Shirlee Abbott

Thank God for Saying No

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

God knows best.
His No deserves
my Thank You.

Posted in Timeless Wisdom | Tagged August Ludvig Storm, prayer, Thanks to God for My Redeemer | Comments Off

Why God Says No

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Sometimes God says No.
James explains why.

James 4:3 (AMP)
You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda].

Check your motives when you pray. God will check them when he answers.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged James 4:3, motives, prayer | Comments Off

God Says Yes and No

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Matthew 6:11 (NIRV)
Give us today our daily bread.

I say bread. I think brownie — warm from the oven, topped with ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream.

God says yes to the bread, no to the rest.

God gives me what I need, not necessarily what I want.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged bread, Matthew 6:11, pray | Comments Off

Remember!

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in Timeless Wisdom | Tagged Katharine Lee Bates, Memorial Day, remember | Comments Off

Pray for Parents

Posted on May 27, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Parents are their children’s first and best teachers. God expects parents to teach their children how to lead godly lives.

Deuteronomy 11:19 (VOICE)
Teach these things to your children. Talk about them when you’re sitting together in your home and when you’re walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning.

Lord God, teach parents to teach children, in Jesus’ name.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged Deuteronomy 11:19, parents and children, prayer | Comments Off

Pray for the Adults

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Matthew 19:14 (ESV)
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me
and do not hinder them.”

Let’s pray for school teachers, administrators and staff (I count myself among them: I work part-time in a high school):

Lord, may we never be stumbling blooks to our students. May we always be stepping stones.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged Matthew 19:14, pray, schools, stepping stones, stumbling blocks | Comments Off

Pray for Uvalde

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Romans 8:26 (MEV)
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses,
for we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us
with groanings too deep for words.

Help us, Holy Spirit.
We have no words.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged prayer, Romans 8:26, Uvalde | 1 Comment

Pray for the Students

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

I memorized this verse decades ago.

2 Timothy 2:11 (KJ21)
Study to show thyself approved unto God.

It’s good advice for students of all ages: study, not to get a good grade, or earn a scholarship, or please your parents, or pass the class. Study to get God’s nod of approval.

What does God’s approval look like? I envision him saying, “Good job! You’re putting your mind to work the way I intended from the get-go.”

Thank you, Lord, for equipping our students with good minds. May they use those minds in ways that please and honor you.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged 2 Timothy 2:15, prayer, students | Comments Off

Pray for Our Schools

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

The school year is coming to an end. This week, we’ll search Scripture to find good and godly words to pray over the schools dear to our hearts.

The Bible offers this prayer for the city of Jerusalem:

Psalm 122:7 (ERV)
May there be peace within your walls.
May there be safety in your great buildings.

Peace and safety — good and godly words.

I work in a school. When I pull into my parking space in the morning, I pray:

May there be peace within these walls,
Lord, and safety in this building.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged peace, Psalm 122:7, safety, school | Comments Off

Deep-Hearted Prayer

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Shirlee Abbott

Ephesians 3:17-18 (NIV)
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Pray for deep roots.
Pray from deep roots.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged Ephesians 3:17-18, prayer | Comments Off