Coffee, Caffeine and a Prayer.

Mark 1:35~Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

This morning I was up earlier than normal. (I am not a morning person by any means... but when I want a vehicle I must brave the hour before sunrise to take my hubby to work so I can use the van~ we are a one vehicle family!)

My eyes had a hard time adjusting to the 6AM darkness that still lingered. I pulled myself out of bed, pulling on a sweatshirt and my socks and shoes. Gathering my hair in a pony tail and heading off to the kids bedrooms to wake them up for the ride.

After fixing my hubby some lunch, bundling all the kids in warm coats and carrying the twins to the car, we were off for the ride. After a stop at McDonald's for a cup of coffee, we headed home from our short 2 mile drive to work and our short 2 mile ride home.

After a nice cup of coffee and the sun finally coming over the beautiful Utah mountains I was awake! But still kind of grumpy from not getting my full 8 hours of sleep (I am one of those people!). But a devotion, a prayer and making time to meet with my Best Friend this morning and I am ready to face my day.

Jesus rose early so that He could meet with His source of strength. He went alone into a place where He could take time to focus on God and receive from God. Jesus knew how important it was to set that time aside~ first thing in the morning~ to put His focus on the Father.

Now, as I said earlier- I am by no means a morning person! I am a night owl by nature and have been since I was a kid (okay, maybe it was a learned habit because my mom is a night owl too!) but anyhow, I despise mornings... BUT (there is 'that word') I am going to make it a point to try my hardest to crawl out of bed, sleepy-eyed, tired and in need of a good ol' cup o'joe to have time with my Source of Strength before I start my day.

With 5 young kids home all day, 3 meals and a snack to prepare, a hubby working 12 hour days, loads of laundry piling up, homeschool subjects to teach, library books to return, dishes to wash, floors to sweep, vacuuming to do and my list goes on and on... I dont know how I made it recently without tapping into my Source of Strength first thing in the morning!

I know that my new goal is to rise early and meet with God. What about you?

PRAYER:
Jesus, your examples are shared in the Bible for a reason. You showed us through your life and examples how important it is for us to take time to draw Strength from the Father. Lord, help me to rise early so I can start my day off right. Allow me to fall asleep fast at night and sleep well through the night so I be rested for my day and be refreshed to meet with you. Lord, thank you for always being there to show me how to live my life... you truly are the perfect example to follow.
In Jesus' Name, Amen

Blessings,
A Praying Mom

A House of Prayer... Part 2

(BEFORE READING- Scroll down to MP3 Player and play My Desire by Jeremy Camp.)

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God's Spirit lives in us and therefor we are the temple.

The same way Jesus spoke of the Temple on earth being a House of Prayer, so we should be a House of Prayer... What does that mean?

Always praying... always being in an attitude that is pleasing to God. Well, let me put it this way- always STRIVING to be in an attitude of prayer and be pleasing to God in our thoughts, actions and intentions!
There's that word again- intentions.
Ask yourself, why I am doing __ or ____. Is it for the pat on the back? IS it because no one else has stepped up to take the toddler Sunday school class so you decide to 'just do it'? Are you singing on the worship team or choir just to be on stage and show off your wonderful voice? Are you pulling your hair out with all these activities and extra things you have taken on your plate and unsure where you are going to find 6 extra hours a day to accomplish them?
Step back... ask yourself and God why you are doing these things.

God wants us to be intentional not only in our 'spiritual' life but in our life in general!

Be intentional!
Live- but live totally sold out for Jesus!
Make everything you do for Him, because of Him or to Him!

Let your desire be what God desires!
Your return to God can be in everything... letting Him us you in EVERYTHING. Not just ministry within the church walls, or in the sermon or the preaching or the teaching of a class, but in EVERYTHING!

I pray you let God help you live intentional for Him!

Letting your heart and mind always be in prayer to Him is a good way to live intentionally for Him. That doesn't mean lock yourself ina room and pray 24-7 on your knees... it means always having you mind and heart set on Him. Saying those little prayers as He bring people to your mind.
So your driving to pick up your kids from soccer practice and an old friend pops into mind... say a prayer for her. Not just a "God please bless___." a REAL prayer, a pray that you would want someone to say for you!
When you get woken up from a sound sleep and ___ it on your mind.. GOD woke you for a REASON! PRAY!
There are lots of opporurtinites for us to change earht and shake Heaven with our prayers. Though our 'Quiet Prayer Time" with God is importnat, so are the INTENTIONAL prayers throughout the day!

THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER!

PRAYER:
Lord, I want my life to have purpose! I want to be someone who points all eyes back to You! In everything I do! In homeschooling my kids, in maintaining my home, in my business, in my ministry, in my worship, in my whole life! I want to live intentional in all I say and do and think! I want the mind of Christ to be my mind. Lord, I know you an touch many lives that might not ever lace foot in a church, and Lord, I ask that you allow me to put myself aside so that I can let your light shine through me and let me point all eyes, honor and glory given- right back to You!
Lord, You deserve all the glory, so take it!
Thank You Lord!
In Jesus Name, Amen

Be encouraged!
Intentional living takes some faith sometimes,
but mostly it is about getting out of the way and letting God live through you!
Keep on keepin' on!
Prayers always,
Praying Mom

A House of Prayer...

'My house shall be called a house of prayer...'

Remember the story of Jesus over turning tables in the Temple? Running out money changers and those selling the animals for the offering?

I watched an excellent video today, a sermon by Jim Cymbila from the Brooklyn Tabernacle in NY. He spoke an awesome message about God's House being a house of pray. It got me thinking- Do I treat God's house like I do my house? (Ouch! The dust in piled high at the moment and the kitchen needs a good scrub!) Am I really treating God's House (the church building) as a House of Prayer? I am going there with Him in mind and ready to devote myself to Him for the time I am there- placing my full attention on Him?

One thing that Jim pointed out in his sermon (though not his main point) was that the people that Jesus drove out of the temple were SUPPOSED to be there. You needed the correct money type (currency) to pay your taxes/temple fee and those selling animals there were needed. Many people could not bring animals from their home due to the distance and conditions. BUT the point Jim made was that they changed it from a heart of worship to a means to rip the fellow worshipper off. Charging and an arm and a leg for the sacrifice needed knowing that the people would pay!

SO- has my attention shifted from going to God's House for worship and time with Him to a social gathering or a just because it is Sunday?

My prayer:
Lord, I know that I have let the reason for going to your house slip away... why I go, I sometime don't really know! But I know that you want it to be because I want time with you. I want it to be for the time with you. I want it to be all about You, Lord. So Lord, please forgive me! Forgive me for making it in to something that it was not meant to be and help me make it all about YOU! All about You and what You want to do in and through me!
In Jesus' Name, Amen

I challenge you: Take a look at your intentions. Not just in going to God's House (your church) but in your daily activities. They can all be all about God and for God's glory! If you need to, ask for God's forgiveness. Ask Him for help to make him the center of it all!

A mother who prays... has kids who pray!

I have found that through the last couple days that I have been sick, my kids have prayed for me. They might be simple 6yr old prayers; "God, bless help Mommy to feel better so she can play with us." But they are still prayers and God hears them!

I have been down with a really bad head cold for about three days now. I am feeling lots better today and hoping that I can get some good rest tonight.

I just want to encourage you to let your kids see you pray. Make a sign to put on your bedroom door MIP- Mom in Prayer and let the family know know that you can not be disrupted except for emergencies. Maybe your one-on-one prayer time has to be 15, 20, 30 minutes before the kids get up... this is areal hard one for me... I am NOT a morning person. Maybe you are like me and once everyone has gone to bed, you quietly walk in each room and prayer over each member of your family I do this and then when I lay down in bed, my hubby normally rolls over to hug me, so I start praying for him.

My kids see and hear me pray often. Sometime when my day is going bad- or good for that matter- sometime when a friend calls for prayer or when I get a new prayer request from a local prayer chain I belong to. My kids know I am a praying women and I know that they know I believe in the power of prayer. There is no better way to teach than by example!

Good Bless and Keep Praying!
-Praying Mom