Tag: prayer (Page 1 of 9)

Something I’m Struggling With…Maybe You Too?

November 5, 2022 /

I have a lot of questions for God about prayer.

Probably because we don’t always agree on things. I can get confused when I pray and try to trade places with Him, because I really like running the show myself.

God’s plans are perfect, but they’re not easy. They are for our formation and His glory, but I want them to be for my comfort and convenience. Why can’t He just get with the Laura plan?

We have gratification goals. God has galaxy goals.

We see now. God sees eternity.

There’s a verse I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

The mother of James and John asked Jesus if her sons might be able to sit at His right and left side in His kingdom. I picture it kind of like me running into Bill Gates in the grocery store (although I’m sure Bill doesn’t do his own shopping) and asking him to make my daughters CEO’s of two of his companies.

Jesus’ response?

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.

Matthew 20:22

I’m guessing Jesus wants to say that to me a lot.

In another place, Jesus rebukes Peter who’s arguing with him about the cross.

“You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

mark 8:33

I can imagine Jesus saying that to me too!

The most helpful picture I have of how prayer works is that of me in a small boat on a lake. The boat is tethered by a long rope to a huge redwood tree on the shore. My job isn’t to pull the redwood to me, but to pull me in my boat to the redwood.

The goal of prayer isn’t to make God adjust to my will, but to humbly align myself with His will.

“Faith means trusting that if I knew what God knows and loved like God loves, I’d do what God does.“

john ortberg

I marvel at people who are so sure of God’s will that they pray boldly, like a boss. I’m not that confident, which is good motivation to get to know Him better.

A friend of mine shares the story of two little girls who were playing by a pond. Denise fell in and Maria managed to grab her friend’s long hair and hold her head above the water until help came.

The press picked up the story and interviewed the hero, Maria, asking how the event had changed her life. She answered: “Denise won’t play with me anymore; she says I pulled her hair!”

                                       Yank Get Off GIF

 

Sometimes it feels like God is pulling our hair when He’s saving our lives.

Lord, You know what we don’t know. You see what we don’t see. You are good. Help us to pray according to Your will, and trust you even when we don’t understand.

What are your thoughts on prayer?

How to Raise Resilient Kids in a Dangerous World

September 24, 2022 /

I was treading water in Lake Geneva on a hot summer afternoon, wondering if I might die. My 8 year old eyes were focused 12 feet above me on the 4 foot square wooden platform attached to a pier with a vertical ladder – like the tiny platform the circus clown jumps off and into a bucket of water. My cousin climbed the rickety steps while other siblings and cousins waited in line behind him.

Here was the game we were playing: Kid #1 jumps off the “high dive” (read rotted wooden death trap) and treads water below while Kids 2, 3, 4…, one at a time, try to jump as close as possible without crushing the ones in the water until everyone is in the water, hopefully all still breathing. Fun times!

Yep, kind of like human bocce ball but with higher stakes.

What can I say? We were creative and adventurous.

I look back on the things my parents let me do (including traveling in Europe alone) and I am astounded that I’m here to tell about it.

As a parent myself of kids who have now survived to adulthood, I’m amazed they made it relatively unscathed too. There are many times I look back and say to myself, “What were we thinking??!!!”

I love this post from my friend, Rachelle! We’re all just doing the best we can!

The world is vastly different from when I was a kid, or when my kids were young. None of us had active shooter drills at school. So what are the crucial choices we make to foster independence while keeping our kids, grandkids, or students safe in a dangerous world?

As my friend, Sally says “I’ve basically got my kids for 18 years. I need to make the most of the time and steward it well.”

Although I applied it very imperfectly, the best thing I learned when my kids were little is this:

We have three jobs: protect our kids, prepare them, and pray for them.

What the first two look like at different ages will vary.

1. When they are little we major on protecting them.

We put child locks on cupboards and strap them in car seats.

We also ask ourselves questions like:

  • What controls should we put on different tech devices?
  • When should we let our kids have a phone?
  • Are sleepovers with friends ok?

2. As they grow, there is less we can do to protect them, and we major on preparing them for the dangers they are increasingly navigating alone.

We have conversations at the dinner table, anticipating different situations they may have to navigate.

We tell the truth about the dangers they may face, but we remind them that the Creator of the universe is with them, equipping them for any situation.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Cor. 9:8

“The Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.”

1 john 4:4

3. No matter what age they are, we cover our kids in prayer.

Lord, I can’t be with my kids every moment, but You can.

I can’t know everything, or see everything, but You do.

I place them in Your hands.

Father, help them to be brave, and wise and kind.

Protect them in body, mind, and spirit.

May they see unmistakable evidence of your love and faithfulness today.

What are some of the situations your kids may face right now at the age they are? I’d really like to hear from you in the comments!

What’s at the Root of Your Loneliness and What Can You Do About it?

September 10, 2022 /

Recently, a pastor I was listening to, shared some information that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about (and not in a happy clappy way).

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, scientists experimented with a closed ecological system in Arizona called Biosphere 2. I don’t do science or math and maybe you don’t either, but stick with me.

They created rainforest, ocean, wetlands, savannah, and desert inside a dome in order to see if something similar could be used in outer space.

Here’s what happened. The trees grew quickly, but then fell over!  One commentator said, “the lack of wind created trees with much softer wood than that species would normally make in the wild. They grew more quickly than they did in the wild, but were harmed in the long run as a consequence.” 

This stuck with me because I’ve been thinking about how much comfort and convenience has become an idol in our (MY!) lives.

We’re so committed to comfort and convenience through technology that there is less and less “wind” in our lives to help deepen our relational roots with God and others.

Think about some of the ways we try to prevent any relational wind in our lives.

  • We order through Amazon, or mobile order our coffee so we don’t have to interact with an actual person who may be irritating to us, and we get what we want as quickly as we want. Like magic!

  • We attend online church (if we attend at all) so we can cherry-pick the communicator we like, with the music we like, at the time we like, and fast-forward through anything that might be boring or challenge our status quo.

  • We keep our heads down, eyes on our phone screens to protect us from awkward social situations and prevent us from ever having a moment to look around and be present to God and others.

  • We stream movies so we don’t have the inconvenience of driving to a theater, or text an excuse and bail at the last minute because we don’t feel like going out.

We choose to be consumers at the cost of community.


Again, I really don’t want to think about this, but I see 3 consequences of this abundantly technological life of no wind:

1. It gives us the misperception that we are God.

We are in control of all of the things, so what need do we have of fostering a closer relationship with the true sovereign God? Is technology our new tower of Babel? Where we originally got off track was in our desire to be autonomous. To “be” God. We’re not. He knows what we don’t know. He sees what we don’t see. He is our good and sovereign creator. We were meant for a dependent relationship with Him.

2. It isolates us,

preventing us from the comforting and spiritually formative relationships God created us for.

A new report suggests that 36% of all Americans—including 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children—feel “serious loneliness.”

The effect of all this technology is comfort, yes, but also isolation. Loneliness. Connection comes at a cost.

A friend of mine had been a barista for years, but recently quit, partly because with mobile orders there was so little of the human interaction he loved.

3. It makes us less grateful.

We just moved back from the Bay area of California where the weather is close to perfect. Basically 72 degrees and sunny. Every. Day. (almost).

That’s great, but you start to take it for granted. You never have to adjust or adapt. Someone I knew planned an outdoor wedding with no contingency plan for bad weather!

Here in Minnesota I think we are over-the-top obnoxious about our gorgeous summers and falls because the winters are so harsh. The grit makes us more aware of the gift.

We can’t control the weather, but the ability to adjust the thermostat of our lives in so many areas dulls our senses to the work of God and His image in others.

SO WHAT??! Why choose what feels inconvenient? We’re weary of all the “wind” of the war and the economy and politics and Covid.

Deep breath. That’s not what I’m talking about. Instead of giving into the anxiety that these things produce, maybe pray:

Lord, today, may I not forget my need of you.

May I look up and around more than I look down at my phone.

Help me to listen with my eyes as well as my ears.

Prompt me to pause to pet puppies, compliment the cute dress on the stranger in line at the grocery store, make the soup for a sick friend, go next door to welcome the new neighbors, and bike to church even when the preacher of the day isn’t my favorite.

Make me a world-class noticer of the longing, the loneliness, the battered and the beautiful, all around me.

When I see something, remind me to say something – “thanks”, “sorry”, “wow.“

May I show up when it’s easier to shut down.

May I be a truth-teller and a grace-giver instead of a canceler of relationships when things get uncomfortable.

May connecting with You and others trump comfort, and may commitment take priority over the convenience of staying home.

Amen

Soul Food Before Thanksgiving

November 13, 2021 /

For Those Who Want a Little Inspiration…

Over the past month I coached an online workshop through National Community Church, teaching people how to share their God stories – the story of how they came to know Jesus and the stories of how God has shown up in their everyday lives – showing them more bout His character.

In our tiny group, was a committed young man who joined us online at 4:30 a.m. his time each week from India! He so inspired me as he shared his story of growing up Hindu, but coming to recognize Jesus as the healer of his mom, forgiver and savior. He has little to no support other than the online faith community and yet he has such a passion for having India know Jesus. Will you pray with me for him?

Gracious Lord, we come before You on behalf of many around the world, like Kirubakaran, who are following You under such difficult circumstances. We pray that your Holy Spirit might strengthen and encourage their hearts. Help them to know that they are known, seen, loved, and valued by You. I pray that even today they might see the fruit of their perseverance. In the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

For Parents (or mentors, aunts, etc)…

I love, love, love this list of 10 Fun Things to Do at Home with Kids and I know they are good, because I did some of them back in the day of littles! Even though my kids are grown, I’d love for us to create a family time capsule over the holidays. Won’t it be interesting to look back on this season 10 years from now? (Hopefully we WILL be looking back some day!)

If you’re like me, you can read something like this and think, “Oh, what a great idea!” but not do anything about it. Maybe choose one idea (or let your kids choose one) and commit to do it this week. Make a memory!

For Leaders…

If you’re a leader, a coach, a teacher…basically anyone who works with volunteers, take a look at these great questions your volunteers are asking.

For Those With Wanderlust…

Those who know me, know I need no extra motivation to travel, but I was captivated by this list of 18 Movies that Inspire Travel and am putting several on my list to watch asap!

So thankful I was able to visit D.C. IRL this week!

For Hosts…

A Hosting Game-Changer from Priya Parker – assign your guests roles. People like to help!

In social gatherings, hosts can also carry too much weight (in part because we want people to relax and have fun.) But guess what? These roles can actually be fun, playful, and deeply simple. It could be, as my friend Nora Abousteit does, that you assign a “Water Minister” and a “Wine Minister” to be in charge of refilling glasses and making sure everyone has enough to drink.

Priya parker

You might also like my Instagram post with recipe here!

For Nesters

You’ve heard of a “capsule wardrobe”, right? Well what about a “Decor Capsule Wardrobe”? I thought this was a great idea!

For Those Who Want a Book Suggestion…

This was a really good mystery, and I just read that Jennifer Garner has signed to play the lead in the limited series based on the book!

That’s it from me except for one last question…

Who is team “decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving”, and who is waiting to spring into action Friday, November 26th?

3 Truths for Dealing With Covid Chaos, part 1

July 27, 2020 /

The other day I was at a tennis drill that was, well…maddening. It was designed to create chaos in order to help us practice responding under pressure.

The pro would feed a “poachable” ball to the net player on one side and the player’s goal was to pound it directly at the feet of her opposing net player.

If the net player was able to return the ball it wouldn’t be pretty and it was unpredictable. The point would unfold from there, everyone trying to survive and bring some kind of order to the chaos.

If you don’t play tennis and don’t understand the explanation above, it doesn’t matter. The point is that chaos was meant to help us get better.

green tennis ball on court
Photo by Bogdan Glisik on Pexels.com

Turns out I don’t do great in chaos. Few of us do. Welcome to 2020.

After the drill I was talking to the pro and he said the thing that happens with everyone in chaos is that they tense up.

You feel the pressure to prove yourself or perform in the midst of uncertainty, and your muscles tighten. You’re afraid of losing.

You play from a place of fear and confusion. My coach said the first step is just acknowledging what’s going on. Say to yourself, “I’m in a hard position here. Just breathe, relax and ask what’s the next right thing to do.”

I do not believe God “sent” or “created” this pandemic. Illness is a result of the Fall. But God did allow this, and I believe He desires to use it to form us into people more like Him if we’re willing to pay attention.

This week, situations reminded me of three truths a friend of ours used to repeat years ago, which I’ll write about in the coming days. But first I had to acknowledge the situation – the chaos and the resulting pain.

We may be inclined to think that God judges us for being brutally truthful with Him about how we’re feeling – emotions of anger, confusion or uncertainty. But we see differently in Scripture, especially in the Psalms.

Like an inconsolable toddler reaching up for his mother, crying out to God is intimate. It draws us near to His heart.

I call out at the top of my lungs, “God! Answer! I’ll do whatever you say.” …

I was up before sunrise, crying for help, hoping for a word from you. I stayed awake all night, prayerfully pondering your promise. In your love, listen to me; in your justice, God, keep me alive…

Let my cry come right into your presence, God; provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word. Give my request your personal attention, rescue me on the terms of your promise…

Put your hand out and steady me since I’ve chosen to live by your counsel…

And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me! I’ll recognize the sound of your voice.

psalm 119 MSG

So, today, maybe talk to God honestly about how you feel in this season of chaos. Journal a prayer or take a walk and pray. Acknowledge the situation and your needs.

The Benefit of Walking Awake

January 27, 2020 /

I walk on medieval cobblestones through the pre-dawn fog that is more reminiscent of London than Lucerne where we are based temporarily. The mountains that ring the city are completely hidden.

Coffee is calling my name as I head towards bridges across the Reuss river. I pass one of my favorite ancient buildings that I have discovered was a brothel in “days of yore.” I take time to pray for all those trapped in sex slavery and our friends who are working tirelessly to free them.

Heavenly Father, bring light to dark places of shame and rejection. May those who are trapped know they are beloved by you. You are the God who sees them and will act on their behalf. “A bruised reed you will not break and a smoldering wick you will not snuff out. In faithfulness You will bring justice.” Lord, for those working on their behalf, “Strengthen the feeble hands, and steady the knees that give way.”

The church bells of the city start to echo back and forth across the water and I pause to lift up all those we know in ministry around the world – worshipping in rented school gyms, and retrofitted reclaimed sanctuaries in Great Britain, with holy hands raised in African mud huts and home churches everywhere.

Holy Spirit anoint and empower them, give them insight, patience, wisdom and compassion. Help them to listen to Your voice above all. Give them soft hearts and thick skin

The early bike “rush hour” has begun …

…and I look for the father and son who pass me every day – Dad on a bike, son on a scooter, side by side. Dad protects, and gives his son a push every once in awhile to keep them together. It makes me think of the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Lord, strengthen our families. Give fathers and mothers grace, energy, and patience sufficient for today. May we have hearts wholly devoted to you. Guard us from temptation and give us discernment as we interact with a culture that often is at odds with the values you would have us live by. May you bless our children, young or old, with unmistakeable glimpses of Your faithfulness and great love for them today.

I wish I could tell you I do this every morning. I don’t!

I get distracted and make “to-do” lists in my head (or have imaginary conversations where I tell off the company that won’t refund me for the skin care cream I sent back).

I share this one morning glimpse in the hopes that maybe we can encourage each other to pay attention to the small promptings of God through our everyday life.

Like believers over the centuries have “prayed the hours”, how might we weave prayer into the ordinary moments of our days? What are the natural sights, sounds, or smells that might be triggers to draw us to the Lord?

I’ve become convinced that the major challenge of spiritual formation is paying attention…walking awake to the movement of God and responding.

What if we let the sight of a homeless man, or the cry of a baby, or the sound of an ambulance siren, or the beauty of a sunrise, draw us to God instead of being “b roll” that we don’t notice?

What’s your experience been? What would you add?

One Breath Away From a Peace-filled Advent

December 9, 2019 /

I’m re-reading this post from Switzerland this morning. I edit and share it every year because every year I need it. I need to slow down and pay attention. I pray it will be helpful to you today too.

I really wish I liked Holy Yoga more. It’s healthy, and the few times I’ve gone it’s helped me reflect on Scripture.  And it’s so in.  But I’m just not good at it.

Here are the only things I like about Yoga:

  • the comfy pants that are like legal pajamas,
  • the fact that you do it in a group with great people, and not, for example on a stationary bike in your basement (like a crazy introvert),
  • the corpse pose (where you lay still with soft music playing)…

And one more thing…

They remind you to breathe.  In fact, I think that’s the only part I consistently get right when I go.  I mess up all the poses.  And I can’t make myself pretzely like my friend Brooke.

But then they say, “Don’t forget to breathe.” and I think “Yes!  I’ve got that down!  Score!” (Can you tell I’m better at competitive sports than contemplative ones?)

Sometimes the best I can do at Yoga is to just keep breathing.  Sometimes in the Christmas season it seems that way also.  You too?

Our to-to lists are too long.  We drop balls and forget to follow through with details.  And our regular spiritual practices and rhythm of time with Jesus may suffer.

But no matter what happens in the next few weeks, most (hopefully all) of us will still be breathing when we get to the New Year.

So what if breathing became a spiritual practice?  It’s one many of you are probably familiar with.  Breath prayer.

Think for a minute…What is a name for God that is especially meaningful to you this season?  

  • Abba Father
  • Gentle Shepherd
  • Wonderful Counselor
  • Prince of Peace
  • Emmanuel
  • Light of the World
  • King of Kings…

As you breathe in, silently say this name.

Then… What sums up your need or desire of your heart this season?

Peace?  Healing? Guidance? Provision? Wisdom?

Construct a short phrase that expresses this.  As you breathe out, pray this phrase.

For a long time, I felt out of control in many areas of my life, so my breath prayer was, “Abba Father” (as I breathe in).  “Do what only You can do.” (as I breathe out).

You might pray something like Mary did “Holy One, be magnified in my life.”  (Luke 2:46-55).

Or, “Prince of Peace, calm my anxious heart.”

Or, “Light of the World, illuminate my darkness.”

In heavy traffic.  Breathe.  

In crowded stores.  Breathe.

In tense family situations.  Breathe.

Sitting in front of your Christmas tree. Breathe.

On a walk alone.  Breathe.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Breathe deep. Lean hard. God’s love holds.

Just.  Keep.  Breathing.

Share your breath prayer in the comments?

2 Things to Control When You Feel Out of Control

November 18, 2019 /

He [Abraham] did not know where he was going.

hebrews 11:8

I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS want to know where I’m going! I want to know the PLAN, and (if I’m honest) I want CONTROL over the plan!

But often I’m dealing with “out of control”.

Recently I was with a group of friends sharing prayer concerns that felt out of control.

  • One has a husband in a toxic job and financial stress.
  • Another is struggling with a young child’s behavior.
  • A third has in-law tensions.
  • One is dealing with health issues, and another has a college student struggling with anxiety.
  • Me? I continue to feel like I’m being tossed around by a leaf-blower with no place to land for any length of time.

These are all situations where we feel out of control – praying and waiting and wanting to DO SOMETHING TO FIX IT! Can you relate? What’s your “out of control”?

If it’s any comfort, we’re not alone. The Bible is filled with out-of-control people who can’t fix their stuff on their own (think Sarah who’s barren, Moses chased by Egyptians, Hagar outcast, Mary a pregnant virgin…), and maybe out of control is the best place to be.

Maybe it’s good to know we will fail without divine intervention! Maybe we’re always there to a degree, but we just don’t realize it. And when we do, it’s an opportunity to lean in and experience God’s sufficiency.

You do your part. You pray. You wait expectantly. But what can you control while you’re waiting?

  1. Your tongue. By this I mean, now is the time to be ruthlessly honest. Show up authentically with God and pour out your heart. (check out Psalm 6)

Tell Him how hard this is, but also recite what you are counting on to be true about Him. Remind Him and yourself that He will never leave you, He is able to do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine, He is all powerful, His timing is perfect…

When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you…

psalm42:6 Msg

Just this morning I received an email that hit me hard and brought me to tears. A door that I thought was clearly open, was shut. I journaled about it, saying it felt like a game of cat and mouse. I was honest about my disappointment, but then I went back to the verses that the Lord gave me in a similar time of disappointment.

This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? … [No!] So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

matthew 7:9-11

I’ve combined a couple of thoughts from Lysa TerKeurst and Craig Groeschel and made them a mantra:

God is good.

God is good to me.

God is good at being God.

I don’t sit where He sits.

I don’t see what He sees.

I don’t know what He knows.

God loves me beyond what I can understand.

2. Your ears. Who and what are you listening to? Sarah Bessey uses the phrase “Guard your gates”. Imagine there is a gate protecting your mind. You get to decide what you open it to. If you guard your gates, then nothing will come into your mind and heart that you don’t want in there.

Consider turning off any t.v. show, radio station, podcast, or social media that draws your heart away from God and weakens your faith.

We can also share with friends who will help bear our burdens, and listen to wise godly counselors who will encourage us in our waiting. Might you share the “out of control” you’re trusting God for in the comments so we can pray for each other?

If you receive this in an email, just click on the title and then scroll down on the post to leave a comment. If it’s your first time, it will not appear right away, but don’t worry! It will soon!

As always, I’d love to have you join me over on Instagram! It’s my favorite place for small doses of joy and inspiration!

As Soon as You Began to Pray…

October 29, 2019 /

The sky is striped pink and peach, reflecting in the perfectly still lake as I write this. It’s early morning and quiet.

The peaceful landscape before me is at odds with how the past few months have felt as we transition from one season to another – both literally and metaphorically.

Instead of stillness, settled and calm, our life has felt like an autumn wind-storm that blows colored leaves off the trees and continues to swirl them around like question marks and possibilities that won’t land.

I want them to settle so I can rake them into neat manageable piles, but God has other plans.

In this season, I notice two of the spiritual disciplines that are most difficult for me – waiting, and trusting that God is at work for His glory and my good even when I can’t see it. Can anyone else relate?

There are no neat and tidy piles that I can control. Instead, we pray with open hands and try not to grasp.

In this season my prayer has been, “Help me to be present and grateful just for this day before me and trust You to hold the future.”

As I pray and wait, I’ve been reminded over and over of God’s words to Daniel:

“Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you…”

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. 

daniel 9:23, 10:12-13

In these verses I am assured that God is at work even when I don’t see it, and I’m reminded that there is a spiritual battle going on too! There is nothing Satan would like more than to discourage us or cause us to doubt God’s faithfulness.

Don’t lose heart! Look at Isaiah 65:24!

Before they call I will answer;
    while they are still speaking I will hear.

isaiah 65:24

Over the past couple weeks God brought to us an invitation we never expected in a million years. We’ve been asked to take a short-term interim pastorate at the International Church of Lucerne, Switzerland.

As we have prayed and talked with them, this is the verse that keeps coming to mind:

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…

Acts 15:28

It’s not neat and tidy and there are lots of consequences as we try to rearrange our life to accept this call and go as a team. But the combination of our gifts, their need, and the timing, seem to be coming together in something that may be pleasing to God. We think it will only be 2-4 months, but it has made even the plans we thought we had, tentative.

I share all this in the hopes that it will encourage others who are in seasons of question marks. You’re not alone!

If you have lived abroad for any amount of time, I’d love to hear your advice as we embark on this adventure! Leave your thoughts in the comments!

As always, I’d love to have you join me over on Instagram.

The Biggest Mystery of my Life with God

August 5, 2019 /

Prayer. I do it. I grow from it. I can’t “figure it out”.

Prayer is the biggest mystery of my life with God.

  • If God knows everything, why take the time to tell Him what’s on my mind?
  • If God knows what’s best and I desire His will above all, what does it matter what I want?
  • I have complete faith that God can do anything, but who am I to pray with the assurance that He will do what I ask?
  • Why did God choose to miraculously heal my friend, but not my brother even though the same body of believers were praying with faith for both?

Can you relate?

In the end, the reason I pray is to draw close to God and bring my will in line with His. We want to develop an

…attentiveness to God that is so intimate that over time we develop an intuitive sense of God’s heart and purpose in any given moment. We become familiar with God’s voice—the tone, quality, and content—just as we become familiar with the voice of a human being we know well. 

Ruth Hayley Barton

So anyway, my small group decided to read “Letters to Malcom, Chiefly on Prayer” this summer.

Let me just say that it is…deep. It may not be the book we should have picked to make everything simple and clear. This was our text chain last week.

Although prayer is still a mystery, experimenting and sharing our experiences has been helpful. So I thought I’d invite you to virtually join our little band of merry women.

3 Things We’ve identified that we’re not good at (there’s a lot more, but let’s start with 3):

  1. Listening is part of prayer and we’re not good at it.
  2. We’re also not good at confession.
  3. Integrating prayer into the ordinary moments of daily life is hard and we’re not good at that either.

What about you?

Here’s a practice that we did together:

Remember the acronym ACTS? Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication? Well, what if we added L – listening? (My friend said now we’ll pronounce it “axle”). Here’s an exercise we tried together:

Close your eyes and think of one specific prayer concern.

Start by offering prayers of adoration – How is God’s character sufficient for this specific concern?

Next, consider confession related to your prayer burden. Maybe you need to confess that you don’t have faith for this concern, or that you have been striving and trying to control the outcome, or that you have made an idol of the desire in your heart.

Thanksgiving. What can you thank God for in the waiting? What has He already provided?

Supplication. Just lay out what is on your heart.

Listening. Be still for several minutes. Don’t try to manufacture anything. I’ve found that often God brings to mind an image or vision in these moments, but sometimes He’ll bring Scripture to mind. Other times, crickets. Nothing. But that’s ok. You are putting yourself in God’s presence.

 Perhaps your own reiterated cries deafen you to the voice you hoped to hear. 

C.S. Lewis

I was praying for a friend’s marriage, so here’s my example:

Lord, you are our Creator. You made us for relationship with you and each other. I praise you for your good plans for us. I praise you for your wisdom that you make available to us. You are our Protector, a shield around us.

I confess that I often worry about my friends’ marriage and strive to manage or give advice instead of entrusting them to you. Forgive me for trying to do your job in this and other situations.

Thank you Father, that my friends know you as their Lord and Savior. Thank you that they have healthy role models. Thank you that they are committed to you and each other. Thank you that you have provided them with resources for counsel.

Lord, I pray that you would put a hedge of protection around this couple. Don’t let the devil get a foothold in their marriage. Guard them from temptation and self-centeredness. Draw them to yourself. Please bring greater understanding and love in their relationship. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

As I was silent and “listened”, the Lord didn’t bring words to mind, but instead an image of Him gently tucking my friends in with love.

How do you feel about prayer?

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