Why Pray?

Why Pray?

My quick answer.....are you kidding?  Why wouldn't I?  Prayer is so every important.

Prayer is my communication with my Lord.
Prayer is something I can't live without.
Prayer is vital!
Prayerlessness is something that can show itself in conversations, attitude and actions.  Example.....I have 2 sweet friends (Tara and Marsha) that when there has been a lack of quiet time or a lack of prayer time, they can tell it and would be the first to call me on it because they can see it in my behaviors......that is what you call true friendship and love for another person.  Do I like it when they do?  Not really but I love them for it.  They redirect and point me back to feet of my Jesus.  Do you have someone that does that for you?
Prayer is so important.
Jesus set the example.  We are to be following His example.  Look in scripture how He went early in the morning to meet with the Father.  He went to the garden and poured out His heart.  If we follow His example, why aren't we praying and pouring our heart out to Him?
He will answer you.  It may not always be what we want to hear.  It may not be in our time table.  He loves you and me so much.  He wants to spend time with you.
Excuses....I have heard them and I have used them.
I don't have time
I am not a morning person
I can handle this
If I surrender I will end up in the back side of the desert in Africa
I feel silly

 So, let me respond to those excuses....

You have time.  Write it on your planner, put it on your schedule like an appointment
Do it at lunch.  Do it after the kids go to bed. Do it while you are driving.  You don't have to close your eyes.
You can not handle it.  He is bigger than you.  He can handle it so much more!!!!!
If he asked you to go to the desert, that's ok.  You will be where He wants you to be.  Surrender = FREEDOM!!!!!!
Don't feel silly, He is your best friend and wants to hear from you!!!!!! So lets hear from you......why do you pray?

 

Once Again!!!!

 So, lets back up in case you have missed anything.

 James is the new Bible Study

 Prayer Journal to be assembled

 Teaching on Prayer in Sunday School

 Questions posed in Sunday School about why we pray.

 

We walk into service and BOOM!!!!!!  We discuss waiting in The Lord.  How after the resurrection that there was a period of waiting for the Holy Spirit.  As Brother Allen said, He was hangin' out teaching his followers about what was to come.  When Brother Allen started talking the thing that I kept thinking was, that is what my prayer time feels like sometime.  It was overwhelming.  Prayer-time with the Father.  Talking, conversation that is 2-way!  Then it happens once again.  He challenges us to be praying.  Oh my!!!!!  He closes with this challenge......

Begin praying that the Holy Spirit will make His presence known.  Calling upon Him!  Genuine seeking and calling.

Really?  Really?  How much more do I need?  How many more times does He have to say here you go?  Thank you Jesus!!!!!!

 

 

 Ps....I'm going to answer the question(s) that was posed in Sunday School.

 

More Excitement!!!

Yesterday I told you about the Prayer Journal yesterday.  Let me tell you more.  This is just more to show how much He is working.  We had been talking about prayer in Sunday School.  We had a great class on Sunday.  It was one of those times where I knew that I needed to keep my mouth closed because I don't think I would have known when to shut it if I had started talking.

 The question was posed......  Why should we pray?  Why do you pray?  I thought......oh my could I just start and never stop.  I was about to bust.  It was one of those moments when The Lord just had to keep me quiet.

 So here we are, ready to start a study on James.  Ready to put together a Prayer Journal.  This question is posed in Sunday School and I'm thinking....oh thank you Jesus!!!!

 

You won't believe this......there is actually more......you will have to wait until tomorrow.  We went to service after Sunday School.......you won't believe it.

Exciting!!!!!

 It's beautiful here in Mississippi.  It's 74 degrees and breezy and kind of reminds me of being at the beach.  I'm sitting at Kalebs school waiting for him to get out of school.  I thought it a good time to do some writing.  I had plans of this last night but computer was not cooperating.

 I had shared that we will be starting a study with the ladies at church on the book of James.  I'm so very excited about it.  I get so excited sometimes that I have to remember that I can't tell it all.  Any way, we were meeting and trying to choose the study and I had my thoughts but one thing kept coming back and that was the Prayer Journal that I have that I love so very much.  It was on the board and one that I love sharing.  Well, the first night that we meet, we are going to put one together.  I am so excited!!!!!!!  The even cooler part.......they wanted to bring their teen daughters.  How cool is that!!!!!!  All the copies have been made and I cannot wait.  It's going to be Awesome!!!!!!

 

There is more to tell.......you will have to wait til tomorrow......check in and don't miss it!!!!!!

We Picked One

Well, our "group" that did Unglued together has picked a new study.  We needed something that would be approximately 6 weeks.  Oh my...what to pick???  There are so many wonderful studies out there.  How in the world do you pick one. 
The simple.
The basic
The DVD driven.
The no homework (we didn't see one of those)
The little homework
The MAJOR homework
It was a little overwhelming when we first looked at our list.  We had so many great writers and authors.  We had so many different styles of study.  It was quite a list. Just to give you an idea, this is what it looked like.......

Community Bible Study (They have a great little book they use)
Disciplers Bible Study (Written like BSF)
Beth Moore Study
Anne Graham Lotz study
Lysa TerKeurst study
Kay Arthur
Priscilla Shirer
Beth, Kay and Priscilla Study
Prayer Notebook Assembly (Putting together a Prayer Notebook)

We were completely honest with time and time management and what we could commit to.  That was soooooo important.  We narrowed it down to........................................................................... drum roll please......................................................................................
DISCIPLERS Bible Study!!!!!!!!!  Then we had to narrow it to what book of the Bible to Study.  We knew we needed 6 weeks. 

JAMES!!!  I love this book.  It can be step on your toes difficult but you can never read it and learn it enough. 
I was so excited about this I could have just busted.  What thrills me about it is this.....
There are 6 days of homework.
There is a commentary to read that is about 4-6 pages.
There is NOTHING ELSE TO READ!!!!!!
This what I a LOVE about BSF, Disciplers and Community Bible Study.  It requires you to read your scripture.  Dig in the scripture. Listen for the Lord.  Let Him teach you.  I was so excited!!!!!
THEN IT HIT ME>>>>>>>>>>>  that little voice of doubt.......I would be responsible for the teaching part.........Maybe we should rethink this.......then I get sweet encouragement from my Husband, and others.  This is going to be WONDERFUL!!!! 
Here's the key.  If I walked in thinking that "I can do this", I completely missed it.  Here it is...."I can't BUT He CAN" is my thinking.  My fear subsided and my excitement has completely taken over.  The great part....we are going to do a "Prayer Notebook" Assembly the first night we kick it off.  Everyone will bring their list of supplies and we will put them together and use them during the 6 weeks.  Some are going to bring their teen daughters!!!!!!  WHOOT!!!!!!  Happy Holy Dance Here!!!!!!! 
I hope you will join us in the journey into His Word.........it is so RICH and so POWERFUL!!!!!!

Prayer-Closing Thought

I pray that this series on prayer has encouraged you.  I pray that you realize how much He wants to spend time with you.  He loves you so much!!!!!!! 
I just wanted to close this out today with one last thought.  That would be persistence.  In the scriptures, the Lord never gives up on His children.  We sometimes decide that we have been praying long enough and that it's clear He is not going to answer so why bother.  This discourages me so very much. 
The only time that I would say to stop praying is if He tells you to.  Sometimes we can pray for something for a day, a week, a year, or even 10 years.  Sometimes we may never see the answer to our prayers this side of Glory.  Those Moms and Dads that have literally gone to Glory praying for their wayward children and find out that a year after they are gone that the child has returned to the Lord.  They were praying and never stopped.  We pray for our families and our friends.  We just need to make sure that we continue until He answers. 
So many are ill with cancers and other diseases and we pray for them.  He has healing planned for them.  There is NO doubt about that.  Their healing could be here on this earth or their healing could come when they enter glory.  We shouldn't stop praying!  We should continually bring them before the Lord. 
There are many that are lost.  Those that are facing an eternity separated from the Lord and spending their eternity in Hell.  It absolutely breaks my heart.  When was the last time that you prayed for those in your family that are not believers?  When was the last time that you prayed for your friends and co-workers that are not believers?  Consider where they are looking at eternity.......what are we going to do about it? 
We need to be a praying group of people.  We need to spend time at the Fathers feet.  We need to weep for the lost. We need to lift up the broken.
Consider your prayer time.  How are you doing?  Is it regular? Is it alive? or are you going through the motions?  I pray that these 4 days have encouraged you!!!!!  Please let me know if you have questions!!!!!!

Prayer- Part 3

Final portion--- the priority part.  Of course every prayer request we hear is a priority.  That is a given.  We need to have some type of system.  If you are one that is a little OCD and loves your organization, then something like this maybe for you. 

I was given a notebook to use for my prayer time.  It was absolutely wonderful!!!!!  Writing this on my blog, I believe I am going to go back and pull it out and use it again.  It was powerful!!!!!!! 
This is how it was put together......

1 inch 3 ring binder
7 Dividers
Notebook paper
Calendar for the year in the front

The notebook paper is divided into the 7 sections.  The calendar (printed off the computer) was in the front.  Calendar was a month per page.  Each divider has written a day of the week.  You can start with Sunday or Monday, which ever you choose.  This is how it was divided up....
Sunday-Church family (those attending that are lost)
Monday-Husbands
Tuesday-Local Service Men/Women (Police-Fireman etc.)
Wednesday-Children
Thursday- Government
Friday- Missionaries
Saturday-Pastors at church preparing for Sunday

Under each divider there was a full page of scriptures to be prayed for that particular group.  It was INCREDIBLE!!!!  The calendar in the front was used for events that you knew were coming up.  Someone in Sunday School is having surgery- put it on the calendar.  Someone is having an important meeting that they share with you--put on the calendar.  Missionary friends are meeting with non-believers on Tuesday for coffee each week----put it on the calendar!!!!

You can use the blank notebook paper in place of the spiral notebook paper if that works for you.  It's an incredible format to work from.  It really changes your prayer life.  The really cool part is to watch Him work.  Get a red pen and write a big fat "P" for PRAISE over every answered prayer.....you maybe surprised!!!!!!!!!! 

I'll close this out tomorrow.  I really hope that this has encouraged you to really dig into your prayer life.  Add something new to your time with the Lord.  God is Good!!!!!!!!  He answers His children!!!!

Prayer- Part 2

So yesterday we talked about the physical parts of a prayer time.  Today lets discuss the personal part of your prayer time.

The condition of your heart. What's going on in there? Is there anger, bitterness, striff, joy, peace, tension or some other emotion that you need to address? Imagine if you will, your heart being a pitcher. You pick it up and pour it out. I mean dump it all. I want you to feel that comfortable with your prayer time with the Lord that you can literally just pour it out. The wonderful part is that.....He Already Knows and He's Big Enough To Handle It. Really think about that. He already knows what's been going on. He knows you are trying to handle it by yourself. ITS NOT WORKING!!!!! Let Him have it!!!!!!!!

Prayer time is hard for some because they need to be quiet. We are women and we LOVE to talk!!!!! SSSHHH!!!!! Be quiet and listen. He speaks in those moments. We get so busy giving our list of "I want" and "I need" that we forget to stop and listen. We just need to be reminded to listen sometimes. 

When you are having your prayer time, use your notebook.  If something or someone comes to your mind, write it down.  Pray for that person. Pray for that situation. Pray for whatever He brought to you.  Jot it down in that notebook.  If it was a person, send them quick text, e-mail, or FB message that says you prayed for them today.  If it is a situation, keep that in your notebook and watch the Lord work.  Write about what you see Him do in that situation.  It will amaze you!!!!!!  It may not be over night, in 2-3 days or even 2-3 weeks.......it could be 2-3 years and that's ok.  You keep doing what He ask of you and pray. 

He is so very good to us.  He just longs and waits for us.  Find your place to have a set prayer time.  Maybe it's on the edge of your bed.
Maybe it's at the kitchen table when everyone is still in bed or gone to school/work
Maybe it's sitting in the car-rider line an hour early
Maybe it's sitting on the balcony or back porch
Find your spot.....HE WILL MEET YOU THERE!!!!!!!

Just a few more pieces to add to your prayer time......

Prayer-Part 1

So we started discussing prayer and your prayer time the other day.  It is an exciting time and I can only pray that you see it that way.  I spent yesterday running errands and listening to my iPod plugged in the car.  A friend of mine had shared the group Jesus Culture on Facebook and I absolutely LOVE their music.  It's one of those things that I just keep playing over and over and over.  I just get lost in it!!!!!  While doing all of the running around yesterday, I spent that time in the car talking with the Lord.  Do you ever do that?  I mean where it's just you and Him.  Praising, listening, worshiping, sharing, hand raising, tears falling kind of communication with Him.  It was as if He was sitting right there in the car with me.  It was incredible!! So let's get started on this.......

The major piece of my prayer time would be.....well, would be 3 pieces. 
1. My Bible
2. A Pen
3. A Prayer Journal.

Yes, as women we love to go and get the pretty ones.  We love the flowers and the verses on every page and the scripture on the front but let's face it, those can be expensive.  There is nothing better than a 70 page spiral notebook from WalMart or the Dollar Tree. 
Secondly is the pen.  Yes this may sound silly but it is soooooo important.  If your pen won't write. If your pen leaves ink blobs. If it only writes every other letter, you know what I'm talking about it.  Get one that you love!!!!!  Put it with your notebook and keep it there!!!!!!
Most important...YOUR BIBLE!!!!  ALWAYS have that during your quiet time/prayer time.  You can read scripture. He may take you to a scripture. Have it ready to go. 

These are the physical tools that you might like to have.  But....there is another important part......we will do that tomorrow!!!!!!! 

Prayer Life

Well, that word usually sends people to look down at whatever is in their laps and all you see is the tops of their heads, especially if you question them about their prayer life.  Oh please don't do that.....haha.
This can be a tough and a touchy subject.  The question is,,,,Should it be?

Your prayer life is personal.  It is personal time that you spend with the Lord.  I think sometimes we don't know how to do it. 
Maybe we have never been taught.
Maybe we don't know what to say.
Maybe we are afraid we will do it wrong.
Maybe we are afraid that He will ask us to do something we aren't wanting to do.
Maybe we don't think He will answer.
Maybe we don't think He will answer the way WE want Him to answer. 

I am not here to tell you that mine is perfect. I'm not here to tell you that I know all the answers.  I'm here to encourage you.  Encourage you to spend time with Him.  I've learned a lot of methods, if you will, on prayer.  The key is that you have to figure out what works for you and your time with Him. 

Let's spend some time on this topic and see where we end up.  We can do this over the next few days.  I think it will be exciting to talk about and share.  I know that a lot of people do better with a method or fill in the blank type or even certain things to pray for on certain days works for some.


 I treasure prayer time.  It is one on one time with the Lord.  Could there possibly be anything more precious than time with Him.  Let's think about this for a minute.  You, yes you, have the full attention of the Lord.  Let that sink in for minute.  REALLY SINK IN!!!!!  Why in the world would you want to miss it!!!!!  The other thing that we have to remember is that prayer is communication with the Lord.  COMMUNICATION is 2-way!  That means that we don't pray/talk the entire time!!!!!!  It requires us to BE QUIET!!!  This can be VERY hard and VERY difficult.  What we have to remember is that He has something to tell you.  He has something to share with you.  SSHH!!!  Listen!  Don't miss it!!!!!!

I can tell already....This is going to be a great journey!!!!!  Hang on to your hats and let's get ready to ride!!!!!!!!

God Answers Prayers!

My Mom left to go to Spain on a Mission Trip.  She had a wonderful time and really enjoyed it from what I hear.  I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet because she just got home yesterday.  She was exhausted I am sure.  Many a mission trip I have been on and when you get home, your body is a little confused as whether you are suppose to be asleep or awake.  Hopefully will get to talk to her sometime today.  I can't wait to hear!!!!!  God Answers Prayers!!!!!


I so enjoy my blog.  I always said that it didn't matter if anyone ever read it or not.  It was a place for me to journal and to share and someday make it into a book to share with my children or my grandchildren at some point in my life.  He lead me to do a makeover and change things for the blog and for that I am very grateful.  God Answers Prayers!!!!

Why do I do what I do?  Why do I sit and pick pictures to put on this blog. Why do I think that I have something to share with the world?  To be honest, I had that really pressing on me the last couple of days.  I wrote a series last week on studying The Word.  Something that I am truly passionate about.  My Savior is my passion!  I had allowed my brain to overtake me.  "Why are you doing this?", "What do you have to say that a million others have not already said?", "Why bother?".  Obviously my brain was over working my heart.  I was just really thinking and rethinking about what I was suppose to be doing.  I was just really frustrated.  THEN>>>>>>God answers my head and assures my heart.  I received a message on Facebook.  It was from a friend.  Someone I know very well.  This is what she wrote in her message.....

I know you are posting on your blog how to study his word and I am so thankful that you are doing it. I still have the cards you made me before...:-)
I really wish though that I had taken the time while you were here to take a couple days to really spend some quality hours with you doing this one on one!!!! Please don't stop trying to help us that really need it!!! Your work is not going unnoticed!!!! Thank you :-)......God Answers Prayers!!!!!!

I was amazed!!!!!  I was over joyed and couldn't even respond to her message because of being so very blessed.  And then just to make sure I heard it clear, I get a text message last night to update me on a situation I had been praying for and her text comes back....."I love what you are doing on your blog"  ONCE AGAIN----GOD ANSWERS PRAYER!!!!

He hears our prayers. 
He longs to answer them. 
Pour your heart out!!!! 
WATCH for Him TO ANSWER!!!!!!