I get a lot of prayer requests. Many come from the tight circle of my small group and others from friends and acquaintances that consider me "a good Christian" (whatever that means). So if you ask me to pray for you, there are a few things that you should know...
It's very difficult to remember them all, but it is in these times that I call on God to help me, because His memory is much better than mine! My husband prayed (in our nightly prayer session) that God would keep in mind the prayer requests that are given to us. I thought this was brilliant! I don't consider it a cop-out, but just insurance against human error. I can't even go to Kroger without my 5-item grocery list put into my iPhone, let alone remember the prayer requests that I acquired throughout the day. By praying this authentically each night, I can rest assured that God has heard my desire for these prayers to be answered.
The other thing that I have started doing is praying immediately after the request is made. This works best when it comes through email or text sometime during the day. I stop what I'm doing and say a short but heartfelt prayer. Rest assured that when I text you back that a prayer has been said, I have just said my closing, "Amen".
The last thing that you should know is that I don't necessarily pray for the outcome that you have asked for, nor do I ask God to bring my desired outcome when I pray about my own situations. I pray that His will would be done, but that we would find comfort in Him and we would learn from the situation if it does not end the way we wish. I pray that we will see His guidance clearly and that He will give us the strength to follow that guidance.
These methods of prayer are hopefully not disturbing to those that I pray for. They have allowed me to pray to more often, more genuinely and with much more joy in my heart.
Prayer has become a regular practice in my life. My husband and I fumble over the words less frequently as we pray each night in the dark, holding hands in our bed. My daughter sat with me while I frantically prayed that my mom would be healed and comforted by the Lord's touch when she fell in her driveway while we were visiting. I was led by the Spirit to pray with my entire family for safe travels and comfort for our hurting hearts, and I actually followed through with it!
I'm here to tell you that it gets easier. Try it when you feel led to do it. It's never as bad as you imagine it will be. Consider it an act of service to the person or people you are praying with...They will be so glad that it didn't have to be them!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Religion vs. Faith
At some indeterminable point along my Journey, I began the struggle with religion and faith. I may have mentioned this in an earlier posting, but I would like to revisit the topic at this point in my journey. (I have a feeling that it will be something that I constantly struggle with, if a little less as I go further along the way.)
My family and I are visiting my parents this week while on vacation, so I actually have time to READ! The book that I was prompted to read by some very dear friends of mine has turned this vacation into a spritual rejuvination that I never expected. In two days, I read The Shack by William Paul Young. To anyone that reads this blog and finds that they have much in common with it, please read this book!
As I discussed before, part of the reason I did not consciously begin my journey earlier was my aversion to religion and structure, and thou shalt not's...which if you know me at all, I'm a follow the rules, respect authority whether it makes sense or not kind of girl...but something really felt wrong about all of it. If my God, our God created us out of love and Jesus died for every one of our sins, then why do we have to follow all of these rules? Why do we have to dress in our Sunday best? Why all the rituals? Why all of the FEAR of disappointing God? (When we all know, or should know, that the only "one" disappointed is the prim and proper old lady in the front row that has a flask in her white beaded clutch.)
The truth, as I see it, is that all that doesn't matter. What matters is that we were created in God's image to be His children. To be loved by Him and to spread His love, not our religion, to one another. I have been so uplifted by my growing relationship with God. I have known grace, not guilt, through Jesus Christ. I have witnessed mountains being moved and assistance being sent from none other than God Himself, and most recently, I have heard the unmistakeable voice of the Holy Spirit, calling me to take a step.
As human beings become more and more enlightened, we see that religion doesn't matter in this relationship with God. Those of us that see that, take two paths...either we choose to make God insignificant in our life, punishing Him (and ultimately ourselves) for the sins of our predecessors, and never bother to know Him...or we chose to find a way that we can bond with Him, to feel his love and BE his love everyday.
The Shack addresses this topic, and so many others, more eloquently than I ever could. All I know is that as I read it, I felt that the words that were spoken by God (in several forms) were as true as the words written in red. I found my soul screaming "Yes, yes, that's exactly it!" as I read Jesus' perspective on man-made religion, institutions and politics. I found God's perspective on our judgement of each other and of Him, stinging and relieving at the same time. I can't wait to read it again.
I hope that people will comment on this post and this book, so that I might learn even more from it. To my two special people that I know have read it, we are sooooo getting together to hash through it! :D
My family and I are visiting my parents this week while on vacation, so I actually have time to READ! The book that I was prompted to read by some very dear friends of mine has turned this vacation into a spritual rejuvination that I never expected. In two days, I read The Shack by William Paul Young. To anyone that reads this blog and finds that they have much in common with it, please read this book!
As I discussed before, part of the reason I did not consciously begin my journey earlier was my aversion to religion and structure, and thou shalt not's...which if you know me at all, I'm a follow the rules, respect authority whether it makes sense or not kind of girl...but something really felt wrong about all of it. If my God, our God created us out of love and Jesus died for every one of our sins, then why do we have to follow all of these rules? Why do we have to dress in our Sunday best? Why all the rituals? Why all of the FEAR of disappointing God? (When we all know, or should know, that the only "one" disappointed is the prim and proper old lady in the front row that has a flask in her white beaded clutch.)
The truth, as I see it, is that all that doesn't matter. What matters is that we were created in God's image to be His children. To be loved by Him and to spread His love, not our religion, to one another. I have been so uplifted by my growing relationship with God. I have known grace, not guilt, through Jesus Christ. I have witnessed mountains being moved and assistance being sent from none other than God Himself, and most recently, I have heard the unmistakeable voice of the Holy Spirit, calling me to take a step.
As human beings become more and more enlightened, we see that religion doesn't matter in this relationship with God. Those of us that see that, take two paths...either we choose to make God insignificant in our life, punishing Him (and ultimately ourselves) for the sins of our predecessors, and never bother to know Him...or we chose to find a way that we can bond with Him, to feel his love and BE his love everyday.
The Shack addresses this topic, and so many others, more eloquently than I ever could. All I know is that as I read it, I felt that the words that were spoken by God (in several forms) were as true as the words written in red. I found my soul screaming "Yes, yes, that's exactly it!" as I read Jesus' perspective on man-made religion, institutions and politics. I found God's perspective on our judgement of each other and of Him, stinging and relieving at the same time. I can't wait to read it again.
I hope that people will comment on this post and this book, so that I might learn even more from it. To my two special people that I know have read it, we are sooooo getting together to hash through it! :D
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
My One Fear
The Lord has put it on the hearts of our church leadership that we should each actively seek (through prayer) one person to bring to Christ over the next year. I made a commitment to God that I would follow through on this mission for His sake, even though it scares me to death. But if I truly have faith in God, why should I be scared?
As I learned in the course of my Beth Moore Bible study, Esther, "do not be afraid" is the command that appears most often in the Bible. But this is probably the hardest command for me, and probably a lot of people, to obey. We are a bunch of control freaks walking around this earth, asking God to do this and take care of that, but then we worry and fret and hold back, not doing the things that we know we should do because we are afraid.
Afraid of what?!
Am I afraid of what other people think? Of what following what I am called to do will cost me? Afraid that I am misreading what the Holy Spirit is guiding me to do? Afraid of failing God?
YES, YES, YES, and YES!
But then, I stop and think it through...Who, of those people that I am afraid of, can save me? If I don't follow Him, and don't do what I am called to do, then what's the point of my life? If I misread what He is saying, do I really believe that He will move on and guide someone else to do it instead? And finally, if God lets me fail, then what kind of God am I worshiping and do I even have any faith at all?
The truth, as I try to remind myself when the Devil creeps into my thoughts, is this...I was made in God's image, to lead people to Him, and not only will I not fail Him, He will not fail me.
The card that I drew for this commitment to Christ is a tough one. I have doubted several times that I "read" the card right. But, each time I have brought my doubts to the Lord in prayer, this person has randomly shown up in my life again. It has strengthened my faith so much that I believe that this mission is just as much about my growth as it is about bringing my "one" to Him. I am still scared, but I see the Lord working to chisel away at this fear piece by piece. And to see someone that I care about, especially this tough case that I have drawn, come to Christ, would be a miracle on earth.
As I learned in the course of my Beth Moore Bible study, Esther, "do not be afraid" is the command that appears most often in the Bible. But this is probably the hardest command for me, and probably a lot of people, to obey. We are a bunch of control freaks walking around this earth, asking God to do this and take care of that, but then we worry and fret and hold back, not doing the things that we know we should do because we are afraid.
Afraid of what?!
Am I afraid of what other people think? Of what following what I am called to do will cost me? Afraid that I am misreading what the Holy Spirit is guiding me to do? Afraid of failing God?
YES, YES, YES, and YES!
But then, I stop and think it through...Who, of those people that I am afraid of, can save me? If I don't follow Him, and don't do what I am called to do, then what's the point of my life? If I misread what He is saying, do I really believe that He will move on and guide someone else to do it instead? And finally, if God lets me fail, then what kind of God am I worshiping and do I even have any faith at all?
The truth, as I try to remind myself when the Devil creeps into my thoughts, is this...I was made in God's image, to lead people to Him, and not only will I not fail Him, He will not fail me.
The card that I drew for this commitment to Christ is a tough one. I have doubted several times that I "read" the card right. But, each time I have brought my doubts to the Lord in prayer, this person has randomly shown up in my life again. It has strengthened my faith so much that I believe that this mission is just as much about my growth as it is about bringing my "one" to Him. I am still scared, but I see the Lord working to chisel away at this fear piece by piece. And to see someone that I care about, especially this tough case that I have drawn, come to Christ, would be a miracle on earth.
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