Thankful Thursday ~ Power of Prayer

“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.””
(Luke 22:41-42 ESV ~ emphasis mine)

Many times I pray short prayers; prayers for family or friends. I pray throughout the day; I really do not have a specific time for prayer. However, if there is something really on my heart, and I need to let go of a certain situation, I pull out my little prayer book.

What I have noticed that when I write down my prayers, my focus changes. It is not so much that I want to change God’s mind over a situation, but He changes mine. Read again what Jesus said in the garden of Gethsemane…”not my will, but yours”…

Isn’t that what prayer really is? To align with God’s will? I know that I need to sometimes spell it out (thus my prayer book). I need to be reminded that He is in control. I am thankful for those times when things become a little clearer to me through prayer. So, this week I am thankful for the power of prayer.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

What are your thankful for this week? Please do share with us by leaving your link to your Thankful Thursday post below.

Thank you for stopping by today; remember: through prayer your vision becomes clearer.

Love & peace,
Iris

Thankful Thursday Participants

1. First Responder
2. Too Precious @Edwards Granddaughter
3. Pia
4. It Feels Like Chaos
5. Grace-Kids Turf
6. Aisling Beatha
7. Does god play favorites?
8. Stefanie @ UpLIFTing Words
9. Tami @ The Next Step
10. Up High
11. Melanie @ M&M
12. Slenderella Jenn
13. My 1000 Gifts…
14. LovelyLici @ Conchsaladesque
15. Mary
16. LIFE by Ashley Pichea
17. Cindy @ *She Sparkles* & Ann Voskamp GIVEAWAY!
18. Desiree
19. bp
20. Tonya
21. Heartmade Home
22. Sherry
23. Denise
24. Nemo @ Daily-dabble.com
25. Lisa Maria
26. Inspirations from Phather Phil-Thankful Thursday: Through the Heart of a Friend
27. Kate @ Teaching What Is Good
28. Power of God’s Word – Roberts Musings
29. A Moment with God
30. Heart Choices
31. Jenny Anne@Royal Little Lambs
32. Ms. Kathleen
33. Gen@Simply Cornish

Learn more about Thankful Thursday here.

Get The Code

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

Do it Again, Lord

The below prayer was written and shared by Max Lucado as America Prays, a national prayer vigil held Saturday, September 14, 2001. Permission to copy not only granted but encouraged; MaxLudado.com

Dear Lord,
We’re still hoping we’ll wake up. We’re still hoping we’ll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible dream. But we won’t, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn’t.

And so we come to you. We don’t ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don’t request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We’ve read the accounts. We’ve pondered the stories and now we plead, Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord. Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children, too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king’s counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord. Do It Again, Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here on that Tuesday, you saw there on that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the ash fell on our children, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven’s sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock. But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Disaster has done what discussion could not. Doctrinal fences have fallen.Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. We thank you for these hours of unity. And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Let your mercy be upon our President, Vice President, and their families. Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you’ve used her to heal a hurting world.
Do it again, Lord. Do it again.
Through Christ,
Amen.

Photograph Copyright © Iris Nelson

Thankful Thursday ~ Prayer

“And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
~ Mark 11:22-24 (ESV)

I know I am a day late on posting my thankful post for this week, but none the less, I am thankful from the bottom of my heart…for prayers.

I am always thrilled when some of my friends ask me if I could pray for them. You know, it is such a privilege. I mean, I do have a list of friends I pray for daily, but if I know specifics, it is very humbling. Not only do I pray for my family and friends, but also when my day goes not so well; I break away to pray.

Jesus is telling us in Mark 11 that we need to believe the prayers we are praying and we can move mountains. You know what? It is true. My sweet friend Lynn is a great example of not giving up on prayers; God is faithful and will answer prayers in HIS time (note: in HIS time)…I too have learned to be patient to wait on His answer (although it is hard at times)…

Yes, I am thankful for prayer – for others and myself. I can come directly to the throne of grace because my Lord has a made a way for me. And if I don’t have all the words, or be eloquent in my prayers, His Spirit will intercede (Romans 8:26-27)…

What are you thankful for this week? This week, my sweet friend, Laurie at Women Taking a Stand is hosting Thankful Thursday; please visit her to link up.

Thanks for still stopping by this week…Remember: God does hear your prayers – be patient waiting for an answer – even if takes until eternity…

grace_iris1