On the first day of school this year, I nervously waited for my first group of 30 students to enter my room. I hadn't taught a full-size class since Nick had passed away, and truthfully, I felt out of my comfort zone. As I took attendance, I couldn't hide my joy when my front row of students included not only a "Nick" but also an "Angel" and a "Heaven." As I looked at these students, I felt as if God was saying, "You're where you need to be this year, and I'm here too."

As you know, it's been a tough chapter in my life. So tough, that physically I've had some major symptoms that, after much testing, have turned out to be totally related to the overload on my body. I've turned to God daily for the strength to make it through each new day and honestly, He's never let me down. I'm not saying I haven't cried in the evenings or had moments of feeling like I couldn't do one more thing, however, I am saying that every step of the way, I have KNOWN that I am not alone.

We're in a new trimester now at school, so my class rosters have totally changed. I don't start my day with Nick, Heaven, and Angel anymore. I miss that morning assurance of God's plan for me.

But I have something wonderful to share!

Of all the students that left my class, one student stops by to hug me every day. She even said to me one day, "I decided I was going to come hug you every day, Mrs. Nischan. I miss you."

Guess who it is?

Heaven!

Isn't that just like God to give me such a gift! A hug from Heaven!

Well, I wish I could give each of you a hug this morning and let you know that God is with you too. He longs to be the first person you talk to every morning, the One you whisper help to all day, and the One you close your eyes and think of as you fall to sleep every evening.

If your prayer life seems to be weak right now, I have a book that I believe you will find very helpful!

Kurt Bjorklund has written a book entitled Prayers for Today: A Yearlong Journey of Contemplative Prayer. In this book, he combines his own prayers, prayers from Scripture, and prayers of other "champions of faith" to create a 260-day journal of prayers to carry you through all sorts of situations. Organized topically, you can choose to flip through the book and select specific prayer topics and Scriptures as needed or you can start at the beginning of the book and work your way through day by day.

When I was asked to review this book, I felt as if God was hugging me yet again because I needed something to help bolster my prayer life back to a place of passion and purpose. In the midst of lesson plans, grading papers, and situations in our home, I had begun struggling to find the right words to say when I finally settled down enough to talk to God.

The first Scripture and prayer I read in Kurt's book are below:

Whoever drinks of the water that You give will never thirst again. Your water will become a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 4:13

You are the bread of life. Whoever comes to You will never hunger again.

John 5:35

Father, I give You the places of my life where I am not satisfied....

I ask to be fully satisfied in You and the direction You are leading my life.

Show me what changes I could make in my life that would be most pleasing to You.

AMEN

I want to be satisfied in my life, and I know that satisfaction comes from being filled..........only Jesus is able to fill us in a way that it is truly satisfying. I want to thirst and hunger after Him and Him alone.

And I want you to have this same spiritual satisfaction.

Please leave your name and email address below, and I will enter you in a drawing for a copy of Kurt's wonderful book Prayers for Today. I know he is praying for everyone all over the world who reads the pages of his book .

The winner will be announced Sunday evening, November 13th.

Praying that your Wednesday is filled to overflowing with God's Presence,