Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Got Prayer?

If you happened over here because of the Proverbs 31 devo today,
a warm welcome to you!
I am the fashion and beauty go-to girl on the P31 team
and I hope you'll let me be your fashion go-to girl, too.
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Each week this fall I am writing a post called
What to Wear Wednesday
It's about what's in, what's hot, what's not and how to dress to honor God at the same time...
with style, of course!
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However, since today is Tuesday, let's talk about this thing we call prayer.
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Do you have a few friends who consistently pray for your specific needs...and you for them?
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As you read in my devotional, I count heavily on the women who commit to praying for me. I'm not ashamed to tell them my struggles, my needs, my desires.
I think it's a rare thing when we can be open with friends and I consider myself blessed to be able to do so.
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What about you? Be super honest with yourself about this. Are you open to sharing your inmost feelings or are you afraid to open up to others? Maybe you're afraid you won't find the time to pray for them, or you might forget to.
I had some of those challenges in the beginning. I wondered why I'd want to spill my junk, and honestly, why bother God with things He already knows?
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When I lived in Miami, Florida I heard this pastor say something so profound. He said this,
Prayer is not to convince God, it is to cooperate with God.
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Even Jesus prayed.
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Luke 3:21 (NIV) And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:
"You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
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Just as God was pleased with His son, how pleased will He be when He finds you, too, on your knees.
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I'd like to challenge you to something today so I'm going to give away a copy of my workbook
"If Clothes Could Talk"
to three gals.
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Here's what I want you to do:
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1. Ask 1-2 friends to commit to praying for you.
2. Tell them you will pray for them to.
3. Give each other 2-3 things that you each need prayer for.
4. Commit to praying for these specific things for 30 days.
5. At the end of 30 days, set up a time for coffee and go over your lists and see how God has answered each of you.
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I think you'll be surprised.
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If you take this challenge, just let me know here and I'll enter you in the drawing.
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I hope you'll check back tomorrow for What To Wear Wednesday AND for the announcement of the three winners!
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Beautiful Blessings!
Shari Braendel
Inspiring girls and women to embrace their self worth by connecting fashion and faith

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I got up this morning after having a fight with my husband last evening over something so trival. I felt bad about it and I began to pray. I opened my internet devo from Proverbs 31 and there was one of my good friends, Shari Braendel's devo. It was exactly what God needed me to hear this morning. I am such an independent woman and it's hard for me to reach out to others and ask for prayer. But God is showing me how much more we can do for Him if we just open up to each other and lift our requests up to Him on behalf of each other.
An email I got this week was from a woman in Pakistan that went to my website,www.deniseadcock.com,and found something there that intriqued her to write to me. She's asked me to help her set up a women's bible study. I was so touched and in awe of how God could use me to touch the life of a woman thousands of miles away.Pray, seek and find.... words to live by.
Thank you Shari for being a BOLD woman of God and for raising the bar for those of us who want to continue to pursue God's plans and purposes for our lives.
Love ya much!
Denise
Women Inc.

Lara's Laugh Lines said...

~Thank You!~

My mum has a group of ladies that are in their 70's & 80's who have been praying for each other for as long as I can remember. They have held each other up in good times & not so good times. They are at an age now where some have gone home to be with Jesus. Everytime this happens I am a little selfishly sad because it means one less prayer warrior for my family.:{

I desire this same type of sisterhood and your word has encouraged me to step out today and begin that circle of strength.

*It's "knee time"...looking forward to some great "knee-highs"!!*~Lara

sagreen125 said...

Waiting for God to bring friends who will even let me know they are praying and share any words they get.

Kim said...

This post saddens me today. I am in the middle of a church transition and after reading this realized that I don't have three girls I can reach out to. I have one very good friend and I will reach out to her and take your challenge.

sagreen125: I will commit to pray for you.

Anonymous said...

I am going to take the challenge with my best friend April. We are in small group together and have our prayer requests for that group, but we will take that a step further and start this challenge. Expecting great things from the Lord.
Brandi Laws
brandirlaws@yahoo.com

Michelle Weber said...

Shari, Loved your devo today. My daughter Emily has just had major back surgery after months and months of pain and immobility. Between my bible study of amazing prayer warriors and friends and even acquaintances who covered us in prayer and reached out to us, I have experienced the love and peace that comes when God's people send His love your way. They were like Christ's hands reaching out to me; holding me safely in His arms telling me that she will be OK. Everything will be OK. When I finally let it all sink in, I had such an overwhelming sense of peace which my daughter needed to feel from me as we were driving to the hospital 7 hours away and especially the next morning heading to the hospital for surgery. These ladies surrounded me with their prayers and love and I will always hold onto that warmth and peace and try to do the same for others now. Have a great day Shari!

Nancy J. Locke said...

Shari, what a beautiful and inspiring post. I tuck notes for prayers in my Bible when someone requests one after I have prayed for them and my Bible is full of slips. :D Flipping through them later I realize how God does hear and answer prayers. It's eye opening to see how He works. :D

Blessings! Nancy J Locke

Anonymous said...

Shari,

Thank you for listening to God and writing this particular devotion today. Prayer is much needed in my family today. We meet with my sister's doctor this afternoon - her breast cancer has returned after only two years. I will reach out to my prayer sisters, Kayla and Sarah, with your challenge. Thank you again for your words today.

Erin said...

I recently became a mentor at my work, and this is a great thing to do with my girls!

Leah DiPascal said...

I just loved your P31 devo this morning! Thanks for reminding me just how crucial my personal prayer partners are within the scope of everyday life. I really needed to hear that today :)

Hugs,
Leah

Pam said...

Thanks Shari.... for the reminder of prayer and needing prayer partners. When I lived at home, I always had prayer support from my parents. Now 17 years later, I realize that I don't have any prayer partners. I did while I was in bible study but we have all moved on in different dirrections. I will commit to getting back to it, find a couple of women to pray for and with.
Pam

My Journey to Hope said...

I really appreciated reading your devotional today. Just a few minutes before reading it, I was praying intensely about the financial needs we have, and some ministry things that have been on my heart for a long time. It's so easy to get discouraged when you've waited for an answer for years. But I believe in the power of prayer, and I know that God used your devo to encourage me to keep trusting in Him to do what I can't do on my own. Thank you for sharing your heart!

-Michelle

Van said...

Hi Shari, It's about time we heard more from you in the form of a devo! Great story and encouraging words. I agree! Even though my MIT group grew up - all the little 6th graders we prayed for are are 21 and older we still gather to pray. We have broadened our horizons and have witnessed answered prayer. Blessings to you, wonderful friend.