Joyfull Living

Beginning a  committed time to pray may take some adjustments and sacrifice. But, once the habit is established we position ourselves to seek and hear from God much deeper. This will become a precious time to begin each day, but will also equip us to face any challenges through the day we may face. Prayer will become your immediate reflex rather than your last resort. Here are a few ideas in life that can become prompts to pray: Newness:  Take time to pray whenever you begin something new. Pray at the start of each day, dedicate it to God asking for His cleansing, protection and guidance. Begin each new year, job or relationship seeking God's wisdom, help and direction. Needs: God is able to meet any need. When we face physical, emotional or spiritual needs, may these prompt us to pray. Blessings:   What has God done for you today? Daily He loads us with benefits and blessings. He protects us, forgives us and guides us. May we be ready to thank Him for a...

There are many times in our life we are extremely motivated to pray. A crisis, hope, all consuming fear will drive us quickly to our knees. It is almost an instant reflex - a cry for help to the God who can. But prayer and God is much more than a relief system, it is about a relationship - and they take time and effort. As we grow in the area of prayer, a daily time set aside to pray is a valuable and powerful tool in our walk with the Lord.  I Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to 'pray without ceasing'.  Although the constant action of prayer continually is not feasible, our attitudes can be in tune to talking or listening to God all through the day. It should become a natural part of our thinking, not only in our scheduled prayer time but through the chaos each day may bring.  God desires that prayer become an ongoing opportunity we engage in by quietly praising, thanking and leaning on Him at any moment. But along with this constant attitude of prayer, th...

There is such great freedom in prayer since it is simply communicating with God. If prayer were set on a schedule or with a formula, there wouldn't be any room for heartfelt expression. But if prayer is approached too casual, the effectiveness may be limited. What is the balance of freedom and structure? Four broad types of prayer can be explained in the acronym A.C.T.S. Most every prayer will fall under one of these types. But a vibrant prayer life will probably incorporate each of these for a beautiful balance of remembering Who we are praying to, searching our hearts for anything that will hinder prayer, a time to be grateful and to think and support others.  These four types of prayer provide a useful and natural progression as we interact with the Lord.  A.: Adoration is a prayer that praises and worships God. Through this type of prayer, we are not requesting anything from Him, merely adoring Him and honoring Him in our hearts. It turns our complete attention...

Every morning in my home, a healthy devotional routine takes place before the day gets away from me. My little prayer system works well, but can always use heart adjustments. Rising before anyone in the house, I grab my coffee, blanket, sit in my favorite chair surrounded by the Bible and devotionals and begin with prayer. This prayer routine probably looks different than yours...and that is ok! A certain place, posture or words is not what makes prayer - prayer. In fact prayer is not about just prayer. Think about your cell phone, its primary purpose is not for itself but to serve as a conduit and connection we use for relationships and contact. If we held up the phone without engaging another person with it, we are not making it do what it was created to do. Likewise, even if our attempts at prayer look and feel like prayer, they are not truly prayer if God is not engaged.  Prayer at its heart, is communicating with God. Reverently and openly. Sincerely interacting w...

Prayer.   One simple word that can pack such a powerful meaning. What does it mean to pray? What is the right way to pray? What determines the correct method - place, time, words?  How can a simple act get so complicated?  The ladies at my church are engaging in a Bible Study - The Battle Plan for Prayer . We are beginning with a heart that is not anxious about 'the right way' to pray, but asking God to deepen our grasp of His love as we learn to boldly approach Him in a renewed devotion to prayer.  For several weeks, this blog will be our weekly place to come for a visit and be refreshed in the lessons we are learning. Quotes and notes that we can hold close in our hearts to deepen and enrich us will be shared. Please feel free to stop by and linger with an open heart on the subject of prayer. May your heart be stirred and drawn into a more intimate walk with our Lord. May prayer become as natural as breathing and may God work through our prayers to he...

Happy Valentine's Day!  It's a day of flowers, chocolate, romance for many. For others it's a hard reminder of some things we may long for - true love. This can also be a time when one is grieving that the pain intensifies. But Valentine's love fades as we look beyond the expressions of one day to the true love we receive from God. I Corinthians 13 is known as the 'love chapter' of the Bible. It describes love and what it looks like from the inside out. As Paul the author of this chapter talks about love, the Greek word he uses is agape - which describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love. This love means determining what is best for another person and then doing it. This is the kind of love that God shows to us.  So wherever you find yourself today on ...

January has ended and the euphoria of Happy New Year has probably faded. Do you remember the excitement of the newness of a new year that was actually just a few weeks ago? The new plans and direction we wanted for our lives?  Incorporating new habits and steps to meet those new goals can prove to be quite a challenge! It takes a lot of work, diligence and discipline. The struggles we face while pursuing a goal reveal how much or how little we desire the end result. But, instead of beating ourselves up, let's take a realistic evaluation as there are still 11 months left of 2019. The daily grind of life can drowned out or quiet those resolutions that quickened in our hearts. But, a fact is, every year we should expect more than the year before. It's called growth. It means removing obstacles and limitations and trusting God for new heights. This is not about performing for God. Instead it is about moving further toward God's design for you to represent Him in all ar...