The Prayer I Prayed Over 5000 Times

Wow! and Praise Jesus! resounded in my soul. And I rejoiced. I cried happy tears over a long-awaited answer to a prayer I prayed over 5,000 times. Yes, you read that right—no typos or extra zeros.

You see, when my twin sister and I were little, our father disappeared from our life. My mom and stepfather took us to church, but we didn’t understand much about God or prayer. 

Along about fourth grade, my dad reappeared and wanted to be a part of my life again. I’ll never forget what he told me at nine-years-old, “People think there’s a God, but there’s not.”

Not understanding it at the time, I knew later my dad was an atheist. This confused my young heart, wondering, Is God real and does He love me? Yet, I was in church and Sunday school each week hearing about the God of the Bible.

Praying When Faith Wanes

Then something wonderful happened. At sixteen, both me and my sister prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Savior at a church revival. Sixteen turned out to be sweet after all.

That night as I crawled into bed, I decided to pray daily for my father to believe in God and accept Christ. Even though I was a young Christian, I missed very few days praying for my dad. 

Finding Comfort in the Names of God

Our community is blessed this week with guest blogger, Mandy Farmer. She’s a woman of God who I’ve had the joy to interact with online. Do you need comfort in pain? Maybe you’re familiar with physical or emotional pain or both. In this post, Mandy not only reminds us who God is, but also how the names of God bring us comfort.

By Mandy Farmer

We have all experienced pain in one form or another. There are moments of pain in my life where I still cringe when I think about it—stepping on a nail in my bare feet. Eek! That one hurt just typing it right now.

I’m approaching nine years of chronic pain. It never gets easier. But there are other types of pain that may hurt even more deeply, crushing our heart and soul. Truly, the one thing I have found for all my pain is focusing on Christ.

I recently thought about the many names of God. Have you ever wondered, “Why so many names?”

I have come to realize that it is to show us God is whatever we need Him to be whenever we need it. In different times of our lives, we need God to show Himself to us in different ways. It is at these times that we may find comfort in a new Name of God at just the right time and in just the right way.

So let’s take a look at some of the names of God and how they brought me comfort.

Abba Father and Jesus, Lover of my Soul

In my elementary years, I was the short fat girl who no one wanted to choose for their team. My earthly father,  proved to me through example that I had my Abba Father who loved me, called me His own, and chose me to be His Child.

Truly Free on a Day of Deliverance

In America, we are remembering and celebrating liberty as a country. But I always like to celebrate how I’m spiritually free in Jesus Christ, too.

So when I read a letter John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, about Independence Day in 1776, I found this interesting.

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.” (Wikipedia, emphasis added)

Like Adams, many of our founding fathers looked to God for “the day of deliverance.” Likewise, we looked to God for our spiritual day of deliverance. 

Jesus’ blood spilled on Calvary’s cross to set real freedom in motion. Truly a day of delieverance.

But it never stopped at the cross. Jesus rose from the dead securing our freedom for all time.

My day of deliverance happened at sixteen-years-old; the Lord delivered me from sin and spiritual death giving me eternal life—something worth remembering and celebrating. Accepting grace became my first act of devotion to God Almighty.

America’s founding fathers commemorated freedom as the day of deliverance: Independence Day. Our heavenly Father commemorated spiritual freedom as the day of deliverance: Resurrection Day. 

Therefore, here’s a list of 20 Bible verses to help us remember and celebrate.

Free in Jesus Christ

(1.)  “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, to announce liberty to captives, and to open the eyes of the blind.” (Isaiah 61:1, TLB)

8 Scriptural Ways to Pursue Humility

Hey humility, come out, come out wherever you are!

Last month, I shared 7 Biblical Promises for Walking in Humility. Then my blogger friend, Mandy Farmer, invited me to write a guest post on how Christians pursue humility as a spiritual discipline.

Since we already discussed the biblical promises we receive for walking in humility, let’s discuss how we actually pursue it.

Because humility seems missing from our present culture. But this lack isn’t anything new.

People, even God’s people, have always had a bent toward self-centeredness and boasting.

And learning to pursue humility is a needed spiritual discipline for a Christ-follower.

So here are 3 of the 8 ways to pursue H-U-M-I-L-I-T-Y.

H – Honor God.

Pursuing humility starts with honoring God by letting Him be God and do His job—not taking over.

But we have a choice to let Him act as CEO of our plans and purpose. We ask ourselves: God is CEO, am I in His seat? If I am, it means I’ve exchanged honoring God for honoring myself.

Because when we take the reins, God doesn’t reign as Lord.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10, ESV)

U – Understand humanity.

Once we realize who God is, we come to terms with our own flesh. Created in God’s image, He wired us for humility, but we learn life’s about me.

6 Tips to Practice Summer Soul Care

Summer invites us to linger longer on the front porch or back deck. A glass of iced tea or lemonade and we’re all set. Summertime welcomes us to pause from the hectic pace. It beckons us to relax by the pool or in a cozy hammock. But are we practicing soul care? 

Because we are often intentional to care for our bodies in summer.

And we participate in outdoor activities (even exercise), gather with friends and family, foster recreation, and plan time off work to travel and go on vacation.

Yet, sometimes caring for our soul falls off the radar.

Still, in this slower rhythm of summer, the Lord also desires to teach us how to care for our soul.

So here are 6 tips for S.U.M.M.E.R soul care.

S – Satisfy our soul with what only God provides.

“For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” (Psalm 107:9, ESV).

“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish” (Jeremiah 31:25, ESV).

Like we long to vacation at the beach, hope to relax at a tropical resort, or desire to fill our summer with joyful activities, our soul longs for good things as well. The Lord wants us to slow down long enough to spend time in His presence. And let Him satisfy, fill, and replenish our soul with His goodness.

U – Understand the role Scripture plays in our soul’s wellness.

Top 10 List: What I Cherish About Summer

While every season offers holidays to celebrate, nature to enjoy, and highlights that mark the months, summer’s the time of year I cherish most.

Because there are many things to love about summer.

Since enjoying this wonderful season is under way, a top 10 list seems in order to share.

But we’ll start at number ten and countdown to the number one thing I cherish most.

(10.)  Reminiscing of childhood.

Reflecting on my childhood stirs a mix of memories, both good and difficult. Yet, when I think of summer, I remember fun and laughter and joy-filled moments. Memory lane reminds me of playing outside with my sisters and cousins. 

Preteen and teen years meant days spent at the local swimming pool and the first time I jumped off the high dive. So I cherish fond memories of summer.

(9.)  Catching lightning bugs.

What Does it Mean to Obey God? By Emily Saxe

Since we often struggle with what it really means to obey God, I’m happy to introduce my guest, Emily Saxe. Emily and I connected online several years ago, and participate in many of the same writing and blogging circles. And she just released a Bible study on obedience.

I fear obeying God. 

There. I said it. 

My days fill with what feels like endless demands. I work a writing and editing job I began in obedience to God. My husband and I spend countless weekends renovating our home — a home we bought knowing God desired our hospitality. When the world wasn’t at war against a virus, I spent many Sundays serving at church.

So you see, every time I obey God, He asks me to add something new to my already-overflowing plate.

At least, that’s what I used to think obedience meant.

What Do You Fear?

I recently published a three-week Bible study on the little book of the Bible called Haggai. The first time I studied Haggai, God blew me away with some truth about obedience. Truth I simply cannot keep to myself. Because I know if I struggle with the fear of believing obedience means adding more to my schedule, then I’m guessing I’m not the only one.

God took my fear of obedience and placed me beside the returned exiles in Jerusalem. These families spent years ignoring God’s command to rebuild His temple, which lay in ruins. They started out in obedience, but then fear of neighboring bullies put a stop to their efforts.

So they settled into a routine of comfort. Of padding their own lives with finished homes and planted crops. All while God’s temple remained in ruins. 

They feared obeying God during those years. They feared for their safety, but they also feared obeying God would mean adding too much to their already-full plates. Walking by the temple ruins, they closed their eyes and hardened their hearts toward what they knew God had asked of them.

What it Actually Means to Obey God

But then something incredible happened. God used Haggai to knock some sense into these exiles. They realized the error of their actions, and they began rebuilding the temple (you can read all about this in Haggai 1). Here’s where God knocked some sense into me, too.

Despite the actions that looked just like obedience, God spoke again to the people, calling them out for their misplaced priorities. And that’s when I realized this truth: Obeying God is not about adding more obedient-looking tasks to my to do list — it’s about the priorities of my heart.

We place far too much weight behind getting all our Christian gold stars each week. We focus on reading our Bibles each day, volunteering our time to help those in need, serving in church, and the list goes on.

How to Live the Bible as it Lives in Us

The Bible is alive—the living Word of God. Yet, how does it live in me? And how do I live it? 

I wanna take Your word and shine it all around

But first help me just to live it Lord

In his day, Christian singer and songwriter, Keith Green, was considered a man of No Compromise (album title and book about his life).

So these lyrics from his song, Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful, carry a powerful message. 

Perhaps we also desire to shine God’s Word all around. Maybe we want to live a life of no compromise.

The only way to strive for this kind of life? The Word living in us and us living the Word.

Living Scripture in our daily lives equates with a life of no compromise. Because our goals, desires, values, morals, decisions, relationships, lifestyle, worldview, heart, mind, and so on, stay bent toward scriptural truths. 

Then, we really live the Bible that lives in us.

Here are some ways to L.I.V.E. God’s Word.

L-Lighting Our Path With God’s Word Helps Live it

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Verse 130 continues, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” 

Even though we may not carry lamps to see where we’re going, we’re all familiar with needing light to find our way in the darkness. Whether it’s a candle, flashlight, or nightlight, they dispel enough of the dark to keep us from tripping.

Likewise, lighting our path with the Word keeps us from spiritually tripping. Through understanding, it drives away the darkness of the evil one, deception, and false beliefs. 

Christians: Living Billboards for Heaven on Earth

Whether it’s a local business, restuarant, medical group, smiling real estate agent, or even a marriage proposal, billboards dot our highways and roadsides.

Teresa, my friend since high school, enjoyed a successful sales career with a major advertising firm that displayed customer ads on billboards.

Perhaps, we’ve seen some fun and memorable ones that captured our attention. Maybe we purchased the services or product or changed our perspective on something.

Because we liked or needed what we saw.

Likewise, God’s children become walking billboards for heaven on earth. Breathing and living beings who represent a picture of the Creator and our future, eternal home.

We desire for others to see God in us and realize they need Him too. We are living billboards, “The same God who lives and reigns in heaven, lives and reigns in me.”

Billboards Displaying Jesus’ Blood

But we aren’t marketing heaven or advertising Christianity like some commodity or service purchased with money.

Still, we were bought with a price. The blood of Jesus. And it spilled out on a cross for everyone we meet, come in contact with, know personally, and in our sphere of influence. And the friends and family we love.

7 Biblical Promises for Walking in Humility

Humility. 

A characteristic missing from a “me” culture. A trait often overlooked when climbing the corporate ladder—any ladder going to the top.

And a powerful attribute underestimated for leaders in ministry, coaching, business, and more. It’s usually misunderstood in our present world. Even tossed to the side.

But God calls His people to put on, walk in, and practice humility in every area of our lives.

Because even becoming Christ-followers starts with recognizing Jesus as Lord and Savior. We’re not our own lord or savior.

So the Bible has much to say about the subject and the promises surrounding it.

(1.) God Hears Humble Pleas

King Josiah is spared from disaster for those who didn’t keep God’s law. “Because your heart was tender…and you have humbled yourself before me…and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord” (2 Chronicles 34:27).

Jesus told this parable. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ But I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

(2.) God Heals Contrite Hearts and Nations