Tag: prayer

devotional, encouragement, midlife faith

The Patterns of Prayer

Bethany LaShell

It’s easy to realize we need to pray more, but how often do you find yourself kneeling beside your bed, hands folded … and nothing comes out of your mouth? Or do you just spout off items like you’re reading a grocery list? We’ve heard that we can just talk to God like we’re talking with a friend, but that can seem irreverent. Is there a special formula?

The good news is that there’s no special formula you have to use for God to hear your prayers. But here are a few patterns you can use to help you begin.

The A.C.T.S. of Prayer

·         Adoration  – Put praise before victory: “When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
·         Confession – Repent from letting fear rule our minds. “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
·         Thanksgiving – Give thanks in all things: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
·         Supplication (requests) – Notice that making our requests should be last when we come before God in prayer. If we start with our laundry list, often we’re tempted to stop there. But when we first adore God for who He is, confess our sins to open the communication lines between us, give thanks for what God has already done in our lives, and THEN bring our requests before Him, we’ll find that our wants are more aligned with His will. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Here’s an example of how to use the A.C.T.S. acronym to help you pray:

Heavenly Father, You are omniscient. You know what my future holds. I confess that I am letting worry overrule the knowledge of your faithfulness in this trying situation. Thank You for delivering me from fear and always providing for me. I ask that You calm my anxious mind and make a way for me to be able to make it through this week.

(The ACTS of Prayer courtesy of my friend and coworker Billie Jo.)

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

Within this familiar prayer are all the elements we need to approach God confidently and release all the blessings He wants to give us. We start with recognizing God in proper reverence, but also identifying our relationship with Him. We move on to reverencing His holiness. Prayer is about changing our hearts and attitudes to prepare for God’s perfect plans for our lives. We can then concede that we trust His character and His knowledge of the future. Resting in God’s plans instead of striving for our own will bring the peace that we crave.

After we pray these things, then we are ready to request what we need – for ourselves and our loved ones. We must also make sure to request forgiveness for our sins and ensure that we aren’t withholding forgiveness from others. We need to learn to embrace God’s grace and to extend grace to others. By requesting deliverance from temptation and the evil one, we’re asking God to protect us from all harm, something that often worries us. After dwelling on earthly things, finish by refocusing on heavenly things.

Pray the Psalms

So many times in Scripture we read about David being afraid and exhausted, and he expressed his fears and disappointments with great depth and feeling. To make these prayers your own, just add in your name or your loved one’s name.

Here are some helpful Psalms to pray through when you’re anxious and worried:

·         Psalms 3 and 10 – prayer for deliverance from enemies and tough situations.
·         Psalm 17 – prayer vindication when you’ve been wronged.
·         Psalm 23 – prayer for comfort when you’re exhausted and distressed.
·         Psalm 57 – prayer for God’s favor and mercy.
·         Psalm 61 and 91 – prayer for protection in dangerous situations.
·         Psalm 121 – prayer help and guidance when you don’t know what to do.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalm 107:6

The Name of Jesus

Just say the name of Jesus. When you can’t form the words to say anything more, just speak the name of Jesus. He is enough. At the name of Jesus, darkness fades and demons flee! Amen!

When fear steals your words, the Holy Spirit will pray for you: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26 ESV).

Powerful Prayers

Pray for others as God brings them to mind; you can even set a reminder to pray on your phone. Pray for others as soon as they ask for prayer. That’s the best, most important thing we can do for others who find themselves overwhelmed by fear.

If you journal your prayer requests, prayers, and answers (with dates), your faith will increase as you can look back and see God’s answers.

I hope these ideas help you turn your words into powerful prayers for yourself and others in times of fear. Keep praying and keep believing. God will answer your prayers!

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15 ESV
devotional, encouragement, healing

The Purpose of Prayer

Bethany LaShell

We know that prayer is an edict, an expression, and an exchange, now let’s look at what it accomplishes.

Prayer transports us into the presence of God. What we need more than anything else – more than money, a new job, or healing – is God Himself. If I have Jesus, I have all I need for peace, joy, and rest. Remember that old song “Give Me Jesus”? Let that be our song and prayer today.

Prayer takes our eyes off ourselves and puts them on Jesus – the one who will calm our storms. Remember when the disciples and Jesus were in a boat crossing to the other side of the lake and a storm kicked up? While the disciples were panicking, Jesus was sleeping. But when they woke Him up, all He had to do was command the wind and the sea, “Peace, be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

Notice that Jesus didn’t magically transport them away from the storm. Nor did He leave them alone in the storm. He simply spoke, and the storm stopped. Now, Jesus might not speak to the storms you’re facing, but He will speak to you, “Peace, be still!” And in His presence, you will find that your soul can be calm even amid chaos.

As Paul reminds us, the peace of God will calm our minds when we submit our requests to God through prayer:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

In the Old Testament as well, the prophet Isaiah points out, “You [God] will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” (26:3).

When we learn how to rest in God’s presence, our minds will be transformed from a muddled mess to a certainty of peace:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Come to God expectantly. What did you receive? Let me know in the comments!

devotional, midlife faith

The Power of Prayer

Bethany LaShell
Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

How often have we heard (or said), “I’ll pray; I’m sorry I can’t do more”? Here’s the thing, though, prayer is the single most important thing we can do to combat worry – in our own lives and the lives of others.

Prayer is foundational to the Christian life, yet many people don’t know its true purpose and often feel like they don’t know how to pray. It’s not like sharing your troubles with a friend over a cup of tea.

First, prayer is a privilege as well as a command: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12 ESV).

Second, prayer, in its very essence, is communicating with our loving, Heavenly Father. It’s fellowship with the God of the universe. He is waiting for us to approach Him: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). It’s meant to be a two-way conversation, so we need to make sure to listen to God’s response through meditating on Scripture.

Third, prayer is giving our troubles to our Creator and the perfect Lover of our Soul, so we don’t have to carry their weight: “Cast[ing] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7 ESV). The idea here of “casting” is throwing or placing upon, so we’re giving up the responsibility for our problems. Hallelujah!

Prayer is an exchange. We leave our burdens, worries, and sin in the hands of God. We come away with oil of joy and the garment of praise.

F.B. Meyer

Jesus invites us to exchange our burdens for His:   Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Sometimes it seems as if our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and we wonder whether prayer really works. The resounding answer is yes! “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). The answer may not be what we want or when we want it, but God always hears and answers our prayers: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 John 5:14 ESV).

anxiety, devotional, lessons learned, midlife faith, moving on

Communication–Anchor Series #3

Bethany LaShell

Canva - Silhouette Image of Person PrayingMy grandparents planned a whole Junior Seamanship Course for us that summer—certificate and all. Part of the course was learning all of the sailing terminology and being able to respond appropriately to my grandfather’s commands whether we were in the middle of the ocean or sailing into our assigned slip at the marina. Communication was especially important when storms blew in. We had to know how to respond instantly without asking why or how. 

But during the calm times, that was when we could ask all the whys and hows we wanted. The questions and answers during the calm times brought us closer to our captain while the stories brought us closer to our grandparents. Both types of communication helped build trust, so we were prepared when the storms rose.

What does communication look like for the Christian? When everyone else deserts you, God is as close as your next prayer. When you’re lying alone on a hard, plastic chair in the emergency room in the middle of the night with your child who’s on a suicide watch, and all you can do is cry, “Oh, God,” he knows what you need. He can bring comfort and peace even then. 

When your church friends turn their backs on you because of false rumors spread by your soon-to-be-ex-husband (and church leaders—yes, for real), Jesus is right there beside you saying, “I know how it feels to be betrayed by those closest to me. Lean on my shoulder for a while.” It’s in those times that the comfort of memorized Scripture and wordless prayers are felt the most. But you can’t know that comfort if you don’t invest time in prayer and Bible reading before you get to that point. 

I know that God doesn’t always answer the way we want or when we want. But He is not on our timetable! And he always knows what’s best for us in the long run. Don’t be discouraged; keep praying.

Having trouble getting started? Me too. Here are a few ideas:

1.  Pray out loud when you walk around the neighborhood or in the park. I often pray as I walk around the pond on my breaks during the work day.

2. Write out your prayers. I find this especially useful because I can pour out my heart more easily than if I’m just trying to think about what I want to say. Writing my prayers often helps to clarify my thinking.

3. Just talk to Him like he’s sitting across the table from you at Panera Bread or on the couch next to you or riding in the front seat of the car on your way to work. Conversation with our Heavenly Father does not have to be complicated. He’s not hung up on any particular format.

4. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he taught them The Lord’s Prayer. It’s short, sweet, and to the point (Matthew 6:9-13). We can mimic it.

5. Pray Scriptures. Use the psalms or one of Paul’s prayers and personalize it with your name and the names of your loved ones. 

One of the most precious letters (yes, real ink and paper) came from my mum when I was in college. She shared that she had been and would be using Colossians 1:9-12 to pray for me. I still have that letter folded and saved inside my Bible in that passage.

6. There are many other methods. Kim at Salvaged Living has a lovely post describing six different models—and she even includes a free printable to put in your Bible or prayer journal. 

Praying helps get your anchor ready to drop when needed, and it helps hold the boat steady after you drop the anchor—it is the anchor. If you’re not prayed up before a crisis hits, your anchor may as well be buried under all the flotsam in the bottom of the hold. But praying (and reading your Bible and being involved in community) brings your anchor up to the bow of the boat, makes sure it’s secured to the boat, and has it ready to throw overboard as soon as it’s needed. 

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you” (Colossians 1:9 NIV).

What’s your favorite way/place to pray? Let me know! And drop me a line to let me know how I can pray for you this coming week.

anxiety, change, grief, healing, lessons learned, moving on

Take It to the Cross

Bethany LaShell

How many times do we hear—or say—that phrase and not know how to take our burdens to the cross and leave them there?

“Rising Cairn” by Celeste Roberge

I connected immediately with this sculpture, “Rising Cairn” by Celeste Roberge, the first time I saw its image. Others have called it “The Weight of Grief,” and that’s what I see. Grief, bitterness, struggles, loneliness, loss, all these things weigh us down. It’s not just all in the mind or in the heart; hard things take their toll physically too. 

All this weight that we carry can make daily living difficult. Imagine carrying a 30-pound backpack on your back all day, every day. Sounds exhausting, right? Well, that’s what we do when we don’t let Christ carry our spiritual and emotional burdens for us. 

I’ve tried to envision how free I would feel to be rid of all the weights I carry. I can picture Christian from Pilgrim’s Progress stumbling toward the cross. As he nears it and lifts his eyes to see the symbol of his Savior’s love, the weights fall right off his back. Can you imagine the freedom and lightness he felt? Can you imagine the freedom and lightness you and I would feel if we could only lay down our rock loads at the foot of the cross.

We can!! In order to help those of us (me) without an imagination, I’ve thought of doing this physically, but I haven’t yet. Gather up a bunch of rocks, use a sharpie to write a burden on each one—whatever’s weighing down me heart and mind and causing me to be bent over with grief. Take those rocks, those burdens to the cross and set them down on the ground beside it. I imagine Jesus bending over and picking up those rocks and in exchange giving me His yoke of peace, love, and grace. How much lighter I would feel! Those aren’t burdens at all; they’re blessings!

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

Once we’ve laid our burdens down at the foot of the cross, we can’t pick them up again. Not that I would want to, but we are creatures of habit. 

Recently when I was struggling with a particular issue with one of my children, I was keeping it all inside and not telling anyone about it—even my closest friends. I was so crushed by this burden—just like the person depicted in the “Rising Cairn” sculpture—that I couldn’t focus on anything else. I was filled with anxiety and grief. My dad finally encouraged me to let it go, to let others help me carry that burden to the Lord. It was hard to share what I felt like was my failing as a mother, but I did. It took several months of prayers, tears, and sharing with friends who carried me to Jesus, but I have let it go (mostly). When I dwell on this issue, I still cry. I pray constantly for this problem. But I don’t carry the burden of it around with me, and in that, I am free. 

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

John 8:32 ESV

I have other burdens that I’m working on releasing, but sometimes I feel like the rocks are superglued to my hand! Why do I hold onto my burdens instead of loosing the backpack straps and letting the whole bag fall to the ground at the cross as Christian did? I don’t know! But I’m working on it, and I’m inviting Jesus to help me release these burdens. 

What rocks are superglued to your hands? What burdens are in your backpack weighing you down? Take them to the cross and leave them there, friend! If you need someone to pray with you about your cares, let me know.