Draw the Circle - Introduction

An Experiment in Praying Circles around our Fears and Dreams

"Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself.  There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within that chalk circle." - Rodney "Gypsy" Smith

Welcome to Draw the Circle - The Vine's 40 Day Prayer Challenge.  As I start this forty (one) day prayer challenge with you, I've come to the conclusion that i don't want this space to be a regurgitation of the devotional we are reading together.  Mark Batterson, the writer of Draw the Circle, does an excellent job of telling the story and weaving in the miraculous - and it's apparent to me that I would be foolish to try to duplicate his work or improve upon it.

Instead, I want to use this space to share my doubts, my wrestlings, my breakthroughs and (hopefully) victories - in the small hope that it will inspire you to do the same.  And that we would find encouragement in one another's losses and victories.  Honesty and authenticity - in a public forum.

But being honest and transparent is also scary.  To be honest, I don't have Mark Batterson's faith. I think too much causing too many doubts. His history and life experiences are not mine.  I read his stuff and go "yea, but . . ."  

So my first thought is - it's gonna take all forty days.  Not because I don't believe in prayer and the power of prayer and a God who answers - I do believe (help my unbelief!).  But that I've always come from a place that says, God has already given me all that I need in the person on Jesus Christ - how could I ever ask for more?  One of my life theme songs is "You Don't Owe Me Nothing" by Steve Taylor (oh yeah - dating myself).  I have an allergic reaction to the prosperity gospel and ST was speaking to this.

Even as I was reading the introduction to the devotional, I started having doubts.  Mark's making some pretty outlandish statements about prayer and God's readiness to answer that have me thinking what have I gotten myself and my church into!?!

My great fear in this exercise is that i would discourage you - you've put me on a pedestal that I have no business being on and are flummoxed by my climbing down from it and baring my soul.  Let's not go there!

But my greatest hope is the opposite - that we are encouraged together to grow our faith and our prayer lives in whatever measure we can.  Shared successes should bolster us all.

So my first prayer is simply to be open and to begin to ask God for the "big stuff" that would bless my family and The Vine.  This is an experiment.   That's what we say the Vine is about - trying new things until we find the sweet spot.

I want to be someone who prays regularly and fervently- to see God work beyond my wildest dreams and visions.  Let's see that happen together.

Now where did I put that chalk . . . .