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Prayer

Hard Day? Help is Just a Prayer Away

So you’re having a hard day, or a challenging life. It seems like one thing after another has got you down.

Maybe you’re stressed because there’s so much to do and never enough time.

Maybe you don’t like your job—or you don’t even have one.

Maybe you’re exhausted trying to balance work and family and the demands of life pulling at you from all sides.

You want life to be different—better. And, often you wonder how anything is ever going to change. You need strength and courage to keep on going.

You need hope.

The good news is that help is just a prayer away. The One who loves you most is always here. God is ready to listen, to love you and work His will in your life.

Prayer starts with talking with God—and listening. Any place. Any time.

Remember what God has done in the past—the ways He’s helped you before. Looking back can give you hope for what He will do for you today and in the future.

Psalm 68:28 reminds us, “Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.”

Ask God what He has for you today. How does God want you to best serve Him today, in this season of your life?

Prayer doesn’t have to be a duty; it can be a delight as you come to know more fully the One with whom you converse. He loves and accepts you. He listens and He cares. He wants the best for you, so you can speak openly and honestly from your heart.

Powerful prayers don’t necessarily have to be long and involved, but heartfelt and sincere.

An effective prayer can be a simple prayer. Preacher and scholar George A. Buttrick once said, “Prayer is listening as well as speaking, receiving as well as asking; and its deepest mood is friendship, held in reverence.”

Your own personal “happy hour,” your quiet time with God, can be a connecting time as you get to know Him more. As you do, you will come to deeper depths of awe at His wonder, worship at His majesty, and acceptance of His never-ending love.

Often we want answers, but first He wants us to want Him—to connect in a mutual, enjoyable relationship.

Believe that God will provide for you. He knows why you’re here, even when you don’t. He created you with a mind to think and reason, with skills and abilities, and with passions and desires.

God wants you to fulfill your heart’s desires and callings too. It’s never too late to begin anew.

God will fulfill His purposes through you. One day, maybe soon, things will turn around.

Press in. Pray on. And keep your eyes open for your answered prayer.

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Want to Change Your Life? What You Need to Know

It’s the start of a new year and you’re full of hope and expectations for the months ahead. Like lots of folks, you’re thinking about something(s) you’d like to change in your life.

Maybe you’d like to:

Lose weight.
Save money.
Get out of debt.
Write a book.
Reconcile with a friend.
Redecorate your home.
Find more peace and joy.
Or something else…

Whatever it is, change isn’t easy.

Often, we have big ideas at the start January and then lack the get-up-and-go to actually do something.

Or, we’re so busy with the crazy life we have that we don’t make time for anything else—and yet the longing remains for things to be different and better.

Despite the obstacles, transformation is truly possible. It starts with identifying what is holding you back. So I created the acronym TERMS to help you find the reasons that true change has eluded you.

T (Time) – You simply don’t have time, or don’t make the time to reflect on your life. What do you REALLY want? What does God want for you? Make change a priority in increments and take a bit of time—or a block of time—to start the process.

E (Energy) – You are tired or stressed and exhaustion has been keeping you from making changes in your life. Eating healthier and getting more sleep—along with drinking enough water—are ways to get some energy back. Think about what you can delete from your schedule to get more rest and begin to make some life changes.

R (Resources) – You don’t have the money or other resources to make the changes you want. But that doesn’t have to stop you. Perhaps there are other creative solutions, or ways God will provide.

M (Motivation) – You might have the time and the resources, but for some reason you’re not motivated to make a change. You’re not excited about it or inspired. Perhaps it’s time to get a new goal. Or, be a grownup and do the thing you simply don’t want to do because it will be good in the end.

S (Something else) – Other things that may be keeping you from making changes could be: You fear the unknown. You fear failure. You fear success. You don’t have the skills you need. Or (fill in the blank).

Now that you’ve identified some ways that are keeping you from making changes, it’s time to pray, make a plan and take action.

Prayer is key because that’s where the power comes from. You don’t have to do this life in your own strength. It’s God’s power at work in us and through us that makes real and lasting changes. He is the engine to your boat. And He wants you to succeed!

Ask God to help you make a plan and prioritize: What needs to change? Where do you start? How can you find the resources you need to get where you really want to go? And what action steps do you need to take to get there?

Then, take action. Do something. Take one small step at a time. Don’t freak yourself out by trying to do too much at once.

Momentum builds as you take one step, and then another.

May God give you the time, energy, resources, motivation—and all you need to make changes in your life. May He give you the power and strength, and open doors for great opportunities. He is for you. He is with you.

Step by step. Choice by choice. Day by day things start to change, and you are closer to what you truly desire.

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Making Prayer a Priority

Do you often find that there’s so much to do and never enough time to get it all done?

I have. Life can get crazy busy with work, chores, errands, appointments and obligations. We get stretched. We get tired.

There’s got to be a better way to live.

I wonder what would happen if we tended to the important things in life, not just the tyranny of the urgent things in life?

Take a look at your schedule. Have you built in any time for prayer, for rest, for fun?

As you reprioritize, ask yourself what you can delegate or let go of (either for now or forever). Then make a decision to put prayer on your to-do list each day.

Taking time to pray—to talk with God one on one—will build your relationship with God and provide the power and strength to accomplish what He wants done.

When you choose to make prayer a priority, you are really choosing God. That’s because prayer is a two-way conversation with your Creator.

He knows you better than anyone, even better than you know yourself!

Build your relationship with God as you would with a close friend. Talk, listen, and find out more about his character. He is wise. He is compassionate. He is all about unconditional love and forgiveness. He is a God of justice.

And so much more.

In your time with God, you’ll gain insight, wisdom, and strength to face life’s challenges.

Sure, you may not always have a large block of time to pray. Some women I know pray as they’re driving to work. But make every effort to be alone with God in a quiet place, to spend time with the One who loves you most. That’s where you will find the power to live and the peace you crave.

Prayer changes things.

So, let’s pray on.

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