One of my hopes for this year was that I would get in a better rhythm of prayer. I didn't even feel like it was a prayer, because at some point in the past decade, my prayer life had slipped from praying all the time to just praying at certain times (morning, meals, evening, a little in between...). But I didn't want to be in that place. I wanted to get back to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where it says, "pray without ceasing." You see this is one of my favorite scriptures and I want it to be something I live out in my daily life. I don't just want to think about things. I want to take those thoughts and turn them into actions, into prayers, into a real conversation with God.
Over the months, I have worked hard to get into a habit of praying specifically for my nieces and nephews. While I can't be there for each one of them all the time, I can be an Auntie who prays and I can do that from wherever I am at anytime.
In the past month, God has really answered my prayer. I have had to trust Him in some big ways. I have really had to lean in to "Thy will be done" even when that is hard. I haven't always known what to even pray in some of the situations that have come up, but I have been praying and growing in my relationship with Christ. It is truly amazing how the trials of this life can really bring you closer to our God.
This faith walk is a journey and a day-by-day decision to follow Jesus. I am so thankful that God has answered this prayer that just started out as a hope. These past few weeks, my thoughts have turned to prayers and honestly, it has truly become continuously. I don't always have the words to say, but I ask that God's will be done in my life and in the lives of those around me. I pray for clarity. I ask for wisdom, guidance, and peace in decisions and situations. I pray and I pray and when I get done, I talk to God some more.
I am so glad we have a God who listens to us, who knows our hearts, and who loves us deeply.
Just like in any relationship, communication is key. Being able to have conversations with God gives us a more intimate relationship with Him. I am thankful for where He has brought me over the past few weeks and over the last couple of years. This journey is by no means over, and in any relationship, we have ups and downs, but I am thankful God shows Himself to us and that we can even see tiny glimpses of how He is working and helping us grow. And even when we can't see it, we can still trust Him and know He is working. We can cry out to Him at our darkest moments and we can sing praises to Him on the mountain tops. He will always listen to us. We need only to start the conversation and be willing to hear from Him.
