I need to let you know that although summertime is a slower-pace for most people. For me, and the rest of the studentLIFE staff, it is our busiest season. Students are out of school, after all.
I am telling you that so that you will hopefully extend grace in my infrequent posts. I will still post as I have will surely be learning a lot and will want to share some of it with you.
Enjoy your summer! Make sure that you keep up with the blog.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Ten - Day 25
How are you doing with your ten minutes of prayer? What? Or challenge is over? Well, I had another tip for you.
One way you can spend your time praying is by praying for the things you will be doing on that day... before the day begins. You certainly come in contact with people (either in person, on the phone, or via internet) that you can be praying for.
Here's an example from my life*:
Staff meeting - pray for the staff, families, and ministries they oversee
Lunch with student/leader - pray for that student/leader (may lead me to pray for other students/ leaders as it did this morning)
Planning meeting - pray for event logistics, attitudes, people coming, GOSPEL to be clear and responded to
Walk with roommate - pray for roommates, people living in the neighborhood we're walking in, for us to find a house in that neighborhood, for the church (it's in that neighborhood)
Coffee with a potential leader - pray for her, pray for others to come along side studentLIFE in leadership roles, for others in our body of believers to serve the church, for direction and discernment
Errands - pray for the other customers, for a chance to encourage someone, for the employees at the store (I try to go to the same person at each store so that I can build a relationship with them - Ana is at South Square Target. I'd love it if you would pray for her), for your attitude and motive behind your buying (yikes!)
So those are just some example of how you can be praying.
*I realize that some of you are moms that have the honor of staying home with your little one(s) and may feel like you don't have anything going on during the day outside of your little one(s). I could write a whole different post on that. But, I want to encourage you to be purposeful in two ways.
First, be purposeful in praying for others WITH your little one(s) - even if they aren't "old enough to understand." It will help you to be in the practice of praying in front of and with your children so that when they are "old enough" they will be learning how to pray. Oh, what an honor you have!
The second is this, be purposeful to reach out to your neighbors. I have seen that staying home all day can be draining. I recognize that raising children isn't simply a walk in the park. Bake some cookies with your little one(s), let them "write" a note, and walk next door. Yes, you will have to plan it... be purposeful. Again, whether they are "old enough" or not get in the practice of reaching out. Then (for those of you who think you may not have anyone to pray for) you will have at least one person to be praying for outside of your family and close friends.
One way you can spend your time praying is by praying for the things you will be doing on that day... before the day begins. You certainly come in contact with people (either in person, on the phone, or via internet) that you can be praying for.
Here's an example from my life*:
Staff meeting - pray for the staff, families, and ministries they oversee
Lunch with student/leader - pray for that student/leader (may lead me to pray for other students/ leaders as it did this morning)
Planning meeting - pray for event logistics, attitudes, people coming, GOSPEL to be clear and responded to
Walk with roommate - pray for roommates, people living in the neighborhood we're walking in, for us to find a house in that neighborhood, for the church (it's in that neighborhood)
Coffee with a potential leader - pray for her, pray for others to come along side studentLIFE in leadership roles, for others in our body of believers to serve the church, for direction and discernment
Errands - pray for the other customers, for a chance to encourage someone, for the employees at the store (I try to go to the same person at each store so that I can build a relationship with them - Ana is at South Square Target. I'd love it if you would pray for her), for your attitude and motive behind your buying (yikes!)
So those are just some example of how you can be praying.
*I realize that some of you are moms that have the honor of staying home with your little one(s) and may feel like you don't have anything going on during the day outside of your little one(s). I could write a whole different post on that. But, I want to encourage you to be purposeful in two ways.
First, be purposeful in praying for others WITH your little one(s) - even if they aren't "old enough to understand." It will help you to be in the practice of praying in front of and with your children so that when they are "old enough" they will be learning how to pray. Oh, what an honor you have!
The second is this, be purposeful to reach out to your neighbors. I have seen that staying home all day can be draining. I recognize that raising children isn't simply a walk in the park. Bake some cookies with your little one(s), let them "write" a note, and walk next door. Yes, you will have to plan it... be purposeful. Again, whether they are "old enough" or not get in the practice of reaching out. Then (for those of you who think you may not have anyone to pray for) you will have at least one person to be praying for outside of your family and close friends.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ten - Day 16
Have you ever prayed salvation for someone for so long that you began to wonder if God really did exist or if God really did want that person to know Him?
I have.
I can think of 3 people right now.
One was when I was in middle school. She was a very dear friend to me. My first friend in my new town. I shared Jesus with her but she didn't want to hear it. So I stopped talking about HIM specifically. I still talked about church a little - because that was what I did... I went to church. I prayed for her through middle and high school. Then one day while I was checking my email at college I was asked to pray for her again. She had begun working with one of my friends at a hotel. It wasn't long after that that she accepted Christ. We spent some time together when I was home from school. She met the man of her dreams and I was honored to be her Maid of Honor. What a fun full-circle. She has since had 2 adorable boys whom she and her husband are raising in view of the gospel. How amazing is the Lord?
I'll share another soon.
I have.
I can think of 3 people right now.
One was when I was in middle school. She was a very dear friend to me. My first friend in my new town. I shared Jesus with her but she didn't want to hear it. So I stopped talking about HIM specifically. I still talked about church a little - because that was what I did... I went to church. I prayed for her through middle and high school. Then one day while I was checking my email at college I was asked to pray for her again. She had begun working with one of my friends at a hotel. It wasn't long after that that she accepted Christ. We spent some time together when I was home from school. She met the man of her dreams and I was honored to be her Maid of Honor. What a fun full-circle. She has since had 2 adorable boys whom she and her husband are raising in view of the gospel. How amazing is the Lord?
I'll share another soon.
Monday, May 18, 2009
5:18 on 5/18 update
How did your Ten go at 5:18 tonight?
I was in my car without my prayer list but I was able to get Ten in in remembering how I usually pray for the church and in remembering some of the prayers on the list.
I'd love to hear how you prayed and how you've been praying.
I'm going to pray for each of you after I hit "publish post."
I was in my car without my prayer list but I was able to get Ten in in remembering how I usually pray for the church and in remembering some of the prayers on the list.
I'd love to hear how you prayed and how you've been praying.
I'm going to pray for each of you after I hit "publish post."
5:18 on 5/18
Today the members of The Summit Church have been asked to join in prayer for 10 minutes at 5:18 pm (on 5/18... easy to remember, right?).
Click here for the things to pray for.
Don't go to The Summit? Pray for your church. You can use the same requests as a guide for you church.
I'm looking forward to praying with you at 5:18!
Click here for the things to pray for.
Don't go to The Summit? Pray for your church. You can use the same requests as a guide for you church.
I'm looking forward to praying with you at 5:18!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Ten - Day 8
Eight days in... how's it going? Still praying?
Yesterday, we were reminded/challenged to spend time praising God as a part of our ten minutes of prayer.
This morning I spent some time in Psalm 147. Here's a taste:
"Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!"
The rest of the psalm gives praise to God that will help you to praise Him as well.
How can I pray for you?
Yesterday, we were reminded/challenged to spend time praising God as a part of our ten minutes of prayer.
This morning I spent some time in Psalm 147. Here's a taste:
"Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!"
The rest of the psalm gives praise to God that will help you to praise Him as well.
How can I pray for you?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Ten - Day 3
So, how's it going? Praying ten minutes a day?
It may help to brainstorm for a few minutes about who you want to pray for and how you want to pray for them. You can't go wrong praying scripture (Hebrews 4:11-16).
Here's a start for you:
Who-
Family
Close friends
Co-workers
Neighbors
People you frequently see/interact with
How*-
That they would be reading their Bible (Psalm 1)
That they would have good relationships with their friends (John 13:34-35)
That they would be getting along with their families (1 Peter 3:8-13)
That they would do well as they finish school (Colossians 3:23-24)
That they would honor God (Psalm 19... esp. 12-14)
Who are you praying for? How are you praying for them?
*this list came from my 2.42 girls last week when we were praying for the girls that weren't able to make it that night
It may help to brainstorm for a few minutes about who you want to pray for and how you want to pray for them. You can't go wrong praying scripture (Hebrews 4:11-16).
Here's a start for you:
Who-
Family
Close friends
Co-workers
Neighbors
People you frequently see/interact with
How*-
That they would be reading their Bible (Psalm 1)
That they would have good relationships with their friends (John 13:34-35)
That they would be getting along with their families (1 Peter 3:8-13)
That they would do well as they finish school (Colossians 3:23-24)
That they would honor God (Psalm 19... esp. 12-14)
Who are you praying for? How are you praying for them?
*this list came from my 2.42 girls last week when we were praying for the girls that weren't able to make it that night
Monday, May 4, 2009
Ten
We just started a new sermon series this week about prayer. Our pastor challenged us to pray for 10 minutes every day for the remainder of the series... 21 days.
I want to extend that challenge to you as well. For some of you, 10 minutes will not be enough. For some of you it may seem to drag on for eternity - probably though at the end of 21 days 10 minutes won't be enough time for you either.
Can we pray for one another? I would love to be praying for you! You can leave a comment (I preview all comments and will not post if you ask me not to) so that other readers can pray for you as well.
Among other things, I will be praying:
* for salvation for my friends' sister
* for godly men and women to be raised up for serving the body of believers locally and internationally
* for 3 bedroom, 2 bath home to rent in the W-H neighborhood
I am excited to see how God answers, according to His will, the requests His children bring to Him.
Psalm 115:1
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness."
I want to extend that challenge to you as well. For some of you, 10 minutes will not be enough. For some of you it may seem to drag on for eternity - probably though at the end of 21 days 10 minutes won't be enough time for you either.
Can we pray for one another? I would love to be praying for you! You can leave a comment (I preview all comments and will not post if you ask me not to) so that other readers can pray for you as well.
Among other things, I will be praying:
* for salvation for my friends' sister
* for godly men and women to be raised up for serving the body of believers locally and internationally
* for 3 bedroom, 2 bath home to rent in the W-H neighborhood
I am excited to see how God answers, according to His will, the requests His children bring to Him.
Psalm 115:1
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness."
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