Diving in

I downloaded this image from the YouVersion app and saved it to my phone as my lock screen wallpaper. People see it and comment which gives me an "in" to start a conversation. One person even said, "pray for me."
     I still consider myself fairly new at sharing my faith especially face to face with people I don't know. I pray for help with this, for courage, direction and even for the words to say. But, since God knows me and knows that fear and lack of confidence hold me back, He allows me some tools to make light of the work until I get my sea-legs, so to speak.
     Speaking of tools, I'm starting out the New Year with these three books:

Women of the Word, How to study the bible with both our hearts and our minds by Jen Wilkin, 2014, Published by Crossway.
Prayer Journal For Women, 52 week scripture, devotional, & guided prayer journal by Shannon Roberts, 2019, Published by Paige Tate & Co.
Jacob's Walk, A week-by-week devotional journey in faith by James Dickey, 2019.

    So far, I'm on week 1 of the Prayer Journal (a gift from a dear friend) and of Jacob's Walk, but haven't started on Women of the Word, yet. My goal is to study these resources for the entire year, week by week, and see how God uses them to teach me and guide me. I'm guessing He will even intertwine the studies of both so they complement each other and help me with whatever I'm going through, or studying, or praying about that week.
For example, in the Prayer Journal, the lesson is centered around James 1:19

My brothers and sisters, take note of this:

Everyone should be

quick to listen,

slow to speak and

slow to become angry.

and Psalm 145:8

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

     Jacob's Walk is about turning a new leaf and focuses on Phillippians 3:13-14

But one thing I do, 

forgetting those things which are behind, and 

reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 

I press forward the goal for the prize 

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

     I see all of this as a reminder to focus on the future. My theme for this new year is "Faith and Devotion" which means constantly reminding myself to let things go, to be a better image-bearer for Christ. I'm still working on my New Year's blogpost so the whole "theme" thing may not make sense until you read that post.

     Lastly, in the back of the Prayer Journal is a section for "Answered Prayers". I've intentionally blurred the pages so you can't read the names, just see how many there are after only two days. There's a date requested column and a date answered column. The highlighted line is a prayer answered already (praising God!).

 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 15:7 NKJV

Pray for EVERYTHING.

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Please join me this week in praying for a life of prayer. God wants His children to come to Him with our needs, with praise, with thanksgiving. He wants us to be unceasing in our prayers. Talk to Him. He's always there for us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power