I didn't know how powerful prayer was. I didn't know it was something to actively participate in outside of meal times, bed times, and church times. I didn't know it was as intimate as it was.
It wasn't until I met a dear friend here in Minnesota who was more passionate about taking everything to the Lord in prayer than anyone I had ever met. She was praying for others on her long runs, memorizing Scripture and praying in the car (no music), and praying with me over the phone almost nightly (I was having terrible nightmares at the time).
Prayer became something sacred, intimate, and powerful to me as the months went on and as spiritual warfare eventually entered the picture. The enemy was workin' but so was God.
What I so vividly and clearly remember was having someone pray on my behalf (intercession) when I didn't know what to pray or even how. Knowing I had a sister in Christ I could call who knew exactly what to pray for, when, and why was a true gift. She wasn't just praying for me, she was fighting for me, with me, and alongside me. She went to battle with me. She prayed Scripture over me as I sat on the ground with both hands open. She fought my darkness with His light as I lay in bed weeping, unable to shake the nightmare.
In case you didn't catch that...her first response was always prayer. I recognized that and admired her. So I began to be more intentional with my own prayer life. I didn't want it to be something I just did when I had morning devotionals. I wanted prayer to be a part of my everyday life, as if God were actually next to me and I was talking His ear off (like I usually do). I wanted it to be as natural as breathing. I wanted it to be my first response rather than my last resort.
You see, there's no magical formula to prayer. You don't have to have eloquent words of wisdom or lofty speech. Just bring your heart and talk to Him. Pray Scripture back to Him. Bring a friend into your prayer times and pray together.
Prayer connects us to the Vine.
Prayer keeps our focus on our Creator.
Prayer makes us dependent on Christ.
Prayer changes our heart, attitude, and perspective.
Over time, prayer became my lifeline. I began praying on long runs when I was training for my first half marathon in the middle of a Minnesota winter. I started praying anytime I got into my car because I was, what you would call, a commuter. I gave up music in the car and started memorizing Scripture out loud, and put them on a silver key ring so they'd be easy to flip. I started helping others fight their battles with prayer because I had seen and experienced the impact of that in my own life. These were things I was doing on my own, but I also recognized the power of participating in prayer with others, too.
My friend and I started going to church-wide prayer meetings once a month. It was both terrifying and incredible at the same time. Most times I was riddled with anxiety, and I would call her on the phone and we would pray together as we were driving to the prayer meeting!! You can never be TOO prayed up.
We also created prayer boards. Yes, boards. We bought all of the supplies at Michael's, brainstormed the areas we wanted to cover in prayer (personal, others, ministry, missions), and began writing down prayers on colorful cardstock and tacking them up on our boards (not the same requests on both boards). If someone asked us to pray for them, we'd write it down and put it on our board. We were covering different people in prayer because we have different spheres of influence, but some of them overlap.
The purpose of this piece is not to communicate "once I didn't pray and now I pray about everything." This is not intended to make you feel bad or guilty if what I have communicated to be my prayer rhythms are not yours. That's okay! We all have different rhythms and it doesn't need to look at all like mine (awesome if it's given you some ideas!).
What I do hope this communicates is the power of prayer and the intimacy that can be had with Christ through prayer. We get to communicate with the King of the Universe. We have bold, direct access to God through Christ, by grace through faith (Ephesians 3:7-12). We have the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words when we don't know what to pray (Romans 8:26-27).
Whether alone, or with a friend, as the Psalmist David says, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!" (Psalm 141:2).
It's hard to admit when we need prayer. It's almost harder to be vulnerable and to ask a friend to pray over you (over the phone). I challenge you to do it. I also challenge you to start being mindful of the ways you can be more intentional about prayer in your own life. I'd love to hear from you after you've found some rhythms!
***These guided prayers are for you to pray, so they're written in first person.
[Guided Prayer]
Father, I want to be a woman (or man) of prayer. Thank you that I can boldly and confidently approach your throne with the things that are on my heart. Give me creative ideas to help me establish new rhythms in my prayer life, and provide someone for me that I can fight the enemy with. Thank you that I can come to you and talk with you at any time. Thank you for always hearing me.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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