Why Worry When You Can Pray?

Dwight L. Moody once said, "Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure." If I'm craving to see God at work in my life and the lives of those I love, this is where it starts... with a fervent focus on prayer.

When I was a little girl, my mother used to sing me a little chorus, and the truths of these simple words have stuck with me all these years:

Why worry when you can pray?

Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.

Don't be a doubting Thomas,

Rest fully on His promise, 

Why worry, worry, worry, worry

When you can pray?

 

The choice is mine to make: I can allow worry and fear to rule my heart, or I can rest on God's promises and have faith in His plan for my life. Lord, help me to trust You completely!

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During the month of October, bloggers from far and wide are linking up their posts on one topic for 31 Days. Check it out at The Nester's blog!

{Day 5} ~ Prayer ~ You Can Bank On It!

 

This quote by Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1882), who was known as the "Prince of Preachers," gets to the heart of faith and prayer.

The precious promises of our great God are expressly intended to be taken to Him and exchanged for the blessings which they guarantee. Prayer takes the promise to the Bank of Faith and obtains the golden blessing. Mind how you pray. Make real business of it. Let it never be a dead formality. Some people pray a long time but do not get what they are supposed to ask for because they do not plead the promise in a truthful, business–like way. If you were to go into a bank and stand an hour talking to the clerk and then come out again without your cash, what would be the good of it? If I go to a bank, I pass my check across the counter, take up my money, and go about my business. That is the best way of praying. Ask for what you want, because the Lord has promised it. Believe that you have the blessing, and go forth to your work in full assurance of it. Go from your knees singing because the promise is fulfilled. Thus will your prayer be answered. It is not the length of your prayer, but the strength of your prayer which wins with God. The strength of prayer lies in your faith in the promise which you have pleaded before the Lord.

I love the idea of exchanging the precious promises of God for the blessings which they guarantee! Take time this weekend to look up some of God's promises and claim those promises as your own. Here are a few promises to get you started: Matthew 11:28-29, Romans 8:37-38, John 14:27, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:6.

 

(During the month of October, bloggers from far and wide are linking up their posts on one topic for 31 Days. Check it out at The Nester's blog!)

 

31 Days to a Powerful Prayer Life ~ Welcome!

As long as man has walked on the face of the earth, a wireless connection has existed. This connection is infinitely faster and more powerful than any computer or smart phone. And it’s available to all – from the most despicable drunk lying in the gutter to the wealthiest oil sheik with money dripping from his fingertips.

Prayer.

So why don’t we use this powerful connection more often? The God of the universe invites us to “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things which you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3) And yet we stay silent. We worry. We fret. We try to fix things on our own. (Or at least I do!)

Prayer is a subject close to my heart this year. The word “pray” is the one word I chose to focus on in the year 2013. So when I decided to take the 31 Day Blogging Challenge again this year, prayer was a topic that rose to the top of my list. Not because I'm an expert. Or a prayer warrior. But because I want to be. I crave a more powerful connection with my Father, and He desires this for me as well.

So I hope you'll join me on this journey. I definitely don't have all the answers, but I'm going to dig deep into this vital subject of prayer and share what I discover with you. I hope you'll visit this page often for a link to each day's post! Thanks for reading!

Day 1 - Prayer: What's It All About?

Day 2  - Just a Prayer Away

Day 3 - Prayer, The Greater Work

Day 4 - How to Stop Making Your Grocery List When You Should Be Praying

Day 5 - Prayer: You Can Bank On It!

Day 6 - DIY Prayer Book

Day 7 - Why Worry When You Can Pray?

Day 8 - When There Are No Words

Day 9 - Disturb Us, Lord

Day 10 - Apron Prayers

Day 11 - Something to Think About

Day 12 - Prayer is the Key

Day 13 - Sunday Links

Day 14 -  Why Your Soul Needs Silence

Day 15 - Pray by Sanctus Real

Day 16 - Captivate Me: A Prayer

Day 17- Christians, Remember This

Day 18 - 31 Day Links

Day 19 - All Is Grace

Day 20 - Congratulations! You Have an All Access Pass!

Day 21 - On My Knees

Day 22 - He Is Praying for You

Day 23 - An Incredible Inheritance

Day 24 - Prayer for a Confident Heart

Day 25 - C. S. Lewis on Prayer

Days 26 & 27 - Weekend Links

Day 28 - One Prayer Can Make a Difference

Day 29 - Needing Direction?

Day 30 - Examining Our Doubts

Day 31 - Wrapping It Up
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During the month of October, bloggers from far and wide are linking up their posts on one topic for 31 Days. Check it out at The Nester's blog!

 

One Little Word = Big Impact!

Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page... Take no interest in the things that were and are past.  ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Last year, we started a new tradition at our house in honor of the New Year. Instead of making resolutions, we each chose a word to focus on during the year. 

This year as we gathered at the table on New Year's Day, I realized that this tradition had quickly become one of my favorites. I handed each member of our family an index card, and we all bent into our cards, writing our soon-to-be-revealed word and a scripture to accompany it.

Then, one by one, we revealed our words. It's a vulnerable moment, sort of like baring your soul and trusting that those hearing your word will "get it" and be supportive. Because that's what family does.

And that's exactly what happened.

Some of the words were simple and others were a bit more complicated and needed some explanation. We all sat and listened and supported one another as we each shared our thoughts about our word.

Did I mention this is one of my favorite traditions? Maybe, just maybe, it IS my favorite.

My word for the year is a simple one, yet so very profound: PRAY.

To me, this is the word that helps me make sense of life. But I don't pray nearly as much as I should. But this year, God willing, I intend to become a woman of prayer!

Dwight L. Moody once said, "Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure." If I'm craving to see God at work in my life and the lives of those I love, this is where it starts... with a fervent focus on prayer.

When I was a little girl, my mother used to sing me a little chorus, and the truths of these simple words have stuck with me all these years:

Why worry when you can pray?

Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.

Don't be a doubting Thomas,

Rest fully on His promise, 

Why worry, worry, worry, worry

When you can pray?

Can one little word really change a life? I'm willing to find out! Are you? There's still time to choose your word!