You Have the Power of Prayer: A Collection of Short Stories & Devotionals
By CJR Hartley
()
About this ebook
C. J. was written with the hope of making us aware that God is always with us, from our darkest hour to our brightest day. Invite Him into your home, and see what a difference it will make. When you step into your car, invite Him to sit beside you; see how many near misses you have as you drive. You will be amazed to see the difference when riding with God in the seat beside you. When you get up in the morning, ask Him to share your day; at night, ask Him to share your rest. He will answer your prayers, in His own time and in His own way. He will never cease to amaze you when you least expect it. You will be astounded at what you can accomplish with God at your side.
Hes just a prayer away, but in your heart you must be sincere. Never fail to praise Him and thank Him for His wonderful mercy and His many blessings.
CJR Hartley
C. J. was married to a wonderful man, Pop, for over forty years and had three children. After Pop’s death God provided another wonderful man, Don, to share her latter years. He is her soul mate, her confidant, her encourager, and, most of all, her prayer partner.
Related to You Have the Power of Prayer
Related ebooks
62 Days in the Word Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFlourish: Go Deep. Take Root. Remain Steadfast. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReflections from a Thirsting Soul Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCome to the Light Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHoly Spirit: For Real Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Equip the Saints: To Defend the Faith Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Fingerprints of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus with a Side of Cake Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWith All Your Heart: Devotions for Girls Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnmerited Love Overruled A Deserving Death Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gift of Grace: God's Unmerited Favor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod’s Chocolate Chips: Daily Doses of Heaven’s Chocolate to Sweeten Your Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGirlz Rock: 90-Day Devotional Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5From Miracle to Miracle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prized Possession: Finding Hope, Worth, and Purpose in a Wounded World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Angel Was The Cable Guy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPromises Revealed: Life's Journey with God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEven So: A Journey Through Storms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChoosing Christ: 31 Devotions for Hurting Hearts Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Yahweh Coffee and Me Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsConduits of Grace Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrom the Pulpit to the Streets: Golden Nuggets of Wisdom for Daily Living Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJessie's Corner: Something To Think About Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChanging Your Mind-set in 30 Days Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod Is Good, Even When Life Is Hard: A Story of Experiencing God's Goodness in the Midst of Hardships Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat About Me, God?: For Those Who Feel Abandoned Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Mighty Warrior's Footprints of Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMorning Dew Drops: Bloom Where You Are Planted Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDid You Live? Did You Love? Did It Matter? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDaily Seeds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Inspirational For You
Finding God in Anime: A Devotional for Otakus: Finding God in Anime, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rumi's Little Book of the Heart Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge: One Question a Week. One Incredible Marriage. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Rumi's Little Book of Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jesus Calling, 365 Devotions with Real-Life Stories, with Full Scriptures Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days And 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength And Personal Growth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dear Jesus, Seeking His Light in Your Life, with Scripture references Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Conversations With God, Book 3: Embracing the Love of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Be Here Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anam Cara [Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rumi: The Big Red Book: The Great Masterpiece Celebrating Mystical Love and Friendship Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Way of the Shaman Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Se Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Imagine Heaven Devotional: 100 Reflections to Bring Heaven to Your Life Today Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The New Revelations: A Conversation with God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Creative Cure: How Finding and Freeing Your Inner Artist Can Heal Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Novice: A Story of True Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Learning to Walk in the Dark Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Basis of the Motion Picture 127 Hours Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bonhoeffer Abridged: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for You Have the Power of Prayer
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
You Have the Power of Prayer - CJR Hartley
Copyright © 2012 by CJR Hartley.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament, copyright 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament, copyright 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from The Message, Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of the NavPress Publishing Group.
Scriptures taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The scriptures used in this book are for the express purpose of illustrating how our lives relate to God and to show that He is always with us in the least situation or the darkest situation. We can take much comfort in knowing that He is on the job twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I thank the individual publishers for allowing the use of the scriptures from their specific Bibles.
WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
1-(866) 928-1240
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
ISBN: 978-1-4497-4169-3 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4497-4167-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4497-4168-6 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012903574
WestBow Press rev. date: 05/10/2012
Contents
Foreword
Foreword
Introduction
1God’s Entertainment
2Pray for the Person Sitting Next to You
3God’s Miracle
4A New Day
5No New Friends
6Softly Falling Rain
7The Spring
8God’s Grace
9Stop and Pray
10God’s Garden
11David
12The Note
13Sounds of Joy
14Building a Home
15Moon Over Rattlesnake Mountain
16Sunset Through the Trees
17I Not a Creep, I Bab-a-tist
18The Journey
19Pain is a Part of Life
20We Choose the Paths We Follow
21The Swing
22Ghostly Stories
23A New Home for an Old Swing
24No More Frog Kisses
25I Give You Two Weeks
26Death Came Quietly
27Stop Saying My Name
28Aunt Mary’s Tea Cakes
29Jumping Rocks
30Pass the Pineapple, Please
31Frankly, I Just Can’t Spare the Corn
32Rosetta’s Rooster
33Pretty is as Pretty Does
34Mother
35Two Dollars
36Yellow Canoe
37One Star Window
38Thank God for Unanswered Prayers
39Ten Percent
40Finding a New Home
41Buying the Spring Property
42Pop’s Three-Day Weekend
43Yas’m Motee
44Monday Morning Blues
45Good Buddy
46Paid in Full
47Two Bags of Roly Polies, Please
48The Sorghum Cane Field
49Mighty Easy on the Eyes
50God Has a Way of Answering Our Prayers
51Price Stickers
52You Make Your Own Happiness
53Mother, if I Were You…
54Useless Noises
55Nothing Squirrely About a Squirrel
56Life’s Setting Sun
57Grandmother’s Attic
58Memorial Day
59Country Roses and Daylilies
60First Day at School
61Yes Sir! I’m Getting a Dog
62Give Me Your Undivided Attention
63God’s Wonderful Pleasures
64How Deep Did You Say It Was?
65Excuse Me, Please
66Friends Growing Old
67Only Three Blocks of Toilet Tissue
68Rosetta
69Linda
70Army Fatigues
71Following the Rules
72Frankly, Ol’ Boy
73What a Good Trick
74Thank You for This Precious Life
75God’s Little Creatures
76Beautiful Dogwood Trees
77Heaven’s Gate
78Black Eyebrows and Kitchen Matches
79They’re Killing a Duck!
80Cemetery Bugs
81Don’t You Gimme No Little Jar
82A True Friend
83Blackberries
84Cinco de Mayo
85Peanut Butter Cluster
86Why Do I Always Have to Be Jane?
871951 Front Porch Incident
88Christmas Socks
89Distributor Cap
90A Tangled Web We Weave
91Going Steady
92Champagne
93Amateur Show Girl
94How They Met
95Breakfast in the Cemetery
96The Flat Iron
97Squinty Eyes and Skinny Lips
98Receive as Graciously as You Give
99Surgery Waiting Room
100Heavenly Clout
101Party Line
102Reverse Psychology Backfires
103An Old Man and a Little Boy
104Castor Oil and Coffee
105A Christmas Tradition
These devotionals are written for my children, Patti, David,
and Elizabeth, and my grandchildren, Mike Jr., Greg, Jammie, Jennifer, Christy, Amanda, and Zachary. It is dedicated to my sister Linda,
who encouraged me to put my thoughts on paper while I recovered
from a broken leg. To my late husband Pop, Clifton (Theedie),
who gave us over forty unselfish years of his life and provided
much of the material for the stories used in these devotionals.
To my parents, Ed and Ethel, who devoted their lives to their children, one of which I was honored to be. My sincere thanks to my husband, Don, who read and reread, checked and critiqued each devotional.
He is my best friend, my confidant, and my inspiration in
all that I do. And thanks to my friend Linda for her professional help.
Foreword
Jesus said, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Without doubt, this should be interpreted to mean that we who know Him as Lord and Savior will one day see Him face to face. However, this truth should not be limited only to give promise for the ages to come when we shall see Him as He is and to know even as we are known. There is a present tense blessing in this promise of our Lord.
To be ‘pure in heart’ means to have a single heart, a heart fixed on God, His righteousness and His Kingdom. This purity of heart brings a spiritual insight that allows that Child of God to see our Father’s hand in the most minute details of life. Our Lord has blessed Carolyn Hartley with that spiritual sensitivity to observe the Holy while too many of us only see the ordinary. Our Father’s desire is that we should worship Him and Carolyn helps us to understand that the whole of creation is a sanctuary and that in reality there are no incidentals in life. The reading of her manuscript has challenged me to look beyond the surface of what I see and experience day by day and I am confident her Devotionals will elicit such a desire to those who read these pages.
For three years I had the sweet privilege serving as the Pastor of Don and Carolyn, the honor of uniting them in marriage and as the years have passed, my appreciation for their friendship has known no disappointment. I am truly honored in writing this brief foreword for a volume that will be a blessing to all who read and reread her insights as she helps others to see the ‘ordained’ rather than the ordinary.
Evangelist Bobby Britt
Birmingham, Alabama
Author of: ‘When Life Tumbles In’ and ‘Tis Grace Thus Far’
Foreword
Life is the story of ones journey towards God, or away from God. Carolyn Hartley shows us the way towards God by the stories of her journey. Her remembrances speak of life’s struggles and triumphs, its humor and sadness, all for the purpose of leading us towards God. She calls us to enter her story that our stories may be richer.
You will laugh and you will cry as you experience the hand of God in Carolyn’s life. Take a few of these offerings each day and savor them. Let God speak to you along your journey. Be blessed by what you read and be a blessing to others as Carolyn’s delightful story impacts your life.
I have been honored to be Don and Carolyn’s pastor for almost ten years. I have been richly blessed by walking with them through many of life’s great experiences. You will be blessed too as you read her story. Her kindness and generosity shine from each devotion.
Richard Statham
Pastor, First Baptist Church Palmerdale Alabama
Introduction
My name is Carolyn Joyce, but my siblings called me C.J. C. J. is written with the hope that it will make us aware that God is always with us, from our darkest hour to our brightest day. Invite Him into your home and see what a difference it will make. When you step into your car, invite Him to sit beside you and see how many near misses you have as you drive. You will be amazed by the difference when riding with God in the seat beside you. When you get up in the morning, ask Him to share your day, and at night, ask Him to share your rest. He will answer your prayers in His own time and in His own way. He will never cease to amaze you when you least expect it. You will be astounded at what you can accomplish with God at your side. He’s just a prayer away, but in your heart you must be sincere. Never fail to praise Him and thank Him for His wonderful mercy and His many blessings. Yes, God surely knows C. J. very well.
When God gives us life, He indwells in each of us Fruit of the Spirit and the ability to touch lives and inspire others with faith, hope, love, joy, patience, goodness, and grace.
By practicing these simple Fruit of the Spirit, we can each be more like angels as we journey through this world.
~~~~~
But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
—Galatians 5:22 (NIV)
These devotionals are based on actual events in my life. Names and places have been changed. They are stories of how God has intervened with His many blessings. He has been so good to my family and me—we know that He is always near and ready to help us when we ask. We are all children of God. He stands ready at a moment’s notice. He promises that He is always with us.
I cannot praise and thank Him enough for the many blessings He has given to me and my family. With His help we have accomplished many things, but doing God’s will is our most rewarding accomplishment. We praise and thank Him for a loving Christian home and for sharing in our lives.
"Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always, Even to the end of the age."
—Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)
1
God’s Entertainment
While recuperating from a broken leg this spring, I woke up almost every morning at five thirty; thank goodness it was almost daylight. A sleepy Don, with eyes barely open, finally made it out of bed to get our coffee. With the help of my trusty walker, I traveled to my favorite spot on the back porch.
I watched the most miraculous things: The trees budding out a little more each day, casting the most beautiful green haze when the sun reached their tiny new leaves. Jonquils popping up everywhere, red buds, yellow bells, beautiful pink quince, and budding dogwoods. Flowering shrubs and trees filled the air with wonderful fragrances.
A squirrel was scampering hurriedly across Squirrel Freeway
(a big black telephone cable) as if he were ever mindful that the large red-tailed hawk might be looking for his breakfast. Hopping from one tree to the other and passing by his home many times, he tries to throw off any predator. Then, almost too fast to see, with his little furry tail twirling ’round and ’round and carrying a treasure in his mouth, he scoots back into his home, a knothole in a tree.
It seems that every kind of bird in our state made it to our feeder. Red birds were chasing each other, huge blue jays were protecting their nests, and crows were talking to one another as they flew across our backyard. All of this went unnoticed by the little bluebirds building their home in our bluebird house. The beautiful Mourning Doves were quietly and peacefully walking around under the feeder, picking up spilled seeds that had fallen to the ground.
Tiny little birds, skipping across the deck, made me wonder just what kind of morsels they were finding there. Red-headed Woodpeckers were working tirelessly, pecking around and around the maple tree in the middle of our deck.
God has provided the most wonderful entertainment for us. There’s no switch to turn on, it doesn’t stop when the power goes off, and it’s always rated G. As I look at the wonderful person that God has chosen for me to spend the rest of my life with, sitting in the rocker next to mine quietly reading his paper, I think these must have been the things the person who coined the phrase, God’s in His Heaven and all is right with the world
felt and saw. Thank you so much, God, for your many, many blessings every day.
Take a good look at God’s wonders; they’ll take your breath away.
—Psalm 66:5 (The Message)
Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
—Ephesians 5:20 (New International Version)
2
Pray for the Person Sitting
Next to You
At seven fifteen in the morning I waited in the sitting room of a local car dealership for repairs to be made to my car. Knowing the wait would be fairly long, I brought a book to read. The room was crowded with people just like me, anxious for their cars to be fixed so they could go on to work. We all sat in silence; the lady next to me was trying to