This is a beautiful month to make a decision to spend time with God everyday for the rest of your life!
We have spent over 48 weeks going through a series on how, when and why to make a commitment to spend time with God -- so there is little to do EXCEPT PRAY!
I simply want to ask all who began this journey (50 of us) to share what you've learned during this series that helped you become a more powerful and effective prayer. And if it helps (as it helped me) to tell another person (or many) what commitment you've made (or will be making in 2013), then I am/we are excited to hear/see your posts!
Note: Our last session will be on fasting. As a side note, since my son and daughter-in-law have returned on furlough from Africa, I've begun to fast once-a-week for them. I began this habit of weekly fasting when my son was 17 and sustained it through his college years. I picked it up again when he returned from the mission field at 27 for a year and EACH time, I saw great breakthrough in his life. I have renewed my commitment to weekly fasting because I know THEY NEED someone to regularly, diligently to lift them up in prayer.
Be encouraged to PRAY MORE, not only in 2012, but to become specific about your commitment to God (in prayer) in 2013! Yes? And Amen!
Becky
Becky, Thank you for putting together your Partner Prayer Notebook. It helped me 12 years ago to get started in a quiet time as a new Christian and today it still helps me to keep focused and keep praying and reading God's Word. This last year renewed my desire to keep that commitment to spend 60 to 90 minutes with God every day! I confess that I gave up on God and reading my Bible a few years ago when I felt my prayers for my wayward daughter were not being heard or answered. I am so thankful that God didn't give up on me and kept calling me back to Him and his word and prayer. I am looking forward to the fasting session since God has been calling me to fast for a number of years, but I am just clueless on how to do this unto the Lord. Thank you Becky for your ministry.
ReplyDeleteI started this series in hopes of being able to teach a class on prayer. I have seen the refining process that God is doing in my life through a committed prayer life. I learned many things this year that I didn't know or experience before. I learned that I needed to pray early in the morning before anything distracted me. The quietness of the morning seemed to open the channels of intimacy between God and me. I learned to thank God for things other than material blessings. I never really thought of emotional, physical, spiritual or mental thanksgiving prayers. I can't imagine my life without praying for 1 hour a day. God is so good and gentle. I praise him for rescuing me so long ago, for calming me and teaching me about what it means to be a servant of God. Thank you all for making this journey with me. I have learned through your posts.
ReplyDeleteOh praise the Lord, all you servants of the LORD.
Lift up holy hands in prayer and praise the LORD.
May the LORD, who made heaven and earth,
bless you from Jerusalem. Psalm 134:1-3
For 2013, I'll be focusing on combining daily prayer with my CYL Bible reading. I've still been a bit disjointed in these areas, and want to link them together.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the notebook has a 'To Do' section, because I'm very good at thinking of something that needs to be done while praying. This way, I can both put down 'To Do' items that God is speaking, plus those coming from my own mind.
I'll have to be doing this at night. I am not a morning person. I have a mild case of fibromyalgia and I do much better at night. Unfortunately I could clean my entire house late at night, but I'm hoping my notebook will pull me into a focused mode before bed, for the next day (well, usually when I get to bed it *is* the next day). My husband sometimes notices me praying at night, and that's actually a good thing. Lately when small things happen (good things) he asks me if I might possibly have been praying, since things went so well. Quite often I say I have, now and then I truly havent........ooops.
As far as fasting goes, I usually forget to eat so I'll be looking to employ some other things to fast from.
Btw, I have picked up some content writing jobs (in one of them I am expected to bring hope and encouragement to other diabetic ladies and fibro patients.) I think "Pray the Write Way" will lend itself to my articles to those people.
Have a blessed week, and see you next week.
I just want to thank you Becky and everyone who has written on the blog this year. It has helped me in so many ways. This year, I have been encouraged and have grown in prayer. I am realizing (work in progress) that it is really hard to set aside time for prayer at any other time, by myself, unless I do it first thing in the morning. I am also realizing, that it is hard for me to write my prayers. I am trying to write daily in the sections of the book but I have not established the pattern that you have Becky. Many times I will worship with music, read your CYL Bible (which I love - really the best way to read the entire Bible each year), Pray in the Spirit, soak in God's presence, look out the window at His beautiful creation and yes, daydream...hmmmm, maybe I do need to write more! The daily commitment is there for me. In this year, I have really been blessed by attending Moms in Prayer each week, and have started a prayer gathering here at my house during Advent season with some warriors from my church. I have found that God is so powerfully experienced in corporate prayer! And He is so faithful in all aspects of prayer. And, Becky, it sounds like your prayer of 28? years is now being answered! Praise God! He is faithful and that gives me such hope for my family.
ReplyDeleteLast week I was in NYC for a few days and had so many Divine appointments while I was there with friends and with total strangers! I just had to smile all the time - it was so cool! God is moving on this earth in powerful ways. I shared so many encouraging stories with other believers and we all agree that God is working, His Spirit is so present when believers share their testimonies. And, He is calling us to pray. The quotes you have placed in your book are very encouraging to me - we are the corporate Body of Christ - and so many Saints have been here before us to encourage our walk with Jesus. Such as you Becky. Your story is full of life and encouragement, and you have helped me in so many ways.
This weekend, with the tragedy in CT, in the presence of God at our church yesterday, all I could do was weep and weep and weep. Almost like liquid prayers, I couldnt stop crying. I have grown closer to Him this year. I am feeling the sorrow that Jesus felt. I know Him better than I ever have. And for that, I thank you so much.
Quick question...Becky, do you store each year by category when you start the new year? How do you store all your papers from your prayer notebook? Suggestions welcome.
In case you missed it above, my husband went to church with me yesterday! Now that, was an answer for sure!
ReplyDeleteCarol got me to thinking, I have trouble writing out my prayers also. I dont have trouble praying and I do keep a list to remember who or what I am praying for or about. I do however, have trouble writing them out. Sometimes they are so difficult, it's like I dont want to write them out. Like the other day when my best friend told me to pray for her family and their financial troubles. It reminded me so much of our situatio, and I am just weary of hearing of so many who are struggling in that way.
I'm hoping to keep a better P.A.R.T journal in the new year for more of a record. And yes, where do you put your old pages?
That's really wonderful news, Laura! As you can see, I am reading the last few weeks of posts in reverse order.
DeleteDon't know if you are joining us again for the new series, but I hope so.
Take care and have a wonderful new year!