your prayers never leaves your room, you wonder if God even knows your name, or hears your voice … in those moments you have to choose to trust God anyways.

I faced many heart crunching circumstances … when it seemed that I couldn't take one more step, one more day … and the truth is – on my own, I would of never made it, yet with God’s help I was able to stand … better said, he held me so  I didn't collapse.

I was having a heart to heart conversation with God lately. I know God is able, I know he spoke and the Universe was formed, I know he doesn’t change, I know and sincerely believe that he can change my circumstances, and your circumstances … it’s not about if he is capable or not … It’s about if he is willing or not.

When our life seems like is falling apart and is totally out of our control, we have to CHOOSE to trust God. We have to remember that he loves us; with a love we can’t understand or comprehend. NEVER question God’s love for you. Your circumstances are not the result of his love. We can NEVER assume that if God loves us, our lives should be problem free. If you ever doubt God love: REMEMBER THE CROSS! On the cross you can see God’s love for you. He gave His only son, to save you, because he loves you so much, that He can’t imagine eternity without you.

So when our situations are overwhelming, remember that he held you all the way until now, and he will do it again. Remember, that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING can happen to you without his knowledge. God knows what you are facing now, He knows your pain, your heartbreak, your tears, your fears, your doubts, and he loves you.

God Provides You with the Strength needed for each day 

I was at the car dealership this Monday. My hubby’s business car lease expired, we bought the car and had to transfer the ownership to the business name. Victor the dealer, we know him for years, was showing me the new cars and conversation moved from one to other. We been joking about the seats and that the two seats in the last row are smaller. Anyways, as our conversation moved he mentioned that it would be nice for two girls after the tree boys. These are the moments when my heart beat rises and my stomach goes into pain. My baby daughter, she’s never forgotten. So quietly I told Victor that actually, God gave us a little girl, but choose to take her awayfartoo early.

For a short moment he opened up and shared his life’s struggle. His third son was born with a lung disease and the doctors announced his son death when he was born, YET he survived. His son spent his first year in the hospital, when they couldn’t take it anymore. They told God, Lord you either take him or heal him. That night they took him off from life support and he was able to breathe on his own. By the medical assumptions he supposed to be death, he is four and alive. Yes, he needs daily massage treatments, and he is on pills, but he is a normal little boy.

Then Victor looked at me and said: I guess God gives us only as much we can handle. I could off never handle to lose my kids; God knew that you (as me) will be able to handle it.

And in that moment God talked and I just shared it forward.

I don’t think that’s true, sometimes we go through circumstances what we can’t handle on our own, but when we are in those overwhelming situations, God will give you the strength needed to face each day, sometimes only enough strength to face one step at the time, one hour at the time, and one day at the time. It’s not about our capability, but His availability, not my strength, but His strength.

What is your first thought, emotion when you think of the possibility that Jesus might come back in three days?

In the last few days you heard more and more news coverage in TV about the predictions of Harold Camping that the judgment day is May 21, 2011.  The followers of Harold Camping spent their own money for bench ads, bus ads and big billboard ads to get people’s attention of the second coming of Jesus.

I really don’t want to go into details about what the bible says and what not. I’m not interested in a theological debate. Over the years I learned that if people want to explain and support their believes they will find a way and scriptures to support their point. You either take the Bible as a whole, or is senseless. To pick and choose some parts to support your ideology is not right.

Could God reveal to someone his second coming if he wish to? Yes – He did send Jonah to Nineveh to save those people. God is Almighty and he can choose to do whatever pleases him.

For me the question is not whether Jesus is coming back on May 21, 2011 but whether you are ready for his coming?

I was sitting in the church few weeks ago and to be honest I don’t remember anything from the sermon. The truth is if you are a church attending person, in your lifetime you will attend thousands of church services and it’s absolutely normal that you will not remember all. You don’t even have to. God uses your church time, your daily ordinary events, and all of your circumstances to personally talk to you and by doing so he is transforming you one step at a time.

But while you will listen to thousands of sermons and you will forget many of them, I find it amusing that I never forget when God talks to me personally. I can recall every time God talked to me: tell you exactly what I did, what he told me, and the impact it had on my life. Whether God talks to me at church through a pastor, a song, a book, a dream or just simply when I don’t even expect it, those moments and words all are imprinted in my mind forever. I treasure these sentences more than anything in my life. God, the God of the universe talks to me, little me – personally.

So going back to the Sunday, I remember the pastor asking: “Do you love Jesus?” And of course in was a grooming yes in the room - well we are in the church setting - of course we love Jesus. But then the next question came: “Do you obey him?” and after this I can’t remember the sermon anymore because God, started to talk to me personally.

Is Your Name on The Guest List?

I was asked by quite few people if I am planning to watch the live podcast of the royal wedding. Well the answer is no. I am not a big fan of the monarchy and not really crazy about the “royal family”. I just don’t have a vested interest to set aside time to really follow their lives, just as I never followed closely any Hollywood star’s life. I guess we get more then we ask for coverage through news channels and that is just more than enough for me. I will of course check in to see the wedding dress … the love for fashion will push me to watch for a short period of time, just to check the royal fashion, so to speak.

But something really captured my attention, and that is the preparation for the wedding. After the official engagement announcement on November 16, 2010, I could say without any exaggeration that an entire army of people were set into action. Their ultimate goal is to plan and make every preparation needed to provide William and Kate – a dream come true – wedding experience. TV channels followed the preparation steps and kept us informed about the latest news in regards of the wedding details.

While William and Kate’s wedding might be one of the most watched weddings in our days, there is a huge – yet unnoticed by news and media crews – wedding preparation going on for the ultimate wedding of all times. We might not even realize it at times, but you can be assured that there is a heavenly army getting ready for the big day of the Lord.

We are one day from Good Friday and three days from Easter. If you are a Christian then more likely your church has some kind of Easter cantata or presentation. This is the time when about a month before Easter your pastor start to pressure you to bring a friend to see the “show”. They might not word it like that, but that’s the point.

Don’t just shoot me now, just let me finish what I started. Don’t take me wrong, I been part of many Easter presentations and cantatas. Since I was a child I grew up in church. I know the customs. I invited my school classmates, friends, co-workers and the list goes on. Well I would say I had some kind of success with these invitations. Maybe 100:1 ratio. You had been there too. You know the feeling. One of my neighbors said: Piri keep inviting us, one day we might show up. At least she was honest.

This year too, I planned ahead. Ordered the lamb and called our friends. I would invite them for lunch or dinner after they would attend church with us. I planned this year after year. I always go the extra mile and try hard not only to invite them to the church and let them just leave, but make it more personal, more friendly, have some food together. Well – still doesn’t work. They are always having other plans Good Friday and Easter Sunday as well as at Christmas time.

I was praying about this and telling God what to do? I love my friends, and I really care about their spiritual life. I can’t even imagine that they would perish while I know God and going to heaven. I sincerely believe that God put us in their paths with the purpose of being the signpost to show them the way to God. But what do I do wrong? I pray for them, not only at Easter and Christmas time, but on a regular basis.  I pray that God would open their hearts, open opportunities and draw them close to him.

As I was praying and asking God what should I do to somehow be able to get a yes to the invitation to the church – God’s answer really got me unexpected. “Piri, you don’t have to bring people to church, you just have to bring God to them”. And I was like “WHAT?” God said: “Jesus never invited the tax collectors, the sick, the hungry, the blind, to the temple … Jesus went out brought God to them by reached them where they were”.