By Angeline M Duran Santiago
Reading through, "Draw the Circle" 40 day prayer challenge by Mark Batterson has been easy and hard all at the same time. I think the easiest part of this plan is the reading. Each day's reading is short, encouraging and challenging the believer's heart. The hardest part is just getting into the routine of praying much earlier than one is used to. When we have to go to work, it's such a challenge and the body just wants to surrender to more sleep. So, I push myself and I remind myself that this is my battlefield. This is where I am fighting my hardest because it's in seeking the Lord and truly getting to know the Creator of the universe, will my prayers have meaning. I don't just want to recite a prayer or mumble away while I'm half asleep. I want to, I need to see the power of God move in my life and make some serious changes.
I truly want to experience daily moments of being in His presence and savoring my time in his company. I want to experience sitting at his feet and waiting upon His mercy and His answer. I believe that I will see something amazing happen in my home, in my personal life, in our bodies physically and emotionally, and that there is going to be healing. I don't know when or how but I know that if we truly surrender and desire to be in communion and fellowship with the Lord, the scriptures will come alive and they will have meaning. We won't see those words in the Bible as mere stories and narratives. They will speak into our lives and the promises written will become clear.
Know that I am not in any way promoting this book, but this is my personal time of circling my promises and drawing my circle over the scriptures and the things in my life that I need to.
I end with a few thoughts from my readings:
Day 6
Don't be afraid to ask God and pursue Him. He knows what I need. Can I trust Him for what seems impossible for me? Can I place all my hope in seeking Him and knowing He shall take care of what I've placed before Him? What if I never prayed and never asked, then why should I expect anything?
I will be bold and come into His presence. He is my Heavenly Father and I will wait on Him.
Day 7
If I want to see God answer prayer and move on my behalf, what am I doing to show the Lord that I truly believe He will make a way if I give him my problems and my issues? I'm putting action into the faith I profess to have and I will move in faith, believing that the Lord will have His way and His will be done.
Day 8
Lord, I see you're moving in my home in what may seem a small way. Conversations and the way things feel let me know that you have entered into my world and you're presently involved. In the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we read a part in the story where it says, "Aslan is on the move." I invite you, Oh Lord, to come and move in my home, in my life, in our hearts and radically change our worlds for your glory. Show me your ways. Show me your heart. Reveal your ways to my life and let me see what you want and need me to see. Let me see what my children need from me and what everyone in my family needs from me. Show me and teach me your ways. Show me what my co-workers need from me. Give me the words they need to hear.
Fill my mind with wisdom and guide me, Lord. In Jesus name, amen.
Day 9
What have you birthed in my heart and in my spirit that I've put to the side? Is there something I'm supposed to do and have ignored it and left it dead on the way side? Lord, help me to listen to your voice and let me move with the God-ideas you've placed in me. Allow those seeds to take root and grow for I know that when I was younger there were so many seeds planted in my life. The enemy has come and tried to destroy it's growth, but hidden deep inside of my heart, those seeds are still there and they are incorruptible seeds placed by You Lord. Rain into my life and let your will grow in my life. Let me be a blessing in my home, to my family and to my co-workers. Let me be a blessing wherever I go and to whoever needs it. Destroy the fear that continues to show up and tell me it can't be done and it won't happen. I trust in Your Word and your power and ability to make things happen. I believe you are healer and deliverer! I believe you change the broken hearts into lives with purpose. I believe you will lift us up in victory and not leave us abandoned in our pain and confusion. You are an awesome God and I choose to trust in You!
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