Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Richard J. Foster on Prayer & Wednesday Prayer/Link Up is Live!

Welcome to my Wednesday's prayer girls and link-up party! If you have a praise or an update you would like to offer, or a non-confidential prayer request you would like to post, I invite you to type it in the comments. They are located below my signature at the bottom of this post where it says COMMENTS. I did the first one for you. I'd love to reply to your pray as I pray for you.

Bloggers, I'd love for you to link-up below so everyone can browse the blogs for encouragement. Any wholesome topic is welcome on marriage, parenting, homemaking, organization, cooking, books, health, special needs and more! Last week I added 2 books to my reading list from a beautiful blog that was posted:-) I love getting great tips from like-minded Sisters!

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I've been reading Richard J. Foster's book Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. Today I read the importance of being "completely supple, completely transparent, completely abandoned in the hands of God." (Anthony Bloom, Beginning to Pray)

Foster gave such great word pictures to represent being abandoned in God's hands. He said to picture a child learning to write who writes an indecipherable message. The mother places her hand over the child's, and as the child relaxes in the mother's hand, the mother gives guidance to the scribbling—making beautiful letters. So it is the same with my Mary, who is blind.

My daughter doesn't use pen and paper. She types her writing in Braille. Every blue moon, she needs to sign her name. She holds the pen, and then I place my hand over her hand. She releases complete control for me to guide her hand, as I move it in the shape of the cursive M-a-r-y M-i-k-e-l-s.

He gave a second example of a sailboat. A sail that is a board is of no use and the boat goes nowhere. But a sail that is flexible and pliable catches the guidance of the wind, and it is the very pliability of the sail that allows it to move ahead.

I love it when an author takes a Biblical theme—like our abandonment to God in prayer—and causes me to think of it terms of my familiarity. I thought of one more analogy concerning Mary.

Mary is learning to play the violin. As her master teacher places her hand over Mary's as Mary holds the bow, it is in my daughter's very relinquishment of the control of the bow to her master teacher that the bow glides on the strings—teaching her to produce a beautiful sound.

Oh that we would abandon ourselves to God in prayer, that He may have His way in our lives! Oh, that we would become weak, frail, and vulnerable to allow God to guide us as He sees fit. He will water even the slightest hope.

 "A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory." ~Matthew 12:20

May we relinquish ourselves to Him—that we may learn from our Master! He is our loving Master Potter who will not harm us, but will make us fit for His purposes! Next Wednesday, I'll share what Foster shares on having a time and place for prayer. Let's pray!

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Walk by Faith,

14 comments:

  1. Please pray for my daughter Mary whose throat is quite scratchy and she has a raspy cough from a cold. She is singing for 35 blind elderly adults next Tuesday, & their director has asked her to sing & also speak about being born totally blind. Pray she will be an encouragement to these dear elderly people who have gone blind, many of whom are depressed & isolated.

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    1. Dear Juana
      I will definitely pray for her! Give her a big hug from me, please, and tell her she is precious.
      Blessings

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    2. Thank you so much Mia for praying for her! When I told her they also wanted her to speak about the challenges of being blind, she asked immediately asked me in an almost confused voice, "challenges???" as if to say "what challenges?" She is so innocent having never seen for one moment. Oh, how thankful I am for God's grace in her.

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    3. Juana ~ I just have to post a "Praise Update" on the ministry I did last Saturday at the "In His Presence" Ladies Gathering near Stone Mountain, GA. I had requested prayer here on your website and God certainly did move in that gathering with such power and anointing. The hungry hearts of all those who attended certainly received what they had come for.

      Honestly, here it it Wednesday and I am still in the "After Glow" of that ministry gathering. God certainly heard your prayers! I am eternally grateful for this. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
      In Christ's Love ~ Sheila Rhodes

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    4. Oh, Sheila, it's a delight to pray for you! I kept thinking of you on Saturday. I know it was just wonderful, & that Christ's love was sticking out all over you:-) I know those women in Georgia were blessed. Lord Jesus, we praise You that where 2 or more or gathered in Your name, you are right there among them. We adore You Lord for your prescence and for the Holy Spirit. May you continue to work in the lives of all the women that attended. Amen

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  2. Please pray for a fellow Christian Sister and blogger, Jacqueline. She is facing spiritual warfare in the form of back to back difficulties including her home being struck by lightning and damaging several items in her home, strep throat, caring for an aging father, deadlines, and more. We serve the God who sees! Please pray for Jacqueline and her family.

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  3. Dear sis Howz u doing???Am going to preach in a few places in the coming weeks.Pray that God will do mighty things!!!!

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    1. Hi Kenneth! I'm so glad to hear from you! I hope everything is going well for you. I would love to pray for you. Heavenly Father, I lift up today to you, my brother Kenneth. How wonderful Lord God that you are not limited by time and space. You are our omnipresent God! As I type Lord, he is probably asleep on the other side of the world in India, but we know that you bless your children even while they sleep. We find that so hard to believe because we tend to think we must work to earn your blessing, but you just want us to trust and obey. So even while Kenneth sleeps Lord, you are blessing him even now. Give Him your messages Lord as he goes in your strength to bring your word in different places in the coming weeks. May you move in the hearts of the people as only the Holy Spirit can do. May Kenneth empty himself to you, Lord. Set him apart as Your servant. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

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  4. Continued prayers for 16yo son Cameron. Praise that he did tell me that he does know he is saved! But still needs prayer for attitudes, and finishing up his sophomore year in HS. Some of his grades are needing help. Also prayers for my attitude and our church situation. Prayers for spending time with family this upcoming Mother's Day!

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    1. Hi Jana! Dear Lord, we continue to bring Cameron to you. Guide this young man in high school. Help him to have an attitude that would honor You and to finish the year strong. He needs help Lord, send Cameron help to have an alert mind and to do his work well. I lift up Jana, that she would have a thankful, joyful attitude before you and before her family and others. May she trust you in the current church situation. We thank you for family, and for the opportunity to be together this weekend for Mother's Day. Lord, make us a different kind of a mother because we know You. Amen.

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  5. Beautiful post on prayer. It has been a stressful day thus far. I have to keep lifting prayers up to Him each moment just to get to the next moment. I know God works everything out for good...if I trust Him and remain pliable.

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    1. Hi Rachael, I want to pray for you. Loving Lord, I bring you Rachael right now to your feet. You know that she is tired, not from lack of sleep, but tired from endless activity--much of it very good activity. If any changes need to be made Lord, help Rachael to see what needs to be changed. Lord, help her to go in your strength. Help her to know that she knows you will of where to go and when. Lord, we can do what we know you want us to do. It is always possible to do your will. We need your guidance Lord. Help Rachael to be as flexible as the sail that keeps catching the wind. Help her to know that you are helping her move in the directions that you would have her go as she stays in the palm of your hand. Give her joy and your energy and strength Lord. Amen.

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  6. Juana,
    Good afternoon, dearie! Ohh, I love your analogy of the flexible vs the rigid sail!! How true! May the Lord grant us the wisdom to just relax as He carries us through! I FEEL the PRAYERs! I am praying for all these special families represent ed her today and also for you and your family *Mary*, too!! Love in Jesus!

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    1. Hi Jacqueline! It is such a honor to pray for you. You may have seen the earlier comment in this post where I asked others to pray for you! Thank you for praying for our family and the others represented here. It means so much, even though we have never met! We all have so much in common, namely, our love and trust in Jesus. It is my joy to link my heart with yours in our desire to love and serve God no matter what, and to be a thankful people! I see how you are doing that:-)

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