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Church at Prayer Finding Strength February 21, 2012 A remarkable person of faith whose words always seem to speak to my heart was a woman by the name of Teresa of Avila. Teresa was a nun who lived in Spain during the 1500s. She was a beautiful woman, extroverted, buoyant, and affectionate, who also suffered profoundly from physical affliction at different times in her life. Ordered to write a book on prayer by her superiors, she begins what is famously known as Interior Castle: “FEW tasks which I have been commanded to undertake by obedience have been so difficult as this present one of writing about matters relating to prayer: for one reason, because I do not feel that the Lord has given me either the spirituality or the desire for it; for another, because for the last three months I have been suffering from such noises and weakness in the head that I find it troublesome to write even about necessary business.” I love that! She finds the assigned task of writing this text difficult because she doesn’t think she is spiritual enough or even wants to do it and besides which she doesn’t feel well and finds it a hassle just to cope with other responsibilities. It’s her next words that grip me: “But, as I know that strength arising from obedience has a way of simplifying things which seem impossible, my will very gladly resolves to attempt this task although the prospect seems to cause my physical nature great distress; for the Lord has not given me strength enough to enable me to wrestle continually both with sickness and with occupations of many kinds without feeling a great physical strain. May He Who has helped me by doing other and more difficult things for me help also in this: in His mercy I put my trust.” May these words strengthen your own spirit this day, “But I know that strength arising from obedience has a way of simplifying things which seem impossible.” With joy -- E. Stanley Ott, February 27, 2007 e-Volume 6, No. 9 Finding Strength Prayer Suggestions Pray for those facing challenges from physical disabilities Pray for those facing mental disabilities, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Pray for those who have no patience or empathy for disabled persons Pray for those in the healthcare profession Pray for those working to find cures Pray for the Wholeness and Healing service Pray for those in our congregation who need wholeness and healing Pray for those who cry out to God for wholeness and healing Pray for those who cry out to God for spiritual healing
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The Church at Prayer

Church at Prayer Finding Strength February 21, 2012

A remarkable person of faith whose words always seem to speak to my heart was a woman by the name of Teresa of Avila. Teresa was a nun who lived in Spain during the 1500s. She was a beautiful woman, extroverted, buoyant, and affectionate, who also suffered profoundly from physical affliction at different times in her life.

Ordered to write a book on prayer by her superiors, she begins what is famously known as Interior Castle: “FEW tasks which I have been commanded to undertake by obedience have been so difficult as this present one of writing about matters relating to prayer: for one reason, because I do not feel that the Lord has given me either the spirituality or the desire for it; for another, because for the last three months I have been suffering from such noises and weakness in the head that I find it troublesome to write even about necessary business.”

I love that! She finds the assigned task of writing this text difficult because she doesn’t think she is spiritual enough or even wants to do it and besides which she doesn’t feel well and finds it a hassle just to cope with other responsibilities.

It’s her next words that grip me: “But, as I know that strength arising from obedience has a way of simplifying things which seem impossible, my will very gladly resolves to attempt this task although the prospect seems to cause my physical nature great distress; for the Lord has not given me strength enough to enable me to wrestle continually both with sickness and with occupations of many kinds without feeling a great physical strain. May He Who has helped me by doing other and more difficult things for me help also in this: in His mercy I put my trust.”

May these words strengthen your own spirit this day, “But I know that strength arising from obedience has a way of simplifying things which seem impossible.”

With joy -- E. Stanley Ott, February 27, 2007 e-Volume 6, No. 9 Finding Strength

Prayer Suggestions

Pray for those facing challenges from physical disabilities

Pray for those facing mental disabilities, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s

Pray for those who have no patience or empathy for disabled persons

Pray for those in the healthcare profession

Pray for those working to find cures

Pray for the Wholeness and Healing service

Pray for those in our congregation who need wholeness and healing

Pray for those who cry out to God for wholeness and healing

Pray for those who cry out to God for spiritual healing