Day 4 - Men in our lives - #31DaysOfPrayer

    Lord I thank you for the men in my life and the men who are building Your church. I’m thankful that Your spirit lays deeply within them.

    Joshua 1:9 [MSG] says “Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God your God, is with you every step you take.” I pray for the courage of rising men - that they may stand tall and proclaiming Your goodness amongst their peers, that shame and fear of not being accepted will not cloud the fact that they serve an ever loving and rewarding God. 

    I pray for future leaders, that they may immerse themselves in Your word, that they may use the gift You have blessed them with wisely and listen to Your instructions for using it. May the things of the world not deter them from the leadership path You have put them on and that they may be submissive to Your every word and be the person to bring change to the people they encounter. Help them to lead with integrity and lead their lives in a way that honors You. 

    Show them how to be men without demonstrating toxic masculinity, teach them how to be kind and merciful. Bless their mouths that they may speak empowering, loving, Godly words. Lead them into dark places that they may be the ones to show people Your light.

    I pray for a clear way forward, that in any and every situation they face they look to the cross for guidance. May they be consumed with a passion to build Your house in a way that is pleasing to You. May You capture their hearts with visions and dreams. 

    In their roles as husbands, fathers and sons may you lace their very being with the power to be patient and understanding, that they may be providers and leaders of their family unit - Lord that in the midsts of family problems and hard times he may be prayerful and lay everything at Your feet. Teach them how to honor and respect their wives, teach them how to take responsibility of their homes, and teach them how to be prayerful, loving, and honorable examples for their children.

    Lord we thank you. Amen

    “But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life - a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in faith. Seize the eternal life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.”

                                                      - 1 Timothy 6:11-12 [MSG]

    Day 3 - The Women in our lives - #31DaysOfPrayer

    God I thank you for the way the women of Your church are rising up. A thank You for the confidence You have instilled in us to take ownership of our roles and purposes in Your kingdom.

    I thank you for the female leaders that have gone before us and have shown us how to be leaders and still respect and honour the men of the church.

    I pray that in the times of adversity, pain, and darkness that they may gain strength in You. Father that they will have the strength to rise above the enemy. I pray that they walk with conviction as they stamp the devil out of their families, their work/school life, and their finances. Lord that they will be stomping women - victorious women, women who don’t allow the way of the world to block their blessings and miracles.

    Lord I cover all of them with the power to be gentle yet assertive with what it is You have called them to do. I pray that you give them the ability to be great daughters, caring sisters, loving wives, and nurturing mothers in every season of their lives.

    If they are going through a difficult season God I just thank you for them - Lord may they walk through this season with grace and with their heads lifted high. May they leave room for the season to develop their character and reaffirm Gods love and grace upon their lives

    Father I just lift all the women in my life to You, Lord that Your promise may fall upon them abundantly. We thank you for their loving, nurturing and understanding ways. We’re thankful for the prayers from the women that have gone before us and pray for those to come after us.

    In Your mighty name, Amen.

    “Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!”

                                                    - Proverbs 30:30-31 [MSG]

    Day 2 - New Christians - #31DaysOfPrayer

    Heavenly Father I just pray over those who have recently joined this big family of love. I pray that as they start this journey they’d lean closer and closer into you. I pray that every new scripture they read and every new godly encounter they have allows them to fall deeper in love with you.

    I pray that though the beginning may seem tough and temptation is all around they are able to keep their eyes fixed on the cross Lord that they may see Your love anew. Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God…” - help them to understand that there will be many encounters and miracles that they won’t understand but that they have to trust that it’s the work of the faithful God they serve.

    I profess love, blessing and breakthrough over their lives, that they may be the person to change their immediate world, that they won’t allow the darkness of their past to diminish Gods light inside of them. Luke 15:10 talks about the way the heavens celebrate when a lost soul turns to God - Father I rejoice just as the heavens rejoiced when they made that decision to follow Christ. 

    May Your love be shown to them as simply as day that they may openly receive their blessings and purpose and use them to help bring Your lost children home and be a blessing to others.

    Father we thank You for allowing us to have new beginnings and I pray that our journey may be used as a testimony to how faithful You are to those who profess with their words and express with their actions that You are Lord.

    We thank You for giving Your son in the most beautiful exchange and for the greatest love story ever told that allows for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances.

    Amen.

    “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life - to God! - is vigorous and requires total attention.”
                                   - Matthew 7:13-14 [MSG]

    My #31DaysOfPrayer Challenge - Starting in May

    During the morning session of Colour today we honoured a woman called Maggie who regularly held prayer meetings with the women of the church to pray about different things (mostly in relation to the A21 Campaign). It was so beautiful and inspiring to watch and hear about how God has moved in her life and in the things they prayed about.

    It got me thinking, Bobby (Houston) talked about how what Maggie does inspires and helps to nurture a younger generation of intercessors. It was sort of a remind of how important it is to pray for others - so I’m going to do a #31DaysOfPrayer challenge mainly because it’s just something I want to do but others can join in too if they like. We all deal with things differently and constantly think about ourselves not realising a lot of the things we face our neighbour is also facing.

    I’ll be praying over the following in the month of May:

    Day 1 - For the month of May
    Day 2 - New Christians
    Day 3 - The women in our lives
    Day 4 - The men in our lives
    Day 5 - Young people
    Day 6 - Young adults
    Day 7 - Adults
    Day 8 - Students
    Day 9 - Work life
    Day 10 - Opportunities
    Day 11 - Relationships
    Day 12 - Future husbands/wives
    Day 13 - Friends
    Day 14 - Family
    Day 15 - Health
    Day 16 - Breakthrough
    Day 17 - Purity
    Day 18 - Senior leaders
    Day 19 - Visions & dreams
    Day 20 - Parents
    Day 21 - Finances
    Day 22 - The future
    Day 23 - Depression and other mental health issues
    Day 24 - Happiness
    Day 25 - Confidence
    Day 26 - Purpose
    Day 27 - Seasons
    Day 28 - Use of words
    Day 29 - Control
    Day 30 - Revival/#OnMission
    Day 31 - The Church

    These are just every day things - I’m not trying to make it complicated. I believe in the power of words and the power of professing goodness and mercy over our lives and the lives of people we encounter.

    I’m sharing this because I want to be held accountable - I can’t say I’m going to do something and not do it! This is not just for those who believe in the Holy Trinity but for every day people who face every day things.

    So feel free to join in - make sure you tag it 31DaysOfPrayer on the post and make sure you use #31DaysOfPrayer in the title (with the hash tag) so I can keep track of those on this journey. Feel free to do it in different ways - perhaps a poem, or a personal story - I’m not fussed, happy to have you!

    I’ll try make sure I post in the morning so you have food for thought for the rest of the day but apologies in advance if it’s a little later in the day!

    All the best :)

    To Be Patient.

    The art of being patient isn’t easy. I’m starting to realise that everything I want I don’t seem to get when I want it. To make matters worse I don’t know if it’s due to bad decisions or just the steps God is ordering but I’m definitely in different with myself. 

    Am I actually ready for all that I want and all that I’m working for? Because  all these things don’t seem to be ready for me. Forever chasing something I’m starting to feel is unobtainable which perhaps is where I let myself be defeated.

    I think for tonight I’ll surrender this fight and pick it up where I left off in the morning. I’m mentally exhausted.

    "You have to remember to be grateful for what you have. So often we can become clouded by the things in our lives that seem to be failing. Lord knows I do this all the time. But just now a joke I shared with my mummy came to mind and reminded me how blessed I am in many ways. Gods grace is upon me - how can I allow anything to deflect it? I need to stop worrying and start believing Gods promise for my life is in motion. His time is the best time after all."

    "My ambitions, ideas, and aspirations are not for the average mind. I’ve had to tell myself that I’m not crazy when my imagination lets me see how good my life can be if I stick to my path and have the courage to actually pursue it. It’s tiring, draining, causes emotional/mental stress, makes you question yourself, your abilities/gifts and even God if you believe in Him. But it’s worth it. I have to tell myself it’s worth it. Before your simple mind underestimates my big idea why don’t you take a moment to allow your imagination to take you on a journey into the future. Let it show you something extraordinary, something you feel is out of reach but you KNOW you can do. Then come and tell me I’m crazy. Until then, you’re not worth my time."

    "Is it fair to run out of patience with God? Am I allowed to get mad at Him every once in a while? I feel like I’ve been waiting for something good for too long. Can my breakthrough just arrive already! I’m tired."

    — Who am I to question His timing? After all, Gods time is the best time.

    Stuck in a rut….

    But it’s okay. I think.

    Kind of don’t know what to do with myself these days. All routines and motivations are out the window yet this flame of aspiring greatness still burns within me as if just for me to know.

    On Sunday at church Luke mentioned something about always feeling guilty or feeling a way about something. He said that those feelings hold you back from the (great) things God has planned for you.

    lI agree yet by choice remain bound. I guess the whole ‘let go and let God’ thing is easier said than done.

    They say that when you’re in a place/situation in life when things make you uncertain or uncomfortable then God is getting ready to use you.

    I guess my breakthrough is on its way then.

    Despite the above I have plenty to be happy about.

    A Wish Too Many…

    I wish I was confident. I wish I was bold. I wish I knew exactly what I was doing. I wish I wasn’t scared of my thoughts. I wish the journey my ideas take me on didn’t scare me so much 90% of the time. I wish I trusted God more than I say I do. I wish I didn’t care about half of the things I care about. I wish I didn’t worry so much. I wish I was superwoman. I wish I could do everything I imagine exactly how I imagined it. I wish I didn’t fear myself and the possibilities that are in my hands. I wish I listened to my own advice. I wish I didn’t over think things. I wish I could just follow my instincts. I wish I wasn’t so naive. I wish I didn’t need to wish all these things…


    Matters of the heart…