Monday, October 3, 2016

Lessons in Humility

These past two years God has really been teaching me/prodding me to

PRAY BIG and PRAY BOLD.

He has been showing me, how He has invited all of us into conversation with Him, The Creator of the

Universe, and we've reduced to a conversation about food or having a good day.

So, being the mediocre student I am, the lessons have been long and repetitive . . .but like always,

The Teacher is ever patient with this student.

And I am learning, ever so slowly what exactly it means to Pray Big and Pray Bold.


_______________________

Walking for exercise is a HUGE part of my routine.  I get a few miles in at least 6x's a week.

It's an absolute must for me.

But, the other night, Hubby and I had been running errands long past when we thought we'd be done

and I got a late start.  Knowing my typical miles would get me far away from the house well into the

dark night, I changed my normal path and stuck close to home finishing up my miles doing laps in the

parking lot of the school that is right behind our house.

The school where we had at least one child enrolled for the past  12 years. The school where I was an

employee for the last 5 years.

The school we left with 26 days left in the school year last year. (You can read about that here. http://lessonsfromaisle12.blogspot.com/2016/04/26-days.html)

As I found my self walking around the parking lot at 9:30 at night, I felt the Lord telling me to pray

for the school.

No. I don't want to.

Angie, pray for the school.

A few more steps. . .Fine I'll pray.

I pray that they would feel awful for what happened to my son and how they let grown adults gossip

and spread lies.

ANGIE. YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY.
YOU PRAY BIG AND BOLD FOR THEM.

So. . .I did. I prayed for the children of the school to thrive. For teachers to be kind and nurturing to

those who need it the most.

I prayed for financial stability.

As I passed the ball fields, I prayed for success on the field for the teams.

Then I prayed for the Administration.

I prayed they would have discernment.  I prayed for their families.  That their children would

succeed and grow and thrive.  I prayed they would be good fathers and husbands.  That they

would be appreciated.

I prayed for their forgiveness for hurting our family.


I'm not saying it was easy.  I am not saying I'm some sort of Spiritual Giant for doing so.

I am saying God is so good.

What began as reluctant prayers ended with a fresh sense of peace and forgiveness over the

whole entire situation.  I can honestly say, at the end I meant the words I was praying.


Isn't that how God works?

Takes the things that hurt us the most. . .and as any mom can tell you, hurt my babies. . . you hurt me. . .

and He uses them to bring us closer to Him.


Praying Big and Boldly for those who hurt us the most was very humbling.

Yet, when doing just that I saw a brief glimpse of the cross and how Jesus was broken for those

who hurt Him the most.

As I  am learning day by day, to pray BIG and BOLD, I am also learning that I gain so much

more than anything I might think I'm giving up by doing so.

_______________________

So, yes, I still thank the Lord for my food, and good day would be nice . . .but I refuse to let

my conversation with my Creator, Sustainer, Savior to be only about those things.

And if you chose to join this journey with me of praying BIG and BOLD, be warned.

Those prayers aren't always easy.  You don't always get to pray for what you want or even

who you want.

But, I do promise you this: Your mind and heart will change and you will be AMAZED at what

God can do, if you only ask.

__________________________

Each and everyone of us have been invited into prayer with the Lord.

Let's do it.

Let's learn to pray.

And when we do. . .let's pray

BIG and BOLD.



Praying with you and for you,