Chapter Nine- Persevering in Prayer

  Becoming A Woman Of Prayer-Online Study

Chapter Nine-

Persevering in Prayer

(Becoming A Woman Of Prayer, © Cynthia Heald, June 2005.  Used by permission of NavPress, all rights reserved.  www.navpress.com)

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." COLOSSIANS 4:2 NIV

I opted to use this weeks verse in this translation because of one word: devote. 

What do you think of when you hear "devote"? What comes to my mind is Olivia Newton-John belting out her heart singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and if you don't know what song that is...my heart breaks for you. I recall singing loud in the car some song of heartbreak over one boy or another. Fortunate for many, that no one ever had to hear it. As silly as it is, most of us can remember a time in our teen years when we declared some sort of teenage devotion to someone, whether it had been a boy crush or crazed infatuation for a star or band, we get it.

Now in my adult years, devotion looks different. It is rarely propelled merely by hormones or emotion, but by a sense of responsibility, a wisdom of the greater purpose or simply love. Some examples would include laundry (sense of responsibility), wisdom of the greater purpose (paying off debt) and love (my husband and children). Some of these things overlap and some don't (ie. I will never love laundry). The point here is that almost anyone can relate to devotion. 

In this verse, the author (Paul) is telling the Colossians to "devote (themselves) to prayer"and I wonder if we take it seriously. Similar to the reasons I mentioned above we pray out of a sense of responsibility (it's what "good" christians do), out of a wisdom of the greater purpose (this is my face time with God) and sometimes, and I would dare to say, not nearly enough do we do it with an attitude of love for our God or for others. If we are devoted to prayer then we do it because we ought to, we see the greater purpose of presenting our hearts and requests to God and because love those who need Him and we love Him and His purposes. We, then, will pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17) until our prayer is answered (yes, no or wait) or He changes our hearts. This is not as easy as it seems. 

"When we feel least like praying is the time when we most need to pray. We should wait quietly before God and tell Him how cold and prayer less our hearts are, and look up to Him and trust Him and expect Him to send the Holy Spirit to warm our hearts and draw them out in prayer. It will not be long before the glow of the Spirit's presence will fill our hearts, and we will begin to pray with freedom, directness, earnestness and power." R.A. Torrey (1)

This chapter is about Persevering in Prayer and is divided into two sections:

Devotion to Prayer (2)

Cynthia shares two example of devotion to prayer in scripture. In James 5:13-18, it reads:

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Elijah prayed "earnestly" and the rain stopped for more than three years...how often do we pray for a week and give up. God's timing and will are not ours. We should pray as if tomorrow is the day He may answer and if isn't, keep praying until He shows us a different plan. 

Gratitude in Prayer (3)

The second half of this week's verse is "be watchful and thankful." Elijah told his servant each day to go out and look (1 Kings 18:41-44) in the direction of the sea for the rain the Lord promised. SEVEN times the servant went and looked and it wasn't until the seventh time that the storm cloud was seen. God asks us to trust Him, to be watching for His promises and to give Him thanks for His faithfulness. 

"Praise and thanksgiving do not magically change my circumstances. they radically alter my viewpoint. Praise and thanksgiving bring me back into the presence of God, where there is fullness of joy and pleasure evermore." -Jennifer Kennedy Dean (4)

For years I prayed that we would be allowed to move because I believed it would be better. I also prayed acknowledging that the Lord my tomorrows and I did not and prayed that if moving would be foolish to stop it. He did. Every single time. We tried to move at least 3 times. The last time was about 6 years ago and I could not understand His will and yet my prayer remained until He changed my heart about a year ago and helped to show me His purposes for us here. The relationships, the ministry, the daily dependance on Him are all a part of His plan for us that we can see...I know there is more at work which we do not even know yet, but I trust Him and I thank Him for His answer and that it was no. Scripture tells us God is not slow in keeping His promises (1 Peter 3:9) yet He knows our impatience and His answer is trust me and seek me every day. 

Persevere. Devote. Watch. Give Him Thanks. 

Don't be Hopelessly Devoted. Be devoted to the God of Hope. 

This weeks challenge: 

Examine your life and observe what draws your devotion. Is it our Lord or has life's distractions or wants taken His place in your life. Pray without ceasing. Pray for the things that seem ridiculous. Pray for the things you gave up on and all the while pray for your heart to know His plan. He hears us. He answers us. He helps us. 

Lord Jesus, You are not slow in keeping Your promises. Forgive my impatience and foolishness for believing that I know better than you. Help me to know Your heart and seek Your will and to do it every day. I ask for Your Spirit to guide me in prayer to offer up anything in my life that I put in front of my devotion to You and how to pray as an intercessor for those who need you. God you are good. You are so good to me. Thank you Father. I love You and trust You. 

**See the this post for a schedule and a preview of 2013. 

(1-4) Becoming A Woman Of Prayer, © Cynthia Heald, June 2005.  Used by permission of NavPress, all rights reserved.  www.navpress.com 

T is for Thanks

A couple friends are sharing 30 days of thankfulness during this month on their facebook pages and I thought it was a great idea. However, I'm behind. So, I thought I'd do all 30 here and now.

This week the kids' had minimum days all week.
1. Thankful for more time at home.
2. Thankful for an afternoon with friends.


This week we had parent/teacher conferences.
3. Thankful for great reports and great teachers.
4. Thankful for good communication.

My youngest son is learning to phonetically spell on his own.
5. Thankful for growth.
6. Thankful for his love notes to me.


My daughter is taking a hip-hop dance class that she loves.
7. Thankful for her love for music and expression.
8. Thankful for healthy bodies to move.

My oldest son has reconnected with a friend.
9. Thankful for grace/forgiveness learned.
10. Thankful for Godly influences in his life.

Today it was supposed to snow, it didn't.
11. Thankful for God's sovereignty.
12. Thankful for power.
13. Thankful for heat.
14. Thankful for rain.

My husband has a week off from work.
15. Thankful for a chance for him to rest.
16. Thankful for time with family this week.
17. Thankful for our jobs.
18. Thankful for him.

Had Moms In Prayer at my house this week.
19. Thankful for a clean house.
20. Thankful for amazing ladies in my life.
21. Thankful for our church.
22. Thankful for prayer.

Tomorrow is our last soccer game of the season.
23. Thankful for a fun year.
24. Thankful to have our Saturday's back....sort of.

My kids are, at this moment, quietly watching a movie.
25. Thankful for peace when it happens.
26. Thankful for them. I love them so much.

Tonight is our end of the year soccer pizza party.
27. Thankful I don't have to cook dinner. :)

Learning more about humility and pride.
28. Thankful for God's mercy on me when I fail at both.
29. Thankful for a God who knows and and loves me still.
30. Thankful for the cross.

****and one to grow on.
31. Thankful for you.

Fresh lemons

Last year, my husband worked out of town..a lot, meaning all year. Each week he left Sunday night and came home on Friday night. It was a hard year. I felt like a single mom. We missed him. He and I  had trouble communicating. Last year, my husband couldn't operate a computer or send a text. But we made it, we paid lots of bills and tried to make great use our time together and spend/save wisely. 

This year, work is slow..my husband has been off work for a week at a time, here and there, since 2011 started and all this week. It's a stretch, financially, and sometimes I worry. But he's home with us, which we love, and we're enjoying and thankful for every minute. This year, we're closer, stronger and are more united as a couple. This year, my husband texts me all the time. We know God will provide and know we are blessed. 

Last month, we had 4 baby birds in a tree in front of our deck. They died when the snow storm hit. It was disappointing, we buried the nest  and it was sad. 

This month, we have a lovely new nest in it's place with 4 brand new blue eggs ready to hatch. We have placed birdseed and water out for the momma and are anxious for their birth.

Last week, my kids were in school and it was cold, gray and wet and we wore sweaters and built fires in the wood stove. The winter felt like it would never end and my propane bill was killing me.  

This week, it's sunny, beautiful and green and school is out for summer. We are watching flowers bloom, we are wearing flip-flops and planning to have a water day with cousins and BBQ with family tomorrow while celebrating my daughter's 8th birthday. 

Earlier this week, my oldest son was sick. The house smelled like barf, we had to throw out our area rug, he felt like crud and we were all stuck at home. I was "sick" of kids being sick. But, he got better.

Right now, I am enjoying a fresh breeze coming in my open doors on this lovely Friday evening while drinking ice water with fresh lemons squeezed in.. (Thank you Kater ) after a great evening out with my family and a tasty dinner of take out Chinese. I am full and rested. 

Life is full of change, always. I can tend to get caught up in the present circumstances but I want to remember God's promises to sustain us in all of it and I pray my eyes will always be open to see:

- the blessings in the trials

- for the provision in the time of need and 

- for the flavor and new life of each day

Thank you Lord, Perspective is everything. 

Amen

What is new or different for you today or this year that you can be thankful for?

Sometimes

Sometimes, a day just leaves you spent.

Sometimes, it can be a week or a month of exhausting events.

Sometimes, the day just doesn't go as you planned.

Sometimes, you wake up tired. 


Sometimes, you come home from a busy day and you don't want to do anything.

Sometimes, the laundry and other chores can wait.

Sometimes, you're child's/childrens' whining makes you want to whine too.

Sometimes, their words make you sad.

Sometimes, being a mom is really hard.

Sometimes, you feel bloated and gross.

Sometimes, it's PMS.

Sometimes, you worry about tomorrow.

Sometimes, I want to go somewhere far away, preferably Florence, Italy and escape.

Sometimes, when you feel like you've used up your energy and your body is tired,  all that sounds good is a jacuzzi and some wine. Then you wish you had a jacuzzi, so you just have your glass of wine.

Everyday, my kids' find a way to make me smile with their words and personalities.

Everyday, I get to be a mom.

Everyday, I wake up thankful for another chance to learn and grow from my Lord.

Everyday, I hug my family and tell them I love them.

Everyday, God holds me in His hand.

Everyday, I am thankful for the blessings of health and provision.

Everyday, I feel blessed to have family and friends that love me.

Everyday, that my husband is home I am happy.

Everyday, the Lord is faithful.

Everyday, is a day that the Lord has made...

His promises are true everyday, even if sometimes I forget.

A Good Friday

Thankful for sleeping in.

Thankful for a day at home for all 5 of us.

Thankful for a date night tonight.

Thankful for (+) cash flow in the budget.

Thankful for sunshine.

Thankful for children in good moods.

Thankful for what we remember today, Christ's sacrifice on the cross for you and me,
which makes me thankful beyond words.

What are you most thankful for?

Going on a bear hunt

This is my youngest, Nate. Today while we were out running errands, he sweetly asked me if we could go for a walk. After we got home, worked on birthday party invitations and put some things away he pressed, "When are we going to go on a walk?". I knew if we didn't get a walk in, he'd be bummed so when we were all ready to go..this is how he looked.  He was equipped with a badge, goggles, a backpack full of super hero suits, binoculars, a fake knife and a toy walkie talkie. He was excited...

Nate advised me that I shouldn't be worried about any wild animals..that he would protect me. My heart swelled then melted right there in my chest. 


And then he was on the look out...


He declared, "Hey mom! If I catch a grizzly bear, I'm gonna kill it and eat it for dinner!" Oh boy! Who is this child?? You're not going to grow a beard and live in an isolated cabin??? Oh wait..I just described his father. 


Ok, we're not "isolated".........but you get what I mean..

This is him "calling for backup.."...because he saw some piranhas..?? I love his imagination. We ran from the piranhas after he threw some "bait" to try and distract them while we got away. He jumped over logs and dodged downed-tree-limbs and finally...we made it to safety...whew! Who knew you could have so much adventure in a 30 minute walk?

 This is my last year at home with my Nate-tater. Next year I will have all three kids at the same school for one glorious year before Jack heads off the the 5th grade at our Middle school. (Ugh! That will be a whole other posting..) I joke to my friends and husband that I'll cry for 10 minutes on his first day of kindergarden and then head off to breakfast and a pedicure and not look back. But really, I will miss him. And more than that, I will miss having been done with this stage of mothering.
I will miss letting him stay in his pj's with his crazy bed-head-hair while we take the kids to school in anticipation of coming back home together and snuggling on the couch and watching cartoons.
I will miss taking him with me to Starbuck's and buying him his favorite petite vanilla scones.
I will miss building forts and I will miss going on "bear hunts".  I joke to my friends, "wait until fall...then I'll have all this freedom!" But in my heart, I'll be a little sad that all my babies aren't babies anymore.

I feel so blessed that during this season, I got to stay home for the most part and that I only needed to work 6 days/month. I love that I was able to have some special one on one time with each of the kids at some point of their pre-k years as other's went off to school. I cried a bit when each child started school, but this time will be different because it is the last time.

My mothering isn't done, of course. There are many more seasons to come..some great, some not-so-great, but I don't want to forget these moments when their imaginations are free, their smiles are huge, their faces are soft and kissable, their love is genuine & overflowing and they long to be with you and in your arms.

Now if you excuse me, I need to go wipe my tears and hug my babes.

I heart Mail

In case you didn't know this, I live in the sticks. The hills. The boonies. The Back Forty.

The first time this became clear to me was approximately two weeks after we moved here and we found out I was pregnant with our second child. The first thought that came into my mind as I looked into the sweet round face of my first born who was sitting and playing on the carpet nearby was, "......But I already HAVE a baby." Jack was only 8 months old at the time and needless to say, we were not planning on a second child this soon. But the second thought that entered my mind was ..."......But I live 40 miles from the nearest Target!!" and I sat there on the toilet...(where I took the test..duh) and felt immediately isolated from all civilization.  Of course, this is an exaggeration because there approximately 5,000 people in our town. We have a Safeway, CVS and a Taco Bell..so we don't have to go too far to "run for the border'. But I had, all my life, lived in suburbia or a city where all of life's conveniences are nothing but a short drive or walk away. This mountain living was new to me.




Since then, I've adapted...mostly. And I've learned to consolidate my trips into town or down the hill... for the most part. I've learned to anticipate blustery weather and choose my 4WD...almost always. I can build a fire in the wood stove, shovel snow and pack snow into tupperware containers and place them in  my fridge when there is a power outages. I'm no Ma Ingalls, but I manage.

free samples!!! 

One thing I've learned and actually really enjoy is choosing to do some of my shopping online. Now, clothes shopping is different because much of the time, the sizing is different or the fabric is not what you imagined. And food shopping is impractical because we are gone too much and I would not want food left out to rot, be stolen or be eaten on our porch by one of God's creatures. But I've found with the other things -1. when you already know exactly what you want and perhaps 2. have had it before..the online method works brilliantly. And the best part is when the package arrives at your door. It feels like Christmas, even if it is just face wash and moisturizer. The anticipation is wonderful. I LOVE IT. Often you can find free shipping and sometimes you can get a free gift just from ordering online.




It's not just packages..I love all sorts of mail. My husband laughs and hides the mail in the laundry room because he knows if I see it, I am unable to wait....seriously, I am compelled to open it right then, I can't help myself. I love getting letters from our Compassion kids, I love looking at the bills (can't explain that one)... and every time I get  a special letter or package it makes me want to order something else...but I do have some self control. I might just pursue to look for some of those other daily needed things online in hopes of finding a deal and saving more time driving cause I'm not sure if you've noticed but the gas prices are a tad high.

Back to that unexpected pregnancy that blessed us a short two weeks after I moved up here to the arctic circle (that's what my mother calls it)-
It brought us our Catie, the best package we could've received that year.

Contentment

I'm learning, or rather relearning, all the time how to be content. Content with my living circumstances, content with my job, my house, content with my body (the unchangeable parts)...content with life. Before Christmas we spent nearly a week at Disneyland. We had six...yes, I said SIX days at the parks. Are we crazy? Yes. Overindulgent? Perhaps...but between some soon to be expired free passes and my daughter's dance performance and the truly AMAZING discounted price, we decided to go for it.

Toontown..prison break. 

It was probably on day three when we were in tomorrow-land terrace getting some lunch and it was raining and my children were probably tired (definitely tired),....and the melt downs began. "Why do I only get ONE slice of pizza?"... "I'm wet and uncomfortable."... "My pants are giving me a wedgie."..."(so-and-so) keeps looking at me!"..."Why do we have to eat here?"..."I don't want to go on that ride after lunch!"..."I wanted Root beer to drink, not Sprite!" Meanwhile there was no place to sit because everyone and their brother was seeking to find shelter inside and eat a less than soggy meal.  I remember feeling frustrated that my kids were being so ungrateful, that they could have such bad attitudes while at the "happiest place on earth"!! We attempted to find a place to sit and ended up finding a small table. Only the kids were able to sit so Lance and I stood to eat and the kids just kept on in the barrage of complaints and.... I..... melted. I told my husband that I had to step outside and walked to a private area by some pay phones and began to cry. I cried because I too, was tired and I wanted so badly for us to all have a good time together and wanted to see my children in cheerful and excited spirits, to see them thankful for our trip, for the money spent and the sacrifices made so we could be there at Christmas time. Couldn't they see, despite the weather, how blessed they were to be here when we could just be at home, doing "nothing".  Here, amongst the blessings, they couldn't see it and were not content. I felt like a parental failure. How could I raise such ungrateful children?? The answer to that question is simple...I am that same ungrateful child. 

I wonder sometimes if our Lord grieves our unthankfulness, our discontentment and our complaining. He's used to it, I'm sure. The Israelites were amazing complainers and forgetters of His provision in the desert for 40 stinking years and their complaining delayed them from seeing the promise land in their lifetime. Well, I'm not in the desert, I have a husband, a home that we own, we both have jobs, can pay our bills, we have healthy children and loving extended families and here I am amidst HIS sacrifice and generosity, still struggling with contentment. I have more than most people in the world, more than I need and absolutely more than I deserve.

I don't like resolutions. I don't like making grandiose promises that I will eventually fail. But if I could hope to improve in some area of my life..to grow and change, it would be in the area of contentment. My children are children. What's my excuse?

I don't want you to get the wrong impression. We enjoyed a great, wet Disney week. I admit I'm pretty Disney-ed out for a while but good memories none-the-less.

Lord, I know I am and have been ungrateful. I have not seen your gifts and blessings especially in this week following the celebration of your Son's birth! Such a gift, such a sacrifice...such a demonstration of love that I cannot comprehend. Thank you for your Son. For your provision in my life. Help me to have joy in the rain, when I'm uncomfortable and when I'm tired. Thank you.

New

Whatever 2011 holds, I will be thankful for another year, another day and another chance to love, to serve and to be thankful.


Isaiah 43:18-19

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."