A Prayer Testimony

"True prayer is not an effort to get Christ to do something. It is a desire to be in union with Him." - Richard Ross in Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ.

If you notice on my blog, I'm currently reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ. I'm reading it for several reasons. One is that it is one of the only books that we own that is not packed away in boxes in storage. Another is my husband is a student minister (although we are currently seeking a place to serve in this capacity), and I want to be the best helper and support of my husband I can possibly be. Most importantly, I want to learn more about the supremacy of Christ and have the awe I have for Christ in all His glory direct how I live my life. One of the chapters is about prayer and when I read the formentioned quote, I just stopped and examined my prayer life.

I'm disappointed to say that most of my prayers have been "an effort to get Christ to do something." Although I take full responsibility for my selfish prayers and total misuse of time talking with God, it is sad to think that this type of prayer is, for the most part, being taught in our churches today. We open up any event in the church with a "quick word of prayer" like we have to get that ritual out of the way so we can get on with the "good stuff." The Wednesday night Prayer meetings aren't really spent in prayer unless you count going over the prayer list and then sometimes covering up gossip by mentioning that so-and-so needs some prayer because...(this is where the juicy bit of gossip gets filled in.) Then, someone says a short prayer mentioning most of who was mentioned, and we get on with something else. Of course in every church there is always the someone/s that you can actually pray along with because they have said the same route prayer for 30 years now and you have it memorized by heart. I'm not trying to offend anyone here. I'm just being honest with my sin, and the sin that is plaging our churches today.

God has been working on me extra hard lately. Well, let me rephrase that. I've made the decision to not be satisfied with my walk with Christ as far as my growth is concerned. I've decided it is more joy to take a spiritual beating, if you will, and be transformed into the image of Christ than it is to continue in sin, no matter how comfortable that sin feels. God is and has always been working on me. I just haven't always been so open to it.

Lately, I've been learning more and more about the supremacy of Christ and what that means for my life. I've learned that Christ is it. I'm not living for Christ. However, Christ is living through me and in me. There is nothing else that matters but Him. Placing Christ in that supreme place has caused me to look at life in a completely different way. One of those ways is in my prayer life.

God has been tranforming my time talking with him away from the, "God, I need you to do this," into more of the desire to be in union with Him. Yes, as scripture says God wants to hear the desires of our hearts. That doesn't mean we give God a laundry list of things we want Him to do for us. Instead, our desires are to be His desires. That is what I've been learning. I love using the ACTS prayer tool. A- adoration: giving God the praise and glory that He so deserves. C-confession: confessing our sins. This happens really easily when you pray with adoration. When you come into the presence of a holy God, you can't help but to see yourself for the helpless sinner we truly are. T-thanksgiving: Thanking God also comes easy when you put Him in the proper place in your life and realize the grace and mercy He has given you, the helpless sinner. S-supplication: this is when we petition or make our requests known to God. Sadly, this is what most of our prayers are filled with and mostly they are usually more selfish in nature. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. It is not bad to pray for people. We should. However, our supplications should be made in joining with God's will for our lives and the lives of others and in realization that no matter what He is in control and we are not.

I have so enjoyed talking to God this way. It is refreshing to be in union with Him. Again, I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be. I just want to be like Christ in order to bring glory to Him. I hope that this testimony does just.

It's a...

GIRL! We found out yesterday that we will be welcoming a little baby girl into our family. We are so excited. Now I have to start figuring out nursery design and registry.

Lately

Parker has been growing so much lately. It is just so much fun watching him learn and explore his world. He has added some new words to his vocabulary: eat, ketchup, cookie. I know there's more but that's all I can think of right now. He loves to pick up the phone and say "dada" then he just starts jibbering. I wish I knew what he was "saying." I just love to hear him jibber jabber. Sometimes he even gets his hands all into it. He is definately a little boy. He likes to climb, crawl through obstacles (his favorite is underneath the dining room table), pick up sticks, dig in dirt, throw balls, and wrestle around. At least, at this age he still enjoys personal hygeine. Taking baths and brushing his teeth are two of his favorite activities. He's starting to hit the picky toddler eating. I just never know what he's going to be into from one day to another.

Lately, we've enjoyed the lovely, warm weather. We've taken many walks and played outside. Sometimes we go on short slow walks where he actually walks but we always have to stop under an acorn tree. Those little acorns are so facisnating, don't you know! Today for the first time I put him in a pair of shorts. He is so cute! I just love seeing those two inches of legs sticking out between the pants legs and his socks.

On Tuesday we will hopefully find out if we are having a boy or a girl. I can't wait to find out! Either way, I am happy. I'm just ready to know. I'm starting to get more and more excited about baby number 2. I feel the baby moving around a lot more now. I will try to soon post a pic of my baby bump. We only have internet on my daddy's computer, so I don't want to put all of our pics on his computer. Transfering pictures from one computer to another to post takes a little time and there's not always a lot of that with a toddler running around.

We are still praying for the next place of ministry. Paul had an interview with a church the other day, and we have been praying for the Lord's direction with that. Well, that's the happenings in our life lately. Nothing too exciting, but that's nice.

Temporary Home

Last night as I was laying in bed praying, I started thinking about how I'm so ready to be in my own home again. I'm so appreciative that my daddy and stepmom have opened their home to us, but there is just nothing like having your own home. The good news is this is temporary for us. In God's timing, He will open the door to a new ministry, a new community, a new place to call home. (We are so ready to be serving in a church again. We really miss it!) As I lay there thinking about all this I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, "this is all just a temporary home." Indeed it is. This world is only a temporary home for us. For those of us who are children of God, we will one day be with the Lord for all of eternity! Then, we will truly be home.

I have become so near-sighted lately focusing only on the here and now. Living in this transition period, it is hard to make plans even for a month from now because you just don't know. I think and pray almost all day long about our next move that I have forgotten my true purpose for even being here on earth, and that is to bring glory to God no matter where I am. Bringing glory to God with my life draws people to Christ so that there will be more and more souls who will be with us when we finally make it to our heavenly home.

There are several places in scripture that talk about waiting on the Lord. I love the description that one of my college professors shared on this subject. Often when we think of waiting, we think of being idle, still, bored, longing for the next great thing. My professor, Dr. Jill Branyon, reminded us of a waiter in a restaurant. The waiter is very busy serving guests. In fact, waiters would not be very good at their job if they just sat around. That is what those who wait on the Lord should be like...someone who isn't idle but is serving. So as we wait on the Lord to reveal his direction for our lives, I know that He has us here right now for a purpose. I just have to quit being so near-sighted and selfish and look beyond myself.

A Closer Look

Right now, Sesame Street is on. This is Parker's favorite show. I sat him down in front of my daddy's tv to watch, and I keep watching as he scoots closer and closer to get a better look. Now, this tv is a 52" (I think; It's huge) so it's not like he's not getting a good view from anywhere in the room.

My, how that makes me feel guilty. Not for sitting my child in front of the tv, but for not taking after him when it comes to getting a closer look at something I love. I love God's Word because it is a direct way to my Savior's heart. When I sit down to read scripture, am I digging as deep as I can in order to be tranformed into the image of Christ? Sadly, no. I'll admit, sometimes I read God's Word and not know what I just read. I love those times when the Lord just grabs my heart with a piece of truth, and I keep thinking about it all day long. That could happen every day if I would discipline myself to always take a closer look at His Word and do what the man in Psalm 1 does who "delights in the law of the Lord" and "meditates on it day and night."

Thank you, Parker, for teaching me something even though you don't even realize it.

Side note: Isn't it amazing that a bunch of puppets have captured the love and attention of children 40+ years?!

Warning about BellaBands

In case you're wondering Bellabands are a piece of stretchy fabric that allows pregnant women to keep unbuttoned prepregnancy pants on or too loose maternity pants on or same thing for postpartum. I bought one to try out on Saturday (I actually bought a cheaper version called the BeBand made by Bellabands.) and wore it for the first time today. I have finally started to poke out a little bit which makes me feel better because in between the first trimester nausea and the finally starting to look a little pregnant time period I often wondered if I was actually pregnant. Anyways, back to the point, I wore it today on my outing to the OB for a doctor's appointment, and afterward Paul and I went to Walmart to pick up a few things. Like most pregnant women, I had to make a trip to the restroom while I was there. (FYI, I really don't like to use the restroom at Walmart because they are always nasty, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.) After I left the restroom and met back up with Paul, he quickly informed that part of my belly was showing. I had put the Beband back in place, but I had not put my actual shirt back down. They were made out of the same fabric and were the same color so I hadn't noticed. I'm just so thankful that Paul was close by and told me about this! So, my warning about BellaBands or BeBands or like things: Make sure you pull your shirt down over them or you will look a little silly.

Parker at 18 Months

During our moved, Parker turned 18 months old. I can't believe my little baby boy is a year and a half already. It just makes me wanna cry if I think about it too much. He just amazes me everyday as he grows and learns. He keeps picking up new words although he doesn't always use them to communicate. Anytime anyone laughs, he'll join in, which just makes you laugh even more because he's so doggone cute. When his daddy gets home, he's stuck to him like glue. We will watch for him to pull in the driveway and Parker just can't contain his excitement. I absolutely love watching Paul and Parker brush their teeth together. Parker will even try to spit like his daddy. It's their little special activity. In fact, as I was watching them tonight, Parker pushed me out of the bathroom and shut the door!

He is a very lovable and snugable little boy. He will squeeze you around your neck and say, "mmmm." He will do this over and over again. He loves to take baths. He has also become obsessed with trains. He loves Elmo or as he says "Melmo." He loves to eat but is picky about the texture of his food. He enjoys going outside when the weather is nice and pick up sticks. He is so special to us, and we love him and enjoy him more and more everyday!