Do You Keep a Journal?

Why Keep a Prayer Journal?

Any inexpensive notebook will work great as a journal.

For years I have kept a prayer journal and I have listed specific prayers and specific people to remember while praying. I think it’s important and it’s nice to be able to go back and see where and how prayers have been answered.  I had kind of gotten out of the habit of journaling and keeping up with those prayer lists.

 I have recently recommitted to journaling.  (There are some instagram friends that I think deserve some credit for my recommitment to journaling;  Rachel Schmoyer, Sarah Bramme @thiswifelife, Heather Kaufman @hmkstories, two of these ladies are writers and have reminded me of the importance of writing and Sarah reminded me that I should be praying for my husband daily). I think it’s important that we remember to pray for others daily and not just ourselves.  And I for one, sometimes need to be reminded!  We all get busy and consumed with our own lives, but God commands us to: 

 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  Galations 6:2 

 Keeping a prayer journal and writing down all of those people that you promise to pray for ensures that you will actually remember to pray for them and it’s one way to help to fulfill God’s command to carry each other’s burdens.  Don’t just give those requests lip service; I think it’s easy to tell people on social media that you will pray for them and then just forget about it.  Journaling is an easy way to remind yourself.  If they are personal friends or neighbors in your area, you can do even more to ease their burdens such as:

 Cooking a meal for them

Babysitting or taking their kids to a practice or an appointment

Washing a load of clothes for them

Running an errand for them

Inviting them over for coffee and listening and be a friend (show that you care)

 There are all sorts of inexpensive ways that you can help to carry one another’s burdens, but I truly believe it begins with prayer and journaling is just my way of keeping up with that prayer list. Start your own prayer journal today!

Does it Seem Like God Isn't Answering Your Prayers?

What Do I Do Now?

I am writing this devotional more for myself than anyone else, but I am praying that it will encourage others, as well.  We have a financial situation in our family that is affecting us negatively and this is something that we have been praying about for quite a while with no clear answer.  If anything, the situation just seems to be wrought with problem after problem and no clear solutions. 

 I have become discouraged and disheartened.  Last Sunday during our morning church service it became very clear to me that I might be praying for my will in this situation, not
God’s will.  Also, God’s timing is not always the same as our timing.

“3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

— James 4:3

I have decided to begin praying about this problem with a new approach.

1. I am going to start seeking God’s will and God’s solution to this problem, not what I think the solution should be.

2. I am going to strive to be more obedient in my daily walk with him.

3. I am going to be more patient and trust that he will solve this problem and it will be in his time and until that time he will continue to provide.

Think about praying unselfishly and aligning your prayers with God’s will. I am making that pledge today. After all, the Bible promises us that God will give us good gifts when we seek him.

Read Matthew 7: 7 -11 today and trust in Him!

“Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.” ”

— Matthew 7:11

God Gives Us Strength

My first year of teaching was tumultuous, to say the least.  I was hired to take over for a teacher that the kids had basically gotten rid of.  She left without giving any notice and moved to a different state.  These kids were what you would call challenging and I was a 22 year old newlywed fresh out of college.  I had done my student teaching in a Gifted and Talented class of second graders in an affluent area. 

Now my job was teaching sixth grade to low socio-economic students who set out to make teacher’s miserable, if possible.  How do you survive in what seems to be an impossible situation?  You turn to God.  Sometimes you know that you need divine intervention to get through difficult situations.  This was one of those times.  I refused to let those kids win.  I figured out that they really loved being read aloud to, so reading aloud to them on Fridays became a reward for getting through the rest of the week; a reward that they constantly requested and were willing to work for. 

It was never easy, but I knew that with God’s help I could get through this and maybe even help a few of those students to become better readers.     “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” became my daily mantra and is truly the promise from God that I needed to survive that year.  And I did survive and I went on to be a really good teacher, always seeking God’s help. Do you need divine intervention in your daily life? Let God help you today!

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

 

God's Promises

There was a time in my life when I started having panic attacks.  Physical things were happening and I really thought that a panic attack was too simple an answer for what was going on physically. Doctors couldn’t find any big medical issues, but I became convinced that I was seriously, physically ill and might have been on the verge of having a heart attack at age 33. My physical symptoms were beginning to affect every aspect of my life; I was consumed with fear and I was starting to become depressed.  I had no idea what was happening to me or why.  I was involved in a good church, had good Christian friends and was doing my best to live a Godly life, but my emotions were getting the best of me and in the area of faith, I was failing miserably. 

But… I was still muddling through and trying to read God’s Word and spend time in prayer.  One day when I was at an exceptionally low point I was literally on my living room floor praying and reading and God put a scripture right in front of my face. There it was…my promise from God.  I knew at that point that I was going to get through this trial , as well as others. (I have had to remind myself of the promise that He gave me on that day). Many of us are seeking answers, but where do we go to find those answers? If we don’t spend time in the scriptures we may be missing important answers from Him.  We are missing out on His promises. He spoke directly to me through scripture that day and that has happened often when I have been actively seeking scripture for answers to important life questions, but we have to spend time in the Word with Him.  Seek Him for your answers. 

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

Read Jeremiah 29:11-14.   Spend some time in God’s word today.

Be a Doer

Get Started Today

Ecclesiates 11

I had a difficult time putting pen to paper when it came writing a devotional for this week.  Everything I read in the Bible applied directly to me and I was all over the place, (which means it should be easy to come up with several ideas for future devotionals because there are a lot of areas in my life that need work).  I finally decided to share one of my immediate concerns with you.

I decided to retire at the end of the school year in June.  I loved my job, but I drove a far distance, had to get up at 5 am everyday and I was just tired.  I have some things that I would like to do, dreams I would like to chase and hobbies that I would like to pursue.  One of my fears about retirement is that I seem to be able to waste a whole day and not accomplish much, so I have started trying to keep a day planner and actually plan out my days and get some of my want to's penciled in and scheduled on my calendar.  I am trying to make productivity a habit. I am also trying to make reading my Bible a habit and writing these short devotions helps.  I know that I need to get up fairly early in the morning and get my day started and I have scriptural proof!  

I've been reading in Ecclesiates and there it was in verse 11.  I think God is telling me to get up every morning and get started; chase my dreams, make plans, schedule classes and trips!  I know I can't be the only one that struggles with actually getting started.  He wants us to spend time in The Word and spend time with Him.

Start today by getting up early and reading Ecclesiates 11 and spending some time with Him and then make a plan and get busy!

“The secret of getting started is getting started.”

— Mark Twain

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, and whether both will do equally well. Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.    Ecclesiates 11:6-7

All Things Work Together for Good

Romans 8:26-28

We all deal with troubles and challenges each day and sometimes those challenges don’t get resolved overnight.  This has been a rather challenging few months in our family. Last September my husband developed a blood clot and was diagnosed with a blood disorder and then in November my 77 year old mother fell and broke her neck, due to her age and other health factors the best option was for her to stay in a neck brace and give it time to heal.  

My mom went from being totally independent to totally dependent; for several months she had to move in with us.  She is now back in her own house and pretty independent again; she can’t drive and she does have some limitations, but she is so much more independent than she was in the beginning. 

These things have affected my whole family and I know at times it has been difficult for each one of us, but being believers, we know that we are supposed to trust God to give us what we need to handle these situations and to grow from our struggles. 

God has reminded me of His word in Romans 8:26 -28 that tells us that even in our weakness when we don’t know how to pray or what to ask for, that we have the Spirit that intercedes for us.  There have been many times in my life where I have put this to the test.  I have felt helpless and despair and I knew I needed God’s help, but I couldn’t really come up with the words to pray.  I truly believe all we have to do is say “God help me” or call His name and the Spirit will intercede for us when needed. 

In the last several months I have put this to the test once again and God has been faithful. Here we are 9 months later and we can all see light at the end of this challenging tunnel.  My husband is doing well and my mom finds out this week if she can finally take that neck brace off for good and begin some therapy to get stronger and get back to being 100% independent. 

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

That doesn’t mean that everything is easy and fun, but it does mean that He will take care of us and grow us through the difficulties in life if we only call out to him.  This week when you face challenges just remember God’s promises in Romans 8:26-28 and call out to him.  He will give you what you need!