Prayer Journaling: The In-Depth Method

A number of years ago I had the chance to attend a Sunday School class based on a book called The Hour That Changes the World by Dick Eastman. In it Eastman explains a method you can use to guide your prayers so you can easily spend an hour in prayer. He uses the motivation of the example of the disciples in the garden and how Jesus kept coming back and finding them asleep.  And he asks them, “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” to urge us on to extended times of prayer.

Extended prayer is a bit daunting, yes? For some of us, praying for 10 minutes seems like a long time. Especially if your prayer time happens after you’ve placed your head on your pillow at the end of a long day. Then do you find yourself falling asleep in mid-sentence to God? You know, “God, thank you for a wonderful day. I pray for Janine as she struggles with her kids. May You give her wisdom to know what…..zzzzzzzzzz”

Or maybe you get distracted in your prayers.
Distraction can be bad if it dominates your prayers, but it is okay to go off on tangents now and then. Sometimes we forget that prayer is a CONVERSATION with God and not a one-sided one where WE do all the talking.
God may use a tangent to get our attention. He may call to mind a name of someone you are to pray for. Or He may call to mind an incident that happened during the day that you need to confess or need to apologize to the person about. So follow the thoughts God may bring up when you are listening to Him but don’t let them take over the rest of your prayer time. You know, like when this has happened: “God, thank you for a wonderful day. The weather was beautiful for the picnic. And thank you for keeping everyone safe. Especially with all the bees around. Hmmm I wonder if Aunt Clara got her cookies along with her? Oh, and I forgot to tell her about the program at school next week. Oh good grief. I need to get some shoes for Sarah to wear. I wonder what size she wears now. Did I turn on the dishwasher? Ooops, sorry God. Ummm please forgive me for skipping my devotions this morning when I was getting ready for the reunion. Please be with my hubby tomorrow on his business trip. Protect him and bring him home safely. I wonder if he packed his cell phone charger? He always forgets that.”



Below is a prayer sheet I created using the information laid out in Eastman’s book.  I also created a description sheet to use to remind myself what each segment of the prayer time was to consist of.  For a better understanding of this method of prayer, I would strongly recommend reading the book. Especially if you are serious about learning this method. I will say that I experienced my most meaningful times of prayer when I used this method habitually. So, yes, by saying that I guess you can tell that I do not use this method all the time. When I was nursing my third child I completely fell off the prayer journaling wagon! I didn’t have time to journal at all. Now that he is a bit older and a bit easier to care for, I have added this method into my prayer routine again here and there.

Using this guide, you CAN pray for an hour or more!  Please feel free to post questions. 

Blessings,
Amy


Click on the picture to enlarge and print:

Prayer Sheet





Description Sheet

Tuesday Tunes: I Need You To Love Me

Finally posting a BarlowGirl song.  I have been loving singing along with the harmonies on this song.  I liked this song before because of the words and its 'Indigo Girls' -ish sound.  But now that I know I might be singing along with my favorite Barlow girl, it warms my heart even more so.  Thanks Becca!

I Need You To Love Me



For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes....on Thursday! Healing Begins

Since I'm out-of-town this week, I'm doing another Tuesday Tunes. And, like I said before, I REALLY could do them every day. So give thanks that I'm containing myself as much as I am. hee hee


When did your healing begin?




Here is a video journal about the song by lead singer Mike.

Tuesday Tunes: Beloved

Did you know you are His beloved?

His bride.

And you will be clothed in white because He has washed you clean. 

No matter what you've done.  He loves you.






For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Times

Has it been a long time since you've spent time with the Father?


Let Him pull you near. Put aside the busyness.


He's not tired of forgiving you. Just come to Him.

His love is over you.

Underneath you.

Inside you.

Between you.

All the TIMES you think it's not. 

His love is there.

For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Legacy

What will they say when I'm gone,
in words that are written in stone?
Under my name, what will they claim about me?


Oh, I want to leave a legacy to be remembered
More than just a memory that fades away
Because we only, we only get one life


Free me, my hands are tied
I'm so tired of wasting time
These endless inventions steal my attention from real life
And when it's done, when it's over...


Oh, I want to leave a legacy to be remembered
More than just a memory that fades away
Because we only, we only get one life


And will the world see Christ when they look at my life?
Oh, will the world see?


MMM, come on, give me, give me, give me real life
And no more, no more, no more wasting time
Because we only, we only get one life

By Sanctus Real.

To read what lead singer, Matt, and his family have been going through after having a baby born with heart problems click here.


For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Beautiful for Me

This song is from the VeggeTales movie Sweetpea Beauty. Sung my Nichole Nordeman it is a wonderful song for a daughter of the King to listen to at any age to remind her how beautiful she is to Him.

Also, this could be one of the theme songs for the Operation Beautiful movement.  (hint hint)










For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes...On Thursday! Healer

Do you believe that God is your healer? That He REALLY is all you need?

I'm doing a 'Tuesday Tunes' on Thursday because I haven't had the time lately to devote to my next 'Submissive Wife' post. And, because I could do 'Tuesday Tunes' every day! Blessings...

The sound quality of this one isn't as good.


But this is at a conference so she is 'leading' more than just singing the song.






For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Something to Say

This song is my motivation when I don't think I should be blogging or have started blogging.  Or any other time I don't feel I have anything to contribute to the world besides changing diapers, washing clothes, cooking dinner and cleaning up the kitchen.

Everyone has SOMETHING to say.  As Matthew West says in the song "Your life is the song that you sing and the whole wide world is listening." 

For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Jesus Saves

Do I really have to wait until next Tuesday to post one of these?  haha  I think I already have posts for this scheduled through the changing of the year!

Enjoy!

I have enjoyed listening to this song lately - I have been trying to find new 'upbeat' songs to add to our worship repetoire at church. We're lacking in those and have been recycling songs for too long now.

This is another good one by Tim Hughes that ALSO makes me want to dance.















For more posts in this series click here.

Tuesday Tunes: Happy Day

I think this will be my most enjoyable kind of post yet.
I like pictures, I like words.
But most of all,
I like music!!

Enjoy!

I have enjoyed listening to this song lately - I have been trying to find new 'upbeat' songs to add to our worship repetoire at church. We're lacking in those and have been recycling songs for too long now. This one by Tim Hughes makes me want to dance.


For more posts in this series click here.

The Mission Ball: A Testimony

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Every so often I hope to highlight a local ministry on here.  Today's spotlight is on The Mission Ball, founded by Torrey Babb.  This excerpt comes from their August newsletter and is a testimony you must read!  For more info on this ministry and/or to support them in their mission, just click on the link above.  And, you can 'like' them on Facebook too.




July 24th and 25th...we were at Ignite Festival in Schaumberg, Illinois. I'd like to share a brief testimony that someone shared with me.

On Sunday morning, a lady came up to me (we'll call her Pat since she never shared her name). Pat asked me if I had a youth boy, about 13ish, working with me named Jeff. I told her it was just me, my wife, and 2 children, none of whom is Jeff, and none 13. Pat then spent a few moments telling me about her young son, we'll call him Chad. Pat said she did not think that Chad was a Christian; she said he was a good kid but he doesn't exactly fit in at school. He is the target of much ridicule, harassment, and torment from other kids. For this reason Chad doesn't like school and he was already starting to get depressed and worried about the approaching school year.

At some point on the previous day, Chad saw a Mission Ball on the ground, he picked it up and started reading it... he kept reading it. In fact he didn't know whose ball it was, so Chad walked to a quiet spot all by himself and sat down to read the ball. Jeff saw all this happen. Jeff was a 13 year old kid who spent $20 of his own money to buy that Mission Ball the previous day. Jeff followed Chad and started to talk to him. Jeff was simply there to talk to Chad, as Chad read the words on The Mission Ball. Jeff and Chad talked, they spent a few minutes together, and when they were ready to depart...Jeff told Chad he could keep the ball. 13 year old Jeff had enough compassion and love for the Lord that he simply gave up his Mission Ball so Chad could have it.

As Pat is telling me this story I could see the tears start streaming down her face. She told me how she longs for her son to love the Lord, and for him to find his identity in Christ. Pat told me how when her son Chad came up to her, with his new Mission Ball, and told her what had happened he had an extra "bounce" in his voice and a "twinkle" in his eye. As he turned away from his mom to go back to playing in the field, his word's echoed in Pat's soul... he told her "mom, I think this year is going to be different, I think I don't have to be so scared anymore." And with that, I was the one struggling to hold back the tears.

I don't know who Jeff was, and I don't think I ever met Chad. I don't presume to think that Chad became a Christian by simply reading the Mission Ball and talking to Jeff.

I don't do the saving, The Mission Ball doesn't do the saving, God saves people who cry out to Him. But maybe, just maybe... on this rainy wet day on a baseball field in Schaumberg Illinois, the Lord had His hand on The Mission Ball, on Jeff, and certainly on Chad.

Will you please pray for all the "Chads" of the world... searching for their identity.

May they soon find comfort and rest in the arms of their Creator.

Tuesday Tunes: More Like Falling in Love

This is a great idea for my 'worship' themed blog! Each Tuesday I will try to share a song with you. Enjoy!

(don't need to click on anything...it's the first song on my Playlist down below!  but, you can find it on YouTube as well.  Jason Gray's "More Like Falling in Love"

This song is meaningful to me right now because it reminds me of the 'theme' of the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan that I read through for the second time this summer with some girlfriends.  Our 'Christianity' should be more like falling in love than just something to believe in or something to give our allegiance.







For more posts in this series click here.

Bloom Where You're Planted

We finally got rid of it.  The towering blossom I've been nursing along since April.  It was as tall as my kitchen window.  And, it could barely stand up by itself anymore because its base was too small with not enough room to grow out its roots; a tiny hand-painted pot that would have been better suited for some other flower, and by 'other' I really mean shorter. 

But this flower of ours, this leaning-tower-of-daisies, definitely gets an A+ for effort.  It grew and grew and grew AND GREW...and then finally bloomed some time in the beginning of July.  Despite the undersized pot it had been planted in.  What kind of teacher plants tall daisies in a mini-pot for a 2nd grade Mother's Day project?  At least we were successful in getting blooms this year - last year's Mother's Day project never bloomed because my daughter had unfortunately planted the seeds too deeply under the dirt.

But back to this year's flower  - it definitely bloomed where it was planted!  Now, maybe you've heard that phrase before but my daily reminder of it for the past 4+ months has made me think of some interesting reflections on this phrase and what it means to us as children of God. 

You see, God refers to us as flowers a few times:
- In Matthew 6:28 we're told to not worry about clothing because God clothes the lillies of the field, and does so with more glory than Solomon was ever clothed in.

- Hosea 14:5 refers to Israel as blossoming like lillies if they return to God and repent.

- In Psalm 103:15 God says we flourish as flowers of the field, but once the flowers are gone, the place they once were acknowledges them no more.

What insights did my summertime window decor give me?

1)  Our flower didn't think "If I can't grow in the most beautiful garden, I'm not gonna grow at all."
How many of us Christians think we have to be going to a beautifully decorated and wonderfully managed church or have a charasmatic preacher or have to do a study by a well-known author in order to grow in God's word?  Or, how many of us fall into the trap of saying things like "Someday when this or that happens I'll do better with my daily devotions" or "If I only had this or that I could be more devoted in my walk."  When we do these things we're acting just like a brazen flower bold enough to say to God "I'm not gonna grow here!"

2)  Our flower didn't worry about its water supply, sunlight, or dirt.  It relied on us for its daily needs.
God's grace is given to us on a daily basis, on an as-needed basis.  Why do we think God should give us an advance on the grace we will receive from Him in the days ahead?  Would it have made sense for me to give the flower all it's supply of water for the summer back in the month April?  Why do we then think God should give us any more grace than what we need for getting through TODAY.  2 Corinthians 12:9 says "His grace is sufficient"...and that means sufficient for today.  This also means we need to be close to God each day to fill up on His 'dose' of grace for us.

3)  On days when sunlight was scarce our flower didn't start growing towards our indoor lighting and give up completely on sunlight.  Even though it was a cloudy and subdued-sun day, our flower knew sunlight was still best for its growth.
The only thing that will help us grow is His Light, His Son.  And we need to rely on Him even when we feel (or it may appear) that something else would be better for us, something of this world.  Like a large savings account to save us when we lose our job.  Or a TV show to make us feel like we have meaningful relationships.  Alcohol or drugs to soothe our worries.  Busyness to drown out the lonliness.  Nothing will help us except for Jesus Christ.  Nothing will fill the emptiness like Jesus Christ.  Nothing will satisfy us but Him.  He is our source of life, just as sunlight and water are life to a flower. 

Photo Credit

Just like the flowers in the field obey His command,

we should be blooming wherever HE has planted us.

 

Whatever season we are in right now,
God expects us to turn our faces toward Him,  

just as a flower turns towards the sun, 

to receive our life and strength.  

Then others around us can enjoy our beauty;

beauty that reflects the care of our Creator, 

the power of our Maker,

the faithfulness of our Sustainer.

Bloom, sister, bloom

and bring glory to your Father.

Here's my little flower holding her flower. :)

Would've Beens

I am thinking about some people this week who are mourning a family member lost in '02.  Maybe they are saying things like "He would have been this old; he would have been married by now; he maybe would have been a father by now."

Most of us have someone who we remember, either at the anniversary of their death or when their birthday rolls around, that we go through the Would've Beens with.  I have some grandparents and a father.  My mom has parents and a husband.  My cousins have a brother.  My in-laws have a son. 

Maybe you don't have someone to think about yet; you will someday.  Did you know that 100% of people on earth die?   :)

But what about ourselves?  Do we ever go through the Would've Beens with ourselves?  Like, I would've been 20 lbs lighter by now if I'd have started that weight loss program last year.  Or, the basement would've been done by now if we weren't so busy.  Or better yet, my kids would've been healthier by now if I had been more consistent with exercise and cooking healthy meals this last year.

The Would've Beens are good for reminiscing about those we've lost - it's our way to remember them and keep their memory alive.  But on the other hand, maybe the would've beens wouldn't have been because we don't know where their life path would have gone if they were still alive.   We don't know and we won't ever know because it wasn't part of God's plan.

Photo Credit

The difference between them and us is we ARE still here...we CAN still make a difference in what would have been, in what could be.  Because if we're still here, that means God has something for us to do. 

But sometimes we get stuck so much in the past and weighed down so much by our guilt of what could have been if we'd just done this or that, we can't get moving in the right direction. 

Instead, we need to focus on what COULD be, on where we can start TODAY to start on the path of where we'd like to go, of where we feel God pulling us.  Taking baby steps towards the goals and plans we make and adjusting along the way as God shows us His will.

Then, a year from now, or maybe two or three, our Would've Beens have become our realities instead of our missed opportunities. 

With God's strength, guidance, and grace we can make it happen!