Are you thankful for your children?

Well, are you?

Of course most moms will answer yes without even thinking about it, but I want you to actually take a moment and really think about it. When was the last time you told them you were thankful for them? When was the last time that you thanked God for them?

At Bible study a couple of weeks ago, we learned a bit about thankfulness - and I am so thankful! Our fabulous leader posed the question "what does thankfulness look like in your prayers?" and I must admit, I came up lacking in one strong area. You see, I thank God for being God all of the time. I thank Him for my salvation and for my amazing husband... but to be honest, I don't spend a lot of time thanking him for my children.

I really am thankful for the 4 little blessings that God has bestowed upon me, just as I'm sure you really are thankful for yours. I just don't seem to express that thankfulness very often. Our Bible study leader suggested that this is because we are pickers. We tend to pick at people and their shortcomings, rather then spend time cultivating our attitude of gratitude - and she's right (well, at least about me). One of my dear friends and sister in Christ said that we should "pick a little, praise a lot", and I really liked that. Do you think that my anger issues that I spoke about earlier this week could stem from a lack of thankfulness? I do.

So today, my goal is to praise God for my children more than I work on improving them. Every time I catch them being bad, or need to teach them how to do something right, my goal is to also to take a moment to thank God for bringing them into my life and for continuing to shape them into the people that He plans for them to be. Will you join me?

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 

~ Colossians 4:2

Anger Management

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. 

~Proverbs 29:11

Would you still follow my blog if I told you that I had an anger problem? 

Well, I do. 

It's not that I get angry about silly little things, but sometimes (okay, daily) my children push me over my limit, and like a fool, I give full vent to my anger - and that's a problem. I know it's a problem, but it still happens (that's kind of why it's a problem... right?).

God has really been using Proverbs 29:11 to convict me about this. I shouldn't give full vent to my anger. There are MUCH better ways to handle myself, why does anger seem to be my default setting? 

While some people believe that if you have habitual sin in your life you can't possibly be truly saved, I don't believe that. I believe that God is working in me, and will continue His good work until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). I believe that even though I am a Christian, and want to do good, that there is still sin living in me, just as Paul confessed in Romans 7. 

You see, becoming a Christian doesn't make us instantly perfect. Yes, God is working in me. I'm completely different then I was 4 years ago when I started growing in Him - and I do mean COMPLETELY different. But I still struggle with sin. My biggest struggle is self discipline, and anger management is part of that - probably the biggest part of that... 

And of course, that leaves me extremely thankful for the Gospel. I'm thankful that even though I'm a sinner, I'm saved by grace. I'm thankful that I don't have to master my anger in order to be accepted in Heaven. Yes, I want to master it, but it isn't a requirement, and I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that God knows my heart, and doesn't judge me just by my outbursts of rage. I'm thankful that the blood of Christ covers all of my sins.

Do you struggle with anger? 

If so, here's another Christian article that you might find helpful: 

Why do I get so angry and what does God think?

Mr. Monday: Spring Break!!!

When you read this Mr. Amazing, myself, our four children, and our dog will all be crammed into our minivan on our way to visit the best in-laws in the world. :D By the time we arrive at our cherished destination that is a good 12 hours away, we will be stiff, sore, and probably a little cranky - but I can't wait!

Even in 12 hour car rides can be stressful (and make me a little car sick) I love them. I love sitting beside my husband with nothing better to do than talk to him. To sit there with my hand in his and the open road before us is one of my favorite times in the world. You see, we live very busy lives, so even though we spend time together every day, it's not the same as the uninterrupted, nothing else to do time that we get on these trips. Last fall when we went to Iowa to see my family, we missed out on that. We were helping a friend move as well, so we took two vehicles. He drove his 4Runner and I drove the van. She took turns riding with each of us, and even drove the van a bit so that I could ride with him for a bit, but it wasn't the same. Even when I was with him we were focused on the fact that our kids were in the van in front of us, and talking about where we were going to stop or switch back, or just a million different things. It wasn't nearly as relaxed of a time as it is when we are traveling alone together. (Please don't get me wrong, I'm very happy that we were able to help our friend move and would do it again in a heart beat. I got to spend some great quality time with her that I hadn't for a while - I just missed the quality time with Mr. Amazing.)

So, pray for us! We should arrive in Texas shortly after supper time tonight... or maybe shortly after bedtime depending on the number of stops that we make.

Ooo! One of our traditional stops is Dorthy's house in Kansas :) We always take pictures of our little munchkins in the land of Oz! Check them out (they are so cute!):

2009

2008

Oh my! Can you believe that we haven't been there since 2009?! Craziness I tell you! Going to Texas use to be an annual thing... I'm thinking that we might have went in 2010, but I forgot my camera... Not sure though. I know we didn't make it last year. :(

Rest

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. 

~  Genesis 2:3

It's been a busy year so far! It just seems like getting caught up has been hard to do. But I've done it, and with no time to spare. We leave for our vacation on Monday morning. I am looking forward to it so much. After all of the work that I've done, it's nice to know that I will have a week and a half to rejuvenate my soul. We will be spending an entire week in Texas with my wonderful in-laws. Texas has always been a place that I have loved - even though I was never actually able to go there until after I married my husband who is from Texas. But since that time, it has grown even more dear to my heart, partly because of the wonderful people that I see when I'm there, and partly because I find it so serene. The old country song "God Blessed Texas" leaps to mind. It's like my special place where I can go and rest in God and enjoy the blessings that He has given me. 

Source

Do you have a place like that? Some place that just calls your name and enables you to breath a little deeper and seek God's face like nowhere else on earth? Just thinking about Texas makes me breath deeper and smile. The thought of enjoying the sunshine, my family, and God's Word. And the knowledge that for the time I'm there, nothing will be expected of me. I will truly be at rest. No work to do, no deadlines to meet. Just me, my God and my family. I can't imagine anything better than that. Sure, I will do some reading, and probably some writing while I'm there, or maybe I won't. Who knows? It doesn't matter. Nothing will be required, and I love that! I will be free from the demands of this world. Yes, I will still be a mom with four children, but I will have my husband and my in-laws by my side, and that takes off some of the pressure and demands. I won't have to do any chores - but I might do some just to be helpful. It's just being free to be me and follow the desires of my heart for week, that's something to look forward to. 

 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

~ Psalm 116:7

The Jesus We Missed

For a book entitled: "The Jesus We Missed, The Surprising Truth About the Humanity of Christ" this book wasn't very surprising... 

I recently had the opportunity to review Patrick Henry Reardon's book, "The Jesus We Missed". Sadly, I found this book extremely hard to get into. It was full of great head knowledge... there just wasn't anything in it that inspired me or that I could apply to my life. I requested this book because I am fascinated by the Gospel and just can't get enough of it... but that isn't really the point of this book. While Jesus's death and resurrection are covered, they are done so in a way to point to His humanity, not the Gospel...

That being said, this book is very biblical. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has ever questioned the humanity of Christ. The author holds firmly to the belief that Jesus was both fully human, and fully God, and I just loved the way this book testifies to that.

Here's the publisher's description of the book for you to look over:

A respected and beloved theologian shows how a renewed appreciation for the humanity of Jesus Christ can better our biblical understanding of the Savior, strengthen our faith, intensify our relationship with him, and give us hope in the darkest hours of our lives. 

What do we make of passages like Luke 2 when Jesus befuddles the wise in the Temple but still is said to have “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man”? The examples are many, but the point is simple: “The glory of God is a living man,” said Irenaeus of Lyons. The Word did not simply become human. Rather, the Word became a specific human being, Jesus of Nazareth. In other words, he made himself just like us. 

Jesus was a real man, of particular weight and height, eye-color, disposition, tempers, talents, ambition, etc. He had a mom and family. He got hungry. He got angry. He was moved to tears and compassion. He had limits.

While taking special care not to minimize the Godhood of Christ, Patrick Henry Reardon helps readers come to grips with his real flesh-and-blood humanity—the confession of the Christian church for 2,000 years. If we are to grow in our understanding of Christ, growing in appreciation of His humanity is key. In Christ, God stooped as low as man to bring us on high, back into the fellowship that Adam lost.

*As mentioned above, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review from the publisher... 

Mr. Monday

Well, the guest posting series by Sandy Ralya has come to a close. I do hope that you enjoyed it. As much as I enjoyed having a little extra time each week saved by having the posts written for me, I truly have missed writing Mr. Monday posts. There's just something about writing about my Mr. that makes me happy! :)

I'm so excited that our vacation is only a week away. I actually feel like I will be ready for it when it gets here. I'm almost caught up on everything that needs to be done before we leave, and the thought of spending a week and a half of uninterrupted time with my Mr. brings me great joy! But, I have been having a great time with him here at home too.

A lot has happened here recently. Mr. Amazing's work schedule has changed and we are able to go to church as a family once again! Praise the Lord! That being said, we have been doing a lot of praying and planning (more on the planning in a later post) about our work future. We have been working together on a freelance project. I am formatting a book and he is designing the cover. This is what we love. It's so great to work together. We have done this once before (only I was editing the book and he was doing the cover), and we really enjoy working together. So, we're going to pursue that more in the hopes that we will eventually be able to both work from home, side by side and hand in hand.

You see, I'm not one of those wives that tire of their husbands presence. When he was laid off last year, I enjoyed every single second of him being home, and I know that I would enjoy having him work from home as well.

What about you? Do you enjoy doing things with your husband as well as for him?

Book Review: My Own Worst Enemy

Sometimes Your Biggest Obstacle Is Yourself
You know you could do great things if you just stopped getting in your own way. But most days, self-doubt, fear, and the seductive whispers of insecurity have you second-guessing yourself--before you've even started.

 Writer and speaker Janet Davis shows you how to break the destructive cycle of shame and self-doubt to achieve your full potential. Through lessons from her own life and examples of modern and biblical women, she reveals that every woman is called to shine, and you are no exception. 

Learn how to break destructive patterns in order to live out your purpose in God's kingdom, bringing the sense of fulfillment you've been longing for. 

"Wow, that is the book for me!" I thought to myself when I saw that Janet Davis' book "My Own Worst Enemy: how to stop holding yourself back" on the list of books that I had the opportunity to review last month. I was so excited to receive this book in the mail this week (along with the one that I don't remember requesting... but more on that later!). I mean really, doesn't that just sound like a book that every Christian woman should read?! 


Okay. We'll stop there. This book is anything but biblical. I'm sure that her heart was in the right place, but this book doesn't bring glory to God in any way shape or form. In fact, in Janet's eyes, we shouldn't be giving God the glory, but taking it for ourselves. In this book she seemed to put down women who give glory to God, saying that they needed to take credit where credit was due.  I'm sure all of the Christians today who love the prosperity Gospel will take to this book and make it a best seller - It's all about finding your happiness and fulfillment in the things of this world. But, I look to God for my fulfillment, and I will continue to give Him the glory for EVERYTHING good in my life. After all, if it weren't for Him, I wouldn't even be here - how could I possibly take credit for what He has done in and with my life? Out of everything that I disagreed with the most in this book I can't complete this review without stating that adultery is NEVER okay. You can't justify a wife cheating on her husband because she feels powerless at work and wants to get ahead by sleeping with the boss! Calling her a victim is absurd! 


Alright! All of that being said, Janet Davis is a fabulous author. Had I not disagreed so strongly with almost everything that she said, this book would have been very easy to read. I love her writing style and the book had great flow. We just don't see eye to eye in our beliefs - AT ALL. So I end this review just by saying "Wow..." This was not what I expected, and I would NEVER recommend this book to ANY Christian... EVER. In fact, my copy is going in the trash.


*As mentioned above, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review from the publisher... well, they got one!

A Winner and A Scripture Reflection

And the winner of the Woodcarver DVD is.....

Robin! 

Congratulations, Robin! I hope you and your beautiful family enjoy this DVD as much as I am :D

Now! On to the Scripture reflection:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 

~Colossians 1:15

We are studying Colossians in our woman's Bible study at church, and as I was reading through it today, I came to a new understanding of Colossians 1:15. You see, this is the verse that the Jehovah Witnesses use to discredit Jesus as part of the Trinity, to 'prove' (in their minds) that He is a created being. In the past, I haven't known what to do with that. I knew they were wrong, I just couldn't understand what was meant by this verse - it was very troubling to me. But not anymore!

Jesus was the firstborn over all creation. That's an amazing fact to know! God the Son coming to earth as our Savior was the first aspect of Creation that was planned. Before they planned the creation of the world, before they made Adam and Eve, God knew that His creation would need a Savior. He knew that anything that was less than Him, wouldn't be able to be perfect. You see, this verse isn't stating that Jesus was created. No, it's telling us that before anything was created, they created the plan for us to be reconciled to God. How amazing is that! God knew that Adam and Eve would sin, even before He planned to create them, and He made a way to counter that act of sin. 

I have often heard (and believe) that the old testament points us to Christ, but when reading this verse, I see it as more of a record of God's master plan. He didn't send Jesus because Adam and Eve sinned; Jesus' death and resurrection - His victory over sin - had already been planned before they were even created. Salvation wasn't an after thought! Jesus' humanity was the first thing that God (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) created, even though it wouldn't happen for years to come, they had a plan. Everything that happened before He was physically born was to set the stage for His glorious work. Just as now, while we are waiting for His return, He is preparing a place for us, and we are setting the stage for His glorious return. 

Jesus was the firstborn over all creation, not simply an after thought. I hope that you can find as much joy in that today as I have. - and maybe have something powerful to share with the next JW that knocks on your door. ;)

A special thank you to the apostle Paul and God for writing the letter to Colossians, I'm so thankful to be growing in the knowledge of God! 

Vulnerable Romance

This is the final guest post from Sandy Ralya. I do hope that you have enjoyed them:

Vulnerability Invites Romance

                                                                                                                             
It has become second nature for women to defend themselves. For untold generations, women have been hurt, taken advantage of, and diminished in their value. With the advent of the Women’s Liberation Movement, women came out swinging against the injustices they’d endured and, in the process, they lost something of great value—their vulnerability.

There is something so inviting about vulnerability.
       Vulnerability is armorless.
       Vulnerability draws others in.
       It invites others to look deep inside.


This invitation to look inside is exactly why so many avoid vulnerability at all cost.


It’s dangerous.


If you offer vulnerability to your husband, what will he do with it?

Hurt you?


Take advantage of you?


Think less of you?

These risks overshadow vulnerability’s beauty until you consider the consequences of a life lived defensively.
Living defensively is like living in a fortress—walls built up and weapons ready. The face behind the wall is tense, scanning for threat.
   
A life lived on the defense is a life spent without rest, joy, or freedom.

Many women dwell behind walls that inadvertently keep their husbands out, and they    wonder    why    they    do    not    feel    known.

Since true romance involves being known and desired, to invite your husband to romance you must take the risk of being vulnerable, tearing down your defensive walls.


For instance, when you get hurt, do you retaliate in anger, or are you vulnerable with your husband and admit your feelings?


Retaliating in anger may satisfy your thirst for justice, but it won’t give you the increased romance and intimacy you want.
     
No one approaches a fortress when arrows are flying from it—unless they are prepared for battle!


It takes more courage to admit your feelings of hurt than to defend yourself. It requires you to trust God to keep you safe when you expose your hurts, and to heal you if your husband is not gentle. The good news is that God promises to do all these things and more in Psalm 91: . . . The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.”

You must come to recognize what triggers you to defend yourself rather than to admit your pain.
Perhaps it’s a fear that your needs won’t be met or that you’re not valuable.

When the triggers come, remind yourself that God loves you and He’ll  defend and protect you if you put your trust in Him.

Shooting arrows of anger over your walls doesn’t provide your husband the safety he needs to know, desire, and pursue you.

Allow God to protect you and go before you, leveling your defenses and making way for your husband to romance you.


 Do you offer your husband vulnerability?

Special Note: If you are in an emotionally or physically abusive marriage, exposing your vulnerability could be damaging to you instead of healing. I urge you to seek the help you need. Contact the Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or call your church and ask to be referred to a reputable Christian counselor.

About Sandy Ralya: 

Sandy Ralya is the founder and director of Beautiful Womanhood, a marriage mentoring ministry based near Grand Rapids, Mich. Her marriage testimony was the focus of a popular three-day interview on FamilyLife Today, TV's Walking by Faith, and Time Out for Women. Sandy is a sought-after speaker, presenting Beautiful Womanhood seminars to hundreds of women each year at MOPS groups, women's retreats, and church leadership conferences across the country and in Canada. Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980, and have a growing number of grandchildren.  www.beautifulwomanhood.com

The Woodcarver DVD Review and Giveaway

"The Woodcarver" is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time! Even my husband, who often ridicules Christian movies for their bad acting or scripts, has declared this movie fabulous.

A marriage falling apart at the seems, and unknowingly destroying the life of their son at the same time, needs help - but they can't see that. Can an old school woodcarver, who is struggling with forgiving God for his own loss, help this family? Or will a business deal push everyone involved even further away from God, and each other? I won't tell, but I will tell you that I love this movie - it's going in my favorite pile.

Do you want to see it? I have a copy that I get to give away and hopefully make someones day!

You know the drill: 
You have 4 chances to win, please leave a separate comment for each entry, I will announce the winner on Wednesday of next week.

Required Entry: Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (on the sidebar). 

Bonus Entry: Follow me on Twitter.

Bonus Entry: Link to Servant, Wife, Mother from your blog (there's a nifty button that I made on the sidebar).

Bonus Entry: Mention this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and/or on your blog

*Please remember that you have to leave a separate comment for each entry in order for it to be counted. 

Ready? Set? Go!

Don't want to wait? You can purchase the DVD (and others like it) at ChristianCinema.com

________________________________________________________________________________________

 “Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it 

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally 

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance 

with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the 

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Woodcarver DVD 

(releases Tuesday, March 13th)

Official description: 

Matthew Stevenson is a troubled kid from a broken home. When he vandalizes the local church to get back at his parents, Matthew has to repair the damage to the church to avoid criminal charges. While working at the church, he meets Ernest (John Ratzenberger), an accomplished wood carver who created the intricate woodwork decoration that Matthew destroyed. Ernest has become something of a hermit, but reluctantly comes out of reclusion to help repair the church. Now Ernest and Matthew must work together to preserve the church's beautiful antiquity, and along the way, they also manage to restore their faith in God and in life.

A Winner and A Challenge

The winner of the Miami Vineyard Live CD, chosen with the random number generator at Random.org is Kristie! If you didn't win and are still hoping for a copy, Write at Home Mom is also giving away a copy of this CD and her contest is open until Monday. Oh! And be sure to check back here on Friday for a new giveaway :)



Now!

I have a challenge for you.

The challenge is simple, it's just "Remember the Gospel".

What that means is that when people put you down, when they tell you that you aren't good enough, when they tell you that you are a failure. Remember the Gospel. Remember that they are right. Remember that that is why Jesus came. He came because we aren't good enough, we aren't perfect. He knew we would fail, that's why He came. He came so that we could be forgiven when we fail.

So when people tell you that you aren't good enough, that you're a failure, tell them that they are 100% right. That you aren't good enough, and that you know that you fail. And then tell them about Jesus. Tell them that it's okay, because Jesus came so that you could be forgiven. And you are forgiven. If you have accepted Him as your personal Savior, He has forgiven you for not being good enough, for failing, and for missing the mark. And His is the only opinion that matters in eternity.

Just remember the Gospel and you'll be okay.

When Romance Blooms

Here's another guest post for you from Sandy Ralya:

Romance Blooms with Showers of Confidence

                  
Men are highly sensitive to signals of doubt because doubt plagues them. 

If you continually give off signals of doubt, you will confirm the fear of inadequacy that lurks deep within your husband.

If a man believes he doesn’t have what it takes to please you, there’s not much chance he’ll attempt romance.

 “A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands” (Proverbs 14:1).

Doubting your husband and his abilities tears away at a man; conferring confidence builds him up. 

A confident man is grateful to the one who believes in him.

Do you have confidence in your husband, or do you find yourself regularly second-guessing him?

Do you struggle with doubt when it comes to his abilities? 

He needs to be supported by your confidence in him

• at home
• in the workplace
• and in his dream for the future.

At home, I wanted Tom involved with the discipline of our children but was rarely pleased with his methods. I thought he was too strict and should be more understanding. Instead of communicating clearly with Tom about my concerns, I undermined his authority by smoothing things over with the kids behind his back.

                      My actions conveyed a lack of confidence in my husband.

I sabotaged our parenting and our marriage.

·        Our kids learned their parents weren’t always on the same team, so if they worked on the more lenient parent, they might get their way.

·         Tom felt hurt and angry.

Doubting my husband didn’t open any doors to romance!

The media constantly broadcast fear and doubt concerning the future. Against this tidal wave of doom and gloom, it’s difficult for a man to confidently believe that God has planned a hopeful future for him.

When my husband was going through a job transition a couple of years ago, it became apparent he was struggling with doubt over his ability to succeed in a new venture. He was really down one day when he commented, “Most men don’t make a job change at fifty.”

I asked, “Who says?”

 He rewarded me with a smile from ear to ear.



Tom’s words weren’t so much a statement of fact as they were a question—he was asking me if I believed he could successfully make a job change at fifty.

A wise wife counteracts the media’s message of fear with a daily dose of confidence.

Inspiring confidence in your husband is like pouring water on dry, thirsty ground.

What seeds of potential lie dormant within your husband, waiting for the showers of your confidence?

What does your husband dream of doing?

Let your husband know that you believe in him. 

If you don’t, who will?

Breathe words of confidence into your husband today and watch as he stands taller with every word spoken.

That said, pray about which ones to encourage. If your husband’s dreams take him in a direction that worries you, consider your concerns.

Are they rooted in selfishness or fear?

Turn to God and give Him your worries.

Conferring confidence invites your husband to romance.

Could your love-life benefit from showers of confidence? 

About Sandy Ralya: 

Sandy Ralya is the founder and director of Beautiful Womanhood, a marriage mentoring ministry based near Grand Rapids, Mich. Her marriage testimony was the focus of a popular three-day interview on FamilyLife Today, TV's Walking by Faith, and Time Out for Women. Sandy is a sought-after speaker, presenting Beautiful Womanhood seminars to hundreds of women each year at MOPS groups, women's retreats, and church leadership conferences across the country and in Canada. Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980, and have a growing number of grandchildren.  www.beautifulwomanhood.com

Prayer Scriptures:

I'm learning about prayer this week in my Bible study, and I wanted to share with you some of the Scriptures that I have found about the importance of prayer, and Scriptures that you can use to start or end prayers. 

Matthew 6:5-13~

 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

Why Pray?

Proverbs 15:8~ The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Proverbs 15:29~ The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Matthew 21:22~ If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Mark 11:24~ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Acts 1:14~ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Acts 2:42~ They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 14:23~ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust

Romans 10:1~ Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

Romans 12:12~ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Ephesians 6:18~ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 1:19~ for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Colossians 4:2~ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

2 Thessalonians 3:1~ Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

1 Timothy 2:1~I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—

Hebrews 5:7~During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

James 5:13~Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

James 5:15~And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

Prayer Starters:

1 Kings 8:28~ Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

1 Kings 8:29~ May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

Nehemiah 1:4-11~ “LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

          “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

          “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

Psalm 17:1~ Hear me, LORD, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer – it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalm 17:6~ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 54:2~ Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

Psalm 55:1~ Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;

Psalm 61:1~ Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

Psalm 84:8~ Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.

Psalm 86:6~ Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.

Psalm 102:1~ Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.

Psalm 143:1~ LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

Philippians 1:9-11~ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

Daniel 9:17~ “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.

Psalm 142~ I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

John 17:6-19~ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

   “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Ephesians 3:14-24~ For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Be Blessed!