Prayer

Since last Spring, my heart has been tuned to prayer. I want to read about it, about others who do it, and I spend time in it (nearly more than ever before). It's like getting a new cd, playing it over and over, learning new lyrics and hearing instruments in the background I never noticed before.

Last month I had a few praying experiences that really blessed me... with a new friend I had never prayed with before, and with an old friend I hadn't prayed with in person for over a year.

Praying using technology can be tricky, but is also a blessing. It's necessary as the church becomes more global and we get spread around to evangelize. Many of the same "in person" rules apply; things like overcoming distractions, waiting for God prompts, being comfortable in the silences of prayer as we wait for those prompts, and letting the Holy Spirit groan when we have no words to speak our pain.

I ran across this quote from a few years back, and it motivated me to share these thoughts with you...

"The essence of prayer does not consist in asking God for something but in opening our hearts to God, in speaking with Him, and living with Him in perpetual communion. Prayer is continual abandonment to God. Prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things we want; it is rather the desire for God Himself, the only Giver of Life, Prayer is not asking, but union with God. Prayer is not a painful effort to gain from God help in the varying needs of our lives. Prayer is the desire to possess God Himself, the Source of all life. The true spirit of prayer does not consist in asking for blessings, but in receiving Him who is the giver of all blessings, and in living a life of fellowship with Him." --Sadhu Sundar Singh, Christian Missionary (from Harvest Prayer Ministries)

If you would like to have a prayer partner in the new year (or a prayer group?), let's talk! Then let's pray about it... I've shared before how praying with someone is like dancing with someone ... it's an incredible experience when God moves two or more in prayer...

If you would like some great resources on prayer, please visit Harvest Prayer Ministries, and for prayer resources focused on missions, check out Team Expansion's Prayer Ministry, and their Facebook page for Prayer Force Blog here. You can subscribe for FREE updates to be emailed to you (or follow on Facebook).