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Sean, you are not a bad person, you’re like all of us, Works in Progress, not complete until the end. Believe in yourself. God made you, and HE doesn’t make failures. You’ve been through hell in your life, but it makes you the kind, understanding person God made you to be. “The Other Serenity Prayer. God, grant me the serenity to stop beating myself for not doing things perfectly, the courage to forgive myself because I’m working on doing better, and the wisdom to know that You already love me just the way I am.” Not a failure, a WORK IN PROGRESS.

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

We’re all hopeless sinners, if we weren’t we wouldn’t need Jesus. Jesus didn’t select twelve erudite Pharisees. No, the disciples were uneducated working class men, ordinary people like you and me.

We are expected to strive to be like Jesus every day. And Jesus gave instruction on prayer. It seems he didn’t like fancy prayer either. I believe prayer should be spontaneous throughout the day whether we see something heartwarming or heartbreaking. Prayer reveals our reliance on God because left to our own devices we’ll mess things up.

Childhood cancer, there can be nothing more heartbreaking. And yet such tragedy brings unity in prayer and awareness of where our dependence lies. And sometimes we see beauty in the ashes if we look hard enough.

‘Children with cancer are like candles in the wind who accept the possibility that they are in danger of being extinguished by a gust of wind from nowhere and yet, as they flicker and dance to remain alive, their brilliance challenges the darkness and dazzles those of us who watch their light’ ~ Unknown

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We're all hopeless sinners. That's why we need Jesus. I look at prayer as like a conversation with my best friend because He is. I send up prayers throughout the day whatever I'm doing. I haven't done it drinking beer because I don't like the stuff but I'm sure that's OK too. No one's prayers are more worthy than another's. I have a feeling God may even prick His ears up when He hears a voice that He hasn't heard in a long time. May God answer your prayers for Andi Kate and also you.

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Oh boy oh boy oh boy! It’s a good thing your wife, my mom, and Frances Baldwin all three never got together to pray! Don’t get me wrong because I am a firm believer in prayer and I do it all day long…even if it’s a thank you to the Lord when I find my lost keys. Growing up, we’d have family devotions and took turns praying at the end. Let’s just say that on days my mom prayed, I could get a good nap. Now Frances Baldwin was a definite saint and prayer warrior. She was a roly poly, elderly blind woman whose husband drove a Studebaker. For those of us who remember the days of Wednesday Night Prayer Meetings, they were torture for children. Please understand that I love the Lord with all my heart and I serve Him with a thankful heart for the fact that He died for my sins. But my dad was the preacher. Thankfully he was not a long-winded one. However on Wednesday nights that Mrs. Baldwin chose to pray, I’m sure I just might have literally groaned out loud. I’m not joking when I say she could pray for an hour. My only salvation here was that we were kneeling. I could put my head down on my arms and snooze. On the times I did choose to listen to her and my mom, I know I learned the blessings of praying for others. My oral prayers may not last an hour, but in my quiet times, I can definitely go longer. And I don’t have a specific closet, either, Sean. That’s not necessary.

I will definitely be praying for the little girl with cancer. Childhood cancer is purely evil. God never intended us to be sick. God’s plan was for us to be His earthly companions. But sin entered the picture and everything changed. Thankfully we can have that companionship with Him if we only ask.

Sorry this was long.

My husband is from Alabama but we live in SC. We’re a huge ROLL TIDE ROLL family. Now that isn’t up for discussion. It’s just a fact.

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“Thin layer of frost” made me bust out lol! In the midst of tears, we find joy. I understand Jaimie with the prayer list…I have one too. God is omnipotent, I don’t venture to suggest what He should do. But I trust that things will happen how they are meant to. HE does change HIS mind, so it helps to ask. Don’t beat yourself up Sean Paul, HE knows you better than you know yourself, you are well and truly loved!! Not just by the Creator, but by US, your multitude of fans.

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Hi Sean, If you are ever in Los Angeles on a Tuesday night, I would love to have you as a guest on The Wildwood Flower Radio Hour. We broadcast on KXLU 88.9FM and at www.kxlu.com 7 - 9 PM PST We program primarily bluegrass and Americana music and feature 2 live artists from the Los Angeles bluegrass and Americana community (it is a BIG scene out here) I tell a story every week. You would fit right in. Mike Bone

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I hope you understand that your daily writings are prayers.

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We are all sinners, big and small. The good news is that God listens to everyone. Praying for this little girl. May the Almighty grant her complete healing. In Jesus' name. Amen

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Sean, we all sin and fall short and in God's eyes none of us are better or worse than the other. You are such an inspiration to so many people in ways you will never understand this side of Heaven.

The part of The Serenity Prayer that few people ever see and is the most meaningful to me is the second paragraph:

"Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen." Reinhold Niebuhr

This was shared with me by another Shaun several years ago and put things in perspective that I had never been able to before.

Praying for Andie Kate Mason and for you as well. Keep doing what you always do with your writing!

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Praying for Andie Kate and thankful for the petitioner…..

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God may take or heal us and it’s because He loves us. Even us sloths.

Beautiful painting Sean!

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Sean: You are not defined by your past - what was done to you or what you did. There is a Scripture in Romans that says :"There is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". That condemning voice you hear is The Enemy. Reject that. You are a child of God, loved by the One who IS Love. Make a choice to follow Jesus - it will be the very best decision you will have ever made, including the decision you made to marry your bride. God both loves you and adores you - because He created you. Hang onto that.

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Sean, don’t worry, we are all sinners. However, we aren’t hopeless because of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior; we are saved by grace since He died for us. Look how often Peter, my favorite disciple, messed up. Jesus never gave up on him, and He won’t give up on us either. Don’t knock yourself, Sean. We all make mistakes, and God forgives us when we ask Him. Prayers for sweet Andie Kate.

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Sean, you are great. I laugh at you talking about yourself, I know you are not that bad and then I cry for that sweet child. Thanks for letting us know about her. I'm thankful we can conversate with our Heavenly Father like we do our earthly fathers, just talk, no closets, no knees, just heart to heart conversations and He hears me without hearing aids!

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❤️❤️❤️

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