A Book You Need to Read

I am excited about this post!!!  Don't you love it when you know you need to improve something, but you're not sure where to even start, and then BAM! something that you never knew about pops into your life.  I like to call it a "God-thing!"   Well, I had a wonderful God-thing happen a couple of weeks ago.  In my earlier post "My Word for 2013,"  I mentioned how I wanted to make my relationship with God more purposeful through prayer.  The best word I could use to describe my prayer life was purposeless!   At least, that's how I felt about it.  I was trying, but for me, it just wasn't happening, and I needed that to change.

One night, I began searching christianbook.com (a website you should all have bookmarked!) for a book on prayer.  I came across a book entitled The Hour That Changes the World by Dick Eastman.  I had never heard of this book or this author, but as I read the chapter titles, I knew I had to read this book.  Can I say I have been challenged in a way like never before, and this book has given much purpose to my prayer!   God knew exactly what I needed, and He used this book to show me.

Let me begin by saying that Mr. Eastman mentions several times that this book was written to offer a guideline for purposeful praying and to supply a Biblical foundation for prayer. It is not meant to be a do or die formula!  The book gives a 12-step prayer plan - breaking an hour of prayer up into 12 different parts (or if an hour is too daunting to begin with, he suggests spending 2-3 minutes on each step).  I do not want to give the entire book away, but a few of the steps are praise, intercession, waiting, thanksgiving and listening. Each chapter takes one of those steps and expounds upon it using Scripture as well as many quotes from amazing prayer warriors in our Christian history.  I found myself underlining - A LOT!  

I have begun using this 12 step plan each morning for my quiet time, and I have been in awe of the many ways God has already worked in my heart and mind.  It has given me such a sense of purpose as I pray!  Again, I want to emphasize that this is not meant to be used as a magic formula or as a regimental duty.  I have spent more time on some of the steps and have not done others.  It is different each day, but it does provide direction and focus.  If you are wanting to see your prayer life grow, I would encourage you to read this book and apply it!  I believe that this has been one of those life-changing reads for me!  Prayer itself is life changing and something that lacks greatly in our Christian circles today.  I believe with all my heart that there are many things God longs to do for us, but we never ask, and so we miss out.  As Mr. Eastman says, "Where there is an absence of prayer there will be an absence of power.  Where there is a frequency of prayer there will be a continuing display of God's power."

Wishing you a day full of blessings,

Christy

Counting God's Little Blessings - 3 Every Day:

Thursday
10.  The safety of family during a tornado
11.  My little man is smiling again!
12.  New babies - they're popping out everywhere around here! :)