Make It Personal...

So many times we are told to pray, but many of us don’t know how to pray. I confess, I didn’t really know how to pray until last year. I was praying, but I wasn’t really praying, if you get what I mean. I feel blessed to be in a church that stresses growth and intimacy with God. I pray using the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–15). Prayer is on my mind today because I was technically on the verge of having bad day, but I didn’t let it become a bad day. Prayer is also on my mind because the something that I asked for was given to me, and I am sooo thankful and happy. I’ll show you how I pray………

Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name
Exalt his name. Tell him how much you love him. Tell him what he means to you. Lord I love you. You are awesome. I praise you. I worship you. You are all that. You are magnificent. I will not put anything above your name. Hallelujah to your name. Thank you for being my father, my king, my leader, my savior, my healer, my provider, my redeemer, my banker, my name changer, my friend, my protector, my everything (I can go on and on, and some days he means different things to me)……………

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Lord, I know I’ve asked you for many things, but only give me the things that are in your will for my life. I am submitted to your will for my life, and if it isn’t you then I don’t want it. Help me to see your way. Here I’ll pray about decisions I need to make.

Give us today our daily bread
Lord, you know the desires of my heart. Ask him for the things you need. Thank him for the things you’ve asked for even if you can’t see them now. Right now (at this minute) I need the following: Lord, stretch my patience. Help me to manage my time. I am starting to feel overwhelmed, but I need you to bring order to my weekly schedule. I’ve asked that you make me great, and I know that the time commitments that I’m struggling to make are NOTHING compared to the work you have for me. I mean seriously Z., this is nothing compared to your life as a First Lady of a nation, state, church, or business [those of you who know me, get this joke]. This is nothing compared to being a leader of a charitable organization or school. This is nothing to being a wife and mother. This is nothing compared to what’s coming……so girl, get it together.

I pray for the specific needs of my family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, church members, church leaders, and people struggling with poverty, abuse, addiction, and/or violence. I pray for the marriages and relationships of my friends. I pray for the safety of my husband and children, even though I don’t know them yet. I thank God for the good health, home, wealth, family, job, life, and saved family members that I asked for. I thank him for making me his princess. I am royalty. Just thank him for those things instead of asking him over and over for them. I also ask him for my specific needs. I thank him for the small things he does for me on a daily basis (waking me up, my car, having food, a bed, etc.).

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors
Ask for forgiveness for your sins and make sure that you forgive. I ask God to forgive me for the times I failed to keep my word, including the times I paid a bill late. I ask him to forgive me for my thoughts and actions that weren’t godly…the times I talked about other people...the times I worried..times I complained. I forgive those who hurt me, and I ask that I never hold unforgiveness. I ask that I don’t judge others and that others do not judge me. Sometimes people feel that Christians are judgmental. However, I find myself being judged more by others for being a Christian than for my actions that weren’t good. Being a Christian isn’t easy. Many people don’t have nice things to say about Christians, and I can definitely understand their reasons, but why be the judgmental person you accuse Christians of being?

Many of my friendships have become very awkward. I try to reach out, but I guess they don’t feel as though they can hang with me because they fear I’ll judge them even though I don’t. I still love through the awkwardness. At this minute I am asking God to help me get through these changes.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
Temptation, temptation, temptation………….I pray for my areas of weakness and ask for strength to overcome them. I ask God to deliver me from the things that have me bound. I thank him for breaking bad habits. I also ask that he delivers my family, friends, and community from things that have them bound.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Lord, it all belongs to you. I belong to you. I will serve you. What can I do for you? Your name reigns supreme. Your word is true.

In Jesus' name we pray! Amen