Once again,

my "Precious Gems" selection for this week

comes from the bulletin at Providence United Methodist

Church and Rev. Jim Ellison. The Prayer Team at

Providence really came up with a neat idea...a devotional

booklet written by Providence members to be used in their

prayer time during the month of December. In order for

you to get the whole picture, I need to reprint the

entire selection on the front of the bulletin...it's

called `Prayer Power at Providence." Jim writes:

"Prayer

is powerful. I know that God hears and answers our

prayers. The Prayer Team would like to celebrate the

power of prayer at Providence by compiling a devotional

book to be used in your prayer time during the month of

December. The entries in the book will be written by you,

our Providence family. The stories will be records of

your experiences with God and the way He has touched each

of you. I was once again reminded of the importance of

prayer in a poem that was forwarded to me by my son. I'd

like to share it with you:

I knelt to

pray but not for long,

I had too

much to do.

I had to

hurry and get to work

For bills

would soon be due.

So I knelt

and said a hurried prayer,

And jumped

up off my knees.

My

Christian duty was now done

My soul

could rest at ease.

All day

long I had no time

To spread

the word of cheer.

No time to

speak of God to friends,

They'd

laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no

time, too much to do,

That was my

constant cry.

No time to

give to souls in need

But at last

the time, the time to die.

I went

before the Lord,

I came, I

stood with downcast eyes.

For in his

hands God held a book;

It was the

book of life.

God looked

into his book and said

`Your name

I cannot find,

I once was

going to write it down...

But I never

found the time.'

Do you have

time to pray? See you Sunday at the church that

prays."

I would

love to see a copy of their devotional book. Personal

experiences of people you know have a way of really

touching your heart. Thanks again, Jim, for some

wonderful thoughts to ponder.

Bible

verse for the week...

"First

I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what

they need and being thankful to him." 1 Timothy 2:1

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