Praying…what does it mean exactly? Is there a method to prayer? How do I do it and what do I say? Is there a right or wrong way to pray? I know God is not a vending machine where I only come to Him when I want something. I know he wants a relationship with me and I with Him. But sometimes I wonder, “Am I doing it right?” Or, “Does He hear me?” Or, “How do others pray?” Or, “Is there a better way?”
I know I have asked these questions of myself. So if you are also asking them…just know, you are not alone.
So what is PRAYER? Simply put it is time and communication with God. So what is communication? It is giving, receiving, and sharing information. It is a two-way path between me and God….between YOU and God.
What I love about prayer AND find very difficult, is that it is not just me talking to God. God wants and will respond to me too. BUT, I have to be silent and listen. I have to pause and let Him lead me. He wants to lead and love on all of us. He wants a relationship with all of us through His Son Jesus. We need to pause and listen for the still small voice, the gentle whisper, of our loving Father. (1 Kings 19:11-13)
ACRONYMS FOR PRAYER:
I have seen suggestions on acronyms to remind us of the different areas of prayer such as ACTS, PRAY or CHAT:
A – Acknowledge God and His sovereignty.
C –Confess my sin
T – Offer Thanksgiving and gratitude
S – Supplication or asking humbly/earnestly for something
P – Praise
R – Repent
A – Ask
Y – Yield
C – Confess
H – Honor
A – Ask
T – Thanks
All of these are great and are also very similar. Any one of them can help as a guide for our prayer time.
SCRIPTURE JOURNALING AND PRAYING SCRIPTURE
In addition to these helpful reminders, I have recently been reintroduced to another form of prayer that has touched my heart and replenished my soul. And that is by “praying scripture”. Back in the day, I used to do this but for whatever reason I stepped away from scripture journaling and praying scripture. At the beginning of August 2023, I received emails, heard podcasts, and read books that all pointed to this method. I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to go back to the Word of God in my quiet time to pray. To use God’s very Word of Truth to be the foundation of my prayers. And to write them out…putting pen to paper.
Pen-to-paper seems like such a slow method of journaling these days, but I found it to be dramatically healing and life-giving. By slowing my mind and thoughts through the process of writing, I am able to use the rhythm of the flowing strokes not only to process my thoughts but also to process and reflect on what God is telling me through the Words of scripture. To process the lessons and the promises and the wisdom He is providing to me.
DAILY LITTLE MIRACLES
I am also shocked by the timeliness of the passages to my life. I have often asked, “How did you know I needed to hear this, God? Your Words were a salve to my soul.” I am experiencing my own little miracles through this process by receiving direction, counsel, and wisdom for the very trials that are in my life or dominating my mind. The Word itself allows me to feel closer to God in those moments when it feels like He is speaking directly to me through His Word.
I CAN’T HELP BUT PRAISE HIM
But it is not just direction or wisdom for my life, the scripture also points me to praise and thanksgiving for God’s character, love, mercy, faithfulness, promises and love. I am able to see Him act in the lives of those found in the Word from thousands of years ago. I see His love in action and the love of His followers to others in need. I see His followers serving others and Him in their actions even when they too are suffering. Praying through the scriptures has linked me to those who came before me as I realize their words are my words; their thoughts are my thoughts; their cries are my cries; and their words of praise are my words of praise for our Savior Jesus and the love he has for me.
FUTURE BLOG POSTS
I will be sharing some of my prayers with you in future posts. Prayers that have flowed from my heart through my pen to the paper that have touched me deeply and allowed my soul to be soothed by the messages. I hope they are a stimulus for you to pull out your Bible and use it as a prayer tool.
PRAYER
Abba Father, You are a gracious and merciful God. I am in awe that You desire a relationship with me. You are the Creator of this world, the sun and the moon, the stars and the galaxies, the animals, plants, and crawly-things. Yet even with all of this You created man-kind in Your image. You created me. AND You want a relationship with me. Thank You, Jesus, for the love You have for Your creation. Thank YOu for the examples I have in Your Word of Your love, your promises, and your wisdom. Help me lean on You for my decisions. Help me praise You for Your love and glory. Help me act for You as a servant to those around me. Help me use Your Word as a tool for communication with You. Amen.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Are you using Scripture as a tool for prayer currently? If not, are you willing to try?
How has God spoken to you through the passages of the Bible?
What is your favorite scripture that seems to speak to you ever time you read it?
I would love for you to share your experiences as you use scripture journaling and praying scripture as a tool for communication with our Lord and Savior. Please share in the comments below or send me a private email to stacy@stacyturley.com.
In my mid-30s I was in prison. This was not a prison made of concrete and metal bars. It was a prison made of flesh and bone…skin and appearances. It was the prison of my own body. My prison was a struggle with body image, comparison to others, and eating disorders. I was not alone in my prison. I shared it with my own personal demon. A cellmate I called The Beast. I felt isolated, alone, ashamed and suffocated. I was scared, overwhelmed, and threatened by The Beast. Unfortunately, The Beast was my own mind, my own demons, and a lie from Satan that took on a physical form in my mind. The Beast felt like a being living in me that would take over my mind and body to “make me” do what I knew was wrong when I wanted to do what was right. I felt powerless. I felt like no one could help me; no one understood me; and I could not help myself. My inner demon kept me confined in my mental prison.
GOD’S PROMISE:
In the gospel of Luke, there was a man who also had a demon living in him. (See Luke 4:31-37) The passage describes the demon as an “unclean demon”. To be unclean according to the Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia is “to be contaminated in a physical, ritual or moral impurity; denotes profane or desecrated.” The word desecrate means to violently disrespect or violate. The man with the unclean spirit was being violated and tormented by this disrespectful and immoral demon. I imagine the man felt very similarly to how I felt…powerless, alone, isolated, and ashamed of his behavior. The man may have done things he did not want to do because the demon “made him” do it. BUT…now here is the miracle…Jesus healed the man with a demon! Jesus does not heal him over days, weeks or months. It wasn’t with a drug or physical therapy. In v. 35 the scripture states the demon “had thrown him down in their midst and came out of him, having down him no harm.” (John 4:35)
BUT HOW did this happen? What made the demon leave the man? JESUS! Jesus rebuked the demon!
Ok…what does that mean that Jesus “rebuked” him. Did he say, “You bad boy.” Or “you should not do that.” Or ,”If you don’t stop, I will put you in time-out.” No…when Jesus rebuked the demon, Jesus said, “Be silent and come out of him!” (John 4:35) and that is exactly what happened… in that very moment. The man was completely healed. The demon left. The prison was torn down. The man was free. And the man was unharmed.
OUR TAKE-AWAYS:
In summary, what are we able to learn from this story:
Jesus has the power to silence demons.
Jesus has the power to protect us from the demons and free us from the prisons while leaving us unharmed.
Jesus has the power to set us free from our personal demons and prisons.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me(the Messiah), because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release(pardon, forgiveness) to the captives,and recovery of sight to the blind,to set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),19 to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”
This man likely felt like his body and mind were taken over by the demon, The Beast. Oh, how I relate to this story. BUT, Jesus freed the man; Jesus freed me; and He is able to free you too!
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOU:
My Sweet Circle. The good news and victory is that Jesus has the ultimate authority and power over our demons. Jesus is able to free us from our prisons. Our demons and prisons are not all the same…they may be addictions, body image issues, comparison to others, greed, power, etc. In summary, our prison is sin. However, Jesus loves us even in our sin. He created us, loves us, and desires to be in relationship with us. He DIED for us to take on our sin as His own. He offers us grace, mercy and forgiveness. Let loose of the chains, break free from the prisons, and ask for His forgiveness! Be free!
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What is your prison or demon? What do you struggle with?
How has this demon impacted your life?
Do you want to be free?
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. You are our protector and chain-breaker! You are our conqueror over the beasts and demons in our lives. Free us, Father. Crush the enemy and remove these temptations from our lives. Free us from our prisons. And protect us in the midst of our trials. Lord, you are our Savior and we rest in your loving arms through the forgiveness you offer through Jesus. You provide the balm for our souls. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.
On Monday, I was sitting at one of my favorite coffee shops and I heard a song on the cafe’s sound system. It was peppy…and wiggly! (My dear husband teases me about my “wiggle songs”. I can’t help but wiggle when the tune is just right!) I thought to myself, “I LIKE this song! …Hmmm…I think I know this song!?” After the band began singing the words, it struck me that I did know the song. But from where? Who was this singing? How do I know it??
Then they got to the chorus, and I KNEW:
“So I am thankful that I’m incapable
Of doin’ any good on my own.”
YES!!! I do know this!! And it was a blast from the past! Thankful by Caedmon’s Call. This song was released in 1999!!! I was a mom of two toddlers then. Now I am empty nester. But it seemed like yesterday when I heard that song for the first time. I wiggled then and I still wiggle now. I was so excited to hear it in the café after so long that not only did I wiggle in my chair but I SANG OUT LOUD!!! No kidding. I feel like I should apologize to anyone sitting in that room with me that day. I was overjoyed to hear it and even more so that it reminded me of the power of gratitude, worship and glorifying God. And it is by GRACE that I am saved…not by my own works. For our Lord knows, that my works are not enough. I am only enough through Jesus.
I was giggling in my seat and knew I had to share it with you!
If you have never heard the song, click HERE for the YouTube video. And here are the words for those who want to know what they say. I also added links to the scripture references that the song is based on. Enjoy!!
You know I ran across an old box of letters
While I was baggin’ up some clothes for goodwill
Imagine you know I had to laugh that the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguin’ me still
I know the road is long from the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he’s gettin’ some place
But you see, I’m runnin’ from the very clothes I’m wearin’
Thank you, Lord, for this unexpected blessing. When out of nowhere, you know what we need to hear and know what will bring a smile to our lips. When we are not afraid the sing out loud and wiggle in our seats over your mercy, glory and love for us. We are not righteous on our own but only through the redeeming love of our Lord and Savior and the sacrifice He made to redeem us from our sins. Thank you, Jesus.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What makes YOU wiggle? What songs build up so much joy and connection in your soul that you can’t help but move and SING!!
What songs make you feel closer to your Maker?
Maybe it’s not a song…but a poem, a scripture verse, or a quote. What would it be?
Please share your “moving moments” in the comments below. You never know, you may bring a wiggle or a smile to someone else who may need it today!
Fear…that pesky, little bugger. Fear creeps into my mind and emotions with each unexpected change in my life. Fear may creep in slowly with little doubts and insecurities as with a change in plans, a change in the random sounds my car makes, or a change in my path when I take a wrong turn. On the other hand, fear may penetrate my mind with the force of a gale wind when the changes are overwhelming or over-concerning such as a change in a relationship, a change in health, or a change job status. It is not invited. It is not wanted. But fear does not care. It shows up, SO we need a path to guide us out of it!
The enemy loves to use fear to try to throw me off track…to move my focus from trusting in God and His strength, His power, His healing, and His plan to focusing on myself and all the things I cannot control. When I focus on myself and my limited ability to control my life on my own, fear takes the driver’s seat. When fear is driving, it reminds me that I am not enough on my own; I lack control; and I often do not know which way to turn. Living in fear is unacceptable!
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.“
One of my favorite authors, Annie F. Downs says, “Our feelings can ride, but they cannot drive our lives.” I may be fearful for any number of reasons. BUT I work to CHOOSE JOY in my circumstances in the midst of the fear. I choose to replace the fear with trust in God and His plan. I choose to let God lead and I follow as a faithful servant. I choose to rely on God’s promises for direction and hope. For as a follower of Christ, God promises me power, love and self discipline through the Holy Spirit in me (see 2 Timothy 1:7 above). For I am not in control, but God always is!!
So HOW do I fight fear?
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
These verses remind us of how to refocus our hearts on Truth when we are afraid. In summary,
Attitude – Focus on the positive. Choose joy.
Prayer – Pray continually. God wants to hear us cry out to Him, worship Him, and state our requests to Him. He is our provider.
Gratitude – Count our blessings no matter the circumstances. Remind ourselves of all the wonderful ways God has helped us in the past. By documenting our reasons to be grateful, we are able to look back on God’s faithful grace and mercy in the past to give us hope and joy for future blessings.
Belonging – We are the children of God saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, His Son, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for us and we belong to Him. We are created, known, loved and provided for by our God.
Destination – We will be in heaven with Jesus. This life on earth is not the end. It is not even the best part! Our true home and our perfect selves are in heaven for eternity.
Companionship -We are not alone…ever. Jesus is with us always and will never abandon us.
Basically, we all have feelings. Our feelings are real…we feel what we feel. We are able to acknowledge them, but we need to resist allowing our feelings to control us. I don’t want to live with anger in control or sadness in control or fear in control of me and my actions. Do you?
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. We don’t want fear to drive in our lives. We want You to be the driver. We need You to be the driver. Lord, help us to stop allowing fear to control us. Help us to resist and rebuke the enemy in the name of Jesus so that he may not use fear as one of his tools to lead us away from you. Help us to recognize when we have turned from you and our trust in you. We will never have control but we know you have complete control. You are the Maker of all things, Lord, and You rule all things. Thank you for your grace, mercy, power, love and self-discipline that allows us to always be joyful and find thanksgiving in all things regardless of the circumstances. Amen.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
When was the last time you were afraid?
What were the circumstances? What was causing your fear?
Looking back, are you able to see things now that you are grateful for in the midst of the challenge?
What are those things? Write them down and put them in a safe place. Read them when you need to see how God is working in your life to redeem your story.
In my quiet time this morning, I was reflecting on a conversation yesterday with my counselor. I discussed with her that I am struggling with anxiety and coping with current trials. Not only was I anxious but I was feeling guilty about my anxiety. “I have decided this year I will CHOOSE JOY in all circumstances,” I stated. “So why can I not do that? Why am I still anxious?” I told her that some days I feel overwhelmed and less successful at focusing on the JOY. I know God has blessed me and provided for me over the years in many ways. But the JOY seems to evade me and the anxiety seems to surround me. Am I the only one who feels this way at times?
I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit did not leave me in that place of confusion and guilt. My quiet time this morning was not just a reflection on the turmoil of emotions that I was feeling yesterday. It was also a time of wisdom, great healing and hope. Multiple resources seemed to acknowledge my feelings, affirm my humanity, weakness and sin, and point me to the strength and protection of God when I feel vulnerable, anxious and unsure.
GOD-MOMENT #1: I am reading the book Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado. In the first chapter I read today, I was struck by multiple ideas that seemed to jump off the page and say to me, “I HEAR YOU! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!” The quote below described exactly how I felt yesterday with my counselor – anxious and guilty for the anxiety.
“One would think Christians would be exempt from worry. But we are not. We have been taught that the Christian life is a life of peace, and when we don’t have peace, we assume the problem lies within us. Not only do we feel anxious, but we also feel guilty about our anxiety! The result is a downward spiral of worry, guilt, worry, guilt.” ~ Max Lucado, Anxious for Nothing
Max also reminded me that swirling anxiety and guilt and more anxiety and guilt can lead to sinful behavior. When anxiety is left unchecked and festers in our hearts with self-blame and guilt causing even more anxiety, it may lead to more damaging behaviors to find control such as alcohol abuse, binge eating, excessive shopping, food denial, anger or a number of other responses. This addictive behavior may result in even more hurt, trauma, and isolation. It is a form of idolatry, where we substitute behaviors and feelings to help us rather than turning to God to help us. One path leads to destruction while the other leads to hope and healing.
Not only were my feelings of guilt and anxiety acknowledged and affirmed, but I was also reminded of another quote mentioned by my counselor yesterday which leads me to God-Moment #2…
“Addiction is ultimately an issue of worship. We worship something other than God. Relationships, a substance, a feeling, a person. Addiction, whatever the substance, is ultimately an issue of idolatry. God says, ‘Don’t have other Gods before me,’ and we choose something other than Him.” ~ Edward T. Welch from Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel
Oh boy! This hits home. I have had issues with a food-denial additions in the past…about 20 years ago, specifically. I know the thought-processes and the behaviors. I understand the negative thinking and self-criticism. I know what it means to put emotions, feelings and behaviors in the lime-light rather than God as my Creator, Jesus as my Savior, and the Holy Spirit as my Protector. I have been there and don’t want to go back. I see the warning signals and desire for control.
BUT…oh how I love the word BUT in these situations…I also was reminded that I am NOT alone! I was not meant to get through this life by myself. I am not in the battle as the only warrior. I have others and I have my God to help me. I am known, loved and created wonderfully by God. Jesus already took the penalty for my sin. And the Holy Spirit is by my side and protecting me from evil, guiding me through the rough waters and reminding me that I am loved…dearly loved. I am loved not only by God but by my community of believers, my friends and my family.
What great wisdom and reminder for being prepared and on the watch for enemy to take hold of me.
GOD-MOMENT #3: With all this in my head, I turned to my reading of the Psalms for today…Psalm 31, 91, and 121. And God met with my in Psalm 121. All of the confusion, anxiety, guilt, alone-ness, and fear of anxiety-escalation lead me to this glorious Truth…
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
My help comes from the Lord. YOUR help comes from the Lord. He will not let us stumble. He will watch over us continually. He will stand beside us as our protector always. Rest in the arms of the Lord. Seek His forgiveness, confess your sin, and accept Him as your Savior, Protector, and Guide.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for this Truth. Thank you for the timing of your Word and the other resources you used to speak into my life and my anxiety. Thank you for this message hold in my heart as my prayer to you and my reminder of your faithfulness. My hope is in You, Lord. My strength is in You, Lord. My protection is from You, Lord. Help me remember where my hope and strength and protection comes from on the days I forget. You are a merciful and gracious God and I love You. Help me obey You and follow You all the days of my life. Amen.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: (Please add your voice to the comments as an encouragement to others.)
Where do you turn, other than God, when you are fighting for control?
How has God reminded you of His presence and His desire to be your one and only God?
What is your story of overcoming an anxiety or addiction by the power of God and your community of support?
Hello, Sweet Circle. Can I just say that, “It has been a week.”
One of the deepest desires of my heart is to be true to myself and true to you. I shared in my last blog post Life’s Journey #15: The Drowning Man, my latest struggles with the decisions on my treatment for my autoimmune disease. I was struggling. I had doubts. I was crying out to God. I was asking and pleading for direction, and honestly, I was frustrated that I did not hear God’s voice. “Why aren’t you leading me, Lord?” This was a frequent cry of mine over the last week. I even prayed something to the effect of “Why am I praying if I cannot hear You, Lord?!” Yikes! As harsh as that may seem, I know my God, my Lord, is big-enough to handle my questions. He is big enough to hear my frustrations and not lash out at me or abandon me. He loves me and He loves YOU. He desires to hold me and hold YOU in His arms through it all …even when we are crying out to Him with our confusion, our laments, and even our anger.
Psalm 42 was one of the recent Psalms I read on May 12, 2023, while I was going through this challenging week. (See post In The Word #14: A Walk Through the Psalms for my reading plan.) I was moved by the honesty and directness of the Psalmist. My heart connected with these words as I read them. I loved the lessons and messages which spoke to me in these words. The permission to struggle, ask questions and praise our God in my communications with Him.
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.
1 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? 3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. 7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.
9 “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” 10 Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
LESSONS I LEARNED in PSALM 42:
Verses 1-2: I may express my longing for God. Sometimes I don’t feel as close and connected with God as I want to be. I know He has not left me, but I am drifting from Him for some reason. It may be my own sinful actions or unconfessed sin or time away from Him and His Word or whatever. But when I turn back to Him, I know He hears me. He is waiting for me to return. He welcomes me home to His open arms and His provision. He quenches my thirst for Him with His love and His Word.
Verses 3-4: I may be honest with my pain, my hurt, and my tears. God already knows what is going on in my head, my life, and my soul. He knows my hurt and my pain. I cannot hide anything from Him. I may open up to God in honesty, and I know His love is unconditional…always.
Verses 5-8: I may lament over my own confusion. And I praise God in the midst of the confusion. God’s provision, love and grace will wash over me like the waves of the sea. He is faithful, merciful, and full of grace. I may CHOOSE JOY always, knowing that God is with me always. Even when I am sad and my emotions are raging, God is with me. I may rejoice in Him, praise Him and the life that I have through His Son Jesus.
Verses 9-11: I may put my hope in God, my Rock. God desires my praise in all circumstances for my hope is in Him in all circumstances. Jesus has overcome temptation, peer pressure, sin, and death. I have eternal life in Jesus, because I believe. No matter what I am facing, I do not need to despair for I know God will redeem all. He will make beauty from ashes. He will remove all my shame, all my regret, all my doubts. For God is Good and I may CHOOSE JOY for the promises He gives me.
Amen and Thank You, Jesus.
I am not perfect and I make bad decisions. But amidst the struggles of my human side, I also know that I am a beloved child of God. I am known, valued, worthy and loved by my God. I am only saved from sin through the love of Jesus. Jesus is the one who can redeem my soul and forgive me of my shortcomings. My hope is in Him and Him alone. He is worthy of my praise. His shoulders may bear the weight of my questions and pain. He will redeem me and my life.
And He will do the same for you, my Sisters and Brothers!
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: (Please share in the Comments section below.)
What is the Psalm that speaks to your heart?
Why do you connect with it?
If you do not have a Psalm in mind, reflect on Psalm 42. Are you able to feel the Holy Spirit impress upon you comfort, hope and joy through the verses? What is coming to mind for you?
“To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, for your love and provision. You are our gracious, forgiving, and merciful God. You love us unconditionally. You know us completely…even our sin. Yet you will never turn away from us. You are patient and kind and will welcome us home to you when we seek you and ask for forgiveness. We CHOOSE JOY and choose hope for you are with us always. Amen.
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