I covet your prayers (but not in the way you think)
At Bible Study on Wednesday, Randall asked if someone wanted to close in prayer. No takers. And since my head was all muddled and my "m"s and "b"s where interchangeable at that point, I didn't volunteer either. So Randall prayed. And as soon as he got the first sentence out, I thought, "man that guy can pray". Nothing fancy. Really very simple. Just laying everything that's going on out before God.
So last night I told Marc that I "covet Randall's prayers", meaning I'm totally jealous of the way he prays. I don't know how he does it. I fall asleep when I pray. My mind is instantly distracted. I know this is a learned process, but I have a feeling that men are (or could be) better pray-ers because they don't have that "problem" of being able to multi-task and can shut their brains off to focus on just one thing easier than women.
I find that I can pray easier and definitely get more out of Bible reading when I do these things audibly, but I still find it difficult to both of these things by myself (in a group, I do infinitely better). I know the answer is not reading Foster's book on "Prayer" (which I really want to read and will read), but rather just sitting down and praying, etc. But I seem to be so bad at it and it seems so unfruitful that I get frustrated. So... any advice?
posted by Dixie Vandersluys @ 9:58 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Nah. Uni-tasking makes no difference. The mind still wanders.
I've been telling myself to just do it, rather than waiting for some magic formula. That's easier said than done.
Crap, talk about pressure now!
Next time I pray I'll be all "ummm, and just bless... and aunt betty ...an, an, an"
I'm sure of it.
I'm not sure what to encourage... maybe, try praying with your eyes opened, and pray out loud. And so you see the kids mess and it distracts you, so you start praying for the kids a bit, etc. and keep on.
And practice waiting. Waiting on God. Some call this listening, and that's good too. But try not saying a thing in your prayer time, just listen.
Mind wonders, bring it back, be still. Walk and listen. If it's just not working, tell him all your stuff, all of it. take time to do it all, then shut it, and listen.
Somewhere, and I'm not to sure when or where, prayer changed for me. I'm not just talkin to myself anymore. And I know that, not just in my brain, but in my heart.
Probably was around the time I realized I needed more of God in me than I had to date. I started asking everybody who would, to pray for me. Not before bed, but right there and then.
That really helped.
Sorry, that's all I got.
But I'll pray for you tonight.
Dixie,
Have you ever read the book Every Child needs a Praying Mom by Fern Nichols. She has some great insights about prayer as a Mom.
I hear you, Dixie. I know exactly what you mean.
Not to put pressure on Randall, but he prays like a guy that knows God. He has spent time with God so they are intimate friends. And you can tell he is sensitive to God's spirit.
Your mind doesn't wander when you are talking face to face with a friend - at least not much. If you are just thinking about a friend, your mind will follow all sorts of related paths. Which is not always bad but you wouldn't want your face to face conversation to be like that because your friend would soon realize that you were actually off somewhere else in your mind.
I think my best conversations with God are when I'm walking. The physical activity helps me concentrate and also seems to help me express myself.
I guess my advice would be - seek God, let him know how much you want to know him and be known by him. And learn to listen.
I think your "coveting" Randall's prayers is one way God is growing your own desire to know him more. You will have your own unique style of verbal prayers - your voice is going to be different. So it is not a style to be copied, or a formula to plug your requests into. It will be you and God talking and it will be good.
Pray the bible. Start with Psalms. 23,31,51,84,103,139 R a few of my favourites, plus a whole bunch more in between.
Pray it out loud. When U do U involve 3 out of 5 major senses. Harder 2 become distracted. Get a book called "The Book of Prayers" by Wes & Stacey Campbell. I did. Changed my prayer life and my ministry. If U ever trusted me on anything, trust me on this.
Luv B
hi gust wanted to say you have a nice family also I had a ? to ask
your name is dixie was your maden name dixie may wear by chance or do you know any body with that name she is my mother and I am really wanting to find her
if you are or arn't or family can you email me eather way thanks courtney cork20012001@hotmail.com
courtney dawn wear was my birth name
by the grace of god he helped me find my first mom 2 years ago so my search is now over.
I have a huge family and love every bite of it as my family tells me that my grandma died at peace knowing that her son and grand daughter reunited before she met the wonderful god even though it was one of the hardest things that I had to deal with on my long time search I feel really thankful that god help me in my search.
and that I had the time that I did with my grandma before she passed.
so I just wanted to let you all know that my search is done my mom is wonderful and my dad is pretty cool even though I was taken out of their life I was still in their life's in spirit I wasn't a secret their kids new about me and my photo hung on my dads wall my mom and they all looked for me but do to being adopted and having my middle name changed they couldn't find me thanks to a wonderful woman called a search angel she helped me were I kept hitting dead ends she will for ever be in my heart for all that she has done from feeling that I had no one to having so much family that it is hard to keep up I love my husband for all his support and his mother and his grandma that passed shortly before I found them and some cousins and aunts on my adopted side my adopted parents in away even though they didn't really want me to find them but under standing my need to find them even though it took years for me to get every thing that I do from them and being lied to for so many years about what they new and didn't know I am glad that I never gave up on faith and hope that I would find them some day I am just thankful for every thing that god has put back into my life.
so I just thought I would write and let every one that has read my post that if you dream and pray for some thing that if it is in your journey that god has set for you and he thinks that it will help you heal he will help you in your journey and will show is ever dieing love for you by hearing your words it may not happen when you want it but don't give up It took me 27 years of my life to really have this happen but it happend and I am so very thankful
so any ways thanks for any one that prayed for me 7/28/08
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