Would YOU pray for ME??

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting to pray for other people! It's one of my favorite things to do. I love when God gives me specific ways to pray for others or answers a specific prayer. BUT what I'm not always good at is asking others to pray for me.

Ugh! I don't know why I'm like this...if someone asks it's not hard for me to be honest. But if not asked it can be hard at times for me to ask for prayer, especially when I'm not even sure that it's a big deal. I think some of it is pride and my struggle to want to appear like I always have it together and some of it is that I do love praying for others and sometimes I think my issues pale in comparison to what others might be going through, so they probably need the prayers more then I do!

At this point are you wondering what on earth I'm trying to ask for prayer for??? Ok, here it is: I've had this slight ache on the left side of my chest on and off for the last year. It really just comes and goes and is nothing major. I just have never been able to tell if it's just a muscle thing or heart related. (At this point please don't panic, it is still nothing major!!!) Long story short, yesterday we were in the car on our way to go take a hike with the kids. All of the sudden my chest started hurting and I felt shortness of breath and I felt like I was going to pass out. Mike was on the phone and I quickly had him get off because I had no idea what was going on. We turned around and headed home.  By the time we got home I still felt like I was going to pass out  and my chest still ached, so I felt like we needed to go to the ER. You know in these situations it can be easy to think in worst case scenario! Well, Mike has felt led to pray for more miracles, which I was pretty pumped about until I started to wonder if I was going to be one of the miracles he was going to need to pray for!! :) Here's the good part: after an EKG, chest x-ray, and blood work they didn't see anything wrong with me. The dr. suggested that I do a follow-up appt with a cardiologist this week to see if working out is causing something or if there is something going on that they didn't detect. I've debated a little bit if I should even go because I hate to go and pay a lot of money for them to tell me I'm healthy! But I guess you can't put a price on peace of mind! :)

I told Mike I had been wanting to just spend a day sitting around...to which he replied, "You should have told me, I would have just got you a hotel room. It would have been a whole lot cheaper!"

SO, how can you pray for me? Seriously, are some of you just begging me to get to the point? I'm pretty sure there's nothing major wrong with me but my chest does still have a slight ache where it has for the past year, so just pray it's nothing major. Secondly, I'm not prone to anxiety but God is showing me through this to put no confidence in my flesh, so please pray I would not let anxiety creep in in any way. I don't want to worry when I go running, hiking or whatever. ( I have been planning to train for a marathon in Dec. I think Mike was a lil bummed the dr didn't say that wasn't a good idea! But I still need wisdom if this is best!) If the tests all show nothing then really there's nothing I need to worry about!

Of course worship this morning at church was just what I needed! Here's a few parts of some of the songs:

"Oh no, you never let go, through the calm and through the storm. Oh no, you never let go, through every high and every low. Oh no, you never let go, Lord you never let go of me."

"And I never, ever have to be afraid because one thing remains...Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me."

"Because you're with me...I will not fear. My hiding place, my safe refuge, my treasure Lord you are. My friend and King, anointed one. Most holy."

I'm so thankful that I serve a God who cares and gives me the perfect words right when I need them! He reminded that I have nothing to be afraid of because He is always with me and will take care of me. That doesn't mean my life will be perfect and if this had turned out differently I would still be praising God, thankful that He would walk with me in whatever ways I needed.

This morning in my Bible reading, I read about one day when we stand before God in judgement and how the only thing that will matter at that point will be what I did for his Kingdom and eternity. In this little scare I was again reminded of my need to fully rely on Jesus and live 100% for Him.

I really don't feel it is a big deal but I realized I need to do a better job at being honest and asking for prayer in the process instead of never asking and always giving the appearance that life is perfect because I never let others see my ups and downs in life. Thanks for taking the time to read this and all the prayers are greatly appreciated!!!