National Day of Prayer...are prayers answered?

Franklin Graham National Day of Prayer for the President is October the 2nd......but are prayers really answered?

Well, sometimes they are and sometimes they are not. Sometimes we are not confident that God will hear and answer our prayer. Therefore, our prayers are filled more with doubt than with confidence.
We struggle and we don't know what to pray; we focus more on the "prayer" than God.
 John 16:23 

Also, we often don't pray unless we are at the "perfect" place, but there is no perfect place. Any place you feel comfortable in is a "perfect" place. We need to make it a point of praying whenever and where ever we are; while driving, doing dishes, folding laundry, making dinner and any other chores.  God gave us prayer to communicate and stay connected with Him.

Personally, I am very uncomfortable praying for people in their presence. I never know what to say, and my response is that I will pray later. However, by the time I am ready to "pray", I may have forgotten the request, or worse yet, it is long after the fact, because I got busy and forgot. So, the point here is that, we also don't need to have a "perfect" prayer, we just need to talk to God. Do you clean up your house, get dressed up and put makeup on for your family and close friends? NO! Same applies with our prayers. We are supposed to come to God as we are; broken, messy, tired and worn down. We are to be like little kids and tell Him what is on our mind. AND...we are to keep asking-just like little kids.

God says: Boldly ASK.  Unfortunately, as adults if we ask two times and don't get an answer, we give up. We have to believe like children again.Children believe parents can do ANYTHING. If parents can do anything, don't you think our Father in heaven is capable? Many times our problem is that we are not close to God. In order to get to know someone what do we need to do? We need to spend time with them and be together, alone.

Jesus went away to be alone and pray to his Father.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know I am God"

I have encountered many times when people have prayed over me, right where we were standing. I never refuse prayer. I will share with you a couple of those instances:

1. Thirteen years ago, while I was at work, a new employee I was talking with asked me if she could pray for me. It was very unexpected and I don't know why she did. Of course,I accepted.While she was praying I felt a sense of peace and comfort come over me.
2. A neighbor's mother was walking in front of my house as I was doing some gardening. I greeted her and we started a conversation. Before I knew it, she asked if she could pray, and again I said, of course, please do. As she prayed, I could feel her sincerity, and a warm, tingly sensation came all over my body. 
3. In 1989, Galen and I were travelling through Europe, and we were in Istanbul. It was the day before we were to return to the States. I had contracted something, and I was very ill, with very high fever. I did not want to go to the hospital or see a doctor. While I was laying in bed, we independently started to pray, and at the same moment we heard the prayers of the Imam, in the Minaret of one of the Mosques, nearby. All of a sudden I felt a warm tingling start from my head and go down to my toes. I felt something leave my body and my fever broke IMMEDIATELY. 

The two ladies I mentioned above were very unassuming, and ladies I was not close to, and had never met before. God sends his angels to minister to us when we least expect it, and from people we least expect, as well. These are just a few examples among many (looks like I need lots of prayers!)..:))

So, you can see that I believe in prayer.. The Bible commands us to pray for our government and our leaders, regardless of who they are.

1Timothy 2:1-3

I hope you will make it a point to pray on October 2nd, and make it a habit to pray all the time ..

• pray to God as your friend
• talk to God like a child to a parent
• believe and boldly ask like a child

Have a wonderful day!

Psalm 23

Since I was a little girl I had gone to church with my parents, mostly my mother, but we never read the Bible. We attended the Greek Orthodox Church, in Istanbul, Turkey. When we moved to Sweden, there were no Greek churches. Church was not part of our daily or weekly schedule. I started going to a Lutheran church with our land lady at the time. She was in her mid to late 70's. I learned more about the Bible from her. However, it wasn't until 1990, when my father passed away, that a co-worker of mine send me a sympathy card that had Psalm 23 on it. Although I had been present when my father took his last breath, and KNEW where he had gone, reading Psalm 23 made it more real. When I read it, it really touched my heart and tears swelled in my eyes, running down my face. It was confirmation that my father was now resting/living peacefully in the house of the Lord! Many times we include this Psalm on the little funeral cards.

Last September we traveled to Carthage, Missouri. We visited the Precious Moments Museum, Chapel and Gardens. They give FREE Tours. It is a MUST see, if you are in the area. It is a life changing experience, and an inspirational masterpiece. Carthage is only an hour's drive from Bella Vista, NW Arkansas, where we have a home. In 1989, Samuel J. Butcher, world renowned artist and creator of Precious Moments, founded the Chapel. The place will restore your soul. Besides all the figurines that he has created over the years, he also has hand-carved wooden doors as well as 30 stained glass windows. Through his Precious Moments artwork, he has  interpreted many Bible stories on the walls, ceilings and stained glass windows. The ceiling reminds one of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

One of the Bible stories/Scriptures he has interpreted, is the 23rd Psalm, depicted with one stained glass windows for each verse.  Anyway, when I read the Psalm recently, it reminded me of Precious Moments and I just wanted to share it with y'all:))

Although many of us have read this psalm over and over, we have probably not
looked at it as it is interpreted below:

The Lord is My Shepherd
 (That's relationship...a personal God)

I shall not want
(That's supply...he will provide)

He makes me lie down in green pastures
(That's rest..he gives us a break)

He leads me beside the still waters
(That's refreshment...quiet time with Him)

He restores my soul
(That's healing)

He leads me in the paths of righteousness
(That's guidance....for what is for our good)

For His name sake
(That's purpose...our lives matter)

Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
(That's testing....temptations we encounter)

I will feel no evil
(That's protection...He gives us courage)

For You are with me
(That's faithfulness...He promises never to leave us)

Your rod and your staff they comfort me
(That's discipline)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
(That's hope..sometimes we feel alone against our enemies)

You anoint my head with oil
(That's consecration)

My cup runs over
(That's abundance....he gives us more than what we need)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
(That's blessing..when we follow Him)

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
(That's security...we know where we will end up)

Forever!
(That's Eternity)


I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!