When the blocks began to fly through the air, I realized we had gone too far. We had been having a fun time building towers. Suddenly my two-old little boy turned the play into a dodge-for-your-life-free-for-all. Even though the blocks were soft (thank goodness), I quickly realized I had triggered his SPD (sensory processing disorder) and needed to bring him back down. His sisters took cover in the other room as I wrested the 35 lb boy to the floor.
Grinning, he let me wrap him in a pile of blankets which happened to be on the floor. I put some deep pressure on him with the weight of my body. His forehead relaxed, the eyes became slits in a joyful smile. He stopped wiggling right away. The calm was immediate, I was shocked and a little proud of myself for thinking quickly and responding with what he needed. The instant relief for him felt like such a win. He even realized what the blankets were doing. So when I got up to go, after calming him, he asked me, “Joel stay here?” He wanted to keep himself wrapped because it felt so good. “Sure buddy,” I laughed.
For a tiny hurricane of a boy, he stayed still for a good five minutes and I realized something: prayer is just the same. Prayer will provides the safety, comfort, and calming affect those blankets did for my son. Since devoting specific time to prayer, it has become more than just short requests for help in a moment. During this year, devoting real time for prayer has allowed me to wrap myself in the blanket of comfort from God for a few minutes each day.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm 5:3
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT A PRAYER-FILLED LIFE
1. Prayer will not solve my problems. Prayer will not magically make the storm leave. Prayer will not fix the people in my life. Prayer will connect with the Father. Prayer will remind me of my standing with God. Prayer acknowledges the Holy Spirit’s and Jesus’ role in my daily life. Prayer allows me to see my problems from God’s point of view and I have the courage to face them, with His ever close presence.
2. Prayer causes me to look up. Many times I miss the goodness of God because I’m looking around instead of up. Or, I’m missing the unseen places. I forget God is working on the hearts of my children, even when I mess up. I forget God is planting seeds of faith in believers and even unbelievers as I walk through life sharing my testimony. I forget about eternity when I lose sight of prayer.
3. Prayer brings out my praise to God. One day at a time, I’m learning to praise Him. Praise Him when my heart just isn’t feeling it. Praise Him when my life feels so out of control. Praise Him for the good. Praise Him for the hard. Praise Him for who He is. As my eyes turn away from my problems, I see the fullness of Christ and the steadfast love and daily mercy available to me. The more I praise Him, the more I see Him. The more I see Him, the more I see His faithfulness.
4. Prayer brings growth. On the first day of spring it snowed. Welcome to the Appalachian mountains. West Virginia holds four fluid seasons, but I’m ready for spring. Saying goodbye to winter with its cold, dark nights, and germs. Winter has been long this year. Not necessarily super cold or lots and lots of snow, but it seems like it started early in October and now into the later part of March we are shoveling the white stuff off of our driveway again. Winter’s promise still rings true. God is faithful in the seasons we don’t see growth.
5. Prayer brings me to a place of strength. Daily strength is all I need. Prayer allows me to gather daily strength. When we live the slow life, the ordinary life, we need to gather our resources. The good part is, we don’t need to gather enough to last the week, or month. We gather enough of God’s presence, promises, and provision for just today. Gather it by praying. Even one small prayer is enough manna for a day.
Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work….When you labor at prayer, from God’s perspective there are always results. What an astonishment it will be to see, once the veil is finally lifted, all the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you have been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ. – Oswald Chambers
When you see prayer, would you wonder if maybe peace could be a part of your life through the power of prayer?
Join me on a seven day journey. A newly updated versinof my Seven Days to Peace Prayer Challenge is now available.
In it you will find seven days of scripture, prayer prompts, and a short devotional to draw you closer to God through the power of prayer. When you get this amazing, life-changing challenge, you will also receive lock screens and memory cards!!!
Welcome to our link-up! Welcome Wednesday will post once a week, on Wednesday mornings at 7AM. We have SIX co-hosts (myself and five other bloggers!) Please take a moment and follow each blogger on at least ONE social media 🙂
Your Hosts!
Whitney at Polka-Dotty Place / Bloglovin / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Stefanie at Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook
Keri at Keri Lynn Synder / Faceobok / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest
Mauri at The American Patriette / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram
Sarah at Sarah E. Frazer / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest
Lindsay at Lindsay’s Sweet World / Bloglovin / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Rules!
- Only TWO posts please.
- Friendly content only.
- Visit at least TWO other sites.
- Comment on at least ONE other post.
- Follow each host on at least ONE social media.
Feel free to invite ALL of your blogger friends to join us and link up! Happy Wednesday!
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“Prayer will connect with the Father. Prayer will remind me of my standing with God. Prayer acknowledges the Holy Spirit’s and Jesus’ role in my daily life. Prayer allows me to see my problems from God’s point of view and I have the courage to face them, with His ever close presence. ” <—– THIS! How many times do we need to hear this since we often get frustrated with prayer b/c it doesn't fix everything… then we wrongly assume that prayer doesn't work at all… when we are the ones who misunderstand the purpose it serves in the first place! Thanks!!
Thanks for hosting!
I like the idea of prayer wrapping us in a warm blanket of His love. Thanks for these great truths. I want to practice His presence by talking to Him all day long. Blessings!