A Woman Prays

A New Church

2007-04-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

We have found our new home church. The whole family is happy attending. Yippee! Another answered prayer!

Prayers for Mike and Shawna

2007-02-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

Mike and Shawna are mourning the loss of their infant daughter. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain. I never want to feel that pain. I ask for prayers of sympathy and comfort for this grieving couple.

Lord in Heaven, please comfort Mike and Shawna in this time of grief. Let them accept your comforting and healing arms around them. I pray that they can take some comfort in the fact that their little daughter will live forever in with You in Your house and that they will one day be reunited. Amen.

Girl Scouts and Teen MOPS

2007-01-22T13:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been here. I don't know why. I don't feel any different about God. Why is it so hard to keep this prayer journal? I've been working hard on a lot of different projects. The two that need prayer right now are getting a my Girl Scout troop going and my Teen MOPS group approved to start. They are both important to me. I pray that God helps me to get organized so that I can lead these two groups in my area.

A Small Prayer Answered Immediately

2006-12-11T10:53:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I have posted but I'm still praying.

Alexandra had the last appointment in November to set up her surgery to get her ear fixed. She had her hearing test. That turned out perfect so there was no damage except for the eardrum that needed to be repaired. Two different ENT's said the hole was too big to heal on it's own.

As we sat in the Dr's office, I bowed my head and prayed. "Lord, I have prayed about this before and I know that you have the power to heal Alexandra's ear. If it's your will that she be healed and not go though surgery please let that hole in her eardrum be healed. If it is not healed then I know you have a reason for wanting my daughter to have this surgery. Amen."

The doctor came into the room. He looked in Alexandra's ear. He looked in her other ear. He looked at the file and looked in her ear again. "It healed on it's own! I'm not touching this ear. It's perfectly healthy."

I know God can heal anything and anyone. Sometimes when it directly affects me or the people closest to me, it's a bit surprising. I don't know why. I guess I just need to be reminded every once in a while just how awesome my God is and will always be!

It's Been Almost Two Weeks

2006-10-13T20:12:00.000-05:00

Although it has been almost two weeks since my last post on this prayer blog, that doesn't mean I've stopped praying. We are in our house and we love it.

I have prayed many prayers of thanks over the past week.

I'm thankful that:

we're no longer living in a hotel room waiting for our house
I can cook in my kitchen so we don't have to eat fast food
we love our house
the children are adjusting well
even through all the transition, the baby still sleeps through the night

there are many more but these are the main prayers of thankfulness this week.

Thank You Lord!

Beautiful Life

2006-10-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

My sweet babies. These are the two youngest, Alexandra and Lucianna. Alex is constantly on the run. Lucianna is a pudgie ball of sweet.

It was heartbreaking, but no surprise, when Alexandra had her first major accident. I had been waiting for something like this to happen for a while. She has been climbing, running and jumping since she could first do these things. She is like a machine that never stops and it is exhausting but fun. She ran out of the bathroom two weeks ago. I didn't realize at first but she had Qtips in her ears. She dove onto the couch and punctured her eardrum. She has to have surgery to correct the damage.

Lucianna is so sweet. She always has a smile and rarely ever cries. She sleeps through the night and has for months. We have been going back and forth to doctor after doctor. Her left leg and foot are growing at a different rate than the right. She also cannot flex her left foot and toes back. I've had doctors say, "We'll have to wait and see. Come back in 3 months." I don't feel like I have 3 months. She is growing and the faster we find out what's wrong, the faster we find out if it's something that can be corrected.

On Thursday, we saw her Orthopaedic specialist. He said he has no idea what it is. He gave us a referral to go to the Shriner's Hospital. They specialize in muscular, neurological and skeletal disorders in children. Best of all, it's free of charge. We have insurance but have already racked up thousands of dollars in doctors and hospital bills. Our appointment is on Wednesday.

In the midst of all this, I'm trying to keep my oldest daughter's life normal even though we are still living in a hotel room (yes, all five of us). We are still waiting to close on our house, Oct. 3rd is the new date. I have a stress induced rash all over my face.

I have faith in God that everything will be fine. God will take care of my family just as He always has. I will continue to pray. I will always pray because God is good and He has blessed me with a beautiful family and a wonderful life. He will get me through the blips in my life.

A Simple Prayer....When I Need it the Most

2006-09-22T22:56:00.000-05:00

Why do I pray the least when I need it the most. I haven't prayed enough this week. I know because there seems to be no relief from the chaos in my life.

Feelings I have after a prayer.

Happy and Joyous
Relaxed
Revitalized
Loved
Content
Spiritual
Confident
Forgiven

Why then, do I not spend more time in prayer? This blog is for my benefit just as much as anyone else. When things are trying at home, I must remember that prayer is imperative to my spiritual well being. When things do not go as I planned, I must remember that communication with God is most important.

Dear Lord,
As my family goes through this chaotic time in our lives, please give me the ability to continue being a good Christian role model. Please let me make decisions that continue to show my love for You. I pray that I act and learn according to Your will. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Blessed by a Blogger

2006-09-16T22:11:00.000-05:00

This is the first time I've participated in this meme but I couldn't get through this week without mentioning Susan Godfrey. Her story of her pregnancy and the birth of her son, Gabriel Paul, has blessed me in ways that I can not explain. Her courage and faith in God in such trying times is a blessing to me.

I do not know Susan. Susan does not know me. Her story is one I will keep in my heart forever. I cannot summarize her story. I cannot retell her story without tears spilling down my face. Blessings to Susan and her family in this time of grief. Prayers are being prayed. Thank you so much for sharing such a personal journey.

Still Praying.....Need Some Prayer

2006-09-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

If I haven't already mentioned it, I'm in the middle of a chaotic move. We have had the most horrible time getting everyone to do what they were supposed to do (agents, bank, lawyers etc) that it made me wonder if this move is what we were supposed to do. However, I know it is what we are supposed to do because our house sold in less than 48 hours on the market. That is a clear sign to me that we are walking on the correct path.

We were supposed to close on our house on August 22nd but because of certain people not doing what they are paid to do, we are now closing on Oct 1st. There has been a lot of frustration with this whole process. We promised our daughter that she would start school on the first day so she wouldn't be labeled "the new kid" all year. Keeping that promise, we have stayed in a hotel room on the weekdays because the new school is too far from our old house to commute.

A family of 5 staying in a hotel room for 5 straight days is a test of faith and patience. It makes you appreciate everything more. It makes you pray harder.

The reason for this post is to let you know that I'm still praying, I can't post as often until we move, and most of all.......I need some prayer.

Never Forget

2006-09-09T00:19:00.000-05:00

As we get closer to the five year anniversary of September 11th, everyone in this country has some sort of emotion.

Some are anxious.
Some are sad.
Some are fearful.
Some are confused.
Some are angry.
Some are depressed.
Some feel great pride in their country.
Some feel obligated to work harder for a cause.
Some feel they should enjoy life and not work as hard as they once did.
Some feel all of these emotions.

Where ever you may fall in this list, Let's not forget to pray for each other. Pray for the country. Pray for our government. Pray for our soldiers. Pray for everyone who lost a loved one that day.

Let's not forget the details of that morning. It is a piece of history that, no matter how painful, we must pass on to future generations. We know what we saw, heard and felt on that day. Make sure that our children and grandchildren know all the details, for textbooks in classrooms will surely waterdown and leave out many details.

We must never forget. We must make sure the future generation knows.

Feeling Out of Touch With God? Try This!

2006-08-15T03:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't been able to post daily. We were on vacation and I'm now waiting for a new laptop AC adapter to be delivered. Until then, I have to borrow time on my husbands laptop.

What do you pray? There are many different ways to pray. Some people pray the same type of prayer each time they pray. Other people pray different types of prayer.

One of my favorite structured prayers is to pray the Bible. Pray scripture. It is simple. You don't have to think about what to say next. Never feel embarrassed about what you say. It is the word of God. This is my favorite way to converse with God. I believe it is the easiest way to feel the Spirit of God at times when you may feel out of touch with Him. It is an affirmation to God that you believe in the Word.

How do you pray the Bible?

Step 1: Find a quiet time and place. This may be the most difficult part.

Step 2: Pick a Bible Passage. A good one to start with is the Twenty third Psalm.

Step 3: Have a moment of silence. Imagine Christ's presence with you. He is always there. We just have to realize the reality of it. Be quiet in His presence for several minutes.

Step 4: Read aloud the Bible passage you have chosen. Read slowly and deliberately. Feel the Word of God as you read.

Step 5: Have a moment of silence to think about the passage. You may want to read it over again, think about the meaning and think about what the passage means to you and your walk with God.

Psalm 23 NIV

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This exercise is one out of The Workbook of Living Prayer by Maxie Dunnam. The first time I did this I was so moved at the amazing closeness that I felt to God, that tears streamed down my face. Whether you cry or not, I hope you feel the same awesome power go through you as I do, every time I pray the Bible.

Kassandra is Doing Well

2006-08-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry I couldn't post while I was on vacation in Baltimore. The hotel we were staying at said every room had wifi but this was not true. I could have gone down to the lobby to post, but honestly, I didn't feel as safe as I would have liked.

I spoke to Kassandra's mom. She is doing well and back home. Thank you to everyone who prayed with me!

No Update Yet on Kassandra

2006-08-06T20:33:00.000-05:00

I just want everyone to know that I have not heard any updates on Kassandra's progress as of yet. I am on vacation in the middle of the country and have no cell phone service. Can you hear me now? Absolutely Not.

Tomorrow I will be travelling again and I should get service again. I will call Kassandra's parents and hopefully have an update tomorrow evening. As of now, I will continue to pray for Kassandra.

A Prayer for Kassandra

2006-08-03T23:55:00.000-05:00

Lord, Father in Heaven, I praise You for being such an awesome God. Please forgive me for being the sinner that I am. I thank You for the forgiveness that you have given, through the blood of your Son, Jesus. Lord, I pray for Kassandra. She is having her surgery today. Please heal her strong and fast. Don't let her feel pain from the surgery. Let her not feel the pain from her disease. Father, please let Your warmth and healing touch embrace this little girl today and all the days to come. In the name of Jesus, this I pray. Amen.

How do I Pray to Such an Awesome God?

2006-08-03T23:18:00.000-05:00

Have you ever gone to God in prayer completely at a loss for words? I know I have. I felt silly about it for the first five seconds. I just sat there with my head bowed ready to pray but not really knowing what to say to such an awesome God. So that's what I prayed, "Lord, here I sit with my head bowed not really knowing what to say to such an awesome God." That is when I began my journey in prayer and let God lead me in my conversation with Him.

The structure that I use for prayer is given by the acronym "ACTS", representing adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (or intercession.) This is one order, where we start off focusing on who God is, and praising him for that.

Adoration is to adore God, to worship him and to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul. As we spend time in adoration, we praise God for who He is - our Creator, our Sustainer and our Redeemer.

Confession allows us to clear away the things in the relationship between you and God which are displeasing to Him. All of us have sinned.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9

We should constantly be thanking God for the blessings He gives us. Each moment God is blessing us, every minute we can recall the wonderful things that God has done for us, and the gifts that we have been given. In writing to Timothy, Paul makes it clear that we also need to be giving thanks for everyday, worldly things " I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Tim 2:1.

Supplication or Intercession. Finally we come to ask God for our needs and the needs of others. There are many things we can and should be praying for.

This is really just the beginning. Don't feel overwhelmed. God will lead the prayer even if the words come out of your mouth.

Start out by thinking what your prayer would be. Write it down. Keep it short and concise. Kay Arthur states in her book Lord, Teach Me to Pray, "God doesn't hear better just because we pray longer!" This I truly believe.

Who Do We Pray For?

2006-08-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Tim 2:1

I see this verse and it reminds me of two things. First we are to pray for everyone. Second we are to pray for anyone in authority (whether we like them or not). This tells me that we are to pray for federal government leaders, state government leaders, local government leaders. I also believe it means to pray for church leaders. The list could be endless. It says "all those in authority." Where then does it stop? Do you pray for your boss? Well it certainly couldn't hurt any. It might make your job more enjoyable. How about your child's school teacher? Our children that attend public school may not be able to pray with the classroom teacher any longer but it doesn't mean we cannot pray for the classroom teacher.

I challenge you, all Christians, pray for our president. Pray for other world leaders. Pray for all government figures, that they make decisions, according to God's will. It is easy to complain about the decisions that have been made, but take the road less traveled, PRAY, and be happy to do it.

The verse above says that if you pray for everyone: kings and all in authority that you will live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. I don't know what you think about that but it sounds pretty good to me.

Pray for Her Please

2006-07-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

I have a prayer request.

My daughter's best friend since kindergarten has sickle cell anemia. She has been in the hospital more than usual this year. She is going to have her gall bladder out later this week because it is full of stones.

I pray that everything during this operation goes well and she heals as she should.

Her name is Kassandra and she is 9 yrs old. She was adopted from Africa by a good Christian family with a lot of faith when she was two years old. I love this girl as if she were my daughter. My daughter has gone on trips with them and Kassandra has come on trips with us.

Any operation is a risk to anyone, healthy or sick. Special measures have been taken and she will be in a good hospital. Please send your prayers out. Thank you.

Take Some of the Pain Away -- Talk to God

2006-07-30T15:11:00.000-05:00

14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

If you go an extended period of time without talking to a parent or a friend, it hurts. It doesn't matter what the situation. It still hurts in some way or another. God is our Father. He is our Friend. If we don't talk to him, eventually, we hurt. Praying is as natural as eating or drinking. If we go without it for too long, we start breaking down.

For some prayer is like a constant dialogue throughout the day, talking to a best friend. For others prayer is a time for intercession (praying for others needs), reverance and thanksgiving and for some, prayer is just a showing at a dinner table or at church speaking the same words in rote not really thinking about what they mean.

Regardless of what type of prayer relationship with God you have, this is the place for you. We can learn about prayer together, pray together, praise Him together or post a prayer request.

No matter if you have a great, good, decent, okay or non-existant dialogue with God, it can always get better. I love to pray when I have alone time. That time doesn't come often but when it does I make the most of it. My alone time with God deepens my connection with Him.

Some of the examples of alone time that I feel I can pray to God are:

In the car
In the shower
Children's naptime
Morning before children get up
Nighttime after the children go to bed

When are some examples of times when you can be alone with God?

A Woman will Pray for All and All May Pray

2006-07-29T23:44:00.000-05:00

I love to be in prayer. I do love to pray for others. It blesses me and brings me closer to God.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Tim 2:1

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

I have invited you here to learn about prayer, to pray with me, to post a prayer request (all requests must be entered as a comment and then I will post it) or a praise (entered in comments as well and I will post). No prayer request is too trivial to be considered for prayer. All prayers must be directed to God only in order to be posted as this is a Christian website.

I reserve the right to not post a request if I feel it is offensive or demeaning. I reserve the right to edit if I feel too much information is given (full name, phone number, address etc). First names only please and if you would like to leave your request as anonymous comment, please feel free to do so. I may not know who it is that I'm praying for, but God will know.

Lord, I praise you and thank you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do your work through prayer even as the sinner that I am. I pray that you bless this blog and the people who participate. I pray that you give me the guidance to do your will. In Jesus' Name. Amen