My Thoughts on Prayer - Revisited

I wasn't kidding when I told you that prayer was very mysterious to me, so you shouldn't be surprised that I am blogging about it again, but with some new insight!!! (I had to seek out the insight since no one commented on my 1st prayer blog)!

Check out these 2 verses:

John 14:13-14: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

John 15:7-8, 16: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples . . . . You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

So, where do you think I might be going with this?! It's pretty awesome really and it totally helps prayer make sense in my finite mind and seem so incredibly important to me, and here it is:
THE AIM OF ALL PRAYER IS THAT GOD MIGHT BE GLORIFIED!
How awesome is that? And so totally clear when you look at those verses, huh? God is glorified when our prayers are answered. Prayer exists to show that God is supremely glorious! "Hallowed be Thy Name!" -- look at the Lord's prayer -- what comes first? HIS GLORY -- hallwoed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done -- then, and only, then comes the next part: asking for daily bread. THE GOAL IS HIS GLORY!!

This makes me want to pray all day long -- it's sad, I know, that I have been a Christian for over 20 years and I am just now realizing that prayer is not about us, it's not about "feeling it," it's really not even about praying for things or healing or protection - it is ultimately about His Glory! My prayers can be for healing or protection or whatever if He be glorified in that healing or that protection or whatever it is.
I totally apologize if this makes no sense to you, but it is a HUGE breakthrough for me and I am excited about it.
Do I have prayer figured out now? No
Did God reveal some incredible insight into prayer to ignite my heart to have a passion to pray? ABSOLUTELY!!!

Fat Bottom!

"Look, mommy, I'm almost as big as you, but I don't have a fat bottom like that."

4 Types of People

In my very modest opinion, there are 4 types of people in this world:

1. those who are NOT athletic and embrace that

2. those who are NOT the most athletic and try so very hard to be

3. those who ARE extremely gifted, athleticly speaking, and flaunt it

4. those who are usually the best at everything they do and are extremely humble about it

Now, which one of those would we all rather be? #4, of course! And how many of us know people like that? All of us do! BUT, how many of you are married to a #4? I am currently raising my hand (okay, I'm actually typing, but you know what I mean).

So, I took my one month old and my 3 year old to a 30 and over league basketball game lastnight. Why? Because my #4 husband plays in said league (no, not my 4th husband - I only have one)! Someone on the other team was DEFINTIELY a #2 and it was quite humorous to watch. The sad part of it was that I totally saw myself in that guy. YIKES! Now, I said there were 4 types of people in this world, but I, of course, fall into a 5th category where I am extremely athletic, but just not the BEST at everything and that frustrates me. Ha! Seriously, what I saw in this guy was that he could not stand the fact that HE was not in control over the game, the officials, other players, and he made that quite clear. I do exactly the same things in sports and I guess I always thought it was permissable when I was young, but to see a grown man act this way was eye-opening for me.

I really have tried, in the past, to not make such a big deal out of whatever sport I am playing, because I know it isn't THE most imporant thing in life, but it is just so hard when I am in competition mode. Anyway, I guess the spiritual application here is:

1. I'm thankful that God allowed me to see this #2 guy and give me a visual of what I don't want to be!

2. When God asks me to glorify Him in all things, that includes whatever sport I am playing, even when I'm NOT the best and may be playing with a #4!

3. Give God Control -- that may not seem so hard for some of you, but for those of us who like for things to be "right" and "fair" all of the time, it's hard. I was reminded, during this game, that I can't always be in control and I don't know everything (yes, I did just say, or type, that)! Just let God be in control of all the details of my life and maybe I won't act like an annoying #2!

Also, I just want to add that my #4 husband is AWESOME! Seriously, I was so glad that he was husband and not this #2 guy! He is extremel y humble, even though he usually is the best at everything that he does. Isn't that cool?

By the way, the pictures at the top of the post have nothing to do with these 4 types of people, they're just cute, cuz incase you didn't know - I make cute kids!!!

I Forgot!

Yes, I just made a new post without publishing a picture, so don't let this picture cause you to miss the other post from today down below. Isn't it a funny picture -- it sort of looks like they are looking at each other - kinda silly!

God knows what He's doing.

Isn't it comforting to know that He is in total control? He knew that we did not have maternity coverage when He decided to form a new life inside of me. He knew that I would try to be responsible and pre-pay at the hospital for a normal vaginal delivery even though this new life would actually come into this world via a very expensive c-section. He knew that I would need to formula feed rather than breastfeed, which is much more expensive. And, He knew that we would suddenly need a new dryer 2 weeks after previously mentioned new life came home! So, I could freak out and wonder how we would ever be able to pay for everything, but the truth is WE can't! So, what good does it do to worry about it? I'm just glad that this is not my home and all of these things are so trivial and unimportant and that God's got it under control. He knows what He's doing. He knows how it will all work out and I am content. PRAISE GOD!

Therapy

So, either no one reads my blog (most likely answer) or no one knows anything about prayer (also a possible answer). It is mysterious, isn't it? I ask Lance all the time when someone asks for our prayer -- "why should I pray for so and so to be healed?" His answer is usually - because God tells us to. Then my response is usually, well, I'm gonna pray that we be okay with whatever His will is -healing or no healing, to make us give Him glory either way. And he usually tells me --"that's fine." So, that is where I am in my prayer journey -- it's conversation with God, yielding to His authority and His will, and asking Him to make my heart match His. So, if answer #1 is the case, I'm going to keep blogging because it is quite therapeutic to get it all out, you know?


Anyway, here's a pic for those of you who like that sort of thing:

This is Dashel at 10 days old -- he went to the doc today for his state mandated newborn screening. It was terrible -- heel prick and 5 minutes of squeezing his blood from his heel - the government should be ashamed of itself for requiring such a thing! Anyway, he is 7lbs 11 oz (he was born 7 lbs 0 oz) and is 21 inches long (he was born 20 inches). His circumsision is healed and his belly button is looking good. So, now if he can just learn how to eat more when it is eat time so he isn't so hungry every 2 hours!!!

I am not being partial to Dash by only posting a pic of him - Boston is still with my mom in Shallowater, so no new pics - he will be there 9 more nights!

So, either no one reads my blog (most likely answer) or no one knows anything about prayer (also a possible answer). It is mysterious, isn't it? I ask Lance all the time when someone asks for our prayer -- "why should I pray for so and so to be healed?" His answer is usually - because God tells us to. Then my response is usually, well, I'm gonna pray that we be okay with whatever His will is -healing or no healing, to make us give Him glory either way. And he usually tells me --"that's fine." So, that is where I am in my prayer journey -- it's conversation with God, yielding to His authority and His will, and asking Him to make my heart match His. So, if answer #1 is the case, I'm going to keep blogging because it is quite therapeutic to get it all out, you know?

Anyway, here are some pics for those of you who like that sort of thing: