What’s Prayer Got to Do with It?
From the days of infancy at Cheerful Hearts, prayer has been of the utmost importance. We desire to move accordingly with the Holy Spirit, and that requires us to sit before the Lord and listen.God has watchmen on the walls praying for Cheerful Hearts, Jesus is praying for us, the Holy Spirit is as well, and then we pray for women and lead women into sweet times of prayer and communion with the Triune God: it’s a beautiful circle. According to Webster, prayer is a solemn request for help or expression of thanksgiving addressed to God. I think that is pretty good.I also am particularly fond of Andrew Murray’s definition, “Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue; God’s voice is its most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of the assurance that He will listen to mine.” That description especially dear to me because we do a whole lot of listening at Cheerful Hearts. We even developed a retreat based on a course we took and book we read on Dialogue with God by Mark and Patti Virkler. We developed it because many of us after embracing these teachings began to hear God as we journaled. Sometimes we can journal pages and pages and we wanted to share that with anyone who has the same hunger to commune with God as we did. Have you longed for that?
Another favorite way to pray for us by bringing people before the Lord in an organized way. We learned this from Ruth Haley Barton. In her book, Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership, she shares these prayers because she says creating the time and space before God’s presence to bring others before God makes for a better leader. We want our leadership to be the best it can. About these holy moments of prayer Ruth says, “I am confident that God, in his love, will bring people to me during such times. Over time, this kind of intercessory prayer practice has been more peaceful and much less effortful than prayer practices that depend on considerable human thought and striving. And I am much more confident that I am actually allowing God to guide me into the prayers that are mine to pray.” She shares basically her template and we have adopted in for prayer for Cheerful Hearts weekly prayer for clients, board, staff, volunteers and their families and communities. This can be found at the bottom of the page.
Years ago, I learned of a concept called the “Prayer Bowl” and loved it. I am not sure why, but it adds some spice to my prayer time that I enjoy. Prayer Bowls can be purchased but I simply found a pretty bowl at Cheerful Hearts and a pretty little bowl at home and I have sanctified them for prayer. I put notes, cards, photos, just whatever reminds of something important to bring before the Lord and I keep those parked in the bowls in a traffic area and it is a great reminderto grab something from the bowl, pray, and go on with my day.
It doesn’t have to be in a certain way, with certain words, at certain times but it does have to be… in order to experience the peace and hope of life. Although there are very liturgical ways to pray as well. There is something for everyone.There are many books written that are filled with prayer based on scripture. Avail yourself of those resources. It just might make your prayer life richer.
I hope this has been a little water for your prayer life. Prayer is talking with our creator, our shepherd, our teacher, our friend, our savior, our Lord, our God and our redeemer. Prayer has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH LIFE. Pray and pray some more. Pray like the woman who pestered the unjust judge, for we have a mighty and good Judge who encourages us in His Word to imitate her. God will answer perfectly in His way and in His time. He hears and responds to all prayer. No prayer is too small. No concern is too small, not too big. God moves, our hearts change, and mighty things happen when we pray.
With a thankful heart,
Hilda
From Ruth’s book Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership
“Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who suffer pain and ill health . . . (silence to allow the names and faces of those you know to come to mind, and then pray) . . . May they know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who suffer in mind and spirit . . . . . . May they know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence the suffering people of our world, and the places where people are experiencing hurt and division—including places of hurt and division in my own life . . . . . . May we know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those experiencing grief and loss . . . . . . May they know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who need wisdom for their next steps . . . . . . May they know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those people and situations that seem broken beyond repair . . . . . May they know the deep peace of Christ.
Loving God, I hold in your healing presence and peace those whose needs are not known to me but who are known by you, and those for whom I have been asked to pray . . . And I name in my heart all those who are close to me . . . . . .
May they know the deep peace of Christ. Glory to God, from whom all love flows, glory to Jesus, who showed his love through suffering, and glory to the Holy Spirit, who brings light to the darkest places.”
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