Donations

Thank you to all that have donated and offered to help. If you still are interested in donating to help Mike's family- Lisa and Gracie, you can contact any Chase Branch.

Chase Branch Locator

Sunday, April 20, 2008

04-20 Devotional for Mike By Gloria Barotta (Aunt Glo)

The Omnipresence of God

Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Watching Lisa on the Bakersfield news the other night flooded me with a wave of conflicting emotions. One was hope. Mike is finally on the "radar" with the folks in Cali. Ordinary people will now join law enforcement in the search and rescue, hopefully multiplying our chances of finding Mike soon and rescuing him.

But the ONE who can ultimately rescue Mike forever and for eternity is already there. When I close my eyes to pray, I picture Jesus sitting in the passenger seat or next to Mike with His right hand “holding him fast,” protecting him. I picture Mike and Jesus engaged in some good conversation. Jesus giving Mike rest as he waits for us to find him. What a comfort to know that the ONE who created Mike, who formed him in his mother's womb, who numbered the hairs on his head, is there with him. Mike is missing, but not alone!

And that same God is with our team on the ground in Cali as they drive the route over and over, hoping to find Mike or someone who saw him. And that same God is with all of us at home. He went to the Art Museum with Lily, Gracie, Lauren and I, He went swimming with us. He watched Alvin and the Chipmunks with us.

Sometimes we gloss over the truth that Jesus is always with us (MT. 28:20). "Yeah, yeah, I know, Jesus lives in my heart, yada yada. . .what's your point?" That IS the point. The God of the Universe, The ONE. The Great I AM who created every canyon and crevice on the highways in Cali is with each of us, guiding and protecting us.

Will you pray with me today that God makes His presence known to everyone in this situation? And that Jesus will reveal Himself to Mike today?

“Lord Jesus, we praise and thank you for being with us and in us. And we take comfort in the fact that wherever we go, YOU are there! Go with the team on the ground. Supernaturally guide them. Show them where to stop and get out. Help clear their minds so they can hear YOU. Protect them as they drive those dangerous roads. Go with the search parties, go with all who might volunteer to help. Give them eyes to see and ears to hear. Comfort Lisa. Protect Gracie’s heart. Amen”



Gloria Barotta
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

MIKE IS MISSING PLEASE HELP US FIND HIM

My brother in law, Michael Edwards, had taken a job assignment with Trustaff, a traveling nurse agency out of Cincinnati, OH in late March. He arrived for his first placement in Ridgecrest, CA Thursday April 10th from McKinney, Tx. When he arrived, he checked into the apartment they had arranged for him to live in. He was getting all of his paperwork together in hopes of beginning work at Ridgecrest Hospital by April 15th. On Sunday April 13th, he had called his wife and young daughter (8yrs) to check in and recap his plans. He was going to run a few errands to get ready for his trip to the Board of Nurses for his California Certifications. Then he planned to get some rest and then leave around 2:30 AM for Sacramento. That call was made at 1:47pm on Sunday California time. He had talked to his neighbor and reiterated his plans to her as he was checking a map. He did use his charge card at Walmart and stopped to withdraw $100 from the Bank of America ATM at 2:56pm. He also got about $43.00 in gas. That was the last phone call he made on his cell phone and the last charges/debits he made from any card.

We filed a missing person's report with the Kern County Sheriff's office.

Stephanie Pesano