Category: Spiritual Growth

Small Beginnings

Tearing out the sheet of binder paper, I wrote a bullet-pointed list of discussion questions based on a Bible passage I’d been studying. Each week I’d take my hand-written questions and photocopy them in my sorority’s study lounge, known as “The Pit” because of its location in the basement of our house. Climbing the steps to the expansive living room, I’d sit on the floor near the fireplace glancing regularly at my watch, waiting to see if anyone would come.

Inviting girls in my house to join a Bible study had been a stunning leap of faith for me as a sophomore in college. Before God had emboldened me, I’d always been someone that craved approval and validation from others. I liked fitting in, not creating a stir. This venture launched me way past the limits of my comfort zone. Not everyone cheered on my efforts. As you might imagine, Bible study veered beyond the typical activities for girls at my secular university. Some weeks ten of my sorority sisters would show up, others no one would come. 

I didn’t know that God was preparing me for many other opportunities to write, lead, teach, mentor, and serve. Looking back, I see how the Lord used that time to equip and prepare me to walk alongside others growing in faith. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of pouring into a variety of women at different seasons in my life. Usually it’s only a few, but over time this has added up to a lot of lives.

That’s what I thought of when I read this passage: “Do not despise these small beginnings for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10a, NLT)

So often when God prompts us to act, we expect big, splashy results immediately. When we don’t get them, we become discouraged and want to quit. Or, we get distracted and lose our focus, as the Jews re-building the temple did in the book of Haggai.

Jennifer Rothschild encourages us saying, “You may feel small, insignificant, thinking who you are or where you are is unimportant compared to the seemingly big significance of others’ lives and situations. But no one and nothing is really small and insignificant. The big impact of small things can be overlooked if we aren’t careful… God does know your name. He doesn’t overlook you just because somebody has a bigger problem, a bigger project, or a bigger personality. No matter how big the world is and no matter how small you may feel, God has called you to take courage and finish the work He has called you to…Let His voice be louder than the outside voice of opposition and that nagging inner voice that tries to convince you that you are too small for your call.”1 

Recently, I returned from IF:Gathering—a conference attended by thousands of women in person and online all over the world. Sitting in the audience with 4000 other women, I watched as one gifted speaker after another took the stage. Their teaching energized me and spurred on my faith. But, if I’m honest, there were moments that I also felt a little angsty and cynical. I’m not proud to admit that I slipped into comparison mode a few times. As soon as I did this, joy drained out of me. Listening to accomplished speakers with multiple published books and thousands of followers made my own efforts to impact others for Jesus seem small by comparison.  For a few moments I bounced between envy and self-doubt, until the Holy Spirit reminded me of truth. 

I couldn’t stay in a negative mindset for long when I remembered the good things God has done in and through me. The fact that friends had accepted my invitation to spend time and money flying 1500 miles to attend IF:Gathering was cause for celebration. My “small beginning” with my traveling companions started almost 9 years ago when I invited them to join a Bible study to explore the Christian faith. Seeing how much they’ve grown is a testament to the way God uses small beginnings to bring big results. But this takes time; typically we don’t get the instant gratification we crave when it comes to matters of faith.

I wonder if you can relate to my feelings. Are you ever tempted to dismiss or discount a work of the Lord in your life? Do you ever feel like the part you play isn’t big or important enough? Some small beginnings lead to big things that are large in size—like Jennie Allen’s vision to start IF:Gathering. But other small beginnings lead to things that are big in value—like journeying alongside a few people consistently and helping them to grow spiritually over time. Taking the step of faith to respond to God’s prompting matters more than the size of what He’s calling you to do.

Is there something you’ve begun that’s stalling right now? Do you need to re-engage with that small group Bible study you’ve stopped attending? Or, is it time to reach out again to that neighbor you’ve been meaning to invite for coffee? Do you sense God stirring in you to mentor someone? Or is it time to ask a more mature believer to mentor you? What about starting that Bible study with your neighbors that you’ve been talking about for years? Or is it time to say “yes” to that invitation into leadership that seems like a big stretch for you?

Let this song we sang at IF:Gathering inspire you. Click here to listen to “God of Revival” by Phil Wickham.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Take Courage: A Study of Haggai, Lifeway Press 2020, 60-61.

Sharing Hope

Feeling the vibration of my phone in my purse, I pulled it out and checked my texts. A long-time friend was reaching out to ask for prayer as her father neared the end of his life. Feeling weary and discouraged from months of dealing with doctors, caregivers, and grim diagnoses, she’d dashed off a text to a small group of us who had been supporting her. Empathizing with her grief, I replied with words of encouragement and a few verses that had sustained me in similar situations. Other friends chimed in with additional support, prayers, and Bible verses. Later, she replied to tell us how grateful she was to be reminded of the hope found in Jesus. 

In the past few years I’ve had many opportunities like this one. It’s a privilege to help someone reframe hard circumstances by looking at them from an eternal perspective. Experiences like this affirm Priscilla Shirer’s words in her Elijah Bible study: “What God says pinpoints the hinge that separates hope from hopelessness, possibility from impossibility…Elijah’s time in Cherith is what enabled his faith reflex to be so easily ignited during his interaction with the widow. He seemed almost to jump at the chance to introduce God’s provision and promise to her. He didn’t minimize her lack or pretend it wasn’t real…[but] he emphasized the word of the Lord that applied to her specific circumstance.”1

Elijah had experienced God’s miraculous provision first-hand during the eighteen months ravens fed him while living by the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:2-6). So, when he left Cherith and encountered a starving widow in Zarephath preparing to make her final meal “Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid….For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:13a, 14-16, NIV)

Elijah’s experience in Cherith enabled him to offer life-giving hope to the widow in Zarephath. But this story isn’t meant to stay tucked in the pages of Scripture. Priscilla Shirer challenges us, “Listen to me: Zarephath strategically brings you face to face with someone else’s impossibility—the terminal diagnosis, the unreachable child, the failing marriage, the crippling depression. Hear them and sincerely empathize when they tell you what they see, but don’t leave the conversation without inserting what their omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, promise-keeping God says.”2

Of course, being able to give hope to someone else implies you’re pursuing God on your own—investing time in His Word, claiming His promises, and trusting that He’s going to come through for you. Our ability to encourage others and point them toward hope depends largely on how well we know God for ourselves. A firm foundation of faith is laid one day at a time. Intimacy with the Lord builds trust and provides hope when the world tells us all is lost. Priscilla Shirer describes the benefit of doing this: “As God matures and refines us, life’s crises won’t be capable of flipping the switch inside us that rams us into fear and anxiety mode. Instead, they will trigger and innate reaction within us to call out, to cry out, to the Lord. To trust Him. To rely on His sovereignty.”3

As we learn to lean into the Lord and let Him speak to us in trials and difficulties, He’ll use those experiences to give us “Zarephath moments” to encourage others. In the New Testament, Paul affirms this saying “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV)

It’s a privilege to come along side others in their pain and struggles; it’s a joy to point them toward hope found only through Jesus. To do this effectively, here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:

1) Don’t rush your own healing process in your zeal to help others. If you’re enduring a trial or hardship, be tender and patient with yourself. Recognize your own limitations. Helping others while you’re still in the midst of your own hard situation can short-circuit your healing and be detrimental to them. You need the benefit of perspective before you’re ready to offer support. Elijah couldn’t attest to the Lord’s provision until he’d completed his tenure by the brook Cherith. 

2) Remember that others’ struggles aren’t exactly like yours. While there may be parallels between the difficulty you’ve had and the one someone else is facing, there are also differences. There’s usually not a one-size-fits-all approach to trials and challenges each of us face. And no one needs to hear how much worse your situation was in comparison with the one they’re enduring. Be honest about what you’ve experienced, but be sensitive and listen well.

3) If you’re going to share a Bible verse, take time to explain why it impacted you. Don’t make Scripture trite by throwing random verses at a hard situation and hoping they’ll stick. It’s meaningful to share promises from the Bible, books, songs, and articles that God used to encourage you, so be sure to tell your struggling friend how you benefited from them.

As you expand in your knowledge of Scripture and experience personal encouragement from it, the Lord will give you opportunities to share His truth with others who need hope too. Why not take a moment to pray about it right now? Try something like this: Lord, help me commit to studying your Word and applying it to my circumstances. Show me where I need personal healing before I can help others. Prompt me with the right words when you’re calling me to be a spokesperson for Your promises, as Elijah was for the widow in Zarephath. Help me to be sensitive and listen well. Please continue to encourage me in my struggles and lead me to opportunities to share hope with others who need it too. 

Let Mike Doheny’s song “All Together” inspire you to be authentic in your personal hardships and empathetic with others. Click here to listen.

  1. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 104.
  2. Ibid, 104
  3. Ibid, 109 

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In Between Times

I’ve always loved flowers that grow from bulbs: daffodils and tulips are my favorites. Plunging the small brown bulbs into the earth in the fall is like tucking away a gift that will delight me when shoots push through the soil the following spring. 

Once I’ve planted bulbs, there’s a process taking place underground that is hidden and quiet, but crucial for the flowers to bloom. Bulbs use the dark, cold months of winter to sprout roots at the base to anchor the plant in the soil. Then they lie ‘dormant,’ awaiting the right amount of sunlight and moisture to bring those tiny green shoots through the dirt. The ugly brown bulbs will eventually bloom into beautiful flowers in vivid colors.1 

The process of planting bulbs and waiting for them to bloom gives a perfect picture of those “in between times” when one season ends, and another hasn’t quite begun. Waiting isn’t my favorite activity and resting is hard for me. But I’ve learned that just as bulbs require the cold and quiet months of winter before sprouting, those “in between times” are vital for our mental, spiritual, and emotional lives. 

Elijah’s story gives us a perfect example of how God uses “in between times” in our lives to root us more deeply in Him before we can sprout and grow. After empowering Elijah to confront King Ahab, the Lord tells him: “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” (1 Kings 17:3) With that simple command, God shifts Elijah from speaking with authority in the the king’s chambers to living in obscurity, isolated in the wilderness by a brook named “Cherith.” The brook’s name means “to cut off” or to “to cut down.” “[Elijah] was cut off from any visible means of support, but he was also being cut down to size, learning the invaluable lesson of how to depend on God alone.”2 During this season of waiting, the Lord prepares Elijah for future assignments that will be even more challenging.

Priscilla Shirer provides insight that helps us to apply Elijah’s story on a personal level: “’Cherith’—a season of life that I perceived at the time to be undesirable, obscure, isolating, unproductive and relatively mundane…It’s sometimes seemed to me like a waste of  weeks, months, and years, away from the work He’s been calling me to do—work that seems a lot more important to me than the little I appeared to be accomplishing while at Cherith. But just as Elijah apparently needed to learn, I’m not as necessary to the greater work of God, as much as the greater work of God is necessary to me.”3

Can you recall Cherith seasons in your own life? Are you in one now? As I’ve studied week 2 in Priscilla Shirer’s Elijah, God has reminded me of several “in between times” in my past that I didn’t welcome or enjoy (at first). In retrospect, I can see how each one deepened my connection to Him and prepared me for something yet to come. Cherith seasons have taught me to slow down, be patient, and trust God in the waiting. 

I’ve written before about my freshman year in college, when I was lonely and aching for deep friendships. That season of longing drew me into a more intimate relationship with God than I’d ever had before. Now I see that the Lord was teaching me to want Him more than I wanted anything else from Him. Times alone in prayer and Scripture reading built a solid connection between us. God filled my need for security and belonging when I was tempted to look for it in unhealthy places with ungodly people. Seeking Him first gave me the freedom to enjoy friendships without expecting anyone to fill all my longings and meet all my needs.

Later in life, God led me into another Cherith season after the birth of my first child. My son was born in May, which was always one of my busiest seasons at work. His birth pivoted me from overseeing a bustling schedule of student activities at the high school where I taught to sitting in a quiet house nursing a newborn. As much as I loved my son and relished the gift of maternity leave, I felt restless and insignificant. My schedule had been overwhelmingly full for so long that I didn’t know what to do with the time between feeding my baby and changing his diapers. I wrestled with God about staying home with my son or going back to work. My uncertainty led me to begin praying consistently for wisdom, direction, and peace. The Lord also used that quiet season to ignite a hunger in me to study His Word. Choosing to take a leave of absence from my teaching job opened the opportunity to try an inductive Bible study class. Soon, the quiet hours in my house while my son napped became sacred time to meet the Lord in prayer and discover truth in the pages of Scripture. 

Those two “in between times” laid a foundation that I’m still building on today. Cultivating a personal, intimate relationship with the Lord in college and then prioritizing studying His Word in my first years of motherhood continue to sustain me today. Like a bulb sprouting roots underground before pushing upward to the surface, God used those times, and many others since then, to deepen my spiritual roots so that I could blossom and give Him glory.

If you’re in a Cherith season now, let the Lord sustain you as He did for Elijah at the brook. Rather than lamenting the waiting or questioning His purposes, trust that He’s at work in ways you can’t see. Soak up the nutrients of His Word. Reach towards Him in prayer and trust the He’s preparing you for the next step on your journey with Him. “Remember this: Waiting time doesn’t have to be wasted time. Even though you feel like God’s clock is moving at a glacial pace, God knows exactly where you are right now, and He knows exactly what He is doing. Elijah went through a Cherith experience, but during that time of waiting Elijah learned vital skills every one of us has to learn if we are going to be used by God in an extraordinary way.”2

While you wait, take heart and let David’s words in Psalm 27 become your own:“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14, NIV)

Need some encouragement while you wait? Click here and listen to Elevation Worship’s “Do It Again.”

  1. All My Favourite Flower Names: “Spring Bulbs and Other Storage Organs”
  2. Dr. Robert Jeffress, “Two Purposes for Elijah’s Waiting”
  3. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 51-52.

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com.

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Elijah: Just Like Us

Choosing which people in Scripture to include in Extraordinary Prayer posed some challenges for me. Because there are more individuals with prayers recorded in the Bible than I could include in one study, I had to make some hard choices. One person that I left out was the prophet Elijah. Despite being a mighty prayer warrior, his unusual story has so many facets to address that it seemed like he needed a study devoted only to him. That’s one of the many reasons I’m excited to pick up where we left off last fall by studying his life in Priscilla Shirer’s Elijah: Faith and Fire.

Shirer explains, “The Bible sets [Elijah] beside Moses as the primary prophetic figure of the Old Testament and uses him as a point of spiritual reference throughout the New Testament, centuries after he lived. He seems almost super-human, right? An exception to the rule instead of an example to which we can aspire.” (p. 16) And yet, the book of James tells us: “Elijah was a human being, even as we are.” (James 5:17, NIV)

Did you catch that? Elijah was just like us. He was an ordinary person through whom God accomplished the extraordinary. That theme probably sounds familiar if you spent time doing Extraordinary Prayer with me last fall. Studying Elijah for the next couple of months will give us the opportunity to pull back the curtain on his life so that we can see not only the spectacular feats God performed through him, but the human frailty that makes him so relatable. 

Priscilla Shirer points out: “Elijah’s limitations, weaknesses, and emotional quirks didn’t scare God off or disqualify him from serving God in a mighty way…[God] didn’t ignore His prophet’s needs and neuroses. He worked with them; He made use of them in showing His care for Elijah, as well as showing what He can accomplish in each of us despite our human imperfections.” (p.20)

I have plenty of limitations, weaknesses, and emotional quirks. I’m guessing you do, too. Isn’t it comforting to know that they don’t disqualify us from serving the Lord? Let’s commit to giving this study our effort and attention. Consider the next seven weeks of guided time in the Bible as an invitation to discover new things about God’s character, Elijah’s story, and how the Lord wants to grow your personal faith. It’s one simple way to follow the example of Elijah, whose quiet and consistent devotion to the Lord allowed God to work in mighty ways through him.

How about stopping right now to offer a short prayer of commitment? Try something like this: God, I praise you for using ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary. Forgive me for doubting this or for being too distracted to invest in our relationship consistently. Thank you for the gift of your Word and the opportunity to study it with others who are committed to following you. Help me commit to doing the study of Elijah consistently over the coming weeks. Please multiply my time, increase my ability to focus, and give me the motivation to study the Bible with the attention it deserves. Remind me to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me and to show me how to apply what I’m learning. Help me to rely on your strength and to let you work in and through me. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Let Danny Gokey’s “Stand in Faith” inspire you as we kick off this new study together.  Click here to listen.

Priscilla Shirer, Elijah: Faith and Fire, Lifeway Press, 2020.

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Seeking Spiritual Renewal

Pulling out of the driveway, my son smiled and waved as he drove off with his buddies. The growling engine and over-sized tires broadcast to the neighborhood that they were headed out to have a four-wheeling adventure at an OHV park. (In case you’re unfamiliar, OHV stands for “Off Highway Vehicle.)” My son and his friends enjoy bouncing on dirt trails, crawling up rocks, driving through streams, and problem solving when they get stuck or break something. 

That day’s adventure happened not long after a rainstorm. When the boys returned in the evening, it was impossible to tell the Jeep’s paint color. Every inch from roof to tires was covered in layers of thick, caked on mud. The following day they spent as much time cleaning the Jeep as they’d devoted to getting it dirty. They admitted it wouldn’t stay pristine for long, but knew it was better to wash it before the grime was too deeply embedded. 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that cycle of cleansing and renewal as it relates to our spiritual lives. When we choose to follow Jesus we’re washed clean from our sin and given new life in Him: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) Unfortunately, we’re still living in a broken world so, even as “new creations,” sin and distractions pull us away from God. Right now, so many believers seem to be struggling and forgetting to look to the Lord for hope and fulfillment. We’ve drifted from the rhythms that keep us tethered to Jesus. Some of us have gotten complacent or apathetic, forgoing opportunities for growth and opting for comfort instead. We’re distracted by social media, news, COVID, or other concerns about our health. We’re engrossed in political and social issues. We’re fearful and anxious, forgetting the hope we have in Jesus. In some instances, we’ve let the grime of sin build up and block our connection to the Lord. But no matter what kind of mess we find ourselves in, God delights in cleansing and renewing us when we draw near to Him again: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)

Maybe that’s why we resolve to start over and try again when a new year begins. God affirms this notion saying, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV) The Lord doesn’t want us stuck dwelling on the past. He’s ready and waiting to lead us down fresh paths.

Have you drifted from Jesus or grown complacent in the past year? Are your habits and patterns distracting or detracting from your spiritual growth? Are you fearful and anxious? Maybe it’s time to seek spiritual renewal and incorporate some fresh rhythms into your life.

Try slowing down and starting your day with a devotional and the Bible before checking your phone. Consider limiting negative inputs that make you anxious, fearful, or envious. Process your thoughts and emotions with the Lord by writing in a prayer journal. Prioritize time in your schedule to join a group that studies God’s Word regularly. (See below for some ideas). Make a fresh start keeping Paul’s words in mind: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)

Let’s stop conforming to the patterns of the world and make 2022 a year of spiritual renewal. Are you in?

Click here to be inspired by Mac Powell’s song: “River of Life”

Click here to see options for Bible studies and small groups at CPC Danville. And click here if you’d like to get a huge boost of spiritual refreshment through IF:Gathering 2022 online.

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Looking Back at 2021, Looking Ahead at 2022

We’re turning the page on the calendar and kicking off a new year. Before diving into 2022, let’s take some time to look back and look ahead. For starters, what stands out from the past year? What shaped your character, faith, and worldview? Where did you see God at work? How did you grow? Looking ahead, where will you focus your time and energy in the coming year? To get you started, I’ll share my answers below. 

What stands out as you look back on the past year?

Seeing Extraordinary Prayer come to fruition and watching God use it in the lives of many people has been a noteworthy part of 2021. I learned so much through writing, teaching, and discussing the study. God led me to an amazing group of women who agreed to teach some of the sessions. Our times meeting and praying together were highlights of the year for me. Also, with the ongoing challenge of COVID restrictions, I am amazed 150 women were able to meet weekly to hear powerful teaching and to engage in rich discussions about the study. I loved hearing about other groups who were meeting on their own to study it. Most importantly, I’m grateful for how God used it to transform people’s prayer lives and to draw them closer to Him.

I’ve only surfed a handful of times, but watching the Lord pull this study together felt like paddling hard and then catching a wave and taking a thrilling ride. Writing a book has been a lifelong dream for me, and I’ve loved seeing how God has used it. Now, what stands out as you look back on the last year in your life?

What shaped your character, faith, and worldview?

I try to be intentional about what shapes me. Just like the food we consume affects our physical health, the inputs we allow into our brains affect our mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Social media feeds, news articles, podcasts, shows, movies, and books all impact us powerfully. Here are few that have shaped me in positive ways in the last year:

Podcasts: This Cultural Moment with John Mark Comer & Mark Sayers has helped me to understand trends and issues in our culture, how they are affecting people and the Church, and how I, as a follower of Jesus, am called to respond. These pastors are godly, biblical, smart, and well-read. I’ve learned so much from listening to their conversations about following Jesus in a post-Christian world. Click here to learn more.

Made for This with Jennie Allen has helped me to apply Scripture to my daily life. Jennie’s teaching and interviews explore and expand on important aspects of how to be a healthy, wise, and biblically literate follower of Jesus. Click here to learn more.

Books: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer has caused me to consider how and where to invest my time and focus. It’s helped me understand how technology has shaped us and shortened our attention spans. This book has inspired me to be more intentional and thoughtful about incorporating spiritual disciplines like silence, solitude, Sabbath rest, and simplicity into my life consistently.

Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge has motivated me to care for my body and my mind so that they are durable for the long haul. I’m looking at exercising, nurturing friendships, eating healthy, and challenging my mind as vital for my well-being. Maintaining my own health frees me to serve and bless others with fewer limitations.

Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry is one of many books I read this year that helped me to explore a polarizing and sensitive topic. Hill’s autobiographical perspective is filled with grace and biblical truth.

Now, consider what shaped your character and worldview this year. Did your inputs draw you closer to God? What will you add or eliminate for 2022?

Where did you see God at work? How did you grow personally or spiritually?

It has been a year of emotional highs and lows for me. I’ve written a lot about God working through Extraordinary Prayer. I’ve written a little about how He comforted me in grief over losing my mom and selling our family home of 45 years. I haven’t mentioned how those painful events triggered some old challenges. The Lord has been at work healing my heart and helping me to re-route some unhealthy thought patterns as I’ve spent time with a Christian therapist. God continues to help me recognize roadblocks that I’ve been unable or unwilling to confront. He’s helping me grow in understanding myself and how I relate to others. It’s been hard work, but so worth it. Now, where did you see God at work and how did you grow this year?

Where will you focus your energy in 2022?

Looking ahead at 2022, I am inspired to make prayer and presence a bigger priority. I want to pray consistently for renewal among believers so that they long for God’s presence, kingdom, and righteousness more than anything else. I also want to pray for the hearts of people who have been deceived by the enemy and have believed lies about the Lord. Corporate renewal begins with personal renewal, so I’d like to be more focused on God’s presence in my life. I’m considering trying a new spiritual discipline like fasting to help my prayers be more targeted and intentional. I’m also hoping to continue sharing Extraordinary Prayer with others so they can grow deeper with the Lord. How about you? Where will you focus your time and energy in 2022?

Whether you’re heading into the new year feeling hopeful or discouraged, let “Come What May” by We Are Messengers remind you of God’s nearness. Don’t miss the beautiful reassurance it includes from Psalm 23. Then, take some time with these questions and let the Lord guide you as you chart your course for 2022. Happy New Year!

Interruptions as Invitations

“We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you this special announcement.” Do you remember those words cutting in while you were watching TV? The interruption was usually followed by a piece of breaking news about the death of someone noteworthy or a shocking event. Once the news anchor shared the information, he or she would end by saying, “And now, back to our regularly scheduled program.” 

Many of us view interruptions to our lives as detractors from our “regularly scheduled programs,” don’t we? Whether it’s minor annoyances or major events, we don’t like having our plans derailed. This makes me think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who experienced the most profound life interruption of all. We learn in Luke 1 that she was a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. During a shocking visit by the angel, Gabriel, Mary learns that God has chosen her to be the mother to the Messiah and that the child will be conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit. Despite her fears and questions, Mary responds to the angel’s news by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38, NIV)

Think about the plans she must have been making for her upcoming wedding and the dreams she had for her life with Joseph. Imagine how upsetting it would have been when Gabriel appeared to tell her God had a different plan in mind for her. Most of us don’t like even small interruptions to our plans, but Mary’s story helps us see that interruptions are invitations into God’s bigger story. Her example can inspire us to shift our perspectives so we can be open to how God may want use interruptions for His greater purposes. 

As an unwed teenager, Mary’s pregnancy could have caused many hardships for her, including accusations of adultery and rejection by Joseph, judgement from her community, and even eligibility for the death penalty. In spite of these challenges, she saw herself as God’s servant and agreed to go along with His plan. She didn’t know how things would work out, but she did know who would work them out for her. She trusted God and didn’t fret about all of the potential problems that lay ahead. She was open to Him, no matter how disruptive His plans would be to her life. It’s humbling, isn’t it? 

It could be tempting to view Mary’s story as a one-time miraculous occurrence and to read it without considering how we can apply it personally. However, her response can challenge us to be mindful of the ways He wants to bless too. Scripture shows us that trusting God turns interruptions into “unanticipated opportunities.” Consider this perspective: “God’s plan for the world is disruptive: it breaks into our daily lives and calls us beyond our own concerns. It breaks into history and calls us beyond what conventional wisdom or societal expectations would demand. It bores into our hearts and turns our attention from ourselves onto others and orients us to God.”1

Although I’ve never been visited personally by an angel, God has placed some major interruptions in my life to invite me into His bigger story. This doesn’t necessarily mean something that is public or affects a huge number of people. God’s bigger story can be any situation that refines our characters, prompts spiritual growth, or impacts others.

I experienced one of these “unanticipated opportunities” over a two-and-a-half-year span as my mom’s health started to fail. Once stubborn and independent, she began needing more and more support to deal with every aspect of her life. Since I was the only one of her kids who lived nearby, I gradually began managing her medical care, housing, finances, insurance, and social connections.

Caring for my mom was incredibly challenging with the other responsibilities already on my plate. There were many times when I felt overwhelmed, anxious, and even a bit resentful. At first, I saw meeting her needs and taking her to appointments as interruptions to my regularly scheduled life. I would squeeze them into my packed schedule and often feel anxious and impatient when they took longer than anticipated. But over time, the Holy Spirit helped me to see them as opportunities to love and care for my mom. As I slowed down and made more time for her, our relationship changed for the better.

I often prayed borrowing Paul’s words from Colossians 1:11, asking God to strengthen me with His power so that I would have endurance and patience with my mom. He answered those prayers and also gave me a compassion for her that I hadn’t felt previously. Over two years, the Lord helped me to prioritize my time and enabled me to find a rhythm that allowed for a tender relationship to develop between us. I was so grateful for this when she was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. 

My involvement with my mom intensified during her four months on hospice. I didn’t think twice about clearing my schedule and managing her care. God had used the previous interruptions to prepare me for this last big one. We had some sweet moments together in the four months before she went home to the Lord. Although it was a deeply painful season in my life, God enabled me to honor, serve, and love her with both words and actions. I would have missed out on some significant moments if I’d been unwilling to yield to that divine interruption.

Think about what Mary would have missed if she’d refused to be interrupted by God. What if she’d told Him she wasn’t interested in having Him wreck her plans? I think her example can be an inspiration for each of us to consider how God’s interruptions are invitations into His bigger story. 

I know it seems counter-intuitive to lean into what causes pain and frustration, but will you pray and ask God to give you an attitude like Mary’s? The Lord can use whatever interruption you’re facing to transform you and to bless others through you. It’s a hard process, but also an opportunity to feel God’s nearness and to access His strength in ways we don’t experience in good times.

Let the words of “Breath or Heaven (Mary’s Song)” by Leanna Crawford become your prayer through whatever interruption you’re encountering in this season. Click here to listen.

1. “Mother Mary and Father Abraham: Vocation as Participation in God’s Incredible Plan” by Katharine Mahon, 7-14-17. Click here to read the full article.

Continuing to Practice Prayer

We’ve come to the end of an amazing season of learning about prayer. As we close our Extraordinary Prayer books, my hope is that this won’t be the end of expanding and deepening our communication with the Lord. When we’re stretched spiritually like we have been in this study, we have the opportunity to change our rhythms and grow in maturity. But without intentionality, we’ll revert back to how we were previously.

There have been many times when God has inspired me, but it has only been by continuing to practice what I’ve learned that I’ve progressed in my walk with the Lord. For example, I began understanding the value of connecting with Jesus personally while serving at a Christian camp many years ago. Sitting on the roof of a houseboat as the sun sank low, I listened intently as a youth pastor read a chapter of My Heart, Christ’s Home—an allegory inspired by Jesus’ words, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) 

In the story, the new believer invites Jesus to live in his home and makes plans to meet with Him every morning to read his Bible and pray.  The new Christian starts off with great intentions, but as the days go by, he sometimes rushes out before making time with the Lord. One day as he’s hurrying out the door, he glances into the living room and sees Jesus sitting expectantly in a chair by the fire with the Bible in His lap. Hanging his head, the believer enters the room and apologizes to Jesus when he realizes the Lord has continued to wait for him each morning. Jesus explains: 

“The trouble is that you have been thinking of the quiet time, of Bible study and prayer, as a means for your own spiritual growth. This is true, but you have forgotten that this time means something to me also. Remember, I love you. At a great cost I have redeemed you. I value your fellowship. Just to have you look up into my face warms my heart. Don’t neglect this hour, if only for my sake. Whether or not you want to be with me, remember I want to be with you. I really love you!”1

Those words pierced my heart as a young believer. It was the first time I understood that reading the Bible and praying weren’t just good things to do, but vital for cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord. I’d never considered His affection for me or that He eagerly anticipated our times together.

God invites us to draw near to Him and assures us of His presence, but He also wants our whole hearts. Session 1 of our study includes the words of Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The word “seek” used here means to search out by any method, but especially through worship and prayer. The word “heart”characterizes our soul, mind, inclinations, conscience, moral character, and appetites.2 So, to seek God with all our hearts reflects an ongoing, focused pursuit of Him that is connected to all areas of our lives. It means surrendering to His will and His ways without holding anything back. Once we begin a relationship with Him, we’re meant to spend the rest of our lives striving to know Him more deeply.

Learning about God and growing with other believers is important, but it’s not the same as spending personal time with the Lord. Author and Bible teacher Lisa Harper explains: “Information about Jesus is a poor substitute for intimacy with Jesus. If you’ve filled in a million Bible study blanks and still don’t really believe that the Creator and Redeemer of the universe loves you, you’ll never impact the world around you with the abundant life made available to us in Christ. Spend time alone with the lover of your soul. Learn what it is to linger in the embrace of Jesus.”3

Throughout our study we’ve seen that God readily receives us when we move toward Him. The final session of Extraordinary Prayer reminds us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8a, NLT) So, let’s continue to draw near to Jesus and to grow in intimacy with Him. 

My hope is that this study will be a significant mile marker in your spiritual journey and that you’ll look back and see it as a turning point when your prayer life expanded and deepened. I encourage you to continue practicing what doesn’t come easily to you: praising God, confessing your sins, expressing gratitude, and making requests that expand God’s kingdom. Keep pressing on and using the Bible to inspire your prayers.

Chris Tomlin’s “Nobody Loves Me Like You” gives the perfect inspiration for being intentional about drawing near to Jesus daily. Click here to listen and let the words motivate you to make time for the One who loves you best.

If this study impacted you, would you consider sharing it with others? I’d love to see more people have the opportunity to discover the power of extraordinary prayer. Click here for ordering info.

1. Robert Boyd Munger, My Heart, Christ’s Home, Intervarsity Press, 1986.

2. The definitions for the Hebrew words are compiled from Strong’s Concordance. “Baquash” (seek) is Strong’s #H1245 “Lebab” (heart) is Strong’s #H3824.

3. Lisa Harper “Three Things That Impact Your Legacy”, IF:Lead 2021.

Session 6: Daniel’s Prayer Life

Scrolling through news articles and social media posts, it’s easy to see that there are ample opportunities for Christians to feel marginalized because of their faith. As followers of Jesus, it’s challenging to navigate a society that doesn’t esteem or respect our beliefs. That’s why I love Daniel’s example in Scripture–he shows us how to follow God faithfully in a secular culture without becoming smug or self-righteous.

As a Jewish exile living in Babylon, Daniel chose to live differently from the dominant customs and mindset. Although he assimilated into Babylonian culture in many ways, he remained steadfast in his devotion to the Lord. He served four different kings who ruled in Babylon over about 60 years, but he never compromised his faith. 

One example of this is in the Book of Daniel chapter 6, when Daniel’s rivals concocted an edict that required all people of Babylon to pray only to King Darius for thirty days. They hoped to use Daniel’s faith in God and his consistency in prayer against him. Undeterred, “when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10, NIV)

Pastor Alistair Begg explains, “When it came to his praying, Daniel was facing direct intimidation — and he refused to bow before it. The edict the king made was not aimed at the public good, but at the exaltation of his name above God’s. Daniel drew the line at giving the impression that he was in agreement with the edict and that his allegiance to God came second to his obedience to the king. And so he continued to pray, as before.”1

In spite of his faithfulness to the Lord and consistency in prayer, Daniel also had the humility to admit his shortcomings. Rather than pointing the finger at others, he confessed the sins of his nation to the Lord and included himself in the culpability:

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land…Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.’” (Daniel 9:4-6 & 19, NIV)

The Enduring Word Bible Commentary makes some insightful observations about Daniel’s prayer. Following each quote from it, I’ve included some questions to ponder that will help us to be faithful to God while remaining honest and humble about our blindspots and sins.

1. “As Daniel confessed Israel’s sin he prayed as if he were as bad as the rest of Israel. This was a confession of we, not they. In this sense, they prayers never really reach God; genuine we prayers see self correctly and see our fellow saints with compassion.”2

  • Where am I tempted to point the finger at others and overlook my own sin?
  • When do I judge others instead of praying they’ll be convicted of their sins by the Holy Spirit?

2. “Instead of complaining, Daniel confessed. During times of great revival among God’s people, the Holy Spirit always brings a deep conviction and awareness of sin. When that is responded to rightly, confession is appropriately made. J. Edwin Orr gives a good principle to govern confession: ‘If you sin secretly, confess secretly, admitting publicly that you need the victory but keeping details to yourself. If you sin openly confess openly to remove stumbling blocks from those whom you have hindered. If you have sinned spiritually (prayerlessness, lovelessness, and unbelief as well as their offspring, criticism, etc.) then confess to the church that you have been a hindrance.’”2

  • Do I want to see revival among God’s people, even if it means confronting my own sin?
  • Am I open to the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin in my life?
  • Have I considered how my sin may create a stumbling block for others, especially those closest to me?

3. “Daniel prayed as a patriot – but a patriot more of the Kingdom of God than the Kingdom of Israel. We should pray with similar patriotism for the Kingdom of God. ‘Let it never be said that the Church of God has no feeling of patriotism for the Holy City, for the Heavenly Land and for her glorious King enthroned above. To us, Christian patriotism means love to the Church of God.’ (Spurgeon)”2

  • Is my first allegiance to the Kingdom of God or to a lesser kingdom?

4. “Daniel’s prayer was consumed with the glory of God, not primarily with the benefit of man. His purpose in prayer was to see God’s work accomplished and His cause glorified.”2

  • Is the goal of my prayers to see God’s work accomplished and His cause glorified?

5. “Even before the time of the New Testament, Daniel prayed on firm New Testament ground. His confidence wasn’t in his goodness, but in God’s goodness. This is what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. Those aren’t words we tack on to the end of a prayer, but they should express the fact we are praying in merits and righteousness of Jesus, not our own. Daniel was not great because he prayed. He was great because his prayer was the necessary expression of great trust and dependence on God.”2

  • Are my prayers an expression of my trust and dependence on God? 
  • Do I humbly acknowledge that I can only approach God because of Christ’s righteousness?

These aren’t easy questions to answer, but they will help us to continue progressing toward spiritual maturity. Daniel’s character was shaped by his faithfulness to God, his commitment to prayer, and his humility. Let Pat Barrett’s song “Build My Life” inspire you to follow his example. Click here to listen.

1. Alistair Begg, “Where We Draw the Line: How to Live (and Die) in Babylon” Click here for the full article.

2. David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary. Click here for the full article.

Session 4: David’s Confession

Digging my toes into the wet sand, I shook out my hand and kept writing in my journal. In two days, I’d be heading back to the “real world” after serving three life-changing weeks at a Christian camp. I’d already written several pages thanking God for the people and experiences He had used to transform me from a lukewarm Christian to a passionate follower of Jesus. Now, it was time to do the hard work of confronting the sins that I’d been avoiding for years. It felt awkward and embarrassing admitting them, even though God already knew. I feared that I’d fall right back into the same habits once I returned home. So, I told the Lord and asked Him to help me change. What I hadn’t expected was the relief and joy I would feel after coming clean before Him.

Without realizing it, I’d followed the example of David by offering up a heartfelt prayer of confession and repentance. Some scholars believe that David held out for a year before offering his prayer recorded in Psalm 51. He tried in vain to avoid admitting his wrongdoing after committing adultery with Bathsheba and ensuring her husband would be killed in battle. His confession provides a solid example for how to approach God with humility, admit sin, seek forgiveness, and repent.

It was only recently that I learned Psalm 51 has a follow up, also written by David. Scripture labels Psalm 32 as “a maskil of David”– a psalm intended to impart wisdom to others. In it, he emphasizes the importance of confessing sin and seeking God’s forgiveness. Let’s walk through this psalm and see what we can learn from David’s advice.

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” (Psalm 32:1-4, NIV)

David starts by describing the blessing of receiving the Lord’s forgiveness. He explains the agony he experiences by remaining silent and not taking ownership over his sin. After describing the oppressive feeling of unconfessed sin, he moves on to show the relief of coming clean: “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5, NIV)

The Lord demonstrates grace by forgiving David immediately once he confesses. The relief he experiences leads him to offer wisdom to others trapped in sin: “Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Ps 32:6-7, NIV)

David encourages us to confess our sins and receive protection and security through having a right relationship with the Lord. Next, he shows us that confession paves the way for us to receive direction from the Lord:  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8, NIV)

Circling back near the end, David helps us to see the negative consequences of refusing to confess our sin: “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” (Psalm 32:9-10, NIV)

Using the example of a stubborn animal, David warns us not to hold out on God. Pastor John Piper explains, “When David acted like a mule God put the bridle of suffering on him and dragged him to the barn. A guilty conscience and all the agonies that go with it is a merciful gift to the unrepentant.”1

David concludes Psalm 32 reminding us of God’s great faithfulness. He describes the benefits of remaining within God’s circle of blessing and protection by walking in obedience to Him. Finally, David praises the Lord for His incredible goodness: “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:10-11, NIV)

God graciously convicts us of our sin through the Holy Spirit. He also uses the Bible to shine light on our transgressions so that we can confess them, be forgiven, and be restored to unhindered fellowship with Him. Here are a few “flashlight” passages you can explore: Exodus 20:1-17, Galatians 5:13-26, Ephesians 4:17-5:21 and Colossians 3:1-17.

Is it hard for you to admit your sins and ask God to forgive you? The Lord never stops loving us and remains faithful always, but unconfessed sin hinders our relationship with Him. Don’t let stubbornness or shame keep you from receiving God’s grace and accessing His power to transform you. Take David’s advice to heart and come clean before the Lord in prayer. Humble yourself so that you can be refreshed by restored fellowship with Him.

Let Lauren Daigle’s song “How Can It Be” inspire you to confess, repent, and celebrate God’s grace and forgiveness.

1. John Piper, “Go to God in Prayer,” www.desiringgod.org