DANG... GOD IS GOOD

And no sky contain

No doubt restrain

All You are

The greatness of our God

~~~~~~

Alright to just to get this outta the way this is yet another picture from outside my window.

OKAY

So, God has blessed me so much! He knows my forgetful, spacey mind all the time by teaching me something personally then teaching it to me again through a book, class, or church teaching. Well lately the two main things in life have been sorta road blocks for me: faith and prayer.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not struggling in my faith in God. I fully and wholeheartedly believe in God and Jesus and everything in God's Word. No doubt about it. But something that I usually struggle with is faith in all the other small things in life. Like the man in Mark 9, I often say "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!" 

As far as prayer goes, I just don't keep in mind how amazing, special, and reverent prayer is. Again, with this easily distracted mind of mine I tend to wander in my thoughts in prayer - especially group prayer. 

Well, in my Women's Discipleship class we're going through the book "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. I did the homework yesterday and was able to really spend some time alone in the apartment just soaking it in (which doesn't always happen). Here's some of what was covered in the chapter:

How prayer blesses you: 

   - Builds a deeper relationship with God

   - Increases faith

   - Provides a place to unload burdens

   - Teaches us that God is always near

   - Trains us not to panic

   - Changes lives

   - Purifies us through confession

   - Gives confidence in making decisions 

   - Improves relationships (with even our enemies)

   - Helps us find contentment 

   - Gives us confidence from God

   - Changes others' lives by your intercessory prayers

   - Gives us a ministry that's available to all at any time

The second to last point really struck me - Through intercessory prayer on behalf of others I could help change their lives! How crazy is that?! Prayer is powerful

That night I had Colossians class with Clay Worrell, the pastor of the Calvary here in Waterford. And wanna know two major topics he taught on? Yup....faith and prayer. 

I loved how honestly he talked about faith in a believer's life. Everyone, no matter how long you've been saved or how your life is, has times when they struggle in their faith. Not necessarily faith unto salvation, but just with the trials of life. It was comforting to be reminded that I'm not the only one who struggles. Here's some notes:

"Faith is never easy - it's a fact of life that you have moments of doubt and fear. It doesn't matter how long you've been saved. Faith is the conviction of things we can't see, things that are intangible. Our flesh hates unseen things, our flesh wants surety. But God is always faithful even when we are faithless [2 Timothy 2:13]. How can we be faithful? "Lord I believe, but help my unbelief!" [Mark 9:24] Faith is a gift we must ask for. It's not something we muster up, it comes from God."

Faith isn't something I can produce, no matter how much I want to or how much I try. It's something that God gifts me with when I admit that I just can't and ask Him. And He is ever faithful to answer! 

I am to "dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness" [Psalm 37:3] - Dwell in the place/time in life ["the land"] God has you in right now and just be at peace, feeding on His faithfulness.

He also touched on prayer and just how reverent we should treat it. Especially coming from a Christian home in America, prayer can be so easily watered down and repetitious. But when you truly look at it, you are praying to the Almighty God who created the whole universe down to the most minute detail who knows all and is in control of EVERYTHING. And how do I pray to Him? I let my mind wander onto random crap during prayer. I fall back asleep when I pray in bed. I worry that I'll sound dumb when I pray in front of other people. I de-glorify [is that even a word?] God by not fully taking in who I'm praying to when I pray.  

DANG..... see? Growing up in a Christian home and being a "good, godly girl" doesn't mean I'm perfect. At all...at all...at all. And if any of you have thought that then pleassseeeeeee stop. I hate that.

But Clay just was super awesome when he described how reverent we should be in prayer and how we address God versus how we SHOULD address God. It seems like a no-brainer...you're probably thinking "Duh Micaela this is God you're talking about." But it's just something I easily fall away from. And it just reminded me of what a crazy, amazing, powerful, special, blessing of a gift prayer really is. 

So I've decided to buy a little journal and make it my prayer journal - my Ebenezer stone of remembrance [1 Samuel 7:12]. Oh, which reminds me...I'm at the bookstore so I should go do that now. So if any of you have anything you need prayer for PLEASE let me know! I would love to pray for you :)

Cheers,

Micaela