Quick Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Well, I did not make it to the concert of prayer. I really meant to go, but I think I have made peace with a few things. Until I get a steady job, I need to keep my extra activities at a minimum. I will continue to pray about what You would have me do, Lord. I will not feel guilty. I just know that You have things ready for me, and I need to take it one step at a time. Help me find the Easter music You want the church to sing. Lead me to the right one, I pray.

Lord, my heart cries for the family of Jennifer Paulson tonight. When I discovered the story, it really did remind me that life is precious, and one cannot take any of it for granted. That is one of the reasons I am home tonight. I pray for the families of all involved. My heart really cries for them. Help them as they work through their pain. Help all of us to be safe and rely on You for everything. There but for Your grace go I.

I continue to pray for the situation here at home. Lord God, I don't even know how to pray. I wish I did. I pray that You will give us strength, wisdom, guidance in knowing how to deal with him. I also pray that You will strengthen all of us as we continue to work together. It's not always easy, and I know many of us hurt. Help us all. And save my dearest one, I pray. Martin needs a Savior. He needs You. He needs much, but his greatest need is You, Lord. Show him that. Whatever You must do to get his attention, do it.

I pray for the protection of our family. All of us, God. I pray that You will lead me to the right job as I begin that search for next year. I pray also that You will help me on my test tomorrow--that I will recall all that I have studied and do it to the best of my ability.

I pray that You will become the central figure in our home. I feel that sometimes You are not. We tend to leave You out of the picture. May we not. May I begin to follow the example of Your Son. Yes, Your Son was Who He said He was, but He was also fully human. It is possible to have the prayer life and live a life like He did. We are called to as Christians. May You continue to change me into the woman of God You want me to be.

In Your Name,

Amen.

Prayer About Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord God, I praise You for rescuing me from the pit. It is clear that I was in one last year at this time. I let the enemy place me there. And there I was. It was a hard time for me. I tried to enjoy my time only to discover where it ultimately led. Lord God, I want to come to You tonight and realize that I never want to be in a pit again, no matter what it may cost me. It cost Beth Moore the love of her mother. If it were to cost me the love of Martin or Martha or even a job, so be it. I refuse to remain in a pit. I may fall in because of something that happens, or it might be temporary place for me, but with Your help, I will never remain in one again.

Lord God, as I begin to study Your Holy Son's prayer life on this earth, may my spiritual eyes be open to what You would have for me. I long to be more Christlike. It is the desire of my heart. I keep thinking about what Ieisha said to me last week. She said that it is so good that I live in the present. Me? That must be You in me. The Ruth I have always known worries about the future and lives there. But I am learning to take everything as it comes. I am learning to live in the present with the help of Your Holy Spirit.

The thing that is draining all of us now is Dad. I don't know what to do, Lord God. I am fortunate in that I am away from it for several hours most days. But I know how it is affecting our family. All I can do is give the matter to You, and know that You will get us through it. My Dad will not change. Unfortunately, he has made that choice. I pray that You will help us through this time. Help Mom most of all. I know how much it affects her.

I pray that You will minister to Martin. How he needs You. I know that lately I have really been feeling you know how towards him. I want so much for something to happen. And yet I don't. I pray that You will continue to help me through my feelings and not approach him though I want to so much. Every time he takes my hands and squeezes it or hugs and kisses me good night firmly, I really feel something surge through me. He does, too. Thank You that he is too tired or too unwilling or too angry to act on his feelings.

As to Martha, I pray that You will help me to be an effective parent. I often feel that I am not. I want to spend time with Martha and show her how much I love her, but I am too tired or too unavailable. Help me in this area. May she herself want to be baptized without my suggesting it. May she long to study Your Word.

As to my church work, I'm not sure what You have in store. We're not doing so well with the Easter music. Guide me in that area. And as to my being the T & T director next year, guide me there as well. I only want to do it if You want me to. I don't want to make a commitment I cannot keep.

And my various tests. Lord God, please help me in that area. Lord God, I am no longer studying. May I recall the facts and pass it the first time.

I pray for Matt and his family. I thank You for their influence in my life. Guide them and keep them on the straight and narrow.

In Your Name,

Amen

Prayer Tonight

Dear Heavenly Father,

As I promised, I am trying this. I am going to do my best to post my prayers here because it is easily accessible, and it will keep me focused. So, Lord God, I begin with a major praise report from the weekend! God, I really did hear from you. I relate the Bon Jovi concert of Saturday night. I knew that You told me to buy the tickets for Martin. I went ahead and did it on faith, and things didn't look too bright. It seemed as though he wouldn't even be able to see the concert. I remember second guessing myself and asking You why I bought the tickets after all. And You said, "Just trust Me." I did. And You enabled Him to see it! It ended up being a good experience. One he and I shall not forget. What it did for me, Oh Lord, was to increase my faith. I knew that it was Your will, and even when things looked bleak, it was.

I now pray most humbly for Saturday and that test. I have studied very hard. I have not done the computerized test yet, but I tend to think I won't just because it would be good to lay it all aside unless I have time to go over it somehow. I have studied a lot, and I think the time may be upon me to quit studying, Lord. Please help me to pass all 3 tests the first time. I realize that it will not be easy, but I will be able to do it with Your help.

On to the rest of my prayer list. I pray, Lord God, for the salvation of my best friend, Martin. He has been in great need of You for so long, and he know it, but he is stubborn. Lord God, You know how I feel about him. I love him with an unending love that I just cannot do away with. He is my best friend and more, if the situation were to arise. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will draw him now to You. He is so distraught about life in general. I believe that he will have to go back to England at least one more time for him to realize that he needs You. I know You can change him in one moment. It happens all the time. But it is a process. My Dad not get in the way of what You want to do in Martin's, Martha's, Mom's, or my life. We all need You, Lord.

Give me guidance, Oh God, in raising my daughter. I know that she knows You, and I know she desires to be baptized. But Lord, she needs to be prepared to do it. She needs to be the one who hungers and thirsts after You. I do not have it within me to desire You for her. May she realize how much she needs You and truly begin to rely on You for herself. I pray that You will give me wisdom in teaching her obedience.

I don't know where to being with Dad except to say that we need to have grace--and lots of it--to deal with him. Please help us as we deal with him. May Satan not use him to wreak havoc on our family.

As to David, Kristina, Katie, Nick, Alex, Grandma Bales, and so many more, they need You. I don't even know how to pray. I pray that You will help Mom in the Bible study class tomorrow. And I pray that You will continue to use McKenna Community Church in our lives. Guide Pastor Matt and family.

As to practical moments, I pray for Martin's house to sell and for things to work out with my house and Brian and Audrey. Lord God, You know what is needed in every circumstance. Please help us, Lord. Bring the right person along in Martin's case. You know what is needed in every circumstance.

Lord God, this is the first post. While I may not get through every thing on my list, I feel better for at least having come to You in prayer tonight. Please help me to do it correctly.

In Your Name,

Amen