Prayer

I've heard a million sermons on prayer. Read books, articles, blogs, and inspirational sayings on prayer. I've gone to prayer meetings my whole life. My parents live by the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Prayer is all around me.

But that isn't good enough.

Prayer has to be something I am actively involved in all day, every day. Yesterday won't cut it for today. It can't be something that I just talk about, or read about, or think about. It has to be an action.

The power of prayer continues to remain a mystery to me. I have tried many times to wrap my head around it, study the scriptures on it, read more books about it. If anything, it all just proves the mystery even more.

Our awesome God, who already knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts, who is all powerful and all knowing, wants to commune with us. He wants to be with me. He wants to bless me with His Presence. He wants to hear the cries of my heart. He wants me to come before Him in honesty. He wants to change me from the inside out. He wants to move mountains and do the impossible.

My head is usually spinning when I enter in prayer. Thoughts of laundry, dinner prep, bathroom cleaning, books to be read and games to be played with the children, worship to be planned for church, photo editing left to be finished. I've come to the conclusion that the only way to settle down my busy mind is to just worship. I have to focus with all my heart and mind on the worship song. I concentrate on the words and picture myself laying at the feet of Jesus, or dancing around His throne, or walking and talking with Him. I just tell Him how wonderful and faithful He is. Suddenly, one song turns into many songs and soon I find myself lost in time. I start to quiet my soul and listen and wait for Him to speak. Even in the silence I feel close to Him. Then I start to feel the passion to pray for the needs I see in my life, the prayer needs of family and friends, the needs of our church, our nation, our world. 

Then I love to end in worship again, just laying it all down at His feet. Like the period at the end of the sentence. As if I'm saying "Amen" and "let it be" in the hands of Almighty God. There is something so powerful about trusting God with the deepest, most intricate parts of me. Parts of me that I myself don't even understand at times. My desires, hopes, pains, struggles, passions, dreams.

He is so, so good. I love Him with every fiber of my being. The storms and joys of life come and go, and with every coming year my heart is settled with a deeper level of peace and trust than the previous. Like another layer of concrete poured upon the foundation of a building. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, Lord.

Cornerstone

By Hillsong United

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name
Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Savior's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all
When Darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless stand before the throne.