The Book of Psalms. Anyone who reads the Bible usually loves David's Psalms. They're soothing, they speak poetically, and they're straight from the heart of a man who was a great sinner yet never let go of his faith and relationship with his Heavenly Father. That is the relationship many of us desire to have with the Lord, yet we aren't always sure how to get there.
Hi, I'm April and this is my new blog. I've kept a couple blogs in the past, the most recent being A Beautiful Daze. I sort of drifted away from writing when I became a mother of 3, a homeschooling mama, and a business partner with my husband. I still am all of those things, so I can not in good conscious make any promises to stay on top of this blog as much as I hope to.
However, lately it's been heavy on my heart to dive back into my writing and not just for anything, but for an audience of women (although men are more than welcome to read this, too) who love Jesus Christ and love the idea of the woman that is poetically described in Proverbs 31.
I was raised in a Christian home and always taught to bring everything to God in prayer. Being led in prayer by my parents made it easier to do, but as I grew older and into my own personal relationship with Jesus Christ I would get frustrated with myself if I "forgot" to pray every day, and throughout the day. I understood at a young age the power of prayer, but understanding something and putting it into action are two different things. Even when I remembered to pray I would call them "A.D.D. Prayers," because I'd be sitting (or kneeling), genuinely asking the Lord to hear my heavy heart and then suddenly my mind would drift onto the things of this world. I'd be lying if I said I don't still have that problem, only my mind looks a little messier these days::
"Heavenly Father, I want to pray for my husband who has been working real hard lately and he.... hmm, did I remember to move the clothes to the dryer? I better go do that--oh wait, I'm praying. I'll do it after.. Sorry, Lord, as I was saying, my son has a tooth ache and the dentist can't see him until.... ::sniff sniff:: What's that smell? Does Bubba have ANOTHER poopy diaper? That's the 3rd one today! I better go change it--oh right, I'm in the middle of praying!.. Forgive me Father, I was trying to pray for my dad's major operation this week and how... 'KIDS! STOP FIGHTING! DON'T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE, I'M PRAYING!!'...
If you've ever prayed a prayer similar to that, welcome to Prayers From The Kitchen Table; a blog built specifically for us "A.D.D. Ladies" who struggle to find some alone time with their Lord and Savior.
As I was studying in psalms one day, in my early 20's, I realized that David was not only writing songs for the Lord, but so much more! He was writing out his prayers; keeping a journal, if you will. A light bulb went off in my head, or maybe it was the Lord's still small voice. Either way, that same day I grabbed an old notebook and began to write out my own prayers. It was amazing to see how easily I could stay focused on my prayer with a pen and paper in hand. Even if I was interrupted I could pick right back up from where I left off. I soon discovered that I also loved documenting my prayers for the purpose of reflecting back on them and seeing how they had been answered, and where my life had taken me.
My prayer journals have taken me from a young, divorced single mom who was returning to college and raising a toddler on her own, to a re-married homeschooling mom of 3 and business entrepreneur! There have been a lot of highs and lows in the in between, and as private and intimate as my prayer journals are between myself and the Lord, I can assure you they show just how much I've grown as a sister in Christ over the years. The best part about it is, if my faith in God ever begins to waiver I have written PROOF that He is real and that He has cared for me throughout the years by looking back on all of the answered prayers.
Unfortunately, the world lacks prayer. Even in the "Christian world," prayer is not happening enough! Because of the typical, natural interruptions of this world we tend to wonder away from prayer and (subconsciously, perhaps) view it as time consuming or a burden. Sure, maybe we'll utter a quick, "Bless this food," or "Thank you for this day," as we're on the move, but actually stopping and devoting time to truly pray--to connect our hearts with our Heavenly Father, does not happen nearly enough. I've been just as guilty as the next person.
God wants us to speak to him from our hearts-- to open up and express our needs, our desires, our guilt, our heartache, depression, anxiety, joy, fear, and EVERYTHING else that we are going through. He wants us to give it all to Him, and He wants a genuine relationship with us! God doesn't hear the prayers of someone who's just doing what some priest told them to do. He hears the prayers of people who come directly to him, through Jesus Christ (not man), and make an effort to know Him as more than just some deity who has the power to forgive sins.
We need not to be prayer warriors in our privacy only. We need to be coming together in prayer-- praying for each other and for our brothers and sisters of the world, daily! Most importantly, as the women of this world we need to be praying for our families; our husbands, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends, and OURSELVES. That's what I intend to use this blog for. It will be a place where we can pray together through written prayer. Whether you are young and just starting out in life, deep in the muck of life, or you're retiring from the stresses of life, you play an important role in Prayers From The Kitchen Table.
As I'm putting together this blog, I'm hoping to create special sections where we focus on specific topics and/or people to pray over. I also intend to start a section for prayer requests and also guest posts/prayers. It's a work in progress, so please be patient with me.
Of course, it would only make sense to start off this blog with our first prayer being a blessing over the blog itself:
However, lately it's been heavy on my heart to dive back into my writing and not just for anything, but for an audience of women (although men are more than welcome to read this, too) who love Jesus Christ and love the idea of the woman that is poetically described in Proverbs 31.
I was raised in a Christian home and always taught to bring everything to God in prayer. Being led in prayer by my parents made it easier to do, but as I grew older and into my own personal relationship with Jesus Christ I would get frustrated with myself if I "forgot" to pray every day, and throughout the day. I understood at a young age the power of prayer, but understanding something and putting it into action are two different things. Even when I remembered to pray I would call them "A.D.D. Prayers," because I'd be sitting (or kneeling), genuinely asking the Lord to hear my heavy heart and then suddenly my mind would drift onto the things of this world. I'd be lying if I said I don't still have that problem, only my mind looks a little messier these days::
"Heavenly Father, I want to pray for my husband who has been working real hard lately and he.... hmm, did I remember to move the clothes to the dryer? I better go do that--oh wait, I'm praying. I'll do it after.. Sorry, Lord, as I was saying, my son has a tooth ache and the dentist can't see him until.... ::sniff sniff:: What's that smell? Does Bubba have ANOTHER poopy diaper? That's the 3rd one today! I better go change it--oh right, I'm in the middle of praying!.. Forgive me Father, I was trying to pray for my dad's major operation this week and how... 'KIDS! STOP FIGHTING! DON'T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE, I'M PRAYING!!'...
If you've ever prayed a prayer similar to that, welcome to Prayers From The Kitchen Table; a blog built specifically for us "A.D.D. Ladies" who struggle to find some alone time with their Lord and Savior.
As I was studying in psalms one day, in my early 20's, I realized that David was not only writing songs for the Lord, but so much more! He was writing out his prayers; keeping a journal, if you will. A light bulb went off in my head, or maybe it was the Lord's still small voice. Either way, that same day I grabbed an old notebook and began to write out my own prayers. It was amazing to see how easily I could stay focused on my prayer with a pen and paper in hand. Even if I was interrupted I could pick right back up from where I left off. I soon discovered that I also loved documenting my prayers for the purpose of reflecting back on them and seeing how they had been answered, and where my life had taken me.
My prayer journals have taken me from a young, divorced single mom who was returning to college and raising a toddler on her own, to a re-married homeschooling mom of 3 and business entrepreneur! There have been a lot of highs and lows in the in between, and as private and intimate as my prayer journals are between myself and the Lord, I can assure you they show just how much I've grown as a sister in Christ over the years. The best part about it is, if my faith in God ever begins to waiver I have written PROOF that He is real and that He has cared for me throughout the years by looking back on all of the answered prayers.
God wants us to speak to him from our hearts-- to open up and express our needs, our desires, our guilt, our heartache, depression, anxiety, joy, fear, and EVERYTHING else that we are going through. He wants us to give it all to Him, and He wants a genuine relationship with us! God doesn't hear the prayers of someone who's just doing what some priest told them to do. He hears the prayers of people who come directly to him, through Jesus Christ (not man), and make an effort to know Him as more than just some deity who has the power to forgive sins.
We need not to be prayer warriors in our privacy only. We need to be coming together in prayer-- praying for each other and for our brothers and sisters of the world, daily! Most importantly, as the women of this world we need to be praying for our families; our husbands, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends, and OURSELVES. That's what I intend to use this blog for. It will be a place where we can pray together through written prayer. Whether you are young and just starting out in life, deep in the muck of life, or you're retiring from the stresses of life, you play an important role in Prayers From The Kitchen Table.
As I'm putting together this blog, I'm hoping to create special sections where we focus on specific topics and/or people to pray over. I also intend to start a section for prayer requests and also guest posts/prayers. It's a work in progress, so please be patient with me.
Of course, it would only make sense to start off this blog with our first prayer being a blessing over the blog itself:
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Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the freedom you have given us, to love and to serve you, not because we have to but because we desire to. You gave us the choice to believe in and accept you or not, because you wanted our love for you to be real, and that is a freedom nobody in this world can take away.
Lord, even with a real heart which desires to honor you we still fail you, every day. Let us not be content with our failures. We want to grow stronger and live deeper in your word. We want to overcome the sins of this world, the temptations of our own hearts and minds. It's only in you that we can find that strength, so we pray you guard us with your word and truth to stand firm in our faith.
Lord, even with a real heart which desires to honor you we still fail you, every day. Let us not be content with our failures. We want to grow stronger and live deeper in your word. We want to overcome the sins of this world, the temptations of our own hearts and minds. It's only in you that we can find that strength, so we pray you guard us with your word and truth to stand firm in our faith.
Lord, today is a special day as we start a new beginning. My desire for this prayer blog is to draw all of us closer to you and to each other. You say that where two or three are gathered in your name, you're there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20) and we want you to be in the midst of us. Hear the sincerity of these prayers, and I ask that all who pray them will understand to do so with a solemn, humbled heart. Though they be prayers that are shared for the world, let them reflect the sincerity of each individual who reads them from their heart. Father, I pray that we as women can walk away from this feeling uplifted and strengthened in our faith, and yet I also pray that this blog will put a desire in each woman's heart to pray on her own-- that she will go into her room, close the door, and pray alone to you (our Father who is unseen) (Matthew 6:6)-- that she will pray for the things that are weighing on her heart and learn to lay them at your feet. Teach these women, no matter what parts of life they're coming from, and myself that you are a loving, caring God and you desire for us to come to you. Teach us to grow an intimate relationship with you, our Heavenly Father.
Father, you are a mighty and merciful King. You are beautiful in all that you do. Even when the world turns on you, you do not turn on us. We praise your name, Holy Holy Holy! Are you Lord, God Almighty. Thank you for hearing our prayer, Lord.
In Jesus's Name,
Amen.
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