I came across healing prayer at a women's retreat several years ago. It was the first time I really encountered God. Me and God. Not something that was revealed through bible study or through another person but through prayer. A vision.

Prayer is the communication language with God, though the Spirit will intercede for us where words fail. Prayer is powerful and integral in relationship. It heals and restores and cultivates faith. It is an intimate practice of all who take part, in private or community, with the Creator. There are so many ways to commune with God. Prayers are memorized and recited. Scriptures are prayed. Our petitions and joy and grief come to life off our tongues. And each has its own time and place to orchestrate and play its melody.

This healing prayer is my "go to" prayer when something is bothering me or there is an issue that is reoccurring. It never ceases to amaze me the way God reveals himself through it and the beauty and restoration that emerges out of it. I tried to Google the prayer to find its origins but I was at a loss for who wrote it, so this is what I took away from the retreat and how God has revealed it to me.

I have heard of people being healed physical and emotionally from it. From molestation to marriage issues to not feeling worthy or accepted to undiagnosed bleeding. If there is a feeling or a deep rooted issue that you would healed, this is it. I have lead others through this without a feeling in mind or asking for healing for myself and God showed me something that was lingering and healed it, too. That is the kind of God we serve, who knows us better than we know our own infinite selves, who knew us before we were born.

Here are the steps to walk you through the prayer.
Make sure you have enough time to go through this and are free from distractions / interruptions, asking the Spirit to lead.

If you are facilitating, you can have the person or group raise a hand as they go through each question to signal they are finished or say done. A question can be talked through if you are going through it with someone to get clarity if something comes up before moving on to the next step, as long as they are okay with sharing. This is a very intimate time of prayer.

I like to start by praying verses to clear and focus my mind on God, decluttering thoughts, such as: 

Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ - 1 Corinthians 10:5

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Each question is being asked to God. You have to quiet yourself to hear the response. I promise he will answer (Jeremiah 33:3).

1. Is there anyone I need to forgive? Is there sin I need to repent of? 

           If a name comes to mind to forgive, write it down and pray how to reconcile, do so in your                  heart now. If you need to repent, do so now. This is crucial in the process to be reconciled to               God and others. 

2. What is the emotion am I feeling?         If you do not know what exactly is ailing you, ask God to reveal the words or issue at hand.

3. When was the first time I felt this?         A memory of the first time you felt whatever emotion / situation will be revealed to you. (i.e. the           first time you were angry, lied to, etc.)

4. What is the lie?        A lie is buried beneath the feelings that you have believed, whether known or unknown. 

5. What is the truth?
      The truth will be revealed. This is where the healing takes place, whatever God has in store for           you. It may be a truth through scripture or other means.

Here is a simple 5x7 printout if you would like to have it handy as you go through it. Click to print.

Praying you have eyes to see and ears to hear. Praying you can see through the eyes in to the Spirit and not focus on what the world sees, for the world has missed Him. Praying that both eyes would be focused on the Spirit to see the things of God, for one cannot focus each eye on different things at once, lest your eyes grow cross and seeing becomes unbearable.

Praying you would receive healing from the Lord as you seek him and that you would hear his heart for you, as you enter in to forgiveness and repentance. Praying you would be healed and show others the way.

Here's to healing and renewing. 

After talking about how we need rain in California with Penny the other day, she stopped and said we needed to pray for some. So she said a little prayer. Immediately following it, she asked if she could put on her jacket because it was going to rain. I explained answers to prayer do not always happen right away.

So we waited. The sky grew cloudy but no drops came. Another day came and went and we waited some more. She knew the rain was coming and was a little apprehensive about going outside without a jacket - in California - in July - in a drought but that did not deter her. She knew God would answer.

The next morning, clouds came and little drops fell along on the ground. We rushed outside, thanking God for answered prayers. It wasn't long enough for puddles but just enough to to water our little wildflowers and remember God hears even the littlest of prayers and allowing us to worship him in his splendor and faithfulness to reveal himself to this mama and four year old.

Forever by Chris Tomlin fits here for some worship of God's faithfulness. Have a listen.

Forever, God is faithful
Forever, God is strong
Forever, God is with us
Forever, forever

Answered prayers are little nuggets that remind us that the God of the universe hears us and knows us and cares about us. They are building blocks of the faith and in our relationship with him. Not every prayer ends in a yes or the way we hoped but it still is answered and are reminders for when the mountain tops level out to valleys that he is God and he is good, even if we do not understand the circumstance. 

Having a note book or journal dedicated to prayer is a great way to keep track of God's faithfulness and seeing his provision in your life. Often, we ask God for things and then forget what we asked as the days pass, even when he does answer them. Keeping a written record of your prayers helps you to remember what you are asking God for and allows you to give him the glory when they are answered and worship him. It becomes part of your faith and testimony.  

I came across Integrity Graphics  a few years back, a shop that specializes in prayer journals and the like, and my mama surprised me with one for my birthday that year. These journals make it easy to see the prayer request and the answer all in the same spot but any journal or paper work, too. I write prayers all over my journal, as well, although they tend to get buried and are harder to go back to.

Praying that if you have never written down a prayer request that you would put your pen to the paper and watch God in action. Praying that your prayer life would grow and that it would become an integral part of your day. Praying that as you become more intentional in your requests that you would see the power in prayer and in the name of Jesus.

Praying that despite the fact our feeble minds cannot fathom the way God works or answers our petitions, that you would trust him with them and that you would come to know him more intimately because of them.

Here's to more prayers and more answers. 

_______________________________________________________________________

And if you'd like to find out more how you can help me fund the Allume ticket, click below. 

Lemon is typically a flavor that you either love or cannot stand. For me, it is one of my favorite flavors  and its yellow rind has worked its way in to my favorite color category over the past few years because of its fun demeanor.

A sweet friend with a lemon tree brings them by for me when they are in season and the possibilities become endless. Lemon bars. Lemon meringue pie. Lemonade. A little lemon slice to perk up ice water - it's like a little burst of sunshine in a cup. 

The old adage, when life gives you lemons, seems appropriate to add here. It tends to have a negative connotation to it. Like lemons are a bad thing. Oh man, you got lemons again? Guess you better make some lemonade. It states things are not going as planned. There is a pot hole in the road or a detour or broken bridge ahead. And you now, you are forced in to juicing some lemons. You have an unplanned interruption and encouraged to make something out of the bad and ugly and unwanted in to something desirable and sweet and quenching. You have a choice - to keep the lemons as they are or make something with them.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

God is always working out the best for those who love him. He is always providing a way out and a solid foundation to stand, you just have to see it. He is working out the suffering for his good.

Homemade lemonade is a favorite beverage in our home. The key to making it perfect is melting the sugar in a pot of boiling water, eliminating any floating sugar particles, and then mixing it all together with the rest of the water and lemon juice, making sure not to add too much sugar as to over sweeten but just enough to still have a little kick. Just enough sweetness to accompany the sour.

Life is like that. You need just enough sweetness to accompany the sourness that comes your way. Smiles to overshadow the frowns. Compliments to overcome the putdowns. Surprises to outweigh the let downs. And for God to provide the sugar. 

This is where prayer comes in and resources. Prayer asking God to open your eyes to see the sugar through the situation. Through the illness or lay off or temper tantrum or traffic or foreclosure. Through the surgery or therapy. And to see the resources around you. The little grains of sugar and the overflowing spring of water.

Praying that whatever seems like lemons would be made into another testimony of God's faithfulness. Praying that your interruptions and detours would be seen as opportunities. That you would see God's favor resting on you throughout the situation in ways only he can work. Praying that you would see God's provision and resources around you and that you would have the wisdom to use them in accordance with his will.

Praying that you would drink in the goodness of God's promises, knowing that everything works together for those who are called according to his purposes.

Here's to lemons and prayers.  

Praying out loud was always awkward for me, even with my husband, and I did not want to budge at first. I was quite content praying by myself. What if I said the wrong thing or it sounded weird? What exactly should I pray for? In-my-head-prayers were easier and I liked it that way but my husband did not. And I had to give in and try it. And then I had to pray out loud each Thursday as an Awana director. The more I prayed out loud, the easier it got and I was able to trust God to guide my prayers. You can semi-prepare for what you think you are going to say but I find when you are praying for someone specifically, the holy spirit takes over and your words are not yours but you have to be willing to speak to be used.

Praying for others is a huge blessing for both parties involved. I am still working on praying for someone the moment they ask for prayer, as opposed to the I will be praying for you this week. Praying in the moment is powerful. I do not know of a place in the bible where Jesus says, "sure, I will pray for you this week." He prayed in the moment. He prayed with power and authority. His prayers were answered.

When you get over yourself and your own insecurities and pray in the moment for someone, you allow God to take control and pour blessings over others who are hurting or need help and over yourself. You allow God to use you to comfort and speak peace and truth and life in to his child. Prayer goes beyond our own infinite minds to the God of the universe. 

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5: 13-16

Scripture tells us to pray for each other and that God will be there among us (Matt 18:20).  Prayer heals. Prayer changes lives. Rejoice with one another when prayers have been answered and pray for needs to be met. When you are praying for someone you do not need to be afraid of whether or not the prayer will be answered. That is not up to you to decide. Yes, you are to have faith (mark 11:24) but God is the one who knows what is best for the situation and works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

I pray that you would be bold in your spirit and listen to God's leading this week as you go about your day. I pray that he would give you opportunity to pray for someone and that you would not worry about words to say or awkwardness but that you would be confident in the Lord and his power, not your own.

I pray that you would witness a renewing of your mind and revival of your prayer life. That you would not be worried about words to speak or the offering to pray but that you would seek out opportunities to intercede for others who are not expecting it. That it would be commonplace to pray for those around you.

Here's to praying and interceding for others. And here's to lives being changed through them.

Prayer was always a personal thing for me. Despite not going to church or really knowing God, I knew he was around and listening. Occasionally, I prayed before bed but always before meals, after all I wanted my food to be blessed.

When I came to know Christ, praying became second nature for me. Praying as I poured coffee and studied for finals. Praying as I drove and hung out with friends. Praying as I read the bible. Praying, just me and God was great, but praying out loud was another story, perhaps for another time.  

Over the past few years, I have come to understand how powerful prayer is, how often I take it for granted and how much I have brushed it off in the past. It has been truly eye opening and I know there is still so much to learn. 

Pray without ceasing.  1 Thessalonians 5:17

The basis of this verse is a daily conversation. Prayer is communication. It is an ongoing conversation from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. It is a relationship. It is trust and love. It is comfort. Prayer is a lifeline in daily battles.

God does not want you kneeling down for hours on end with your hands folded and head bowed - although there is a time for that. Some of the best prayers happen when you are driving through rush hour traffic and picking up kiddos from school. When you are in line at grocery store or sitting at your desk at work. God is always there. Always ready to hear what you have to say, even though he knows every thought before it is ever spoken (Psalm 139:4).

Prayer allows you to keep God in the context of every situation you encounter. Thanking him for the good things, even if you have to look hard to find them and asking for help in the difficult situations, along with those random thoughts about how good an ice cream sundae sounds right about now. God loves you and wants a relationship with you.

When you are getting to know someone, you have to spend time with them to start a relationship and speak to them. The same is true about God. He wants alone time with you in his word. In quiet time. In corporate worship. And communicating through prayer.

I pray that if you have never prayed, that you would try it and see how perfectly it fits in to your day amongst the daily grind. I pray that you would not be intimidated or focus on the "how to" but rather speaking honestly and in truth.

I pray that you would have candid conversations and give thanks regularly. I pray that prayer would become so woven in to your day that you would be lost without them. I pray that your faith grows as you start to trust God with the most sacred parts of your life and that you would see how he has pieced everything together for your good (Romans 8:28).

Here's to praying and getting to know God. Here's to the best listener ever. 

And if you ever need prayer, please do not hesitate to ask.

A few years ago a local church decided to close its doors for just one Sunday. The reason? For the church to be the church. To be living out the great commission. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. It was a controversial topic for those that heard of it, even more so for those who attended. How could the church just close? No corporate worship? No fellowship? Of course, it is a great idea. People are out in the community changing lives with their presence all in the name of Jesus. But isn't that what you are doing six other days of the week? I completely agree with both sides of the debate, which leads me to this verse. 

I desire mercy, not sacrifice. Hosea 6:6

This verse has been tumbling around in my head the past month. What does it mean? What does it look like lived out? Jesus quotes this several times in Matthew, words that were first spoken by God to Hosea during a time when the Israelites had turned from God, once again. 

God wants mercy NOT sacrifice. He wants to see love over religion. He wants to see actions from a changed heart, not routine worship. He wants to see forgiveness lived out, not idle words. 

When you accept Jesus as your Savior you start learning new things, the lingo and the bible stories to go with it. You get a little more grounded in the teachings. You learn the ins and outs. The church becomes a familiar place with familiar people and worship can become commonplace. 

The Pharisees had religion down to a T, yet they did not have the heart for it. They looked down on others. Judged them. Lifted themselves above them. Had distinguished clothes. Prayed louder and longer. But their hearts were the furthest from God. And their actions? They lead people away from God.  

They lead people away from God. The people who are suppose to be set apart to lead others and teach them about the God of the universe, where actually keeping others from wanting to know him.

I pray that if you have professed your need for Jesus and have been changed by his grace, that you would not be merely offering sacrifices - offerings of monetary donations or time -  but that you would show mercy to others. I pray that if you have been praying for change that you would allow God to truly change you and allow you to give mercy in abundance.

I pray that you would give mercy to the mama whose child is being rambunctious. To the car who just cut you off on the freeway. To the co-worker who keeps giving you work to finish. I pray that you would have eyes to see and ears to hear and mercy to give. 

I pray that you would not be so caught up in growing and healthy Christian living that you lose your focus of God. I pray that you would be aware of the lives he wants you to touch. The relationships he wants to bless you with. The peace he wants to give to you to pass on to others. The gifts he wants to reveal to you to use for his glory. 

Here's to mercy over sacrifice. 

I have posted before about being obedient. It is something that God keeps challenging me with lately. It is not easy. Just like it is not easy for my three year old to keep her play kitchen cups empty of water, along with the rest of her kitchen set and the floor and any bowl in the vicinity.

Pure obedience. I have been searching for what this looks like in my life personally, so naturally I looked up the definition in my bible's concordance for further study.

Obedience: submissiveness to authority; following orders.

It is about following what God has to say through the bible. Obedience and listening go hand in hand. Without listening you will not know what you need to obey and if you hear what God has said, you should then obey.

Hearing God through the chaos and distractions can be tough. This is another topic on itself. I highly recommend the book Hearing God by Dallas Willard. It is sure to change the way you listen.

We are called to not to be merely hearing but doing what it says (James 1:22). Your stomach may be in knots and sweat may be collecting. Being obedient takes courage and bravery and trust in God in what he has asked you to do and for him to follow through.

For me this week, it looked like writing about this. For the past few months, it has been sharing my writing in general. It may seem silly to you but it is not easy for me. Being obedient refines you. It takes you out of yourself and in to God's plans and works for you. It makes you do things that seem crazy to others and possibly yourself. It keeps you relying on God to pull through on the plan he has.

The bible has a lot to say about obedience, with numerous accounts to back it up. From Abraham to Moses to David and Solomon. Their lives all demonstrated it. But what does this look like in the 21st century in your life? I pray that you would seek God for guidance and open your heart to his words. Search the bible and be in prayer.

I pray that if God has asked you to do something already that you would take the first step toward whatever it may be. Fill out the application. Make the call. Say the words that silence has filled. Do something. Whatever your something is. Whatever God has called you to do.

You will be blessed by it because God's word does not return void.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

God does not ask us to do things that will hurt others or ourselves but those that help them and glorify him.

Here's to tuning in to the still small voice of God and being obedient to his calling. And more prayers to help you answer the calling towards obedience. Here's to opening your eyes and heart to God's guidance. 

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4

I am really not one to forward emails (if you knew me back in high school that was a different story, ha) but I found this particular one to be quirky and fun with an obviously great message. Special thanks to my aunt for the forward. So this is me passing it on without it being sent to your inbox. To make that clear, I did not write this although I would like to be clever enough to be the one who did.  I love the bible acronym.

RECALL NOTICE:

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been identified as "Subsequential Internal Non-morality," more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect. The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required. The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.

Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (BEST Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list, and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention!

- GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'!

Because HE Lives!

Even the most minute answered prayers make me smile. God must be a humorous one, after all He instilled it in us and we are modeled after Him. For me, prayer can be like a phone call to my mom, all the spur of the moment thoughts included.  Naturally, the bible tells us to pray without ceasing. I try and probably get a little too close at times. Then Ecclesiastes 5:2 pops in with “don't be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few” (NIV). It seems to be a tug of war between the two for me. Thankfully, God takes me as I am, words and all.

Last night, dinner inspiration was at a low but I needed something, so I started flipping through the cookbook from my latest library adventure; I am trying to broaden my cooking skills and dress up our usual dinner menu. Two weeks ago Nugget had eggplants on sale and without really knowing if I liked them or how to cook them, the first eggplant entered my kitchen. Thank you Google for the awesome eggplant parmesan recipe. As it turns out, I do like eggplant but I digress.

As I turned the pages of the book, I said a little prayer for God to direct me to a recipe Ricardo would enjoy. I stumbled upon grilled cheese Panini style, an old favorite of ours and it was decided. Of course, grilled bell peppers and chipotle mayonnaise would be added, as well. Immediately after I decided this, the phone rang and Ricardo told me we should have grilled cheese for dinner. It made me laugh.

I LOVE how God works. I know this is not some miraculous healing or life changing occurrence but it is God hearing little ol me and answering my little prayers. He does have an awesome track record for doing so. There really is nothing like the little things in life that make me smile. Thank you God for being so faithful.