Tag: prayer

How Do I Work the Shower?

Jesus, prayer, guidance, faith, inspirationI was alone at our trailer and decided to start the day with a nice, hot shower. The only other time I had used this shower was last season, but how difficult could it be to operate?

When I turned on the tap I got a blast of water through the open shower door! Quickly I adjusted the shower head, climbed in and closed the door.
My next challenge was adjusting the water temperature. This was not an easy task as the water was either hot or cold. How could I find a happy medium?

The most difficult part was still to come. I couldn’t seem to get the water turned off! I know it sounds like a simple thing, but that was not the case! After much trial and error I discovered that the taps did not move in the same direction. One turned left to go off and the other turned right.

These problems could have all been avoided if I’d only paid attention to the position of the shower head and the taps before I started.

At the risk of sound like a slow learner, lack of attention has been the cause of many difficulties in my life. I tend to race forward into a situation without taking time to gather the necessary information. That being said, I could spend all of my time gathering information and never actually DO anything.

The best way that I’ve found to make important decisions is to take them to the one who sees everything. Jesus is able to take anything and use it for my good. I can save both of us a lot of unnecessary detours by paying attention.

There are three simple steps I need to do. The first is to pray for guidance. Next I need to take the time to watch and listen for the response. Thirdly, I need to step out in faith. Jesus can then use me to make a difference in the world.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 NIV

Who Can Hear Me?

God, heavenly father, prayers,inspirationAs we walked along the shore we heard the thump, thump of the hull of a small boat coming in contact with the water. Both my husband and I scanned the area in search of the boat. We were amazed when we finally saw it, far from the shore and blending in with the horizon line.

The sound waves obviously carried a much farther distance than we’d realized. We joked that we’d better keep our voices down or people in nearby houses would hear every word we said!

The thought of being overheard is only uncomfortable if I’m saying something I shouldn’t.

Also brought to mind was the fact that my words are always heard by God. He hears much more than the prayers that are directed to him. It gives a different perspective when I realize that God hears me even when I’m not being on my best behavior. Every word that comes from my mouth and the thoughts that precede them are known by my Heavenly Father. When my thoughts are positive and loving, my words will be as well.

The closer I stay to God, the easier this becomes. When my words are directed by God there is no worry about who hears them.

May the words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 NIV)

Is Your Head in the Right Space?

God, prayer, guidance, wisdom, inspirationMy husband and I were walking through a trade show when one of the exhibitors caught our attention. A young man handed my husband a ball that weighed twelve pounds and told us this was the approximate weight of an adult’s head. We each held the ball and were surprised that our head could weigh that much.

The point of this was to promote proper posture. They wanted to point out how important it is to have your head in alignment with your spine. What made the biggest impression on me was something written on the brochure we were handed. It said, Is your head in the right space?

Unfortunately for them, my thoughts had nothing to do with attending their posture clinic.

When I think of having my head on straight, it is clear, focused thinking that comes to mind. No matter how much I strive for this, it is something I don’t always achieve. Often I take on too much, get overwhelmed and loose my ability to function efficiently. Then there are the times that I am faced with several choices and seem unable to make a decision. In both of these cases I definitely feel the need to get my head on straight.

By starting each day in prayer, asking for God’s wisdom and guidance, my life will run much smoother. The quiet time I spend with God is just what I need to keep my head in the right space.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Do You Have Transmision Problems?

God, prayer, guidance, inspirationOne evening I pulled into our driveway and was surprised when my vehicle would no longer move forward. Before you ask, it wasn’t because I bumped into the building!

Eventually the vehicle did move but there was a resistance that felt like something was holding it back. The brake wasn’t engaged so the problem had to be with the transmission. Once it was serviced, everything was good again.

This made me think of times I’ve been moving full speed ahead in my life and suddenly felt a resistance that stopped me in my tracks. Looking back, I realize this was caused by a different kind of transmission problem. It had nothing to do with a motor, but with a message that was being transmitted to me.

Many times I have set my own course and not stopped to pray about it. God has been patient with me when I made mistakes that wouldn’t have occurred if I had been relying on him. When it feels like something is holding me back, I need to stop and evaluate if this is God’s way of letting me know I’m not heading in the right direction.

He is always willing to forgive my disobedience and set my life back on track. By being tuned into his transmission of love and guidance my journey of life will be much smoother.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (Psalm 32:1-2 NLT)

Are You Thick Skinned?

self-interest, God, prayer, inspirationLately I’ve been starting my day with a slice of fresh lemon in a mug of hot water. I enjoy the taste, and have also heard this is good for digestion.

The last lemon we purchased had a very thick rind on it. This made the skin to pulp ratio higher and produced a bitter taste. It also meant the slice was bigger and took up more room in my mug.

When I mentioned to my husband that this lemon had a very thick skin, he asked if being thick- skinned was a bad thing. I replied that I prefer my fruit to be thin-skinned but it’s not good for me to be that way.

If I’m referred to as thin-skinned it means that I am oversensitive. My feelings get hurt very easily. Everything becomes about me. This can make life very uncomfortable.

Conversely, being thick-skinned would mean I have set up a barrier between myself and everyone around me. Although I would not be easily offended, the fact that I would be largely unaffected by the needs and feelings of others would not be positive. Again everything would end up being about me.

Neither of these scenarios is where I want to be. I am aware that my life runs much smoother when the needs of others are as important, if not more so, than my own self-interest. Spending regular time in prayer with God will ensure that I don’t become too thick-skinned to follow his direction for my life.

And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn’t succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The “self-interest Israel” became thick-skinned toward God. (Romans 11:7 The Message)

You Have the Power to Change My Day

positive, encourage, prayer
poster from notsalmon.com
Recently I was engaged in an activity I enjoyed. Everything was going along smoothly until someone voiced a few complaints. These were things that I hadn’t noticed previously and that had never interfered with my enjoyment of the activity. Before long I felt my positive attitude slowly being eroded with these negative thoughts.

Things that had never been an issue for me now seemed to be all that I noticed. Instead of focusing on my positive experience I started seeing what could be a negative for others. My peace and enjoyment of the activity slipped into the background.

Looking back on this, I realized anew the effect words have to influence others. It only took a few to change my outlook. If a few words could change my positive thoughts to negative, the reverse must also be true.

That means I need to be very conscious of my words. If I speak in the heat of anger I will regret it later. Instead I need to speak words that will encourage and build others up. On my own, this can prove a difficult task at times. When I stop and pray about my attitude, the words that I speak will be ones that will encourage and build others up. This will ensure that the only way I change someone’s day is to make it more positive.

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29 NLT)

Is This Your Baggage?

prayer, Jesus, inspirationMy husband and I have done some traveling lately. The airports we’ve visited have had many announcements concerning baggage.

We are warned not to leave it unattended. There are also cautions on arrival to make sure it’s your baggage you pick up. Many pieces of luggage are similar in appearance so this can sometimes be a challenge.

This rule from the airport is also valid in life. Each of us carries our own baggage. Sometimes it is small, like hand luggage. Other times the volume of hurts and regrets are too heavy to carry on our own. This over-sized baggage needs to be checked.

When I see someone with excess baggage I want to help them. Perhaps by lending a sympathetic ear the burden can be lightened. Although I may want to help carry the baggage of others I’ve learned that taking it on doesn’t help them or me. Similarly, no one else can carry the load that is dragging me down.

The most effective way I’ve found to deal with this is to give it to Jesus. Nothing is too big for him to handle. Spending time talking with him gives me the refreshment and perspective I need to live freely and lightly.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28 The Message)

Windshield Washer Thinking

prayer, God, Holy SpiritThe morning after a light snowfall, my husband and I were driving on a major highway. The sanding of the road combined with warming temperature had made the road a sloppy mess. We needed to constantly use our windshield washer to ensure visibility was not obstructed.

At one point I remarked to him, “I’m thankful for windshield washer fluid this morning.” Then, I started thinking how this could be an analogy for life.

Life is not always sunny skies and clear roads. Sometimes there is muck that flies up at us. A little here and there is easy to deal with and I carry on unaware that I’m not seeing clearly any more.

If this is not dealt with my vision of things around me becomes so clouded that it becomes difficult to see what is right in front of me.

This is where prayer and reliance on God and the Holy Spirit comes in. God always sees clearly the direction that is best for me. He hears me when I call out to him in prayer. The problem is that I often forge ahead, thinking I can handle things on my own.

God sent his son Jesus so we might have life and have it abundantly. Jesus gave his life for us. When he died he promised to leave us a helper, the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that can clear my vision. In my analogy, he is the washer fluid for my windshield. By calling out to him and relying on his guidance, I can be lead safely along the road that has been set out for me to travel on.

However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you. John 14:26 GWT

Out of My Control

prayer, God, inspiration
image from bing.com
In the early morning hours, we drove to an airport shuttle service. We entered the lot and followed another vehicle to the appointed row. After parking and unloading our luggage we walked stand by the couple from the other car.

The husband was removing the luggage and the wife paced anxiously behind him. We said, “Good Morning,” to them and the only response came from her. She said, “We’re running late. I hope we don’t miss our flight.”

The shuttle bus slowly worked its way down our row, picking up groups of people along the way. The woman became more agitated, constantly muttering about missing the flight.

A few more such comments were made as she took her seat on the bus. Just before we exited the lot, she realized that her purse wasn’t with her. Calling out to the driver, she said she had left her purse in the car and we needed to go back. The driver obliged but of course this delayed all of us in getting to the airport.
We were flying on different airlines so don’t know if she ended up missing her flight. What I do know is that she reminded me of a very important lesson.

It serves no purpose to worry about things I have no control over. What I need to do is to take care of the small details that are within my control. In this way I will cause less stress not only in my own life but also in those around me. When I do my part and then leave the rest up to God, life runs much smoother.

A wise man once told me, “It’s no use laying awake at night worrying about your problems. God’s up anyway so give them to him.” This advice has served me well. It is amazing how much better I feel when I pray and leave the things out of my control in the hands of my heavenly father.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Luke 12:25 NIV

Happy New Year

God, strength, inspiration
picture from 123newyear.com
As we end one year and embark upon another I’d like to share with you a poem that was given to me many years ago. Every year I read it and appreciate what it has to say. Unfortunately I don’t know who the author is. My prayer is that each of you will be blessed this way in 2015.

NEW YEAR PRAYER

May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.

Author unknown

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