Prayer Thoughts for the Heart

Archive for the ‘General Interest’ Category

I grew up in a small town, Pell City, Alabama, about 30 miles East of Birmingham. I was the oldest of three daughters. Most every Sunday we went to church and my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were there too. After church we would go to my grandparent’s home for dinner and then enjoy an afternoon of fun. I have been a Christian since I was 13 years old.

I moved to Birmingham when I graduated from high school and went to work for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. It so happened that my future husband lived right across the street. His mother introduced us. We dated for about 18 months, got engaged and married, April 19, 1953.

Our first son was born in 1955 and our second son came along in 1959. We now have grandchildren and great grandchildren, Oh what a joy they are. We are a close family.

The company my husband worked for transferred us from our home in Birmingham, then to Cincinnati in 1957; to Youngstown in 1964; to Richmond, VA in 1968 and to Strongsville, OH in 1976. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

As we moved around the country I would get involed in the nearby church. I have been a Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, Women’s Ministry Leader and Prayer Chairman. When I was the Prayer Chairman, in the early 1990’s, I wrote a very short prayer thought for the Sunday Church Bulletin. About 12 years later I decided to make each prayer thought a little longer and put them into a Prayer Journal. This took several years.

After my husband had heart surgery and then 5 years of disability he passed away in 1991. During this time I let God mature inside me instead of being bitter. I would recite this scipture to myself in hard times “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10 NIV).

My book, “Prayer Thoughts for the Heart”, was published September 20, 2007. I hope you you get a chance to read it. It was a very rewarding experience and I got to reminisce as I re-read the prayers thoughts getting them ready for print.

Celia Milam
The author of “Prayer Thoughts for the Heart”” Praying, Learning and Obeying,
This Prayer Journal and Devotional Guide will help us in growing and maturing as a Christian.