Christmas Photo Cards

I like to receive Christmas photo cards. I especially enjoy the ones that have a quick summary of the lives of the sender in addition to the photos. It’s fun to see how children have grown up, how friends have changed their hairstyle, and maybe see places they’ve been throughout the year.

The added blessing of receiving these photo cards is that they become prayer cards. I tuck them into my Bible study notebook or the nook in my desk and look at each one as I pray for those pictured on the cards. It adds a more personal feel and connection to the people shown there. If there is a brief summary on the card, there may be prayer points to glean.

I’m learning to pray the Scriptures for others, myself, our country, our leaders, and the persecuted church. Using God’s words to lift others up in prayer adds so much more meaning and power, plus it helps me to stay focused. The hardest part about praying, for me, was that my mind would wander or I would even fall asleep. Praying the Bible verses is helping me to put more of God’s word into my mind and heart, as well as, helping me to intercede for others.

Ephesians 1:17 is a great prayer for others or ourselves:

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,

so that you may know him better.

(Replace “you” with their name or me/I)

Praying Scripture is also a great way to praise God. The Psalms are full of praise that we can use to worship and adore God.

Psalm 103:1 says:

Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Feeling fearful or having a hard time being thankful?

Try this verse: Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,

let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably

 with reverence and awe,

For the persecuted church:

Psalm 119:9 & 10

Remember your word to your servant,

For you have given me hope.

My comfort in my suffering is this:

Your promise preserves my life.

Forgiveness of sins:

I John 1:9

If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Praying is a real privilege. It is our opportunity to speak to and listen to Almighty God. It is one way that we can serve those around us also and we can be sure that God is listening and will answer according to His will.

Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

TIP: If you have not thrown out your Christmas photo cards or letters, try putting them with your Bible and spending time in prayer throughout the year for each one you have.

Embracing His Call

I’ve been struggling personally with what exactly is my call and purpose in this life and being at peace with it. It seems mine is quite different from most of my family and those around me and I have a hard time being OK with that. The whole “walk to the beat of a different drummer” type scenario.

Little by little, God has been revealing His purpose to me and helping me to embrace my calling. As I look back on my life, I see where it has been my call for a very long time, just in slightly different forms. Not long ago, I believe God gave me a name for my life’s purpose. My purpose on this earth is to pour into other people. This takes the form of telling them of Jesus Christ, showing love, helping them physically, being a listening ear, a companion and friend, a prayer warrior, and sharing from my heart through the written word.

Currently in my time with the Lord, I am parked in and absorbed with Ephesians. There is so much to take in and to try to understand. This morning as I was reading in Ephesians 2, verse 10 caught my attention:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The cross reference in Ephesians 4:1-3 spoke to my questioning and struggling heart:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have been called to walk in a manner worthy of that calling. Not doing anything that would offend Christ, only seeking to do what would please Him according to His word. As I read those verses this morning, I had the distinct realization that it was also talking to my particular calling in life. I was created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Works that God had decided for me. A path that He had specifically prepared for me to walk - my personal calling. I am to walk the path of my calling with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. As I walk, I am to exhibit the fruits of His Spirit working in me to create unity and peace. Not comparing my call to someone else’s call, but wholeheartedly embracing my call and walking in it.

Sometimes our call may seem “forced” on us and we find ourselves “kicking against the goads”*. The urge or prodding is there, but we resist. The prodding doesn’t go away, it actually intensifies or we feel miserable because we are not being obedient to it. I know I have been kicking against the writing part of my call. I feel inadequate, fearful, or wonder what I have to say that hasn’t already been said, etc.

From reading other writers’ blog posts and articles, this is a common thought pattern among writers; however, by far the most repeated bits of advice are “just write” and “it hasn’t been said by you”. Even if we’re unsure or don’t think it’s good. Keep writing. So, I’m going to once again try to obey the prodding and this time not get stuck in the perfectionist/fear mode which tends to leave my writings in my notebook or on the computer instead of getting posted. Good, bad, or blah posts are going to go out. Supposedly the more I write the better it will get. Like exercise or sports, I guess. Practice makes perfect…or at least better and if it means I’m walking in a manner worthy of my calling, then that’s the goal. To walk in a way that is pleasing to Christ my Savior and Lord. Ephesians says that God has already prepared the way beforehand, so I don’t even have to cut my own way through the brush. He’s already done that. I just need to follow.

Where do you sense God’s call on your life? Are you walking obediently and confidently down the path that God has prepared for you or are you “kicking against the goads”? Are you embracing your call? I’d love to hear your purpose and how God is working that out in your life. Feel free to leave a comment!

TIP: God’s call will never lead you in a way that goes against His word.

(*If you are not familiar with the phrase about goads, follow this link for a good explanation: http://www.jesus.org/early-church-history/the-apostle-paul/how-did-paul-kick-against-the-goads.html)