PRAY: Prayer for Those Who Need to Step Out in Faith
Photograph © Andrew Pieper, 2012 I have a beautiful, joy-filled friend who serves on the mission field in a country in Africa. Her most recent prayer letter challenged me in deep ways. She and her husband realized they were walking in fear rather than faith. God had given them specific direction and they’d delayed their obedience. Their reasons for waiting made sense. The decision would affect their finances. They have three young children whom they’re raising far from family and the conveniences of the United States. And yet: What did God say? My friend wrote, “More and more He began laying it on our hearts that we needed to step out in faith and make our actions line up with our values!” They realized they could no longer wait for circumstances to line up or a safety net to surround them. Instead, they must listen to God’s voice, move forward in faith, and trust Him. Period. And my friend’s advice? “Living in faith is so much fun! Join me in the adventure of obedience!” So today, this is my prayer—for my friend, for myself, and for so many of us: Lord, So often I need to step out, but instead, I cling in fear. Yet You have more than proven Your faithfulness, goodness, and power. You’ve never pointed me the wrong way. You’ve watched over me. You’ve brought good out of bad and light from darkness. You’ve stayed with me in the trial, in the storm, through the pain and through the problems. You are good. Always so good. And me? I am frail and full of weakness. I am prone to wander, born to fail and fall. I often live as little Much-Afraid although Goodness and Mercy hold my hands and guide my steps. I declare with You today that I don’t have to live this way anymore. I can hear Your voice. I can read Your Word. I do have Your Spirit within me. And I will step out in faith because You have provided, You will empower, and You are enabling me. I have the victory and He is here! In Your wonderful, powerful, almighty name I pray, AMEN. Are you paralyzed by fear? Do you need to step out in faith? Feel free to share your prayer request in the comments below or via email. Please know I’ll continue to pray as I keep stepping up—and out—in...
read morePRAY: Prayer for Those Who Feel Misunderstood
Photo © Andrew Pieper, 2012 “But that’s not what I meant!” Whether or not we say them aloud, our hearts scream these words. Someone has taken what we’ve said or done the wrong way. They misread or misinterpreted us, and we don’t like it. They should know better. They should talk to us before assuming the wrong thing. Shouldn’t they? The other day, someone misunderstood me. The familiar emotions surged and the tears stood in my eyes. After the conversation, I felt betrayed. Hurt. How could someone who knew me well, who cared about me think the worst? And then I remembered. They misunderstood Jesus, too. Of course, my motives are never as pure as His, and both my words and actions more prone to misinterpretation. But somehow, it helped to remember His repeated attempts to communicate the necessity of the cross to His closest friends and followers. The fact that they never received His message fails to comfort me. The fact that He loved them anyway does. Father, I thank You that I have in some small way the opportunity to share in Christ’s suffering. I praise You that in this way and others, He identifies with me in my weakness, yet without sin. Help me to walk away from wrongdoing and to embrace the truth. Help me not to prove myself right or someone else wrong, but to seek to live a life of integrity. Help me to care more about others than myself and to willingly allow myself to be misunderstood that Your glory might shine through me. God, I confess to pride in my communication abilities. I confess to sometimes-selfish motives in saying and doing just the right thing. When You expose my wrong, Father, help me seek Your right. May I desire not to look good but to be good because You live Your life through me. May I desire not to appear righteous but to embrace the righteousness You’ve achieved for me. And may I willingly follow in Your pattern as despised and rejected when to do so serves Your kingdom purposes. In Your holy name I pray, AMEN. Have you experienced a time when you felt misunderstood? Has misunderstanding strained relationships between you and a friend or family member? Feel free to share your prayer need in the comments below, or email me to share your concerns. I’d be honored to lift you before the Father. And I’ll do my best not to...
read moreREAD: Winners! (and a brand-new book trailer)
Photo © 2012, Andrew Pieper I’m back from teaching/serving as chaplain at the 2013 Florida Christian Writers Conference, and ready to post a winner to last week’s contest. Although the review had a number of views, only one person left a blog comment, so she wins my review copy of Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front by Karen Whiting and Jocelyn Green. I think a mom of almost-seven with an Air Force pilot husband deserves this book, don’t you? Marcie, message me your mailing address and I’ll get it right out! I decided to add to the celebration and post another winner today, too. I never had a response from the first winner of the Valentine Prize Pack associated with my review of Sandra Bricker’s Always the Baker, Finally the Bride. Today, I resubmitted names to www.random.org and drew a new winner: Mrs. Lopez. You can email me if you see this, Mrs. Lopez, or I’ll be in touch soon to collect your mailing address. Thanks to those who entered either or both contests. And thanks for supporting Read. Write. Pray. BONUS: Here’s the book trailer for Always the Baker, Finally the Bride. It wasn’t yet available when I posted my review....
read morePRAY: Prayer for Those Who Are Desperate
Photograph © Andrew Pieper, 2012 “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Although no one can pinpoint the source of that quote, at various times in our lives, we all acknowledge its truth. The disagreement comes when we discuss the desperate measures we need to take. I think you’ll know my desperate measure of choice. Today, I face a spiritual battle on others’ behalf. Several situations have arisen where none of us has the control we long to have. We can’t wave a wand and fix it (for more on that idea, check out this prayer). Today in my quiet time, God highlighted Psalm 130 as words to pray back to Him on behalf of my friends. Today, I share my personalization in hopes you’ll join your prayers with mine. After all, desperate times call for the One who’s desperately in love with us. Dear God, I’ve hit bottom. I need your help. Lord, I beg You: Listen to me. Please, please don’t stop listening no matter how much or how often I ask If you, God, kept a list of our wrongdoing, we’d sink lower than low. In fact, if You treated us according to all the ways we’ve messed up, no one could survive. But you’re an expert on forgiving, so we live to worship You. I wait for You, Lord. I wait in confident expectation, my hope in Your hand of power and mercy. I’m hanging on. I’m waiting for You to come through, Lord. More than a child looks forward to Christmas morning, I’m waiting. I’m waiting for You. Oh people of God, hope in Him, for His mercy, love, and compassion overflow. He offers redemption for everyone who seeks Him. And He’ll exchange all our sin—His people’s many offenses against Him—as no one else can. We pray in the name of Jesus—AMEN. Do you know someone who needs this prayer? Pray it first and please share it. If you’d like more specific prayer, feel free to leave a comment below or email me here. I’ll continue praying. Because we’re all desperate. P.S. Check out last Saturday’s review for a contest and the opportunity to win my review copy. Until Friday, it’s not too late. ...
read moreREAD: Review, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front by Karen Whiting and Jocelyn Green
If asked to give a one-word description of Stories of Faith and Courage from the HomeFront (Battlefields & Blessings) (AMG, 2012), I’d use packed. Far from a slim volume, this devotional book offers 365 true stories of military men and women from the French and Indian War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But authors Karen Whiting and Jocelyn Green, both military wives, don’t stop there. After each devotion, divided into themed weeks, they include appropriate Scripture and an accompanying prayer. They also begin each week with what they call Original Words—excerpts from journals, letters, or news articles pertinent to the time. And each week ends with a Glimpses into Daily Life section that gives further insight about life during a specific era. BONUS: The authors also provide dual QR codes in the front of the book linked to extra material for homeschoolers and couples. Military couples—or anyone—seeking an inspiring devotional book to use alone or as a couple (perhaps while one is deployed), take note. Homeschool families looking for a devotional book that provides history and character lessons too, take note. Anyone who enjoys true stories of America’s heroes and the price they pay (or have paid) on our behalf, take note. Stories on the Home Front is worth more than its weight in history-revealing, character-developing truth. Are you a military family? Do you know someone who would love to read this book? Leave a comment about why you’d love to receive it, and I’ll enter you in a drawing to win my review copy of Home Front. I didn’t yet get to give away my Valentine’s Prize Pack, so I’d love to share this and one other military-themed book with the prizewinner. Because I leave soon to teach at the Florida Christian Writers Conference, you’ll have until next Friday night, March 1, at midnight EST to leave a comment. I’ll announce the winner, chosen at random.org, a week from Monday (March 4). Find a local Christian bookstore Find this book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at ChristianBook.com (FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher. I was not required to post a review or a positive...
read moreWelcome
I've asked God to use my writing and speaking to count for eternity. I'm passionate about relationships and creativity.
