I'm reading a devotional thought type book called Opening Windows by a variety of authors - compiled and edited by Mary Fairchild. At the end of each chapter the author challenges the reader in a section called Your Fresh Take.On page 61 at the end of the chapter by Thelma Wells - Open to Constant Communication the questions are:
Identify two or three times in your daily schedule when you are least aware of God. What conscious changes can you make to increase your awareness of God in these parts of your day?
For me the times I'm least aware of God are when I'm trying to be in control of my world when I try to take things into my own hands. I need to let go and trust God with all things especially the things that seem out of my control - because they most likely are...
How would your day change if God were the first thing you thought of when walking in the morning and the last thing on your mind before sleeping?
I do make an effort to have God be the first thing I think of in the morning and the last before going to bed, but I don't always succeed. I find that when I do things go better and I don't feel as much need to be in control because I KNOW that God is in control.
Do people who are important to you know you are praying for them? If not, what will you do to assure them of your prayers?
I'm pretty sure those important to me know that I'm praying for them. For some people mainly my immediate family and close friends I will pray with them during times of crisis. I'm feeling convicted that I should stop and pray with more people immediately as they share requests. The times friends have done that for me it has really impacted me in a positive way.
Feel free to share your answers in the comments section or just think and pray about them during your time alone with God.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
6 comments:
robin I was just thinking of you!! literally - like 20 minutes ago! I only have the internet sporatically right now, bouncing off others (oops) until my broadband card comes monday but I'll definitely be blogging a lot more come Monday. i have so much I wanted to ask/talk to you about. Prayer has really been on my heart a lot - especially with your healign posts a few weeks (?) ago.... but that isn't why i was thinking of you - I was thinking of you because of al the neck pain I've been in the past 2 days - i can't imagine having to deal with this long term. anyway i have so much more to say but it will have to wait until MOnday! i have so much I need to ask you and bounce some ideas off of you about prayer.... I don't have a lot of christian friends/mentors that really have the time for me. anyway! more soon! :) best wishes for you
I've actually started doing fixed hour prayer - you pray at certain hours of the day. There are books with the specific prayers that go throughout the liturgical year. It's kinda cool to think that others are praying with me, and that as the hours pass, someone else is praying as well. It's staggering to think about - it's like a great big prayer wave all over the earth.
Randi,
I would love to spend some time chatting - feel free to email me anytime and maybe we can set up a time to chat on the phone.
God gives us the strength to deal with what we must and other times He heals us. We just don't know what HIS reasons are during our time on earth. One day it will all make sense.
Now we need to focus on HIM and become more like HIM spending time in prayer, Bible reading, etc... God has much to teach me and I have so far to go, but I'm going with Jesus and that's all that matters...
Looking forward to emailing or talking...
I have a neat post going up tonight at midnight - I've been so anxious to post it...
Hey Erin,
So neat to see you here! Your prayer time sounds powerful!
I was just thinking of you today and wondering how you are holding up in the apartment - soon you will be in your new home :)
I just read this post as I was preparing for my daily morning walk with Tuxedo, Miss Kefli, and Jesus...the first two on leashes and Jesus in my heart. I listen to tapes (yes, I still have an apparatus that plays cassettes!) while I walk, and for two miles I worship and sing along and pray for people in my neighborhood. It's the start of my daily routine, and God has given me two little doggies that make sure I don't forget!
How cute how you shared about your morning walk with three friends :) Very neat that you pray for people in your neighborhood as you walk through it - how powerful!
I read devotional, Christian fiction and pray on the treadmill. I try to read the devotional material first. Currently I'm not reading any fiction and am enjoying my non-fiction. I'm coming close to finishing several non-fiction books now. I also like to pray on the treadmill as I think of people.
One neat thing we are doing with the kids is having them pray for my brother every time we see a school bus because he's a school bus driver. Yesterday during our walk we saw more buses than usual because they were going to the school to pick up the kids to take them home. My daughter asked if it would be okay if she prayed with every other bus because it was too hard to pray when she saw each bus (they were one after the other). I told her she could just pray continually for her uncle instead of stopping and starting. Even my son will yell out, "We have to pray for Uncle Robert because I see a school bus." It touches my heart when he stops what he's doing and prays aloud for his uncle. Have I told you how much I love my kids?
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