Our Father, who art in Heaven...

It seems like every time I turn around this week, I'm having a conversation with someone about the subject of prayer.  I even wrote a shortened version about this subject for our church newsletter this week.  I think I know why...

I'm a minister, so prayer is something that I do often, but I think that it's an area of my own life that I need to be more deliberate about. 

Our grade school kids will be learning about the life and calling of Samuel this week in Sunday School.  Hannah (Samuel's mother) was greatly troubled because she had no children.  What troubles you?  At what point do you turn to God for help in dealing with an issue?  I know for me personally, it's easy to ask a bunch of people--staff, friends, family--to pray for a situation, and then I forget to lift my need up to God myself!

Have you ever come to someone with a need or concern and received an "I'll pray about it" response?  Or have you ever promised someone that you would pray about something...then promptly forget to?  Imagine how life would be different if people said, "I'll pray about it," and they actually did.  Even better, when someone comes to you with a need, maybe instead of telling them that you will pray for them, maybe you need to stop right there and pray WITH them.  That's something that for some reason is uncomfortable for me to do, but I've started doing it, and I think it makes a difference. 

Here's why I think praying with others often is important...On Mondays, I'm a part of a great group of women who get together to pray in a group called Moms in Prayer.  I'm not a mom, but because I have a burden for the children in my life, they have welcomed me into their group.  It has been a wonderful way to start my week each week.  Yesterday, after praying for each of the children of the women in the group, they began to lift ME up in prayer asking God to equip and strengthen me and to give me wisdom in my ministry.  I was unbelievably humbled by their prayers...and it has connected me to those women in a very amazing way.  Rather than just telling me they were praying for me...they were actually praying for me right then and there.  Hearing those prayers was so encouraging and really made my day better for it. 


Because I'm single and have to take care of a lot of things in my life by myself, I tend to be TOO independent.  I tend to not to want to bother others with my problems, but that is something that I am trying to change.  I don't believe God intends me to live my Christian life on an island all by myself.  Yes, He is all that I need, and where I find the strength and courage to live my life, but as Christians, we are meant to be part of a community.  We share the most important thing in common and that binds us in way that nothing can.  Because of that, I need to invest in others and allow them to invest for me.  And I'm noticing that prayer is a huge part of that.