The Power of Prayer

If you haven't followed the link on Monica's post to the family with a little girl just diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor, please do so. I just read it, and totally changed my post topic. It is horrible and touching at the same time. It is so real and so unreal. It blows my mind that there are thousands of stories similar to this family's, but it also makes me smile because this little girl's family has so much faith and trust in the Lord. And He is there through their terrible journey. The power of prayer......it brings us into a close relationship with Jesus.

As a parent, I want to teach my children not only to pray and how to pray, but why we pray. It is not just for meal times and bedtime. It is an ongoing conversation with our creator and redeemer. It is for praise and petition. It is for times of joy and times of pain. It is for the big things and the small, seemingly insignificant occurences in our lives. He craves that intimate relationship with us, His children.

My prayer tonight is that I am deliberate and intentional about my prayer time. I need to not only set aside quiet time for reading the Word and praying, but also throughout my day, (while doing housework, driving, playing with the kids), give a word of praise or lift others up in prayer. Sticky notes and notecards work wonders! One of my favorite tools is a book of spiral notecards I keep in the car. I keep it open to a favorite verse, or if I am waiting in the car, I can flip through all of the verses that have spoken to me recently. (actually my spiral notecards are flipped open right next to my laptop to Zephaniah 3:17, one of my favorite verses).

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

What are some of your favorite prayers or prayer tools??