Does Prayer Scare or Frustrate YOU?
Prayer...I don't know about you, but this has always been difficult for me. I try and try to get it "right" but always end up frustrated and give up. If I'm not really careful, a week (or two) can go by and I haven't spoken to my Savior at all!
When I pray, I feel like my words make it as far as the ceiling and then bounce right back at me! Is it like that for you? Does it just make you want to yell in frustration or just forego prayer altogether? Believe me, I completely understand!
Guess what? I have found help for us. Carol Round is an absolutely precious woman who knows how very important the practice of prayer is. Prayer is our conversation with our Lord and Savior and prayer is how we develop a close relationship with Him. Jesus doesn't want to just be our Savior, He wants to be our friend. He wants to be closer to us than a brother {or sister}. In the Preface to her book, Journaling with Jesus, How to Draw Closer to God, Mrs. Round has this to say;
She says she poured out her heart in her journal "to the One who knows me better than anyone, my heavenly Father". I can't remember the last time I poured out my heart to anyone, even my heavenly Father and that is so very sad.
Also, she said that she has her time with the LORD in the morning. Let me just point out one of my very short shortcomings here ... oh how I despise mornings! I am one of those people who can't be spoken to unless I've had at least two cups of coffee and an hour to wake up! The good news is that since finding Carol's book, I'm changing a little at the time. Our son, Mason, sleeps with us so if I get up, no matter how carefully, he's right behind me. If, however, I keep my Bible and my journal beside my bed, I can just roll over and grab my Bible. I read a few verses until one catches my attention and speaks to my heart and then I go straight to my journal and pray my heart out.
Mrs. Round has really got a good thing here. I can personally guarantee that if you will read this book, it will revolutionize your prayer life. The difference between Journaling with Jesus and the other books I have read and or studied is that Mrs. Round doesn't tell you HOW to pray, she just tells you to pray. Give God what you need Him to take care of, tell Him what is on your heart and do it all on paper where you can keep your thoughts organized and, as you sit still and listen, write down what He wants to tell your heart.
I will be doing more posts about Journaling with Jesus by Carol Round and I hope that you will at least give it a try. You will be absolutely and completely taken aback by how comfortable this form of prayer is the very first time you try it.
I'm actually reading through this book again and in my next post on Journaling with Jesus, I will be showing pictures of my journal.
God bless you and I hope that this book and the knowledge you gain helps you become best friends with the Creator who loves you so very much.
Remember, the knowledge you gain, use it as God's daughter, for God's Daughters.
When I pray, I feel like my words make it as far as the ceiling and then bounce right back at me! Is it like that for you? Does it just make you want to yell in frustration or just forego prayer altogether? Believe me, I completely understand!
Guess what? I have found help for us. Carol Round is an absolutely precious woman who knows how very important the practice of prayer is. Prayer is our conversation with our Lord and Savior and prayer is how we develop a close relationship with Him. Jesus doesn't want to just be our Savior, He wants to be our friend. He wants to be closer to us than a brother {or sister}. In the Preface to her book, Journaling with Jesus, How to Draw Closer to God, Mrs. Round has this to say;
She has kept a prayer journal for TEN years!! I'm doing well to spend ten minutes when I try to speak with Him. That fact use to make me feel like such a failure! Even when I was trying to pray for my husband and son, whom I love so very much, my mind would begin to wander. Please tell me that I am NOT the only one!'I have been keeping a prayer journal for over ten years. My mornings begin with my Women of Faith Bible, a devotional, and a journal into which I pour out my heart to the One who knows me better than anyone, my heavenly Father. Through my daily conversations with Him, my journal entries reveal the heart of a woman changed by His grace and love. My life has changed dramatically since I began seeking His presence each morning before my day becomes busy with the distractions of this world. It is my hope that Journaling with Jesus will draw you into a closer relationship with your Abba Father. Let your journey begin with Him. You will be surprised when He shows up to meet you each morning.'
She says she poured out her heart in her journal "to the One who knows me better than anyone, my heavenly Father". I can't remember the last time I poured out my heart to anyone, even my heavenly Father and that is so very sad.
Also, she said that she has her time with the LORD in the morning. Let me just point out one of my very short shortcomings here ... oh how I despise mornings! I am one of those people who can't be spoken to unless I've had at least two cups of coffee and an hour to wake up! The good news is that since finding Carol's book, I'm changing a little at the time. Our son, Mason, sleeps with us so if I get up, no matter how carefully, he's right behind me. If, however, I keep my Bible and my journal beside my bed, I can just roll over and grab my Bible. I read a few verses until one catches my attention and speaks to my heart and then I go straight to my journal and pray my heart out.
Mrs. Round has really got a good thing here. I can personally guarantee that if you will read this book, it will revolutionize your prayer life. The difference between Journaling with Jesus and the other books I have read and or studied is that Mrs. Round doesn't tell you HOW to pray, she just tells you to pray. Give God what you need Him to take care of, tell Him what is on your heart and do it all on paper where you can keep your thoughts organized and, as you sit still and listen, write down what He wants to tell your heart.
I will be doing more posts about Journaling with Jesus by Carol Round and I hope that you will at least give it a try. You will be absolutely and completely taken aback by how comfortable this form of prayer is the very first time you try it.
I'm actually reading through this book again and in my next post on Journaling with Jesus, I will be showing pictures of my journal.
God bless you and I hope that this book and the knowledge you gain helps you become best friends with the Creator who loves you so very much.
Remember, the knowledge you gain, use it as God's daughter, for God's Daughters.
Oh Beth! I need to read this book! I pray daily, and at night, and small prayers throughout the day. But, it seems my morning prayers are so repetitive. I often wonder if God gets tired of hearing me repeat myself, or if I sound like a broken record. At night when I pray, I always end up falling asleep. I once had a very wise woman of the Lord tell me that it is okay to fall asleep when praying, because it is God's way of telling us it's okay to rest, He has it under control. I found that very comforting! My prayers throughout the day are always quick, and not very detailed. I want to be a "Prayer Warrior" and this book sounds like what I need!
ReplyDeleteIf you click the link below, it will take you straight to this book. You will be amazed at how journaling your prayers, like letters to God, will help you focus and show you where you need to focus the prayers. Oh! And I figured out that it is perfectly fine to pray for ourselves as well!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh this is the book you told me to get! I have it on Kindle but haven't read it yet, but after reading this review I'm going to get right on it! Thanks for sharing this with us. This is a wonderful honest post and a great review!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete