Prayer

"Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth."   
 Psalm 54:2
   When was the last time you stopped and prayed?  This morning, last night, through out the day, Sunday, last week, last month?  Ok, you get the point....this is strictly between you and God.  It is none of my business but I ask only to make you stop and think.  I pray daily, and often through out my day, but the last time I stopped and prayed and poured out my heart....sadly until this morning it had a been a while.  Why???  I let myself get caught up in the daily activities that needed to be done and the attention my family needs from me became more important.  God kept saying, "Kim stop and talk to me."  My answer was I do talk to you, daily and often more than once Lord, what else do you need from me.  Selfish as I am with my time I had let being a wife and mommy get in the way.  I promised last night that today after I dropped the kids off at school and came home, no matter what needed to be done I would stop and pray before taking care of anything else.  If you are like me, when you pray we often ask for the things we want, and to help others, and thank God for what he has given me, but there is more to prayer than that.  Prayer should be a conversation between you and God.  Take the time to glorify him, praise him, tell him what is on your heart, and don't be ashamed because he knows before you do what's really going on, ask forgiveness of even the small things done wrong, but take the time to listen to him.  Don't just beg for him to do your will and give you all your wants. 
 "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Psalm 141:2  I by no means have the best prayer life and certainly not one to tell you how I think you should pray.  I do know how I feel and can only share that with you and hope that it helps you with your prayer life.  I know that when I take the time to pray to God not just thanking him for another day or asking him for something but truly praying I feel at peace.  I don't always feel comfortable talking to God as most of us don't, but I have learned the more I pray the more comfortable I feel.  It begins to feel like I am talking to a friend, and that's what God wants.  He wants us to talk to him like we are friends.  After all he called us friends in the book of John.  "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15   I am a friend to God so it's only fitting that I take the time to talk to him.  How often do you talk to your friends?  God should be the most important friend we have, so he should get more of our time.  I'll say one last thing before I go...remember when we talk to God and pray earnestly...He answers all prayers.  They may not be answered the way we think they should or in the time we want things to happen but he does always answer your prayers.  His timing is perfect as is His will for our lives.  You have to pray knowing God can and will provide for you.  "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24   I ask as you go about your day talk to God and listen to his still small voice.  Look for God throughout your day...the red bird on the tree branch just outside your kitchen window as your washing dishes, the song that lifts your spirits, the thought of I need to call a special person....all signs that God is in your life.  Trust Him and grow your friendship with Him.  Until next time may God Bless you and Keep you.
P.S.  I came home and prayed just like I promised and can say I feel more at peace today than I have the last three days. :)