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Don’t Forget to Pray

Sometimes it seems a little crazy but it’s so easy to push your prayer out of the way when there are too many things grabbing your attention. It seems like when I’m busy, I get out of the habit of taking the time for lengthy prayer sessions. I don’t mean to ignore my praying but I find it easy to get distracted. I read the word easily enough but the praying seems to take a back seat.

You see, I get distracted by my own thoughts. I don’t have the TV on but I’m busy with other things. I know what I need to do. God knows the way to help me. I need to ask Him. I need to trust that He will help me. Ever since my stroke I’ve had some trouble concentrating. That’s part of it, anyway. I should ask God to help me…when I pray. That seems kind of weird but I think I’ll ask Him.

I know God delights in showing us His truths. Prayer is a foundational component of the Christian walk. I think of the prayer warriors I’ve known. They don’t advertise their times of prayer. My mother just popped in my brain. I remember her well. She would have her Bible in her lap and a pencil and notebook in hand. After she cooked our breakfast, my sisters and I had our fifteen minutes of practicing the piano before we would catch the bus. Mother would sit on the couch and I believe she was praying for us and the day we would have in school and for the days and weeks ahead.

Every day was the same. Mother’s Bible was well marked. I especially remember her ‘quiet time’ before we went out to take bus to school. I wonder if my siblings remember this. I wonder what my children remember. Do they remember me praying? I hope they do. Quiet people of prayer are responsible for great movements of God. Our prayers mean a lot to God. Yet, not all prayers make it. We need to pray to God, not pray for the approval of our sisters and brothers in the faith. The sincere prayer matters.

Every person prays according to their uniqueness. But their prayers address the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. It is quite wonderful when you think of it. We get to talk to our Father in Heaven. We honor, praise and worship the Son of God. We are taught by the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together and we get to be a part of their work on the earth!

Whenever we pray we are addressing Them. It is mind blowing to think of it. Why should God even want to hear from us? And He loves us. He cares for our needs. God is making us into His children forever and ever. And we get to talk to Him. Praying is beautiful, worthwhile, endearing, hard work at times, from our heart to His, and much more than this.

God teaches us to pray when we are interested in learning. He guides us to when we decide to listen. I love to listen for Him. He speaks in the stillness. His voice often comes when I have been seeking Him a while, and then, the thoughts from God take a majestic appearance. I don’t actually hear Him, but they’re as real as real can be. His words are quiet but firm. They speak loudly to my whispering soul. It is quite special when He speaks, for He waits for me to be ready. Sometimes I am not ready. Sometimes He doesn’t speak to me. Sometimes He is waiting until the time is right. But then, oh then.

Christians tend to get a lot of things backwards when it comes to spiritual life. I know this by my first hand experience. You can’t make God talk to you. He comes when our attitude is right and when He sees fit. He works in His own way. You want to hear Him? Wait and ask. Seek God and you will find Him. Trust Him and you’ll be glad you did. Find Him and He proves that He is worth the wait and effort it takes. God loves us. I am so glad He does. Be patient. Be kind. Be courteous.

Thank you for reading my post. God be with you. Any questions? I’ll do my best. Again, God Be with You!

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Pay attention—

In some ways, the world seems to have gone cattywampus these days. I can’t help but feel a little discombobulated. It appears things are getting more confused as the days take us further along. Maybe people have always felt this way. I think that we need God. He knows what we don’t know. I am sure glad that He does. Now that I have your attention, let’s get in gear.

Some people, some friends, some other folk need some help.

The days are confusing at best. But have I no hope? Of course not. I have lots of hope. But it wasn’t always this way. It took quite a bit of learning and keeping quiet. I tried my best to face the problems when they came. As I think back on those difficult days, I tried my level best to make the home a place that managed the tough times. God kept me humming forward. I never gave up though I was tempted to on various occasions.

I remember the very first time I was left, how I went to an attorney in my church. I didn’t know what to do. If I should get a legal separation? What about the money? I’d need to protect it. I met with the attorney. He gave me some appropriate advice. I waited for the bill. But it never came. I then realized there would be no bill. He knew I was having a hard time. That meant the world to me. People are good that way, and I’ve never forgotten it.

I learned as I went & grew as I learned

There was a period of years when I couldn’t keep on going. It all caught up with me. I had to rely on God and on the people in my family and in my church family. It was amazing how they cared for me, Randy, and the children. They gave, and didn’t expect anything in return. They listened when I wanted to talk, which I didn’t too often (at least, that’s the way that I remember it). They helped, and gave it their best. People are caring and they help when and where they can.

My family gave what they could. We are a private family, and are uncomfortable with sharing, I had to get my parents approval, so to speak, when I decided to write parts of my story. I knew they would be uncomfortable with some of what I said. Yet I knew that I must put some of the dark stuff from my past into the conversation. But I needed to do it in a way that my children wouldn’t be hurt by the things I needed to say or other members of my family also. My family supported me in what I had to say. I give them the credit for this and for helping us through it all.

My sister Marilyn gave me some wise advice long ago. She wisely cautioned me to say what I needed to say, but to let the rest go. She’d been through a tough time when she lost her first child. I remembered watching her as she and her husband sought to cope. She knew first-hand the ache that pain brings. We lost our sister, Lois, too. That was a tough pill for all of us to swallow. Marilyn really loved us, me, the family. They sought Randy out because they cared for him, and they wanted him to know that they did. It’s wonderful to have a family that speaks with their words and with the right tone.

How you can help

How do I make this about you? One way. Make the conversation about you, what you can bring to the conversation. We all have something to say. Every single one of us has a little something to say that will encourage someone else. Though your road may not have a lot of bends and twists, it has the lessons of life that can and will encourage someone. If you doubt what God may have you to say, just allow him to speak what He wants through you. We all have something to share, God brings you into conversations at just the right time. Surrender your day to Him and watch what He brings to pass. I’d love to hear what God shows to you.

Let me say a caution of a sorts. God will work in your life in many different ways. Let Him direct your path in whatever way He wants. Be a good follower and then you won’t make many wrong choices. Ask yourself the following questions.

Do you want to pay attention? Do you want answers to the hard questions? Where and how does your faith matter? If you know what you believe it becomes easier to answer these questions. But, as with most things, you have to employ faith in the product. Same is true for the heart matters. Trust God with all your heart and then you can believe with confidence. God will make Himself known to you.

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