Please pray

Hi everyone, I'm updating on my phone asking for prayer. I'm still sick, with what's believed to be a horrible virus (stomach flu like). This is the 5th day I've been fighting it. Unable to keep food or water down. I'm dehydrated and concerned mainly about that because last year I had acute kidney failure and was in the hospital for 6 days then. Please pray I keep enough fluids in my body and recover quickly. Thank you dear friends!

So...

I've been back in Michigan since Monday

One of the boys I nanny for (poor guy) 
passed along something to me when I got home:

 the stomach flu. 

It is as miserable as it sounds. 

 My nausea comes and goes. 

Then comes again.

Headache, chills/fever, dizzy, unable to get up. 

Yesterday evening I thought I was on the mend.

But I was wrong, last night was rough.

And today my body is still fighting it.

Yesterday I wanted to blog, but just physically couldn't.

That's how bad it was.

Hopefully I can catch up on here soon. 

Praying...

Beautiful view- picture I took last Friday in Sausalito, California

Later today...

My heart is full of praises to God! The Lord is doing SO much and I am ever grateful to Him.
Even in the tough circumstances... there is still MUCH to praise Him about.   
A.L.W.A.Y.S. MUCH.

God is breaking up the hardened soil.
It seems in every tough circumstance and in every hardened heart close to me:
 God is breaking it all up!

He is breaking up the soil.
He is planting good seeds.
He is preparing for a harvest.
Something only God Almighty could do!

I will share a fun God Story later today.
One that has everything to do with remembering God's faithfulness.
A story that I've had on my heart for quite sometime.
Today for whatever reason happens to be the right time to share it. 

It's a story that reminds me that He takes what the enemy meant for our harm..
the painful...

and turns it around... 

into something wonderful, 

into something good, 

into an opportunity that leads others to Him.

So please stay tuned...

PS- I would like to pray for you. (Yes you reading this :) I have an open invitation: 

 YOU are always welcome to ask for prayer.
 Comment or privately email me with any prayer requests. 

So need prayer? Don't be shy to ask.
 I read every comment and every email. 
I pray for each request.
Reading them brightens my day for sure! 
 I love hearing from you.
Above all--- it is a joy and blessing to pray for each of you
 through your struggles 
and trials 
AND to celebrate in the victory 
as He rescues, heals, and answers prayers in each one of our lives! 

 When things look impossible: HE MAKES A WAY!

To God be the glory.

God Story--- Our Miracle Orchestrating God

I have an AWESOME story to share that happened yesterday... something ONLY God could orchestrate! I stand yet again in awe of You, God.

This weekend I was preparing to teach the Preschool Sunday School class. 

As usual, I was looking over the material for the lesson and praying. The lesson was about God orchestrating a miracle and saving baby Moses. I was so excited to teach the children this story! (Exodus 2:1-10) 

In my heart, I can just imagine the frightened mother nursing her son frequently... attempting to keep him quiet as she hid him. I wonder if she grew more bonded to him by the moment for three long months. Oh, how she must of felt as she placed him into that basket... 

(Could she have ever been prepared to know then the plans God had for this helpless little baby?)

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

God still orchestrates miracles!

E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y.

Things still happen that doctors cannot explain...

Come expecting a miracle because...

He still gives sight to the blind. 

He still heals the cancer.

He still makes the lame to walk.

(On a side note: Last February my kidneys were failing at an 80% rate. I was in the hospital on morphine for pain... when I was prayed over... and the next day God completely healed my kidneys and blood levels. Praise God! EVERY doctor tried to explain how that could happen scientifically, but couldn't give me any real explanation.)

When preparing for the lesson about God saving baby Moses... 

The Lord brought a 3-year old that I've met to my mind.

Before I even knew what the lesson was He brought him to my mind

and once again after I knew what I would be teaching... 

He brought this little boy to my mind again.

The 3-year old boy is an orphan, one I met in Haiti.

Perfectly named...
Moses.

(Funny enough...Out of all my favorite pictures from Haiti...

with so many children that I've fallen in love with there... 

my profile picture happens to be one I chose of him and I.)

Moses is a joy-filled child.

He is the happiest, most pleasant child to be around.

Despite losing his home (the orphanage) from an earthquake...

Despite living in a tent with no fans...

in a country where the heat index can exceed 120 degrees...

Despite limited food and clean water...

Despite no shoes...

Despite little clothing...

Moses is FILLED with joy. His laughter consumes you... and your left in smiles.

His giggles feel as if they are being poured down from Heaven above.

Moses is also unable to walk.  

 

And even despite this obstacle he is still full of laughter and joy.

When God brought Him to my mind the second time...
I grabbed some pictures of him to take to preschool.

                                                    After I taught the lesson (yesterday)....

  I pulled out a few pictures of Haiti and then a few of Moses

Pointing to the pictures... saying: 

"Boys and girls, Miss. Alisha went to a country called Haiti. 

There many people's homes look like this." (Pointing to a picture that I held up.)

"Many children there walk barefoot..."

"And many children have little food and water.

I met a little boy there also named Moses." (I held up and pointed to a picture of him.)

I explained a little more of his situation to them
and then said: "How about we pray for him.

What should we pray?"

Without skipping a beat...
 little curly headed, Maria holds up her hand really high.

I call on her.
"For him to have food and for his legs to work."

The preschoolers (mostly made up of 4 year old children) began to join me in prayer for Moses.

There are no words for that...

Maria's request and child-like faith was simply beautiful.

After Sunday School was over... something interesting happened during the church service...

 The message the pastor preached was on miracles.

The title of the message was called:

I remember thinking in my head: "If he preaches on the lame man (by the pool) who Jesus made to walk, that would be crazy."

He did.

Not only did he preach on it, 
but he focused in on preaching this miracle.

John 5:8-9:  "Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked."

(The man had an encounter with Jesus!)

God has a special plan for Moses' life. I just know it!

I pray... believing that he too will have an encounter with Jesus!

Let's STILL believe in miracles!

Let's believe...
 and let's praise Him! 

The first miracle Jesus did in my life:  

was when...

He took me in,
a sinner.

I repented
and He simply forgave me.

I was saved, 

I was born-again, 

I was cleaned.

I was given the greatest gift ever... Jesus.

A gift that NEVER fades. To have forever. Always.
Now for all eternity I can be with Him.

Now for all eternity I have hope. 
He adopted me.
God became my Father.
...and He made me royalty.
A daughter of The King.

A filthy, hopeless sinner I was.
No direction in life. No meaning in life.
THEN He came, gave me meaning to everything!

ALL by the powerful blood shed by Jesus Christ.

...this is the HUGEST miracle I've ever experienced to date.

You can experience this too!
(Have questions? Email me at newmerciesdaily@gmail.com)

Through Christ alone. 

He is Our Miracle Orchestrating God!!!

Heartache

                      

It is with very real emotions and heartache that I share this story. Yet it is a story that I must share.

                ...Because you see, each detail was written by God from before time began.

                                                                  Dave Bompart
 

Dave Bompart and his wife, Nicolle have contributed greatly in caring for orphans through Eyes Wide Open International. They co-founded the ministry together.

Last week, Dave Bompart was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he picked up money to feed and care for orphans there. He was helping to build an orphanage for them and was getting ready to head back for construction. Soon after he picked up the money, the vehicle he was in was riddled with bullets. One bullet hit him. One right in the abdomen.

By miracle, Dave made it to a near by hospital in Port-au-Prince, one which he actually helped build after the earthquake. 15 units of deep red blood were then immediately collected by Haitians and Americans alike to help save his life. Two emergency operations were performed in Haiti. Money was quickly and miraculously raised for this one brave follower of Christ to be airlifted to Miami, Florida. There doctors performed multiple surgeries and procedures to save his life. Each day he lived was a miracle.

Thousands were connected and brought together around the world. Including me. Praying- morning, afternoon, evening, and in the middle of the night. Begging God to keep him here with his wife, daughter and adopted Haitian son. Inspired by this man's voice for the orphan and love for all people he came in contact with... I poured my heart out in prayer. I also poured it out in praise for the One who made him.

This afternoon, after a long, exhausting, good-fought battle-- I received this mass text from his wife: "FROM NICOLLE: Today is the day I never hoped would come & these are the words I never hoped to type. Moments ago the love of my life went to be with Jesus."

I know this: God is good.

Whether we understand or not, His plan is still good.

He is still worthy of praise.

Dave is with the One whom he loves more than anyone and it is in that, that we rejoice!


There is a dance of grief and joy.... joy and grief.

With heartache, the world lost a Godly man, and with heartache a new day starts tomorrow without him.

With praise, God brought thousands of believers together. Non-believers alike, saw God's miracles unfold day by day, all the nurses, doctors, and each one that laid their hands on him- saw a glimpse of God.

With Praise, "Big Dave" is no longer suffering, he is now face to face with Jesus!

With Trust in the One who made me... I will go back to Haiti and I will continue the work on behalf of the orphan.... because even though that bullet was meant for his destruction... to cause pain and fear in the lives of many.... something else happened.... death did not win, no.

                                                     CHRIST GOT THE VICTORY!!!

                                                                    Sunrise in Haiti

***Please continue in prayer as Nicolle and family- grieve, hurt and as they heal. As Nicolle puts it: "Prayer changes things"... yes it does... and much prayer is needed for them.