When God first drew me to Bible study curriculum, I had no thought of ever having an office or even a “ministry.” I fell in love with Scripture at my old dining room table in my late twenties after taking a Bible doctrine class. Over the course of weeks, months and then years, that table was bow-legged and piled halfway to the ceiling with resources, pages, colored pens. It hardly ever had an actual meal set on it. If folks needed to eat, I reasoned, they could eat at the breakfast table. My man got so weary of book-tyranny that he practically did a cartwheel in his cowboy boots when I found a tiny office space at a nearby building that we could (barely) afford.
Over the years and one wonderful person at a time, God built a true team and led us from that office building to our own (house-like) ministry building. (Only about 14 of us work in-office, in case you’re trying to picture the size.) One of my very favorite parts about working here amid these fine women of God is lunch conversation. We have staff prayer time on Mondays at noon so, between the other four workdays a week and my travel schedule, I usually average about 2-3 lunches a week with these dear sisters, ranging in age, in background and denomination. But those times are highlights for me and we talk a hundred miles an hour and, many times, laugh a creak in our necks. Occasionally at lunch I throw a topic out on the table and hold a mental bucket wide open to catch what tumbles out of my coworkers mouths. If Curtis happens to be at lunch that day, it’s even better. He is man enough and opinionated enough to provide a welcome shore for this sea of estrogen. Today there were only 6 of us girls so, late in the lunch, I said to them, “OK, I have a question for the table.”
I told them about one of my LPL praise team members showing me some writings that his new wife had done (with her permission, of course). They were psalms, really. Gorgeous outpourings of love and need and wrestling and waiting that she’d written to God over the course of what I’d suppose was a decade. The book was compiled from portions of her prayer journal and, as I read them, I marveled at the beauty and almost blushed at the intimacy. One thing was certain: Jesus was and is the uncontested love of her life. And, from her husband’s point of view, he was twice as loved and blessed because he was second to God (and God alone).
Reading her journal stirred up a fresh longing in me. I know a woman who poured out pages and pages and pages like that. No, not as beautifully most of the time, but often as intimately. Jesus has been life to me. Redemption from wreckage. I know He has been the same to many of you. But here is the conflict her journal whipped up in me. In many of those extended periods of time when I’ve poured out my heart like that days-upon-end, I was going through extreme crisis and marrow-deep healing. (One season was as recently as nine months ago so, certainly, not all of these are in the past.) In my normal practice when I’m not in complete crisis mode, my sweetest and dearest relationship in life is still with Jesus. Even in all my frailty and fallenness, He is how I start my day. I always make confession of sin toward the beginning, get into His Word then pray for myself for several minutes right at the end but, in between, Girlfriend, I HAVE A LIST! I mean, mature believers are meant to have healthy intercessory lives, right? The New Testament summons us over and over to pray for one another. I keep a prayer journal of intercession with multiple people on it everyday. And, then, all these natural disasters! We have to be on our faces, don’t we? And, what about the spiritual condition of this country?? It needs prayer, doesn’t it? “If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face…”
Yes and yes and yes and yes and yes, yes, yes, yes, YES. BUT, we will miss out on the new wine of life if we do not also spend time in the presence of Jesus just simply being present with Jesus. Most things don’t fix on their own. We don’t automatically forgive on our own. Or heal on our own. Or put others first on our own. Or discern between good and evil on our own. Or comprehend the Scriptures on our own. We are the children of God and our hearts need tending and mending that only He can bring. And, in our intercessory roles, we’re also wise to come to grips with the fact that we’re not in control and our whole worlds won’t fall apart if we don’t get through our lists today.
SO, here’s the question! How do we balance both kinds of prayer: for others and for ourselves?? How do you grapple with this dilemma? Most of the time, I let crisis be my guide and when I need more personal tending, I spend more personal time with God on matters concerning my own heart. I think that’s a good plan and it’s worked fairly well for a long time. But, then, I read something like that young woman’s journal and I long for that level of personal intimacy with Christ every single day. Anybody else?? I know there’s no getting this thing down pat but I think I need some shifting and sifting in my prayer life.
We had the richest conversation over it at lunch time and now I’d love to hear your take on it. So far from our conversation, I think I’ve decided that I’m going to stay with my usual early morning prayer-practice with the primary emphasis on intercession for most days a week, but, at least for a little while, I’m going to take two mornings back a week, primarily just for Him and me. Times just to bring my own needy heart before Him with concentration and complete transparency for fresh intimacy and revival. More than the few minutes I spend on other days. Needless to say, this is all subject to the daily leadership of the Holy Spirit and He can turn the whole thing upside down any time He wants but I think I’m about to get that pen back out and write some new love letters to the dearest Love of my life.
Anybody else struggling with how to pray? I’m not talking about formulas here nor doing the same thing the same way every day. I’m just talking about some basic balance. Anybody found some?? Let’s hear it! (Not too long, ladies! Think succinct!) Scripture tells us to encourage one another and stimulate one another’s hearts and minds toward the Lord Jesus. That’s what Siestaville is all about. Don’t freak out if it’s morning before we post many of your comments. Keith just called me and wants me to go somewhere with him this evening so I won’t be able to bring in comments much tonight. I’ll bring in a few this afternoon then K-Mac and I will get the rest of them posted as we can. You are dear to us around here! I missed you at the lunch table today.
P.S. Make me a promise that nobody falls into condemnation here. I am well aware that some of you moms of young children (and some of you caring for elderly parents) are doing well to get ten minutes alone with the Lord. He meets us where we are. Let’s stay healthy here. Let’s also encourage one another to grow in our intimacy with Christ.
There’s a great prayer book called “Drawing Near”. I don’t even know if it’s in print anymore, but it is a wonderful resource to have. It sort of follows your (Beth) “Whispers of Hope” book in that it gives structure to prayer life, along with verses to pray. Mostly, I have learned that when the Lord lays someone or something on my heart, I, at THAT moment, say a prayer for them…the “pray continually” idea. A quick “text”…as it were…to the Lord. He gets us.
A Elder in our church once challenged us: “what if in your prayer the only thing you did was offer *thanks* no request or needs, simply a list of thank you’s”. I thought that was just going to be wierd, and it was the first time, but it also reminded me of how often my prayers were about me, my family, friends, church, etc. not gratitude to The One who gave me those things.
Hi Miss Beth,
What interesting timing you seem to have in asking this particular question ~
Over the past few months, I have simply been over-whelmed with family members and friends, etc. who are in DESPERATE need of prayers . . . The requests range from marital stress, [partially caused by my 2nd cousin’s war-torn former soldier’s heart], to difficult struggles with college aged children, to a friend’s daughter who is under going treatments for cancer, to the anguish of not one unexpected young person’s death, but two, in the same family within 24 hours of one another last week. [First, a 49 year old lady who died from a brain aneurysm, and her husband’s step-brother died from a sudden heart attack]– Their family name in Nally-Mikkelson, and could really use prayers, Y’all . . .
And, yes, the tornados ! I have driven passed Joplin, Missouri several times in the past…
And, my heart just aches for all of these people . . .
And, yet, I continue to feel close to my Lord & Savior, Jesus, but I have not been feeling as close to Him as I would like to be . . . I have been going through my own personal struggles, as well; [mostly with an involuntary movement [tic] disorder that simply “came upon me” in February 2006, which causes my jaw to move almost continuously — 24/7; which, in turn causes me pain . . . However, I have medications to help, but cannot “cure” it]
And, my dear Miss Beth, our dear Savior broke my heart “wide open” after my sweet salvation a bit more than 8 years ago now; so I tend to “feel things very deeply”, as I have heard you say at some point in time about yourself; so it is even more difficult for me . . .
And, in a way, although I try to “balance my prayer life”; I tend to find myself simply crying out to Jesus on these peoples’ behalf; and then for myself most often . . . However, I do invite Him to take control of my thoughts, words, and actions [from 2nd Cor. 10:3-5] 99% of the time, first thing in the morning . . .
However, I know that I could really use some help in this specific area of my life . . .
[Please forgive me for writing so much on this post . . .]
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer O.
Southern Wisconsin
I heard this from John Piper regarding prayer yesterday: “Pick a place, pick a time, show up”. For my life right now, this is what I want to do – I need consistency more than anything else! thanks for letting us share.
Beth, On January 1, 2010 I began an incredible journey of reading through the entire Bible for the very first time in my life and I am 56. I also began to journal my prayers and what a list it has become. I have 4 pages I pray over divided up into sections (comfort, job, marriages, each of my children, husband, etc) but this year some days I feel the tugging to specifically pray for a certain person or a certain thing – at first I felt bad about not praying over my entire list but was glad to hear you say that sometimes you do the same – following the leading of the Holy Spirit. It has been awesome! Yes I completed the Word in one year and keep a journal of what God is saying to me each day. I am now on my second year of reading and have others that have joined me and we meet once a week and go over our journals. I have seen many answers to prayer – some quick – some I am still praying over. Where would we be without prayer and our precious Jesus?!? Love you girl! Cannot wait to get into your study of James – one of my favorite books – if you could see my Bible you would understand!
June 1 memory post
Matthew 11:28
Come to me all you who are weary & burdened & I will give you rest.
Love to all
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3: 5-6
NIV
So much could be said about prayer and making time for it but I’ll say one thing. WE NEED IT, AND OTHERS NEED US PRAYING FOR THEM, SO JUST WHERE YOU ARE TALK TO GOD! HE WILL SURELY LISTEN.
This is my scripture for June 1:
Have mercy on me O God have mercy on me for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. Psalm 57:1 (NIV)
Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133 NIV
Debra, Sulphur Springs; Isaiah 26:3-4 KJV
“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him; because he trusts in God.” “Trust in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”
Concerning prayer: our church uses a “personal Prayer Guide” ACTS it begins with A – adoration C- confession T-thanksgiving S- seeking for self and others
Also a dailey guide for each day of week with scripture for husband family children church missions trinity and president
blessings
Always first thing early mornings while dark I enter into His presence on my knees be it at my window or outside. Looking into the heavens, speaking out loud the thoughts and feelings that the Spirit brings to mind. Both praises & adoration to Him and intersession for others. Always beginning with a heart of gratitude knowing that Jesus is the
One & only way for me to enter into His presence. I love spending the intimate time with Him both on my knees and in the word. Several hours can pass and I’m still in my pj’s with Him. I now say to Him…I love you too!
My prayer list is a stack of business card-sized cards with scriptures written on them. Whatever the issue for which I’m praying (including praise, confession, submission, etc.), I find a verse that addresses the topic, then that is my reminder to pray for that issue. Sometimes my stack doesn’t change for several weeks and sometimes I add or replace cards more frequently. My regular time to pray is when I go for my morning walk, but depending on my schedule, the list is perfectly portable so I can pray while I’m driving, flying, etc.
Psalm 57:1 NIV
Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
Yay! The most favorite ‘thing’ in my life….prayer! Thank you for going here, Miss Beth! After 55 years of walking with GOD, this has been my greatest joy! I am an intercessor and have lovingly served in various positions and ‘in the closet’ for over 40 years. I have kept journals ever since Billy Hanks came to our church when I was 14 years old and taught us about them…love them…. I have had every immaginable prayer journal, diary, record, notebook, cards, with pictures, without pictures, card files, regular file drawer files, but the one “journal” with the most significance is my Bible. That’s where all the prayers are really. There’s not a scripture that I pass that does not wave at me without the face or the name of a person or situation I have prayed over (and I have a few Bibles, each with various focuses). They live, they breathe, they express every emotion known to man and I could not survive without them. My life is a prayer. I’m not “uber-spiritual,” just a normal crazy woman with all the emotions that implies! 🙂 But it’s true; GOD is the air I breathe, and what concerns Him, concerns me. I wish I were perfect and never squandered a moment on anything other than those things, but alas, I daily come to that Throne of Grace to receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need….and that is every second of every day. So, when do I pray? How do I pray? Driving is a number one vehicle of intercession for me! (no pun intended) Walking, sitting, sleeping (yes, I interceed in my dreams even), singing, playing the piano, writing; the LORD showed me many years ago that if I committed my life to Him literally, that it is my life that prays. Cool, huh?
So, as I have grown in Him I find that I no longer need lists…the needs are ever with me and as He calls people and situations up in my spirit, then I lift them to Him. This occurred over a lifetime as a prayer warrior. Interestingly, I need lists for everything in my life But this! Isn’t GOD amazing?
Bless your sweet heart for sharing this wonderful subject!
Sharoni
Thanks Sharoni! That’s so very encouraging! God bless you, girl!
There’s a little something I would like to share if that’s ok. Our son recently served thru Calvary Recon in Afghanistan. He came home relatively unscathed physically. Then he sustained a very serious injury in an accident – broken neck. Long story short, GOD miraculously saved him from a horrible disaster and he retains full function of his body! (true miracle!) During the time of his recovery, the LORD tasked me with full-time intercession over him. When I left Colorado recently, my staff gave me a lovely gift of a mother/child enfolded in each other. I wore it on a chain as a necklace as a symbol of my constant vigilance in prayer. Everytime I looked at it or felt it, I would offer whatever prayer Holy Spirit prompted in me at that moment. This was a fairly new and fun intercessory tool for me. It had a lot of depth of meaning since it came from people I shared labor & delivery experiences with over many, many years. It came to serve as a symbol of another labor and delivery experience altogether.
Isn’t GOD fun?
Sharoni
First thing in the mornings is my time with God because without it then I am not worth being around for the most part. It gets my heart and mind and spirit on the right track. I start off by preparing my heart and mind for time with Him. Sometimes I listen to music and I usually find myself praying and journaling as I listen to the music. Those days when the busyness crowds in on me and I can’t seem to concentrate then I go straight to the Word. Usually I will pray specific scriptures that help me to focus on Him. My time with God is not perfect or always balanced. I feel that I fall far far short of where I need to be. I also am finding that that longer I know Him that I don’t stop praying when my quiet time is over. I pray throughout the day. Those are the best days…when I don’t say amen and close the Book but just keep my heart open to Him.
A S A P = Always say a prayer
We ladies here in Guatemala just did a study on prayer. We used the Lord’s Prayer. 1. Praise the Lord and thank Him for how amazing and personal He is and all He does and is able to do. 2. Ask for God’s will to be completed in our lives, the lives of others, and in our country. 3. Ask for our physical and spiritual needs and the needs of our church. 4. Ask for forgiveness from God and for the power to forgive others daily and to have patience with one another. 5. Then end in praise and adoration again. 🙂
Like you said at the end though, it is not a chant or a system to punch in every morning. It is a relationship. I have small children and one on the way, so the truth is, some days I feel like I’m starving for some time with my loving God.
Debbie, Smyrna,TN
Deut. 30:11 NIV
Now what I’ve commanded you to do today is not too difficult for you nor beyond your reach.
Stephanie, Queen City: “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37 (NKJV)
Right now I’m just a girl in my late twenties with three kids sitting at my kitchen table thanking the Lord for His great faithfulness and asking Him to show me the next step. Up a half hour before the kids to pray and working through nap-time to do my Bible correspondence college homework. Praying I’ll be true to seek the Caller and not the calling. Some of my most precious mornings are when He puts a song on my heart that I have with me all day; yesterday was Be Thou My Vision. I guess what I’m trying to say is following His lead on what He wants to address that day is what is working for me now.
Hi Beth,
I am “a day late and a dollar short”, as it were, reading your post, which, quite often, is how I feel about my prayer life. Not my intentions or desires for a healthy prayer life, per se, but the reality of how deliberate prayer manifests itself in my current phase of life. I am one of the gals who is comforted by your disclaimer at the end of this post. I am a SAHM to 6 children, all 13 years and under, 4 boys and 2 girls, 50% of whom have a label of a sort that makes parenting them just a tad more “hands-on”. My husband works 2 jobs to keep me at home, and we have 2 dogs, one of whom we are still housetraining. And the baseball season just got into full swing. Needless to say, deliberate, focused prayer is a dream for which I pine nearly daily.
In this phase of life, one I know the Lord expects me to do well, I survive on a daily conglomerate of the following: the day starts with short “good morning, Lord” time in my room in the morning, reading as much of His Word that the kiddos will allow before everything is in full swing in the house. Then through the course of the day God hears “breath prayers”, and thoughts of Him, and what tends to feel like conversational intercession for anything and everything the day brings. It is an unpredictable blend of personal and others-focued intercession, as well as much confession and complaining. And some adoration, too. My evenings end with 5-20 minutes of prayer with my husband where we praise, supplicate, and intercede for others until we are both asleep. It is the frosting of the cupcake of my life.
I do look forward to the days and phase where I have a “better” prayer life, but trust that until then, the Lord who searches all man’s hearts knows I am doing my best. Thanks for asking.
I’ve always, always struggled with this. Then God spoke to my heart to make a commitment to pray three times a day. I tried and tried and seemed I struggled for words to say and my mind keep wandering. Then God in His infinite wisdom and grace spoke three different prayers to my heart and I wrote them down. They were for morning, evening & night. I began by reading them out loud. This reinforced a commitment and brought a change of heart which has made praying and finding the words to pray easy and a true blessing.
Miss Beth,
I am STILL trying to find a balance, I read my 5 minute testament every year, I listen to contemporary Christian music all the time. Third Day is my favorite band, I love their music and it keeps my Savior on my mind, which is great. However, I can’t seem to grasp a good, consistent prayer life. I am constantly talking to the Lord, putting circles of angels around my family and friends. Maybe I am being to hard on myself, because my prayer life, to me, seems to be lacking in some sense of order or structure. I did write a Bible Study on the book of Phillipians and got to teach it to my women’s small group, that was awesome! Digging as deep as I could and then sharing what I learned with those sweet ladies, wow. Being able to glorify God in that way was so very meaningful to me and I hope He was pleased. Well, I think I will keep on trying to keep plugged in with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I just might have a better balance than I thought, hmmm…..
Thanks for the moms of young children encouragement. Yes, to get 10 minutes with the Lord is a blessing. I am honestly coming from a very dry season with the Lord and trying to (and asking desperately) to fall in love with Him again. And I know time with Him is a big part of that. So, I don’t really know. Just asking for grace and trusting Him to turn my heart around.
Beth, thank you for your absolute transparency. It truly is something I deeply value about how you reach other women’s hearts. Transparency is key, and I know you know that. 🙂
I wrapped up on Memorial Day a 21 Days of Prayer on my blog – and honestly, I didn’t have many participants. I don’t count the numbers as a failure, but a success – because even if it was just one, it would have been worth it. However, what I learned more than anything through the process of keeping focused on prayer for 21 days (especially when you’re out of the habit of praying on a regular basis like I am – for my background before Christ came into my life doesn’t have a whole lot of prayer in it) is that it’s not about the actual prayer time we get – because I will be honest, I forgot a handful of the 21 days to pray myself due to an ill child (the poor guy has been sick now going on 3 weeks…and I have just been exhausted!) and focusing on trying to keep my household together. I know an excuse is an excuse, but through the days I forgot…I found myself able to encourage the other participants to keep on even if they fell down (in turn, this encouraged myself too). For it’s not about the moments we forget to pray, it’s where our heart is at when we get back up and get back on the horse. Are we doing it out of shame we feel to try and “make things right with God” one more time…or is it out of a transparent moment where we are real with Him, and let our failure be a tool for Him to deepen our growth in Him; prompting Him to bring forth the creation He made us to be even more so?
Those past 21 days taught me a valuable thing about prayer – that prayer is truly about a conversation with our Father. It also taught me that though we may forget to converse with our Daddy now and again because we have a distraction come up – He is always there, willing and ready to listen (and to also speak) to us. We should never be ashamed to come to Him in prayer, even when we have forgotten. Prayer should never come from a root of shame – for that means we are praying for what we’ve already been forgiven for (even our forgetfulness). It’s redundant. Prayer should always come from a root of a desire to grow closer to Him, and know His will for us and know His love for us never fails even when we fail ourselves, someone else or even Him.
Thank you for sharing that last blurp at the bottom of this blog post about us to be cautious…to not fall into the trap of condemnation for not praying at times. Between that alone, and what I learned through my process not that long ago, I have a fresh new perspective on prayer.
I love your description of Siestaville because it so said exactly what i was thinking reading this blog…How God has so created all of us to serve others in encouraging and inspiring ..each bringing the exact inspiration or encouragement that another “each” needs… all differnt parts of the body working together towards one goal…you are right -that is “siestaville”! This is not at all biblical or theologically inspired as you would say “don’t even take this down in pencil” but i do think of the day of pentecost as a time when people understood all the different revelations of God and were inspired and encouraged by all the different individual believers and their unique revelation of God to others…. I want to know God more because I am encouraged by the spectrum of everyone’s personal revelations….(and i have such a hard time with prayer, i’m working on being able to pray!)
Wow, Beth. I’m late responding to this, but it hit me. I’ve been dealing with the same issues as you are talking about. I am good at praying daily for my list, but am kinda stuck in my list. I forget to pray for me. Not things I want, but for His guidance, His strength, etc. I get bogged down in my list and feel as if I’m actually “sinning” if I don’t do that same list every day, which then leads to having to fight myself to take the time to pray the same things day after day. I am going to take the time to pray for me. I’m trying to potty train my 3 year old and strong willed has his picture by it in the dictionary. I’m so frustrated and realized just the other day that I had not prayed at all about the situation. So, I’ve been doing that. I’m going to follow your lead and take a few days to seek Him in my life and situations. Thanks, Beth.
Keysha McNeil, Roanoke, VA
Glory for the timing of your question. This morning after service, my husband and I were sitting alone in Cracker Barrel while the kids were off playing checkers.
I asked him how it would feel if we were not intimate with each other for a couple of months on end? He looked a bit terrified and asked why I was asking.
That is how I have been feeling in my prayer life of late. I talk with our Father, I listen…but mostly on the go or to pray as an intercessor. Things with God are status quo, like they can be in a busy season of a marriage. You know, when you are on the run, and flirting with your man, but too busy to be well, you know.
Likewise, I think the most intimate we can be our God are those sweet and tender moments when we are just being with Him…Those honeymoon seasons of faith with our God who longs to be gracious to us. And we miss it because we are busy, sometimes just busy praying for others.
Sometimes our marriage needs us to just be a woman in love. And sometimes our God is calling out to our soul and inviting us to just be His girl so He can show us great and marvelous things that we do not know.
I so hope this made some sense. I am just feeling the need to be as close to my God as I can be right now and missing Him and that intimacy. I also know, all I have to do is show up without my list in the morning.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” Psalm 103:8 NIV
Beth,
Just found your blog. Was ordering books for our next bible study. I have a group of women that want to do Breaking Free. I was trying to find a way to ask you if the old videos would work with the new edition of the work books. Then came upon this question of prayer. Oh, how I have been struggling with it. I have had a prayer life for ever so long, and now, I find myself overwhelmed with the needs of soo many. It is many times hard to know where to start. I have come to understand why we pray without cesasing. Still, sometimes there is so much, all I can say- is “Dear Jesus” you know , you know, and remember He died for these prayers. Oh, how He answered me now, finding this blog. Thanking God for your ministry, Beth. Please let me know if the old video of Breaking Free will work with the new edition work books. Thanking God always for you and your ministry. May He continue to give you annointing, power and strength by His Holy Spirit. Much Love, Joanne (from a group of REAL Women from Orange County) R elying on E ternal A lmighty L ord.
Getting back to Praise with 31 Days of Praise with Ruth Myers
I am one of those brand new moms! My baby has had some feeding problems so trying to manage our home and some work from home and still sleep a few hours has left prayer time being squeezed in. With his feedings taking so long, I have tried to have my time with the Lord during these. I cannot write, and typing with one hand is slow! So I am reading the Power of Praying (parent and woman) to help my wondering mind and plan to do Beth’s Praying God’s Word next. During night feedings I usually listen to Beth at OnePlace.com or occasionally Rick Warren and pray. Most of my prayers right now are heart cries for my family (baby’s health, working and/or having to find daycare) or some of my friends’ families who are under similar circumstances.