The other installments of this Day in the Life series are here, here, here, and here, with the final link being the most recent.
A Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, Week 3
Thoughts and Observations this week:
Something Happened
One night as I prayed, the Spirit intervened. Ha! That sounds weird, right? Just give me a minute here.
Prayer was going along the usual lines, until I got to supplication. I began praying for our country. The Spirit stopped me cold, making me pray for a friend in Washington state, instead. I pray for her every night, but I do the country before individual people. I thought....okay, God...I'll pray for her right away. Did she have a bad day? Was she depressed? I wondered. I prayed for her differently than I had the previous nights--this time including more about her day to day peace and joy, and less about her macular degeneration. Somehow, the Spirit intervened on her behalf--possibly at the hour of her greatest need! Since she is three hours behind me in time, I prayed for her around her dinner hour, which can be lonely for a widow.
This happens to all of us, I know. A name, a face, will pop into our head while we do the dishes, and we'll know to pray right away. This is common, but it has never happened to me during a structured prayer time. The Spirit has never changed the order of my prayer plan.
After I finished prayer that night, I was very excited. Overjoyed, in fact! The Spirit is praying, through me, for a beloved friend! It made me realize....He really does guide us in prayer! He really is there!
Friends, I have gone into prayer since then with a greater joy. With more anticipation. Somehow, it's as though I'm not sitting here alone anymore....with the kids all in bed...with husband away at work until late. The Spirit is my companion....through prayer.
This makes it sound as though I've never had a prayer life, I know. But the truth is, I've never had a consistent one.....as in twenty days and counting of structured evening prayer, along with snippets of prayer during the day.
Prayer is more than I thought it was. There really is more for us, in terms of relationship with the Father. I thought there was more. I was told there was more.
And now I can tell you...there is more!
Do this! Pray day after day. Don't allow space between you and the Father.....see what happens.
I Learned to Ease In
One night I was particularly stressed. Nevertheless, I sat down to pray right away, not wanting anyone to wake up and thwart my efforts.
It didn't flow well. It felt like a chore. It seemed mechanical.
I analyzed it afterward, thinking immediately about foreplay and women, and how we need to ease into relationship by relaxing first. Don't send me hate mail, please, for using that word foreplay. I can't think of a better analogy right now, to describe what is needed when our spirits are tormented by really bad days.
My usual pattern is to read the Bible in the mornings, pray in the evenings, and sometimes read a devotional or spiritual book at night as well.
But my plan now, for really stressful times, is to read a few Psalms at night before prayer, or listen to a worship song, to get in touch with the Spirit of God. I need Him to soothe me some nights first, before I can make prayer a worshipful activity. This isn't always necessary, but I need to intentionally take the step when I know my spirit needs it.
Being Intentional Blesses the Body of Christ
The other thing I learned this week was that being intentional about my prayer plan blesses the Body of Christ. When I took the time to list prayer needs in an organized way, I found my prayer having greater reach. More people were impacted--both saved and unsaved.
For example, my sister, years ago, cared for two young foster sisters, and another time, for a foster baby boy--both times for short periods. They would all be much older now, and over the years I've prayed for them only intermittently--maybe several times a year. Now I pray for them five times a week!
Maybe one of them, or all of them, will come to know the Lord. I don't know....but I love praying for them.
Someone prayed for me as I grew up, at least intermittently, for salvation. It was my Aunt Erma, who now lives five minutes away, but rarely saw me growing up. She was just praying for a name.
Currently, she is busy with her own grandkids and family, so I don't see her much, but I know she prays much for us, especially since the 2009 job loss and the subsequent underemployment. No, husband hasn't secured a full-time job yet, but neither are we a family in crisis, which might easily happen in our situation. We are holding steady....so I would say her prayers are being answered.
Do you know what Aunt Erma is?
A Prayer Warrior! A strong and steady one.
Hallelujah!
Friends, be a prayer warrior! Bless the Body of Christ. Pray for salvation for a greater number of people. Be intentional about your prayer plan.
A Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, Week 3
Thoughts and Observations this week:
Something Happened
One night as I prayed, the Spirit intervened. Ha! That sounds weird, right? Just give me a minute here.
Prayer was going along the usual lines, until I got to supplication. I began praying for our country. The Spirit stopped me cold, making me pray for a friend in Washington state, instead. I pray for her every night, but I do the country before individual people. I thought....okay, God...I'll pray for her right away. Did she have a bad day? Was she depressed? I wondered. I prayed for her differently than I had the previous nights--this time including more about her day to day peace and joy, and less about her macular degeneration. Somehow, the Spirit intervened on her behalf--possibly at the hour of her greatest need! Since she is three hours behind me in time, I prayed for her around her dinner hour, which can be lonely for a widow.
This happens to all of us, I know. A name, a face, will pop into our head while we do the dishes, and we'll know to pray right away. This is common, but it has never happened to me during a structured prayer time. The Spirit has never changed the order of my prayer plan.
After I finished prayer that night, I was very excited. Overjoyed, in fact! The Spirit is praying, through me, for a beloved friend! It made me realize....He really does guide us in prayer! He really is there!
Friends, I have gone into prayer since then with a greater joy. With more anticipation. Somehow, it's as though I'm not sitting here alone anymore....with the kids all in bed...with husband away at work until late. The Spirit is my companion....through prayer.
This makes it sound as though I've never had a prayer life, I know. But the truth is, I've never had a consistent one.....as in twenty days and counting of structured evening prayer, along with snippets of prayer during the day.
Prayer is more than I thought it was. There really is more for us, in terms of relationship with the Father. I thought there was more. I was told there was more.
And now I can tell you...there is more!
Do this! Pray day after day. Don't allow space between you and the Father.....see what happens.
I Learned to Ease In
One night I was particularly stressed. Nevertheless, I sat down to pray right away, not wanting anyone to wake up and thwart my efforts.
It didn't flow well. It felt like a chore. It seemed mechanical.
I analyzed it afterward, thinking immediately about foreplay and women, and how we need to ease into relationship by relaxing first. Don't send me hate mail, please, for using that word foreplay. I can't think of a better analogy right now, to describe what is needed when our spirits are tormented by really bad days.
My usual pattern is to read the Bible in the mornings, pray in the evenings, and sometimes read a devotional or spiritual book at night as well.
But my plan now, for really stressful times, is to read a few Psalms at night before prayer, or listen to a worship song, to get in touch with the Spirit of God. I need Him to soothe me some nights first, before I can make prayer a worshipful activity. This isn't always necessary, but I need to intentionally take the step when I know my spirit needs it.
Being Intentional Blesses the Body of Christ
The other thing I learned this week was that being intentional about my prayer plan blesses the Body of Christ. When I took the time to list prayer needs in an organized way, I found my prayer having greater reach. More people were impacted--both saved and unsaved.
For example, my sister, years ago, cared for two young foster sisters, and another time, for a foster baby boy--both times for short periods. They would all be much older now, and over the years I've prayed for them only intermittently--maybe several times a year. Now I pray for them five times a week!
Maybe one of them, or all of them, will come to know the Lord. I don't know....but I love praying for them.
Someone prayed for me as I grew up, at least intermittently, for salvation. It was my Aunt Erma, who now lives five minutes away, but rarely saw me growing up. She was just praying for a name.
Currently, she is busy with her own grandkids and family, so I don't see her much, but I know she prays much for us, especially since the 2009 job loss and the subsequent underemployment. No, husband hasn't secured a full-time job yet, but neither are we a family in crisis, which might easily happen in our situation. We are holding steady....so I would say her prayers are being answered.
Do you know what Aunt Erma is?
A Prayer Warrior! A strong and steady one.
Hallelujah!
Friends, be a prayer warrior! Bless the Body of Christ. Pray for salvation for a greater number of people. Be intentional about your prayer plan.
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