It’s Going Well…Beware!

Dear Women of the Church,

I have just finished reading Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan, and I have been challenged. Challenged to pray. You might respond, “Well, I do pray.” It’s true. We all do pray – we do ask for help, guidance, and we pray for each other (the women of this church are WONDERFUL at praying for each other). But do we truly believe that God will actually work in our lives? How much time do we spend praying?

Last week I had the opportunity to go on a silent retreat. It was only for one full day, but it was wonderful to be away from all the noise of life – the phone, the laundry, the meals, email, planning…I was away and praying for a full day. During that day I read parts of Life of the Beloved by Henri M. Nouwen and The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This sounds like I am just spouting off a recommended reading list. That’s not my point (although these are great books to read). I tell you these things because all of them challenged me that my life should be infused with blocks of concentrated prayer.

I am also asking you to pray. Actually, I am begging for you to pray – not just a quick on-the-go prayer or an easy-chair prayer, but a fervent, concentrated time of prayer every day. What should you pray for? I am glad you asked! 

Of course, we should pray for those in need and we should use our prayer time to examine our own lives to make sure that we are living, acting, and speaking as God would want (and spend quiet time just listening to what God has to teach us). I am also asking for you to pray for our church.

At Thanksgiving my sister-in-law asked how the church was going, and my response was, “Wonderful! There is an amazing men’s initiative starting. Over ½ of the men of the church are in power cells where they are reading the Bible and having accountability with other men. There is also a Missions Conference coming up that people from the church are motivated to plan and implement.” Praise God for his working in the lives of all of these people!! However, this past week I have realized again that when Satan feels threatened, he will act. And so I am asking you to pray that our church would not succumb to petty arguments because it is in the small areas that discontent begins to breed, and God’s work is hindered as we all stop praying and start complaining.

I am asking that we all continue to pray that God would lead and guide the leadership of our church. I pray that our own actions would glorify God, and I will continue praying that God would work mightily in each of our lives and in the lives of those in our communities. I beg you to join me in prayer.

Your sister and fellow-prayer in Christ,

Tami