Monday, February 27, 2017

Long way

Father, you didn't take the Israelites the quickest way. You knew that when they saw the enemies they would have to encounter and the hardships they would have had to walk through, they would have ran back to Egypt in fear. 


You had to gently lead them to grow their faith and to experience your wonders to prepare them for all the difficult things they were going to face. 


You lead them the long way around with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 


You do the same for me. When I want you to take me straight to the destination and when I get frustrated with where I am still waiting, help me to remember this. I would run in fear back to the life I know, the life that doesn't challenge me. I would be afraid of all I had to face if I could see it all now. 


Build my faith and my confidence in you so that when the enemies do rise up and the obstacles do stop me in my path, I know to stand still and wait for your salvation. Help me to know that it is you who goes before me and does the things that only you can do. 

Lead me now, by your Spirit. 

Exodus 13


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #writingtheword #exodus #fear #wilderness #pillarofcouldandfire #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith 

Friday, February 24, 2017

Cleft

Father, Moses begged you to go with the children of Israel and not send them out alone. You were tired of their disobedience but Moses wouldn't let you forget the promises you made. Again, I see the process in Moses and not in you forgetting. You could never forget. 


You said that your presence would go with them and that you would give rest. 


Then you took Moses and told him where to stand so that you could show him your glory. You had to hide him in the cleft of the rock and he could only see your back after you passed. 


Father, when you are the closest I can't even see you. You hide me. But you long for me to see you. 


Once you passed, Moses could see your goodness. I know you do the same for me. When I am in the most intense part, you hide me. You are the closest then, but I cannot see your goodness until the other side and know you have been there close to me all along. 


Thank you that your Holy Spirit is a gift of your presence to me and as I am found in you, I will be in rest. In you. Keep hiding me in you. 

Exodus 33


#breathingprayer #prayingthescriptures #moses #illustratedfaith #biblejournaling #exodus #holyspirit #rest 


Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Bitter water

Father, I see the Israelites within three days of the huge miracle of crossing the Red Sea, already complaining and in need of another miracle to make bitter water sweet. 


Moses ran to you and cried out for help. He couldn't do the work himself and you wanted him to know that. 


Father, you are the only one who takes bitter things and makes them sweet. But the process is in me and not so much done in the water. 


Father, I can't do these things. Do this process in me so that I may know with no doubt that you are the one who does the work.  Help me to depend on you alone and not in my own ability. Thank you for bitter things turned sweet. 

Exodus 15


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #writingtheword #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith #bitter #sweet #moses #exodus

Monday, February 20, 2017

Search me

Father, search me and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!


See if there is any evil way in me, call me to repentance and lead me in the way everlasting!

Help me to daily present my heart to you and allow your Holy Spirit to convict my heart. 


My heart is yours. 

Psalms 139

#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith #repentance #searchme #heart #thoughts

Friday, February 17, 2017

Springs

Father, I want my heart to be filled with things only from you. I want you to spill out of me. 


Help me to be vigilant and keep my way pure before you. Help me to not allow the things of the world to come in and fill up my heart. 


I know that whatever my heart is filled with will come out. So, fill me with your springs of life, my source of life. 

Proverbs 4

#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #biblejournaling #heart #springsoflife #lovegodgreatly #walkinginwisdom #illustratedfaith

Monday, February 13, 2017

Beloved

Father, sometimes all I have to fall on is your love. The love of a bridegroom drawing, wooing, calling me to come away. 


Your love is patient and kind, yet unrelenting and raging like a fire burning bright for me. 


Your love is proud to be seen with me. 


You call me Beloved. I am yours and you are mine. 


Father, help me to know this love deeply and unwaveringly. Draw me to run to that love, your love, with everything in me.  

Song of Solomon 6 

#prayingscriptures #breathingprayers #illustratedfaith #biblejournaling #pieces #ohhowilovejesus #beloved #love #yourloveisrelentless


Friday, February 10, 2017

Abundance

Father, you say in Proverbs 11:25 that the person who waters will himself be watered. That pouring myself out is part of being filled up again. I have to be empty in order to be filled. 


Help me to stop living in a mindset of preserving, saving and storing up, saving, only because of my fear of lack. I want to live in your abundance, pouring out to others and being filled again by you. 


Thank you that you always provide, always fill, always renew. You are my source. Make me a generous woman. 

Proverbs 11

#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #water #pourout #lovegodgreatly #walkinginwisdom #abundance #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith #proverbs

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Paul

Father, thank you for your example of Paul, who at the end of his earthly road and having endured more persecution than I could imagine, was strengthened alone, by you. 


He knew what he was called to and he accomplished it, even if it risked his life. He knew that you would be the one who would rescue him and that you would bring him safely into your heavenly kingdom. 


Father, help me to live that kind of faith and devotion. Help me to know that you stand by me and you strengthen me as I fulfill what you have called me to. Help me to never doubt, even if the road is torture, that you will safely deliver me into your kingdom. Not the safety that is of this earth. But your safety. 


Make me brave, to fulfill my calling and be who you made me to be. 

2 Timothy 4


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #entrusted #strength #calling #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith #writtenword 

Monday, February 6, 2017

Choose

Father, help me to choose well today. Help me to fear you alone and to serve you in sincerity and faithfulness, with everything that is in me. 


Help me to put aside the gods of those before me and choose you alone. Help me to set aside everything that comes between me and you. 


Thank you that you call me to yourself. 

Joshua 24


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #joshua #choosethisday #gods #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith 

Friday, February 3, 2017

Enemies

Father, I was an enemy of yours before you called me to yourself. Jesus came, risked pain and was broken... for me... His enemy. 


Father, help me to humble myself, take risks and be broken so that my enemies may have life in You. 


Open my eyes to see my enemies how you see them... in need of life. Break my heart with the things that break yours. Help me to lay myself down so that my enemies may have life. 

Proverbs 25


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #lovegodgreatly #walkinginwisdom #proverbs #enemies #beatitudes #love #loveyourenemies #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith 

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Skilled

Father, you asked for those with willing hearts. For hearts that were stirred to give and to serve. You didn't want obligation. You wanted hearts open wide to pour out of themselves. 


You didn't ask them to do the work on their own, but you gifted them with your Holy Spirit. Filled them with Him. So that they would be filled with skill, intelligence, knowledge and craftsmanship. They worked in the power of your Spirit. 


Then they brought so much that Moses had to restrain them from giving any more. They poured out their abundance to build your dwelling place. That you would dwell among them. 


Oh Father, that you would fill me with your Spirit so that I can do the work. My heart is willing. I want to pour out. Father, make me generous with my time and all my abundance. 

Give me the skills, gifting, knowledge and intelligence that I need to fulfill the work that you ask to be done. 


Thank you that you no longer live in tents, but in human hearts. And just as all the pieces of the tabernacle fit together to make one whole, you do the same with your children. We are one. Father full us and use us and our willing hearts for your glory and you fame. 

Exodus 36 


#breathingprayers #prayingthescriptures #writetheword #holyspirit #gifts #willinghearts