One of the things I am most passionate about in my life is PRAYER.
(Unfortuanately, this hasn't always been the case. As many of you know, I didn't become a Christian until the age of 26. Finally after years of poor, self destructive choices I gave my life to Jesus in 1996! You can read more about it here.)
My heart for prayer really began to grow in 1999. I was asked to accept a job leading a ministry at my church. I knew that God would have to show up BIG TIME or it would be a huge disaster.
I read every book on prayer I could, studied prayer Bible passages, and most importantly, I began to pray. A lot! I cried out to the Lord, "Teach me how to PRAY!" And you know what?? God answered those prayers (in abundance)...and continues to grow me in my prayer life today!
A powerful tool that has really shaped my prayer life is my Prayer Guide.
The Prayer Guide I use was designed by an amazing ministry called Walking with Him. My favorite part is that my Prayer Guide may be personalized with photos, prayers and mementoes. It has become the story of my walk with God!
For example, there is a section of the Prayer Guide on Thanking God. This part of my journal is filled with things I am grateful for (a picture of me getting baptized in 1999, family & friend pics, etc..). I also fill the pages with answers to prayers.
In the picture below you can see the SOLD sign when our house sold - in less than 2 months! - and lots of post-it notes of answered prayers. It is a perfect visual reminder of how good God is and His faithfulness in answering prayer!
I also have a whole section of my Prayer Guide where I pray for myself and others. The pages are filled with photos of family and friends (this is where I put the pictures I receive at Christmas). I usually sit with a stack of index cards and/or post-it notes, and pray specifically for others (and then slide the index card behind their picture). If a friend sends an e-mail and asks me to pray for something, I print it off, pray, and then slide it behind the picture.
This picture below shows my page for John. On the left I have a download of 31 Days of Praying for Your Husband. On the right are pics of me and John, and then post-it notes with specific prayers. (Can you see the top right post-it note?? It has prayers from my little Sarah. She loves to sit with me as I go through my Prayer Guide and help me pray for all of our family and friends! :))
Another example below. These are the pages I pray for my kids. I love being able to look at their precious faces as I pray for them! One resource I use when praying for my kids is 31 Biblical Virtues. You can see more prayers below from Sarah. Praying that her sister would be nice :)
I also have a section where I pray specifically for family/friends/acquaintances who do not know Jesus. What a blessing to watch God work in their lives ~ and then be able to move their picture from the "Far from God" section to the "Thank God" section when they come to know Jesus as their Savior!! Praise the Lord!! :)
I could go on and on...but it is easier to understand when you try the Prayer Guide yourself.
And, wouldn't you know, those AWESOME ladies (Jennifer and Lara) at Walking with Him e-mailed me yesterday and asked if they could donate 5 Prayer Guides for me to give away!!
Can I get a Woo Hoo?!!
*** THANK YOU Jennifer and Lara!! (These women are so amazing...if you are ever in Traverse City, Michigan you must invite them to coffee and listen to how God is using them!)***
To Win my Giveaway: Leave a comment in the comment section answering this question:
Why would you like to win a Prayer Guide?
RULES: Starts today, Thursday, December 16th and ends Sunday, December 19th at 9 PM. Winner will be contacted via e-mail.
Extra Entries
•Follow *She Sparkles*
•Subscribe to *She Sparkles*
•Add my *She Sparkles* button to your blog
•Tweet about this giveaway including a link to this post
Please be sure to leave me a comment to let me know your extra entries.
If your email address is not connected to your ID please leave your email address with your comment or email it to me at cindy.bultema@comcast.net with the subject "Giveaway".
I'll close with a quote from one of my favorite authors in the whole world...Corrie TenBoom.
"Prayer is powerful! The devil smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too busy. But he trembles when we pray!"
Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*. Have a wonderful, powerful, prayer-filled day!!
P.S. For more Things I Love Thursday ideas, hop on over and visit Jill at the Diaper Diaries.
28 comments:
Why do I want a prayer journal... my very first thought was, "Well, because I WANT one!" :D Really, it is very organized, and I'm on a 'new journey' with prayer. ;)
I would love to win a prayer guide because my prayer life has really been stagnant lately. Since I got married I feel that I've had more trouble and less prayer. I need something to jumpstart my prayer again.
I would like to win a prayer guide because I need more directions and guidance with my prayers! I need to focus.
arizonarachel at hotmail dot com
I also follow you!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
arizonarachel at hotmail dot com
I would love to win a prayer book because I am working on perfecting my prayer habits (and my family's too.)
I am actually working on a prayer scrapbook for my mom for Christmas today :)
I LOVE how this prayer journal looks on your posts!! I've read about it before on your blog, but it wasn't and isn't quite in the budget. So....I would love to win one! Thanks for the opportunity! I always enjoy reading your posts.
greiner10 at dejazzd dot com
I would like to win one because this is where I struggle & I know I need to work on my prayer life. I start out good and then I drift off. I think having a visual thing would help me stay on track.
Wahoo Hoo! I would LOVE LOVE a Prayer Guide. I seem to be all over the place in prayer. I know he doesn't care but I do :-) I think it is awesome too that it can definately become MY walk with God as well....A.W.E.S.O.M.E!
I follow She Sparkles!
Like you have talked about, I have struggled with my prayer life since starting this journey (in my 30's!) I believe it would be a great help to me!
and I'm a follower!
Would love to be more intentional in my prayer time and more focused!! Plus I just love organizational tools... this is right up my alley. :D
Already follow you, already subscribe, and on my way to tweet...
Chellie
I would like one so that I can learn how the system works first hand and then see if I can implement something similar with my students. How wonderful to teach them how to pray like this so that they can do this their whole lives.
What a blessing and encouragement it would be to win a prayer guide. I know I forfeit such peace and power in my life because my prayer life is lacking. I think the prayer guide would help keep me more focused, accountable and intentional - that's my prayer :-) Can't wait to hear who wins! God bless and Merry CHRISTmas, Jenny C. email is orosco99@juno.com
I would love a guide I could use something to organize my thoughts and make my prayers more meaningful. Hoping it will teach me how to pray and lead me to pray more often. Thanks Meredith
I would LOVE to win a prayer journal because I need a "new start". I'm a busy mom and wife, and I'm struggling with making prayer a priority. I read your previous post about the prayer journals and looked them up - they look wonderful! What a great idea!
Angie C.
Cooley_family@me.com
I would love to win this prayer journal. I recently started a little notebook but would love something like this.
I am already a happy follower!
I am also a subscriber :)
I have your button on my "blogs I frequent" page :)
I would greatly benefit from one of these :-)
When I read your post the other day about praying for your husband I followed the link to Walking With Him and just this morning asI I drove into work I was trying to decide if buying one of these prayer guides would fit into my budget... I've just started my journey with the Bible and prayer and would love some organization and guidance. Now, I'm going to pray that I'm one your winners...
I also follow in a reader
I have your button on my Blogs I am loving page!
I LOVE THIS! Thank you for writing about it and sharing...such an encouragement! I would love a prayer guide because sometimes prayer is difficult and this just guides you right along!
I am a follower, subscriber, and have your button on my page.
And I posted about it on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/krew10
(hope that link shows up!)
Cindy,
First, thank you so much for your blog. I've been following it for awhile. It truly has touched my heart. Thanks so much for putting yourself out there & sharing your heart for God with us. You are making a difference for Him. It's such an encouragement to me.
I've never entered one of your giveaways so this is new for me.
I would love this prayer journal. I've seen your older entry about it before & thought it would be a great tool to improve my prayer life. I've been a part of a great Bible study & growing in His word but I've felt a lacking in my prayer time. Neglecting it because I don't feel like I do it right. I want to be able to continue to grow closer to God through my prayer time and to also share it with my kids & others. I want to give my husband, kids & family/friends the gift of my prayers. I want my kids to have a stronger prayer life than I had at their age. I want more out of my prayers than just a quick list of my wants. I want more of Him.
Thanks!
S
Hi again! I tweeted about the giveaway!! :)
I need to develop a deeper prayer life so that I consistently pray for the people in my life and the requests that have been brought to my attention. I would love tow win a Prayer Guide because I believe it would help me to do that.
I also subscribe to your blog.
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