My 30 Days of Prayer Update - Week 4

The one thing I have been most encouraged by with Cedar Run's 30 Days of Prayer challenge has been the focus to be praying for specific things.

That has caused me to think and rethink through my prayer strategy for our Youth Program. What am I praying for? Who am I praying for? Am I praying for and believing God will work in the lives of our students and our program?

This week's prayer focus for me is to be praying for our youth and our youth program more specifically. I want to be praying for God's movement in their lives and his guidance for our program. It can be very easy at times to just move and lead students by my own power or thought. But, the students don't need to be impacted by my movement. These students need to be impacted by the Lord and I need to be turning to him specifically for them.

These last 30 days of prayer have been a great reminder and refocus for me be actively praying for the youth and giving it all over to the Lord.

My 30 Days of Prayer Update - Week 3

Living in the past can be so easy. It's great to reflect on the glory days or the days of our youth in which we have some pretty fond memories. Bruce Springsteen even sings about the glory days.

But, just as great as those past days can be, it can also be a hinderance to moving forward. Sometimes looking at our past and reflecting on it can cause a lot of pain and suffering. You can see missed opportunities or painful events that will cause you to relive and experience those things.

It is very sad and although I may not be able to understand all that people went through or experienced in their past, I do know that getting out of the past and moving forward is not an easy thing to do.

But, some encouragement can be found in Philippians 3:13-14. In it Paul says, "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Paul had a crazy past before he came into a relationship with Christ. So, he had lots of opportunities to reflect on his past. That could have caused him to not be as impactful for Christ as he could have been. After all, he used to imprison Christians and participated in the deaths of other believers for following Christ. How then, could he be used for Christ's glory? Simple, by focusing on the future and the prize for which God called him heavenward in Christ!

I know it sounds simple but is not. But we have to move forward always striving to draw close to Christ and allowing him to direct us. He can and WILL use us despite our past. We, then, have to consciously decide to move forward and not let Satan distract us or use it against us.

So, that is my prayer for us this week. That we can look past our past and be open to God's leading so we can move forward.

My 30 Days of Prayer Update - Week 2

School has started! What a great time of year, a time of new beginnings and fresh starts.

But, as a parent myself, it is also a stressful time. Who are my children socializing with? Are they safe? Are they nice? How do the other children treat my daughters? Do my girls play well with others or are they selfish? Do they listen to their teachers?

There is so much to be stressful about, but alas, it is completely out of my control. That is why all I can do is offer it up in prayer to God. I find hope in:

Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

And, 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

So, my prayer this week is for my children and your children that they will be in safe hands and that the Lord will be with them throughout their time at school each day.

What about you? What are you praying for? How is God working in your life? Post a comment to encourage others.

My 30 Days of Prayer Update

This past Sunday at Cedar Run, we started a 30 days of Prayer Challenge. I referenced Paul's challenge to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray continually" and the reasons why should pray. They were:

• It provides us with a way to confess our sins and accept his forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
• It is a way to hear his will for our lives and gives God a chance to guide and direct us (Proverbs 2:6-8)
• It gives us an opportunity to thank Him for all the blessings in our lives (Psalm 107:1)
• It provides us with a chance to pray for those who are sick or need healing, including ourselves (James 5:14-16)
• It is a way to worship Him and give him praises (Psalm 95:6)

These are great things to be praying through when you spend time with God. If you haven't looked at these verses before, spend some time on them and pray through them.

Well, this week I have been praying for 2 specific things:

1. For a college student I know who was having a challenging start to the semester. I prayed that God would work in this persons life, that they would be able to connect with other believers there and that they could continue to adjust to college life.
2. That God would move me and continue to open doors for me to further his kingdom, that I would not miss out on opportunities he presents.

It has been great to be specifically praying for these things and seeing God begin to work in them.

Are you doing the 30 Day Prayer Challenge? If so, what are you praying for and how are you seeing God work in that? Post a comment.

If not, start today and see how you experience God and how he works in those situations.