Lord,
Thank you for answering prayers in YOUR time, not ours. That's not easy to say, and even harder to mean, but some things are worth the wait. Brenda received some wonderful news today when a friend of hers who she has been estranged from for several years responded to her several inquires about reestablishing contact. After trying for quite a while, Brenda had that prayer answered today and is anticipating what direction the relationship will take as it redevelops.
You've also answered prayers I even gave up praying in the last few months as my career has developed far beyond I had expected for a long, long time. You waited until I was ready to receive the blessings and was prepared to take advantage of them before you provided the opportunity, and as I walk with you through each day on the job. those blessings are clear and visible to others.
When things are tough and we are frustrated with our current lot in life, we need to remember that you have a plan far better than anything we can come up with on our own, and your timing is what will optimize it. As you unfold our ministry through this website and various contacts we are making, I ask your help in not moving ahead of your plan for it, that we surrender to your plan and your timing knowing that is the way to recognize the greatest impact of our efforts.
Amen
Showing posts with label Evening Prayers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evening Prayers. Show all posts
July 16, 2009
July 13, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/13/09
Lord,
I spent the day at a training class for my job, learning about a powerful piece of report-writing software that will be extremely useful once I can master it and share that knowledge with my staff. I thank you for that opportunity, and I got to thinking about it while I was inching through traffic on the way home.....
Isn't both learning, then sharing what we learn with others, a critical part of our mission, our very purpose, here on earth? If I hoarded knowledge and did not share it with those who could benefit from it, I would merely be fortifying my own position, increasing my own perceived standing, by selfishly declining to help others. Oh Lord, I know we have so much of that in our world today--people who feel they must enhance their standing in society by keeping others down. Yet when you walked the earth as a human, Jesus did just the opposite. The Bible tells us that he relished the opportunity to gather those less fortunate and impart his divine knowledge, realizing they were the most teachable and the most willing to learn.
Lord, I thank you for the opportunity, both in the workplace and in this blog, to share lessions I have learned, ones you have either directly taught me or placed me in the position to be taught by others. Thank you for loving us enough not to want us to stay the same but to grow, into our gifts you blessed us with and into a closer relationship with you.
Amen
I spent the day at a training class for my job, learning about a powerful piece of report-writing software that will be extremely useful once I can master it and share that knowledge with my staff. I thank you for that opportunity, and I got to thinking about it while I was inching through traffic on the way home.....
Isn't both learning, then sharing what we learn with others, a critical part of our mission, our very purpose, here on earth? If I hoarded knowledge and did not share it with those who could benefit from it, I would merely be fortifying my own position, increasing my own perceived standing, by selfishly declining to help others. Oh Lord, I know we have so much of that in our world today--people who feel they must enhance their standing in society by keeping others down. Yet when you walked the earth as a human, Jesus did just the opposite. The Bible tells us that he relished the opportunity to gather those less fortunate and impart his divine knowledge, realizing they were the most teachable and the most willing to learn.
Lord, I thank you for the opportunity, both in the workplace and in this blog, to share lessions I have learned, ones you have either directly taught me or placed me in the position to be taught by others. Thank you for loving us enough not to want us to stay the same but to grow, into our gifts you blessed us with and into a closer relationship with you.
Amen
July 12, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/12/09
Updated 7/13 to delete names for their safety on strong advice from someone familiar with the situation in Mauritania.
Lord,
I am petitioning you with a specific request tonight. My dear friend Bruce has asked for prayer for his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. They are traveling tomorrow to the country of Mauritania, on the northwestern coast of Africa, to serve as missionaries, spreading the good news about you.
You know that Mauritania is a dangerous place for Christian workers and that one of them was brutally shot and killed over there recently. Lord, we ask for your covering over them, to protect them and bless their work as they bring the Good News to many who may not otherwise hear it.
I also pray for all of those brave, committed souls like Boaz and his family who uproot themselves and put their lives and needs on hold to travel to hostile places like Mauritania to serve you. Please richly bless these people who truly understand the concept of servanthood, denying their desires and working for the greater good.
Also Lord, thank you for a wonderful weekend and I ask for your blessings for the week ahead.
Amen
Lord,
I am petitioning you with a specific request tonight. My dear friend Bruce has asked for prayer for his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. They are traveling tomorrow to the country of Mauritania, on the northwestern coast of Africa, to serve as missionaries, spreading the good news about you.
You know that Mauritania is a dangerous place for Christian workers and that one of them was brutally shot and killed over there recently. Lord, we ask for your covering over them, to protect them and bless their work as they bring the Good News to many who may not otherwise hear it.
I also pray for all of those brave, committed souls like Boaz and his family who uproot themselves and put their lives and needs on hold to travel to hostile places like Mauritania to serve you. Please richly bless these people who truly understand the concept of servanthood, denying their desires and working for the greater good.
Also Lord, thank you for a wonderful weekend and I ask for your blessings for the week ahead.
Amen
July 09, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/9/09
Lord,
I pray for all those people with idle hands these days, those who want to work but don't have the opportunity and are struggling to deal with it. Brenda has been wrestling with that for two months now and is making some headway in finding a new path that we believe you are laying out for her. Thanks to the way you have so richly blessed me in my career, both in stature and salary, she has options that don't have to include working a 9-5 job. This is something she had trouble embracing, but is starting to do that now and is becoming open to a plan "outside the box" that you appear to be laying our for her/us.
One of my closest friends has a spouse who has been out of work several months and does not have any opportunites on the immediate horizon. The emotional and financial strain is beginning to take a toll, especially because they don't have you in their lives. When we try to carry the burdens of life all on our own, they can way us down pretty quickly, and the more difficult burdens can break us. I don't want my friends to snap, but I fear that is possible. Lord, please use their difficulties to give me or someone else the opportunity to speak into their lives how much you love them and help them know you are always there for them.
Lord, I thank you that we don't have to figure things out on our own--you will guide us if we yield ourselves to your will and seek your direction. I ask that you help my friends and everyone who is searching for a new direction, a new purpose to fill their lives, and for that to be centered on you.
Amen.
I pray for all those people with idle hands these days, those who want to work but don't have the opportunity and are struggling to deal with it. Brenda has been wrestling with that for two months now and is making some headway in finding a new path that we believe you are laying out for her. Thanks to the way you have so richly blessed me in my career, both in stature and salary, she has options that don't have to include working a 9-5 job. This is something she had trouble embracing, but is starting to do that now and is becoming open to a plan "outside the box" that you appear to be laying our for her/us.
One of my closest friends has a spouse who has been out of work several months and does not have any opportunites on the immediate horizon. The emotional and financial strain is beginning to take a toll, especially because they don't have you in their lives. When we try to carry the burdens of life all on our own, they can way us down pretty quickly, and the more difficult burdens can break us. I don't want my friends to snap, but I fear that is possible. Lord, please use their difficulties to give me or someone else the opportunity to speak into their lives how much you love them and help them know you are always there for them.
Lord, I thank you that we don't have to figure things out on our own--you will guide us if we yield ourselves to your will and seek your direction. I ask that you help my friends and everyone who is searching for a new direction, a new purpose to fill their lives, and for that to be centered on you.
Amen.
July 08, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/8/09
Lord,
I can only imagine how frustrated you must get with us, but I got a small taste of it today. Someone I know and care about came to me with a problem, but shared so little of it that I felt my hands were tied in being able to help. You've given me a heart that wants to reach out and help people, but we are limited to what they tell us and show us.
It's got to be even more frustrating for you because you know our problems even without us telling you, so when we don't turn to you for help, you know just how foolish we are being, usually even better than we do.
Lord, I pray for my friend and the issue they are dealing with. I pray that they don't try to handle it without help, but they'll need to let down their guard with someone and let them in before help can be given.
Please help us to let down our guard with you and ask for your help, whether the issue is large or small, there's nothing in our lives that you don't feel is worth your time, and for that I stand in amazement and thank you profusely for blessing us the way you do.
Amen
I can only imagine how frustrated you must get with us, but I got a small taste of it today. Someone I know and care about came to me with a problem, but shared so little of it that I felt my hands were tied in being able to help. You've given me a heart that wants to reach out and help people, but we are limited to what they tell us and show us.
It's got to be even more frustrating for you because you know our problems even without us telling you, so when we don't turn to you for help, you know just how foolish we are being, usually even better than we do.
Lord, I pray for my friend and the issue they are dealing with. I pray that they don't try to handle it without help, but they'll need to let down their guard with someone and let them in before help can be given.
Please help us to let down our guard with you and ask for your help, whether the issue is large or small, there's nothing in our lives that you don't feel is worth your time, and for that I stand in amazement and thank you profusely for blessing us the way you do.
Amen
July 07, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/7/09
Lord,
I come to you asking for a new level of discipline. Brenda has been after me nearly as long as we've known each other to cut back the fast food and eat healthier, and she has gone the extra mile to plan out menus and do some extensive shopping to fit meals into my narrow, picky taste. Help me find the discipline to stick with it and not cheat when I'm away from home, drinking less soda and more water and orange juice, eating more fruit and less snacks.
I also thank you and praise you for leading me to a spouse who loves me so much, who worries about my health and wants me to be the best I can be as we work together to execute your plan for our lives.
Thank you for caring about the details in our lives. Thank you that there is nothing too big or too small for you to be concerned about and that we can bring to you.
Amen
I come to you asking for a new level of discipline. Brenda has been after me nearly as long as we've known each other to cut back the fast food and eat healthier, and she has gone the extra mile to plan out menus and do some extensive shopping to fit meals into my narrow, picky taste. Help me find the discipline to stick with it and not cheat when I'm away from home, drinking less soda and more water and orange juice, eating more fruit and less snacks.
I also thank you and praise you for leading me to a spouse who loves me so much, who worries about my health and wants me to be the best I can be as we work together to execute your plan for our lives.
Thank you for caring about the details in our lives. Thank you that there is nothing too big or too small for you to be concerned about and that we can bring to you.
Amen
July 06, 2009
Evening Prayers 7/6/09
Lord,
This was one of those days when I just felt overwhelmed. I love my job, but today I felt that I just had to pour it out with very little time to catch my breath, and then had another rough commute home because of the continued issues with the DC subway system.
In your word, you told us we could do everything through him who gives us strength (Phillipians 4:13), and I claim that tonight as I recover from the day. I claim that for tomorrow, heading into the city again and facing another challenging schedule. Lord, there are no challenges put before us that you can't get us through. I know sometimes you allow things to happen in our lives that wear us down, that force us to draw on your strength because ours alone is not enough.
Lord, I thank you for the times that humble me, and I was humbled a couple of times today. I thank you for the things that keep my ego in check, that remind me I am enjoying the success I currently have in my life not because of my greatness but thanks to your blessings.
I thank you that I can look forward to tomorrow with anticipation, not trepidation. I thank you for filling me with hope and not fear.
Amen
This was one of those days when I just felt overwhelmed. I love my job, but today I felt that I just had to pour it out with very little time to catch my breath, and then had another rough commute home because of the continued issues with the DC subway system.
In your word, you told us we could do everything through him who gives us strength (Phillipians 4:13), and I claim that tonight as I recover from the day. I claim that for tomorrow, heading into the city again and facing another challenging schedule. Lord, there are no challenges put before us that you can't get us through. I know sometimes you allow things to happen in our lives that wear us down, that force us to draw on your strength because ours alone is not enough.
Lord, I thank you for the times that humble me, and I was humbled a couple of times today. I thank you for the things that keep my ego in check, that remind me I am enjoying the success I currently have in my life not because of my greatness but thanks to your blessings.
I thank you that I can look forward to tomorrow with anticipation, not trepidation. I thank you for filling me with hope and not fear.
Amen
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