Today is the 5th day of a 28 day Instagram Challenge.
A 28 day Prayer Challenge.
So far so good.
Not perfect. Not always on my knees. Not always longer than a five minute chat between friends.
But better. Much better.
If you haven’t gotten your free printable for the #TRRYPrayer Challenge, click here to grab it.
I have been contemplating whether or not a commitment to pray each and every day has made a difference.
Because honestly, why would we pray if we didn’t think it would?
I think that’s the rub with prayer. Many people who struggle to pray, struggle for this very reason – we are afraid our prayers don’t make a difference it will so we don’t pray as much as we ought.
Or maybe it actually didn’t “work” when we tried it before, and we wrestle with some past disappointment when God chose not answer in the way we thought He should have.
So we just stop. Or at least slow down and have a spotty prayer life at best.
We toss our desires up in the air for God to catch and then expect Him to get-in-gear to deliver to us what we want, when we want it, and exactly how we want it to be.
Because, if I’m honest, I want God to answer my prayers.
All of them.
And I want Him to answer them yesterday.
I struggle to pray when He has not performed like my personal genie and magically given me what I’ve asked Him for. I struggle to pray because I’m disappointed, let down, and disheartened.
But when I choose not to pray consistently, I miss something.
I miss out on an unexpected, unintended blessing.
Prayer changes me.
When I choose to be thankful, that choice changes the way I see the world. While things in my life may not be exactly how I’d like them to be, gratitude helps me to see what’s right in my world and it takes my eyes off what I don’t have and opens them to that which I do.
Gratitude makes me more content.
When I choose to admit my failures to God and to ask for His forgiveness, I clear the way to my heart for Him to work deeper and move more fully in my life.
Repentance gives me freedom.
When I’m honest with God in a gutteral way and tell Him exactly what I am hoping He will do in my life or in the life of someone I know or love, I’m being authentic and transparent and a little bit vulnerable. The greatest fear in admitting to God and to yourself what you really want is that you will be exposed and therefore more easily hurt and disappointed if He doesn’t come through.
But the vulnerability in my requests also leaves me wide open for God to answer me.
The act of making the request give me power.
Not power to push God to take action but power to access what God has chosen to make available to me already. Prayer puts me in the drivers seat. It allows me to participate with Him in affecting change in my world.
When I yield my will and my ways to Him, I am being obedient. When I acknowledge where He wants me to change and then choose to submit my life and my choices for His glory, I get in step with His will for me which places me in the best position for Him to give me abundant life.
Yielding give me peace. Surender gives me relief.
What happens when we pray? Something changes. Maybe it’s me.
Prayer changes me.
So even if God doesn’t give me something, He always gives me one thing.
He give me a better me.
He allows me to see His heart. He allows me to hold His hand. He allows me to walk with Him more closely and know Him more fully.
And that changes my heart. It changes what I think about the tasks I put my hands to and the places my feet carry me as I walk on the path of life each and everyday.
Prayer works.
It while it certainly can change your situation, it can also simply change you.
So today let’s pray…
Let’s pray for ourselves and for one another.
Feel free to pray about ANYTHING…
A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G
But if you need a topic to guide your focus of prayer, think about this word.
Change.
Think about these questions as you type up your prayer.
How has God changed you?
What do you want Him to change in your life?
What should change by way of your choices or actions to live more in step with His will?
Again… feel free to pray about anything that concerns you. But if the topic of “change” resonates with you, pray in that direction.
So how exactly does this work do you ask?
1) Post YOUR prayer.
First, scroll to the end of the post to find the section for comments. Keep scrolling to the end of the comments to find the empty box where you can leave your prayer request. Click “Post Comment”.
2) Pray for someone else.
Then, look above you in the comment thread for the person who posted just before of you. Hit “reply” and pray for them. That way we make sure that everyone gets covered!
Please don’t feel insecure about your ability to pray for another sister or feel that her request is above your spiritual “pay grade.” Just pray with your heart. God hears. He works with the words that we have and then He takes care of the rest.
3) Post your pic!
Make sure we can “see” you! Go to Gravatar.com so that others can see your face in the comments! (It’s easy! Just click on the green button labeled “Get your gravatar today” )
4) Pray more
Once you have left your prayer request and prayed for the person above you, if you have a few minutes feel free to reply and pray for any other comment/prayer you see in the thread.
OK friend… here we go.
Let’s pray.
Oh! And if you need a little more encouragement, scroll down and watch the video of the Brooklyn Tabernacle singing about prayer.
Praying for my son who has autism and intellectual disability. Praying that God heals his physical, emotional, and spiritual issues. Praying that God blesses him with love and kindness and fun all the days of his life. Praying that he always looks to God for guidance and that he always heeds God.
Sue, I am lifting up your son to God in prayer right now! God, please show Sue’s son how much you love him and open his eyes to see his need for you in every moment of his life! I pray for healing in his heart, mind, and soul…I pray for him to be blessed abundantly by you all the days of his life! In Jesus Name, I pray for this! Amen!
Sue:
I come into agreement with you right now in the mighty name of Jesus! I bind every spirit of confusion and chaos blocking his ability to thrive socially and academically. Right now I release the power of the Almighty God to make him whole and perfectly perfect as he was created! I share your experience, one of my 4 year old twin boys was diagnosed with ASD 9 months ago and it has been a roller coaster! Hold tight and remember that God has the power to make this test your testimony! In faith he is healed, he is thriving, he is speaking, he is learning, growing and thriving academically and socially! We will speak his healing as though it is!
GOOD MORNING. MY SON IS 43 YEARS OLD AND IS A VERY GOOD CHRISTIAN MAN. HE HAS ADHD AND DYSLEXIA. HE HAS ALWAYS HAD A HARD TIME FINDING A JOB AND KEEPING IT. HE HAS A HARD TIME DISCIPLING HIS CHILDREN AND TEACHING THEM RESPONSIBILITY BECAUS HE THINKS THAT’S BEING MEAN TO THEM. SO THEY PRETTY MUCH DO WHAT THEY WANT. I THINK MOST OF HIS INABILITIES IS BECAUSE HE THINKS SO LOWLY OF HIMSELF. HE THINKS HE DOESN’T KNOW ANYTHING OR CAN’T DO ANYTHING AND HE HAS A VERY LOW SELF ESTEEM. HE CAN REMEMBER SCRIPTURE, BUT HE CAN’T REMEMBER WHY HE WENT INTO THE NEXT ROOM. PLEASE PRAY THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A DECENT JOB AND FEEL MORE LIKE THE PERSON THAT GOD WANTS HIM TO BE. THANKS VERY MUCH AND MAY GOD BLESS.
Dean,
I pray for healing for your son. Jesus is our healer. He said in His words, ” I am the Lord that health thee”. In His stripes we are healed. Lord touch Dean’s son right now and touch his mind, his whole being, let him know who you are to Him and who he is in You. I pray that he continues to read your words and apply it in his life and draw closer and closer to You and know You. Let the Holy Spirit be his teacher, comfort and guide and also change him so he won’t be mean to his children anymore. I pray that he gives his whole life to you and repent in the areas that he need to repent, so you can do your work in his life. In Jesus name Amen!
Dean, continue to pray over your son, pray the scriptures, the promises of God over him morning, noon, and night and you will see the deliverance. I am talking by experience. God bless you.
Dean, I pray for your son. I pray that God would heal the dyslexia and ADHD in your son. I pray that God would enlighten the eyes of his heart. I pray God, allow this man to see himself as you see him…loved…the apple of your eye. I pray that you would bring organization to his mind and help him think clearly so he can see how important it is to discipline his kids and how important it is for him to be a model to them. I pray that he would be able to settle down and find a good job that you would provide, God, and work at it as if he was working for You! I pray that you would break any strongholds in his life that are hindering him from becoming the godly man you desire him to be in his life, with his kids, at his work…I pray for this in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!
Please pray for my nephew who is in jail and in need of God to intervene for him. Thank you
I pray for God to save and rescue your nephew in jail. I pray that God would grant him repentance and salvation if he is not saved. And I pray that God would enlighten the eyes of his heart to see himself as God sees him. I pray that God would open his eyes to his sin and to his need for God! In Jesus Might Name, please rescue and save this man! Amen!
My prayer request is finances to pay off our debt. We have acquired debt by volunteering at the ministry. We are fulltime ministers in training and attending Bible school. We are trusting God for direction and financial breakthrough. My husband believes that God has called us here to serve at the ministry and the ministry can’t afford to pay the staff. We live on the ministry’s property and pay rent. We have bills every month to pay, so we are living in faith. Our debt is increasing and I know that the Bible says that we shouldn’t be in debt. We need direction about what to do.
Marie,
I will be praying for you & your husband’s finances and your ministry. I pray that God will give you direction and discernment about the plans He has for you. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, God has plans for us to prosper. You will not fail
I thank God for you and your husband and your commitment to sharing His message with your community. I am thanking Him in advance for blessing your ministry and your financial health.
Marie…praying for God to give you His wisdom and knowledge to know how to proceed from here. I pray that God would give you a plan to pay your debt. And I pray for provision as you serve Him! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!
Hi!
Praying for restoration, and for God to touch his heart and bring conviction. May God bring you peace and comfort you during this time of waiting. Mat God on this fill you with His unconditional love and joy!!!!! God bless!!!
Marilyn
Praying that God would bless you with favor to lower expense, increasing your income and earning potential, and give you the discipline to adhere to a plan that He supernaturally provides.
Never forget that He owns a cattle on a thousand hills.
Amen
Please pray for God to restore my marriage of 18 years and my family. My husband left us for another woman and he has many strongholds in his life that God needs to sever as well as to cut soul ties to this other woman. I have been praying for 3 years. I have wanted to give up but God has said to keep praying. But the wait is so terrible and I feel so discouraged so much of the time these past few weeks…last Sunday at church I asked God to speak and the pastor said God showed him as we praised Him that God was breaking chains. I am believing this was a word for me and my family…
Praying for you tonight Ruthie,
Asking God to bring you peace and to bring restoration to a situation that may seem irreparable.
Blessings to you.
Keep praying.
Ruthie:
I pray restoration over your family! Every upside down thing, will be turned right-side up! That all confusion will cease and clarify will shine upon every situation.
Healing, peace and joy I release as I pray for you!
My prayer today is for my very beautiful stepdaughter who I have raised since she was 4 years old. She is now 17 and her mother is a part of her life. She has a prosthetic eye and she has just shared with her father and me that her mother tells her frequently how horrible the prosthetic is. (Most people don’t even realize it is a prosthetic). Her mother is taken her back to the doctor to have the eye adjusted for the 5th time in 2 years.
I pray that God will help us to show her how beautiful she is and that she is perfect in His eyes (and ours). I pray that the verbal junk spoken by her mother will bounce off of her.
Lori, I pray for your stepdaughter. I pray God that you would let her see herself as you see her…beautiful and loved. I pray that her mom would be enlightened to see how her words and actions are hurting her daughter. I pray for her mom because I cannot imagine that she must feel very good about herself to be so harsh with her daughter. I pray that if there are areas in her mom’s life that need healing that you would bring healing. I pray God that you would increase this young woman’s self esteem and heal her heart and mind from any past words and actions that have made her feel unloved or unattractive. I pray for this in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!
Praying that God will change my way of thinking, to have no fear, or be anxious. Having been delivered from anxiety and depression a few months ago!!! But it wants to linger and I want ultimate healing from this process. For my and husbands debts to be paid off by the end of 2015.
Blessings!!!!
Marilyn
Marilyn…I am praying! God I pray for complete deliverance, healing, and restoration of Marilyn’s heart and mind from the fear and anxiety that the enemy would like her to hang on to! The enemy is a liar and deceiver and he wants to make Marilyn believe that she is afraid and anxious! But we know that she has nothing to fear or be anxious about. You said that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy…but praise your name, God, because you came so we could live
A rich and satisfying life!!! (John 10:10). You tell us not to be discouraged or afraid because you are with us. Thank You, God!!! I thank you for how you will deliver Marilyn!!!
And I pray that you would give her husband a plan and a way out of this debt!
I pray for this in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!!!
I left a prayer request for my marriage and family for restoration. But I am asking for prayer as well for my friends Alexandra, Pam, and Katelyn who also have prodigals in their lives. I pray and ask for prayer for healing and restoration. These are all situations where only God can fight, heal, restore, and bring justice. Please lift myself and these women up in prayer. We have all been praying for a long time…I pray that God would set things right, right now, not in the distant future (Isaiah 46:10-11). I pray that God would set the captives free, open blind eyes, and let this be the time of his favor (Isaiah 61:1-3). I pray that God would take the hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh and put His spirit in these prodigals (Ezekiel 36:26-27). I pray that God would fight for us as we are still (Exodus 14:14). I pray that God would grant them repentance and a knowledge of the truth that they might escape the snare of the devil (2 Timothy 2:25-26). I pray this for us and for all of the others out there that are praying for their prodigals…In Jesus Mighty Name because nothing is impossible for him, nothing is too difficult for him, He can do anything and no one can stop Him, and He can do more than we can dare to ask or imagine or hope for!!!
Lord I pray for Alexandra, Pam, and Katelyn,
Give them peace and help them to know that you love their children even more than they do. Help them to be diligent to pray and wait on you. Be a balm over their hurting hearts in the mean time.
Please pray for God to restore my marriage, softened my husband’s heart and fulfill that word He gave me a year ago that He would restore it, I want to see it, this waiting period is so hard. I’m trusting God’s word and sign yet the circumstances are the opposite. Praying like Elijah, like the Israelites in front of the red Sea with the Egyptian army behind me, giving birth to this prayer but don’t see any changes, bunch of “signs” but the reality is different. Please God turn your eyes to your servant, listen to my prayer.
Alexa I have read your prayer request and I will remember you today. Also, my son has gone through divorce and it is painful. So I will be praying that God will soften your husband. Never give up! God is a mighty powerful God. I know we aren’t praying against God’s will, as marriage is designed by God. I will pray for you to remain strong and God will give you PEACE as you face each day.
God I ask that Alexa will feel your peace and comfort as she fights to have faith with her marriage. You have given her this relationship and I pray that she will see it as a gift always. I pray that she sees the beauty in every aspect of her marriage and know deep in her heart that God will bless their union. God, I ask that you continue to soften her husband’s heart by allowing him to see her reverence for you, her gentle and quiet spirit, and her devotion for the union that she entered into at your altar.
God thank you for the actions that you’ve already set into motion and the victory that I am claiming for Alexa and her marriage. I pray this in your precious son’s name, Jesus Christ, amen.
I come to you in a spirit of Thanksgiving. Thanking yoy for all you have done for me this far. Thank you for never not once we’ve thinking about giving up on me. You loved me thru my hurt, pain, shame and fear. I thank yoy for giving me the heart Ave desire to want to know you. I pray that you fill me up with more of you and less of me. I can’t express my thanks enough. Thank you for my home that is being built. I know that was all of you and none of me and you will always get the glory for your blessing towards me. I cone to you askimg that you help me with my finances. Help me keep then in order and have discipline when it comes to making money decisions. I ask you watch over and protect my daugther this school year. You give her the spirit of obedience towards all adults. I ask you open her mind and memory to retain as much info as possible. I ask all these things in your son Jesus name AMEN
I have several things going on in my life. The most urgent is my son and his wife divorced 7 years ago and there is still friction between them mainly concerning the children. His x-wife moved with the children and the children make very little contact with my son. Even though my husband and I have invested physically, emotionally, and financially in these 2 grands, they make no contact with us. I am concerned about the environment that they have moved in. Pray for this 15 year old granddaughter and my 14 year old grandson. Also, remember my son as he faces changes.
I want to lift my son, Adrian, up in prayer. God please allow him not to be frightened to give his life over to you. I know that he is confused and uncertain of what a walk with you entails. I pray that his father and I can be great shepherds of his heart and great examples of the (not perfect) life of a disciple of Jesus. I pray that he will begin to walk in faith and know that God deeply loves him and desires his heart, mind, and soul.
I also want to lift my daughter, Anissa, up in prayer. That she would not allow her mind and heart to be corrupted. That she will find friends who live who she is and she understands true friendship shouldn’t be something you have to jump through hoops to gain. I pray that this move to spread your message to the Palouse will be one that helps her to shine in a humble and loving way.
Lastly, I pray that will strenghten my marriage while we are temporarily apart. That my husband will find a job here so he can be here with our family. I pray that you will open all the right doors so that he can continue to support our family, but that we can all be together.
God thank you for hearing my plea on behalf of my beautiful family.
Dear God, I want to lift up Charice’s family to you. Lay your hand on her son’s heart. Let him realize that a life with you is peace and not just a set of rules to follow. You are an awesome God. May that be revealed to him. May her daughter realize that true friendship does not involve proving yourself. A true friend loves you as you are. May you give her a true friend. I’d also like to pray that Charice’s husband finds a job close by. May You help them through this time apart and may it not be to long. I ask these things in your precious name. Amen.
Chrystal has told us to pray for the person above. Well I can’t put a prayer into words any better than Charice so all I can do is agree with her by saying “Amen.” I have some prayer requests of my own: (1) Kevin he’s in the hospital with a bad heart and needs healing. (2) Brent is studying to get his Real Estate Liscense.. (3) Mike needs to hit rock bottom inside his hole he put himself in before he can get himself out. They are all Christians and friends. I thank you for praying and may God bless.
Dear Lord, I lift Beth up to you today. Specifically, I pray for Kevin as he is in the hospital with a bad heart. He is one of your children and I pray he will feel your peace during the time. Be with the doctors as they make decisions about the best way to care for him. I also pray for Brent who is preparing to take the Real Estate test. Give him a calm spirit and help him to recall information during the test. Finally, Lord, I lift up Mike. He is a child of yours but seems to have strayed. I pray that you will get his attention in the best way and that he will return to you. Lord, thank you that all of these men have Beth in their lives. I pray for blessings in her life today!
My nephew has Aspergers. This means that he has difficulties socially. He has a very hard time making and keeping friends. He is 15 and seems to be going through a bout with anxiety and possibly depression. He is starting a new school this year and this truly has him anxious. He is the neatest kid and my prayer is that a small group of kids will see past his awkwardness and see all that he has to offer as a friend. Also, right now, he and his mom barely even speak. She is a strong advocate for him outside of the house, but at home she seems to want him to not have Aspergers tendencies. When he does, she belittles him and criticizes every move he makes. I’m praying she will see this and change how she sees him. He sees a counselor because HE wants to figure it all out, but I think family counseling would be a great option! Thank you for praying!
Caroline, I pray for your nephew. I ask that God send people into his life to accept him and encourage him to be just as he is. My nephew also has Aspergers. I understand how difficult it can be to watch the ones we love struggle. I also pray for your nephews mom, that she will be able to see the goodness in her son and see the blessings even in the hard moments.
I pray for my broken heart. I ask that God can heal and strengthen me in a way that only he can. I ask for peace in my soul. I long for joy in my heart. This journey is hard and this journey is necessary for me to find my hearts desires in myself and not from someone else. I have looked for happiness outside myself my entire life. I long for contentment. My heart is broken, but maybe broken is where I need to be in order to allow God to shine through the broken parts of me. I am a single mom of 3 amazing blessings. I pray for freedom of this codependency so my children can grow and love others, but most importantly themselves. I pray to be the light and strength they deserve. Please pray for healing my shattered heart. Please pray that I will accept that my weakness is Gods strength. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Thank you 🙂
God Jesus, I lift up Beth’s heart to you right now. Where it is broken, make it whole. Strengthen her where she is weak, and help this truth to make its way from her head to her heart. Breath of the Spirit, breathe life-giving peace into her and pouring out of her. Because You love her first, she is able to love her children well and her children will love well. Fill her so much with your love that the overflow gets all over those around her. In Jesus’ name.
Thank you. I will pray for you too 🙂
There is a situation that has left me hurt. And although forgiveness has taken place in the sense that I don’t harbor bitterness, I am still poked with the sadness attached to it. It doesn’t matter that the feelings are valid, I would really like to not have them without detaching myself in an unhealthy way… Not because I just don’t want to deal with being sad about something (although that’s a bonus), but because I think about the situation too often and I don’t want an idol.
All of your prayer requests have touched my heart. So many deeply felt hurts and needs. Praying for deep healing for all of you.
Thank you 🙂
Right now I am very concerned about a loved one who struggles with depression. I heard from this person yesterday and steps were taken for them to start getting better. We made arrangements to meet today and the person hasn’t shown up. I tried reaching out and can’t get through, not even to the parent. I want to continue leaving this in God’s hands but it’s stirring up a lot of anxiety in me (which is something I naturally struggle with). I pray for this situation every night and have seen God work, but the silence is very deafening for me right now and I pray that nothing bad has happened and that there wasn’t a negative turn in my loved one’s life
.
Carolina –
I just prayed for your loved one. I hope that he/she will reach out to you and accept the support that you are offering during this challenging time. Keep praying!
Elizabeth
I am praying for peace, comfort and healing after a major betrayal in a relationship. I have faith that God has better things in store for me and that the right man will enter my life at the right time.
I am with Beth (above) – praying for my broken heart. I was engaged to a man almost 30 years ago and I broke the engagement. We both went our separate ways, married, had children, and divorced. Then we found each other again, and I love him more deeply now that I did before. We’ve been together five years now, and two months ago, he ended our relationship. I know it takes two and I had a part in the break-up, but I never thought the commitment wasn’t there on his part. And, as all good intentions go, I know it’s better to find out now than later, but man, it hurts. It’s been over eight weeks, and I’m still crying daily, and cannot seem to let go. I’m older, my last child will be off to college next year, and I am fearful that I’ll be alone forever. Please, pray for healing of my heart, and to allow God to strengthen me enough to love myself, so I don’t fall privy to the sadness that I’m feeling now. I want to feel confident in being alone, and find happiness in things that I want to do, but finances restrict me from doing a lot. Please pray for peace of mind, and to know that God’s in control – and allow me to have the faith to accept that with all my heart.
Valerie:
I pray for your peace of mind right now in the name of Jesus. I pray that the Lord will wrap his loving arms around you wherever you are and rain his everlasting love on you! You are enveloped in love and peace and you are whole emotionally, even when you may not feel so. In faith right now I am praying for your emotional healing, your spiritual healing and the physical healing that you need right now to carry you through. Stay strong and positive!!
Wonderfully and exquisitely made, Valerie,
I lift you up to the One, the only One, who can ever really take care of us and fulfill us. I ask God to show you His perfect plan, and to give you all the strength and wisdom to navigate the path that leads you to that perfect plan. I ask God to hold you in his arms as you grapple with your feelings of loss, and to feel His love. Dear Lord, I pray that you will send Valerie the feelings that she needs from You to give her the sense that she is capable, she is loved, she is redeemed, and she is strong. Please bless Valerie and let her feel Your peace so she may rest in KNOWING all is well in her life. In Jesus’ name, Amen
My prayer is for emotional healing from my past that chains of blockage will be broken in the name of Jesus! I am seeking a transformation in my family that I know only God can provide…we need a unity that is built on a foundation in Jesus Christ: a marriage that will be rock-solid (praying for marriage), the ability to parent our children according to God’s will, patience as we face developments with son’s ASD diagnosis and a supernatural peace and joy to continue working towards being Kingdom Builders! In a nutshell, faith. My prayer is for an increase in faith…with a strengthened faith, I can do all of the above with Christ who strengthens me.
Thank you in advance!
My prayer request is that I listen to GOD’s voice, stay humble during those tough times, and not doubt or become weary and weak. I must stand on every word and promises that he already spoke, since the beginning; when He created the heavens and the earth. GOD knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. I asked for prayer for my family, church, those that don’t know the love of GOD, & my son who’s leaving the states for this job.
6 weeks ago tore muscle in arch of left foot. Pray pain and inflammation in foot leave and no complications.
Please pray for Restoration of my marriage my court date is on Friday i do not want the divorce to proceed please pray for my husband to come to his senses……
Most Gracious and Eternal Heavenly Father, I pray that you will repair the friendship that I have with my guy friend Jovani and that you will help us to reach out to one another and reconnect and talk to each other soon. I pray that you will change his heart and allow him to reach out to me and be kind to me again. Please do this in your own time and in your own way. I need your help, Father. I won’t give up on you or my friend. We have not spoken in four almost five months, since 1 July 2017, when he stopped talking to me for no reason at all. I miss him and I look forward to seeing/talking to him again one day. I claim my renewed friendship in Jesus Christ blessed name, Amen.