Read Chapter 4.
For one week, use the calendar in LPCYL Workbook (p. 46). Fill in the blocks/chunks of time with brief descriptions...is there more time "free" or available time than you thought you had to spend with God? Is your limited time being used wisely? Are there certain priorities in your week that reveal that your quiet time could become more of a daily priority?
Post your answer to your personal definition of prayer on page 49. (There is no "right" answer, but perhaps a few weeks into the book, you have renewed thoughts and feelings about the importance or practice of prayer in your life.)
And for extra credit (kidding:), please share/post your answer from page 53 on the blog detailing the "dream in your heart that will not go away."
Be encouraged,
Becky
I wasn't able to make the call "live" last week but was really was encouraged as I listened to it. Thank you for all your wise and motivating wisdom Becky! What a great session to dive into. I am keep track of my time this week and it has been pretty revealing to say the least. I am amazed at how much "free time" I actually have. It's been a great tool to help me shift my perspective and get rid of excuses that are still lingering around in my head.
ReplyDeleteAt this time, my definition of prayer is: A holy place where the door is always open for God and I to chat. (I love to say, "Prayer is an ongoing, two way conversation with the living, loving God" but that's not my own.)
A dream in my life that has yet to come to pass: My husband and I have a dream of owning and running a Christian retreat center. We're not sure of the details, but we believe it's a place where God wants us to love on, serve and create space for Christian leaders to come and rest. God put this dream in our hearts three years ago and we still have no idea how and when but we know God is stirring it up in us. Another reason to keep us praying!
God Bless!
I used the time chart to monitor my mind. I waste time by worrying...without realizing I am doing it, so the chart helped me become more mindful of that.
ReplyDeleteI think my definition of prayer has changed in that I use it more freely during the day, wrapping each activity in a prayer. I head a description about using prayer to cocoon your activity and allowing God to create butterflies from your efforts. That really hit home for me. So prayer is helping me put things safely in God's hand and wait for him to work. I had no idea how impatient I am. Each hour of my chart, I am working to cocoon something and consider if any butterflies have been released. it is making prayer more a part of my living.
The dream in my heart...Is writing a book that will help women walk with God during times when it is easy to get knocked off the path...Becky spoke to the purpose...developing the ability to step back from the incredible emotional beings we are and see where God is in our story....
I tried using the chart but I just feel discouraged. I get a charge out of accomplishment and I have a 3 year old and two teenagers. When the toddler is awake or not watching tv (which I'm trying not to do with him), I get nothing accomplished and when I look at my chart of how I spent my day, I end up feeling like it was wasted. In my head I know that is my job right now and it's precious time, it just goes against how Im wired. Therefore, know my time with God has to be before he gets up. That's so hard to do when my toddler wakes up early and my teenagers need me late. I need God first thing just to make it through the day with perspective.
ReplyDeleteMy mom told me one time that she asked God to wake her up to spend time with him and he did consistently at 4:00 am. My prayer right now is God to wake me too:) (If I set my alarm I'm waking my husband up). I'm up to a consistent 6 out of 7 days and working it in when I can. But I want more time with him!!!
My current definition (probably more of a description) of prayer.
ReplyDeleteTime with God where I intentionally slow down, quiet all the other noise...whether audial, to do's, worries...all the external or internally forces that block my focus on God, our relationship, and his voice...then talk, stop and listen... where I learn to be a better communicator and listener. Through this process, I feel loved, I learn to love on him and people, I learn to obey him, depend on him, apply his lessons, become less self-centered, and trust him with my life and that of others.
My dreams that won't quit.
A vocation to help others achieve their dreams and goals or help them just meet their own physical or emotional needs.
A couple other ideas that won't quit...
A organization that helps people form accountability groups.
•4-6 people
•1 hour 1 time per week
•info doesn't leave group
•Time divided equally among participants
•discuss 1.what your working on/struggling with/etc. And 2.One thing you will do this week to move forward in your life.
•ending prayer
•pray for each other during the week.
An organization that helps women form cleaning co-ops.
•4 women
•1 two hour block weekly
•go to one person in the groups house each week and clean or do a project with them. In other words, each person would get 8 man hours a month at their house.
Could combine the above two purposes. Meeting mental, emotional, physical and social needs.
So, all my other posts have been the day of the conference call. Yes, God is working on my procrastination:)
Hi all, wow your ideas are all so incredible. What blessings they would be for others.
ReplyDeleteWell, first of all I loved the chart. I've been lining up some internet content writing jobs. I had to determine to fit that into my schedule, take some time away from my own business and then observe the best time for prayer and study. I pretty much do my Bible study during the day, and that plus prayer late at night. When my house is quiet.
My definition of prayer is an ongoing conversation during the day, and a conversation built on the Word at night. I am still working on listening. I have a huge problem in that I find Scriptures to pray, but do not see very many answers or real direction. Like Becky said, I also am a very active person and Type A. Yes, it's hard for me to believe I am accomplishing anything by sitting still. Example: even though I eat lunch at home, I eat standing up and doing things. Yep, it's hard.
And my dreams are evolving, but not centered. I still dont know what I want to be when I grow up. I have too many ideas, so I do need the direction from God through prayer.
My prayer time is at 5am almost every day. I even get up on weekends early so I can capture some of that quiet time. I have found that if I wait until later in the day or in the evenings, my mind is tired and I just get distracted too easily.
ReplyDeleteDefinition of prayer:
Prayer is for me humblingt myself before the Creator of the universe and being in awe that God hears and answers my prayers. He wants to spend time with me in communion.
My dream: I believe God saved me to pray for my unbelieving family. My father passed away on February 19th. Tears of joy filled my eyes when he asked if I wanted to have a church service for his funeral. Answered prayer! Intercessory prayer takes time and commitment and only God can provide what I need to believe and continue to pray.
Prayer is worshiping God, humbling myself before Him, quieting my heart and mind, and giving Him my time. During prayer, my desire is renewed to align my thoughts, actions, emotions, and dreams with His. Prayer changes my perspective from me to God.
ReplyDeleteMy dream: To be faithful and to have the Lord say to me, "Well done, good and faithful slave...enter into the joy of your master." I don't have specifics yet. I do a lot of things with teenagers and children-maybe God has some new plans for me in the future. Maybe He wants me to keep on keeping on. I can't wait to see. :-)
My definition of prayer is: Spiritual intimacy with my all knowing all powerful creator. I confess things and share with Him what I never would ever share with another human.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is to become much more Christ like with God’s help and a less of the me I am now. The dream probably needs to be defined better to more concrete ways to accomplish such a task. I guess I will just have to pray about it.
My definition of prayer is intimacy with Him. Seeing Him as the lover of my soul. Pouring out to Him, and He to me. Delighting in Him.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is to one day move back to the Middle East- to share the joy I have in Him.
I tried doing my blocks of time on my calendar but being on a 12 day vacation certainly couldn't be compared to my daily routine!!! But I will say that it allowed me lots of time with the Lord and great conversation with Him. I'm doing it again this week and know that my "busyness" will show.
ReplyDeleteMy definition may not have changed much but the depth of the answer has grown. Prayer to me is a constant conversation with God. But more and more during these last few weeks, I can say that prayer can't just be that constant conversation but needs to be the totally quiet time of listening and the totally focused time of sharing and receiving God's direction.
Dream...the first "dream" is possibly more of a desire than a dream. I wish to see both of my children in loving caring relationships in their God centered marriages and see my granchild(ren) know Jesus Christ as their Savior - and that they would live lives that are of eternal value. A concrete dream that I have is to put together a book with scripture and writings of my over 200 nativities that I have collected as we traveled around the world (in the military). I seek God's encouragement and His direction in making this dream come true.
Appointment With God: The schedule on page 46 was not necessary for me. For four years now I have set my alarm for an early morning appointment with God. Spending an hour or more every day with God sets the stage for a great day.
ReplyDeleteDefinition of Prayer: To me, prayer is a release of my fears, concerns, hurts, etc. to God. At the same time, prayer is a time to accept guidance in my life and to capture direction from God.
Dream in my Heart: Achieving many desires, goals, and dreams, today my dream is to improve family relationships while at the same time teaching and sharing with others the things I love, including faith and belief.