Drawing the Circle - Day 7 - Put on Waders

"And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs." - Mark 16:20

Pray then act.  I know I often wait for God to act.

So often my motto is "ready - aim, ready - aim, ready - aim . . ."

So as I increase my prayer life with regularity and audacity I also need to move into the prayers I am praying.  Like the priests ready to cross the Jordan River before entering the Promised Land, I need to put a foot in the water before if parts.  

Yesterday Mike and I circled Emmorton Elementary seven (actually eight) times.  We didn't get any stares until we started laying hands on and praying over every door (cargo included) that led into or out of the building. :)  We weren't praying for a building - but for every person - Viner, teacher, student, administrator, custodian who sets foot in this space.  We knocked down walls, asked for angel armies, asked for blessing - asked that this school would become a hub of spiritual awakening for it's entire footprint. . . .  

It starts with us.

Today, we come back together to bolster one another's faith.  Miracles, signs and wonders.  That require us to speak out and act in faith.  Let's get foolish and physical together.  Let's step into the glorious unknown.

Drawing the Circle - Day 6 - Shameless Audacity

". . . yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need." - Luke 11:8

God won't answer 100% of the prayers we don't pray.

We're getting into some God math here. If there is no ask - there can be no answer - simple enough.

What prayers have not been prayed in my life?

What prayers were less than audacious?

Which really is foolish.  Why not ask for it all?  Scripture says the cattle on a thousand hills are God's.

We love and serve and follow a God who was and is big enough to create the entire universe.  This about says it all - a God who is big enough to do all that and I pray wimpy prayers.

Honestly - it's not that I doubt God - but that I doubt myself.

Sometimes I doubt that I am praying for the right thing.  And if not, then God's answer is "no."

And if I happen to pray this request publicly and God says "no" (or more like I hear no answer), well, then I will look foolish.

And raise your hand if you like to look foolish?  Anyone?

So, embarrassed, I am concerned about my reputation.

ugh.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

double ugh.

I've got to do better.

I've got to be persistent in prayer and audacious in prayer.

I've got to align my prayers with a God who wants to shine His creative goodness on our world.

And I've got to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.

Let's encourage one another in our faith.

I have big audacious dreams for the Vine.  Stuff that is so far beyond us and our own abilities.  It's time to pray.

Draw the Circle - Day 5 - Write It Down

"Write down the revelation" - Habakkuk 2:2

Have you ever tried writing out your prayers?  I have had seasons where I wrote out my prayers.  It did help me slow down and focus.  But it was hard for me to sustain.  I could never settle on a structure, and if I did, I got bored with it.  I've got boxes filled with half-finished journals that I'm not proud of.

Then again - at least they are half-filled.  Better than empty journals!

I also discovered that my prayer journals tended to focus too much on me. As much as I tried, I kept returning to my sins and struggles and this got old.

Digital technology has also conspired against me.  I have atrocious hand-writing and can type faster than I can write, but powering up my laptop and typing doesn't seem right for someone who grew up on analog paper and pencils.

So I hope you get farther than me.  Some of you are wired for detail and structure.  I'm wired for big picture and improv.  So I am committing to journaling - but I also am going to search for methods that let me stay creative - that let me mix things up and that have me praying more for others .  (There's a place for navel gazing prayer but too much is unhealthy.)  Maybe technology based - maybe not.  I do know I want it to be portable and accessible quickly.

I like the idea of Kimberly's prayer map - I am visual and at some level a non-linear thinker so having a map upon which I can take different prayer paths might be a way for me to stay tuned in.  I'm going to have to experiment with that.

How about you?  What are some things you do to keep your prayer life fresh and regular and sustained over the long haul?

(stay safe everyone - that's a prayer)