Worship Song ~ God Speaking
Thanks to all the moms that took the time to meet in groups to go over the introduction and principle #1. Was so awesome to have fellowship in the middle of school endings and all the activities that brings. Here we are in the second principle and what a powerful one it is.
Chapter 6 ~ pg. 80
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
Imogene~ What a wonderful structure for prayer. Each week we will face the little trials of being a mother. God is telling me to calm down, pray, be thankful, and ask. He knows the greater purpose for the trail and I am so focused on the moment I need to step back and look at this verse daily.
pg. 88 offers other great verses that can help us structure our daily prayers
Chapter 7 ~ pg 105 CHOOSE
Imogene~ I was reading another book and the author had you write a "I remember List". This is a list of prayers that God has answered in the past. This is a great application in combining with chapter 6. If I go back to Philippians 4:6, again he is telling me to calm down, pray for his peace, remember all the other answered prayers, and ask for this prayer.
Chapter 8 ~ pg 108
"praying moms saw the power of God to work through their prayers"
This is a great chapter on prayer and how we need to be accountable to others in our prayer life. Since we are all busy moms it helps to find some friends and when you need their prayers ask. This allows them to come along side you in this trial and enjoy in the answering of your prayers in the deliverance of the trial. I also have started asking God to lead me to pray for different moms that may need prayer. He often brings them to mind. Then I will pray, reach out to that mom, and let her know that I was in prayer for her. You would be amazed at how many times I hear, "You have no idea how much I needed prayer that day." We need to lean on our father and pray to him daily so we can lean on him through this journey of being a mom.
pg. 117
"So I think I know the secret
Learned from many a troubled way,
You must seek God in the morning
If you want him through the day."
Comment Question~ What are you willing to give up in order to have time in prayer?
Imogene~ I would have to confess that I need to give up my junk tv shows I watch at nap time and spend that time praying.
Talk to you next week!
Principle #2-The Power of Prayer...To me this is probably the most important, but also the most difficult. Why is that? We know the power of prayer and we know that it strengthens us so why do we get slack and let it go by the wayside? On p.85 she encourages us "to make time each day to purposefully, lovingly, and deliberately pray-a set time when we praise God for who he is, thank him for what he has done and is doing in our lives, and lay before him our cares, worries, and requests." I challenge myself and each of you to really do this and let's just see what happens!
ReplyDeletep. 98...Worry and anxiety..."Perspective is everything! Are we able to see all of life's circumstances in the hands of a loving Lord who wants the best for us, or do we worry and fret about how we can make things work out for ourselves?" How do we approach our fears, our worries, our challenges, those things that are out of our control? I really thought about this...do I worry? Not really, but do I really trust God or do I just try not to think about my fears and then compensate by controlling what I can?
These chapters on prayer are wonderful....if you did not know how to pray, well there is no excuse now! Once again, I challenge you (and me!) to commit to daily prayer.
Principle #3-The Power of a Good Attitude
I found it interesting that Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" wrapped up Paul's comments about contentment. I have never made that connection or even noticed that. Christ is the source of our contentment. I do believe that there is an emptiness in all of us that can be filled with nothing else but Him. The Message puts Phillipians 4:13 like this..."Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
Don't forget to make that daily appointment to pray.
Blessings!
Melissa