Prayer Walk

I have been feeling led to turn up the heat on prayer in my life. The time, the focus, the devotion, etc. So, when the message at church was on prayer this past Sunday, it was pretty confirming.

I have been stretching myself (my flesh and my muscles) to start my day a little earlier and go for a prayer walk. I take along my papers of all my friends requests. I had an overwhelming response when I asked people to send in their prayer needs. Pretty amazed by it, actually.

It's only been a few days, but here are just a few things that I have noticed.

* It's hard to wake up when it's dark. I really like sleep.

* There is a whole new world of people up and about at that time. People walking, running, walking dogs, hanging out their first load of laundry, people giving offerings to the passing monks, and my favorite...a dozen or so senior citizens doing Thai Chi in the park. I miss all this when I sleep in full daylight.

* Some people carry very heavy burdens. Life or death, heaven or hell kind of burdens. They get tired in the fight and when someone asks to pray and believe with them, they appreciate it...greatly!

* I am amazed at how open and vulnerable people can be with their requests, not based on the closeness of your relationship but based of the distance you are from their circle of friends. It gives me more trust in their eyes. It's not like I can go airing it all out...I'm in Thailand. I don't mind being that "removed" someone... I like it, actually. Glad I can help.

* All my own prayer needs that would have taken precedence have fallen way down on the list when I focus on others people very real,and sometimes urgent needs. It gives me some perspective and instead of feeling my lack, I switch to feeling more thankful.

* When you pray for other people and share their burden, it really lightens their load. And when God answers for them, you don't just watch them in their victory, you are a part of it. I love that.

* I feel closer to people when I pray for them. That helps me since I am physically not close to many of the people I love.

* Praying for other people can make you heavy-hearted if you hear and feel their burden but don't surrender that care and literally "give it" to God and believe that He did hear it and He is moving into action.

* Knowing and praying through other people's burdens brings awareness of your inadequacy to be God and brings more revelation of God's amazing capacity to bear each one of our heart cries, not to mention His all powerful ability to respond to them.

* Praying is work, ya know? It takes effort and time and focus. It accomplishes something. But...I am not saying that this work is bad! :)

* When you wake up and choose to put people on your heart to bring them to God, they stay on your heart all day long. It reminds me of a Smith Wigglesworth's quote, "I never pray more than twenty minutes but I never go more than twenty minutes without praying." I can totally see how you can live in a lifestyle of prayer, but it has to be on purpose. Something that valuable and that contested would not likely "just happen."

So, that's what God has been showing me so far. If you haven't already, email or facebook me any of your requests. I will share your burden and believe God with you. Expecting great things from our Great God!