Why is quiet time so . . . well . . . noisy?

At dawn, when I settle in my comfy couch, a glass of lemony water within reach, a Bible on my left knee, a white-and-black cat curled in my lap, snoozing (yeah, he gets this thing called “rest”), my thoughts play pinball, whizzing, whirling, flashing, sending my synapses into overdrive and my mood dropping like a silver ball into the dark space because I couldn’t stay in play.

Listen in.

Uggh. Today is so busy. I don’t have time to pray. Why did I sign up to help with the book fair at school? Quiet! Settle down, Lucy. You can do it.

Let’s see, I’ll pray then read the Bible. Wait, that’s what I said yesterday and never got to the Bible. Err. Oh, well. I really should pray.

I’ll pray for my family. “Yes, Lord, protect my children at school. There are so many bad influences. Help them make wise choices.”

I should pray for hurting children. The World Vision report really got to me yesterday: Millions of girls in sex trade. Awful, just awful. “Father, rescue them. Some are just 6 years old, even younger.”

I need to pray for our president too and for my friend who feels lonely and depressed. And my other friend who’s daughter is in rehab. I do so hope my husband gets that great new project. Oh, yeah, I should pray to be a better mother.

“MOM, MOM.”

Oh, no, John should still be asleep. Uggh!

“Mom, I can’t find my socks. Where’s my backpack? Could you help me with my contacts?”

“Just a second, sweetie.”

Oh, Lord, help me juggle it all.  Help me, please.

“I’ll be right there.”

Question: Is my “quiet time” as noisy as yours?

You Are Loved!

I quit prayer walking a few years ago.

Why? I had stopped praying. Sure, I tossed up a few “Keep my kids safe, Lord” and “Help me be patient.”

But then

instead of praying

I noticed

this neighbor’s shiny new car

and that neighbor’s

lush, jungle green grass.

I coveted and complained and maybe just maybe God liked that I stopped my “prayer walks” that had become “tear walks.”

Pronounce “tear” (rhymes with “pear”) since I ripped into me and into God’s character of goodness. Or go with “tear” like fear; the walks had sure turned into boo-hoo bashes parties. Your pick!

Then

I prayed about praying. God gave me an idea: Recite Psalm 23 while walking.

So God and I gave it a go.

Talk about a difference: Wow!

Question: Do you prayer walk?

You Are Blessed!

There’s no more important question in life than, “How do I talk to God?”

There’s no better Person to to answer that question than Jesus. In the Lord’s Prayer, or “The Prayer of Jesus,” you discover how to pray C.H.R.I.S.T. The acrostic provides a relevant and practical outline for talking to God.

Try it. It’ll empower your prayer, Beautiful Warrior. Honest.

Commune with God: “Hallowed Be Thy Name”
Honor the King: “Thy Kingdom Come”
Radically Commit: “Thy Will Be Done”
Invite God-Rescue: “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”
Savor the Savior’s Grace: “Forgive Us Our Sins”
Triumph Over Temptation:”Lead Us Not Into Temptation”

Here’s a guide to follow:

Commune
1. Praise God for Who He is: Worship, magnify, exalt, and glorify your heavenly Father.
2. Pray that the whole world would be in awe of God, enjoying, and exalting the character (name) of God.
3. Set apart God as the supreme desire of your heart: Let your daily mission statement be to exalt God by enjoying God.

Honor
1. Pray for a deepening of God’s rule in your heart.
2. Pray for a widening of God’s rule in all people’s hearts.
3. Pray that you will live for God’s kingdom and not for your own.

Radically Commit
1. Pray that everything you do is motivated by the desire to bring God pleasure.
2. Pray for calm assurance and understanding that God’s glory and your good are inseparable, that the Father’s will is always good and best.
3. Pray for supernatural power to obey God’s will.

Invite
1. Confess humbly your spiritual poverty, admitting that without God you are and have nothing.
2. Request wisely for today’s supply. Ask God to give you nothing more and nothing less than exactly what you need and can handle.
3. Pray for physical, material, emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual needs and for freedom from worry.

Savor

1. Specifically confess known sins and ask God to reveal hidden sins, and repent humbly.
2. Enjoy forgiveness. Claim Christ’s forgiveness and acceptance. Your slate is wiped clean!
3. Grant forgiveness to those who have hurt you/sinned against you physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, and spiritually, and seek reconciliation when possible and wise.

Triumph
1. Ask God not to allow Satan even to tempt you to sin.
2. Ask God to keep you from situations where you are most prone to sin.
3. Ask God to help you to trust His awesome power as your only hope for triumph.

Finally, confidently trust God. The Prayer of Jesus ends with these words: “For Thine Is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory Forever, Amen.”

Thanks to Robert Kellemen, who graciously allowed me to run this acrostic, which he developed. He goes into greater depth on praying the Prayer of Jesus at his website: rpmministries.

You Are Beautiful, Lucy

. . .and Planned Parenthood goes ballistic.

Abby Johnson quit her job as director of a Planned Parenthood clinic because she had what she calls a spiritual conversion. Now she prays with pro-life advocates down the street. What’s up with that?

A better question. . .who’s up with that?

God?

Yeah, God. Please take a moment to watch this brief Tangle video. Please pause my music player at the bottom of the page.

Amazing, huh? This is the power of prayer, or what I like to call a “warrior cry.” As the United States faces a huge battle over a health care bill that would increase the funding of abortions, cry out to the Lord, Beautiful Warrior. Together let’s stand on God’s Word.

You Are Beautiful, Lucy