ii | Adventures in Prayer
Praise for Adventures in Prayer Prayer has always been a priority for me as well as our church family. It’s so important that I asked Mary Jo Pierce to oversee a ministry at Gateway completely focused on prayer and intercession. She has served faithfully for more than 12 years while she’s led our church into a closer partnership with God through prayer. As a pastor who encourages his congregation to make prayer personal, I'm thrilled Mary Jo has done just that in her book, Adventures in Prayer. In this book, she gives you a glimpse into her personal prayer journey by sharing intimate and encouraging stories along with activations that will help you grow in your prayer life. I know you’ll be inspired to partner with God and build a deeper personal relationship with Him as you take your prayer life to a new level. —Robert Morris Founding Senior Pastor, Gateway Church Bestselling author of The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, and Truly Free My hectic lifestyle and rigorous schedule allow me to write very few book endorsements. This one, however, was a complete no-brainer. The best books, by far, are those through which elements of the life, character, and anointing
of the writer are somehow transferred to the reader. Impartation and revelation trump information alone— every time. Read Adventures in Prayer and learn from the best! —Dutch Sheets Author of Intercessory Prayer Dutch Sheets Ministry Adventures in Prayer is a must-read for those hungry to expand their prayer lives. Refreshing. Challenging. Inspiring. When I finished, I said, “Wow, God, thank you for this volume of prayer gems.” You, too, will be touched in unexpected ways, no doubt, as you let the Holy Spirit spotlight special passages for you to ponder and act upon. Over the years, I have counted on Mary Jo’s faithfulness in praying for me and with me. One of my favorite places in all the world is her personal prayer room—her tent of meeting. She not only knows how to meet and hear God, but also has led hundreds of individuals on a more powerful prayer journey. I believe this book will encourage thousands more in their prayer walks. Read, pray and be blessed. —Quin Sherrer Writer and Coauthor of 29 Books on Prayer What I love about Adventures in Prayer is that I would read it even if I didn’t know the author. Because each chapter has a simple story involving real people. Then it reveals a
iv | Adventures in Prayer
great truth from God’s Word about our relationship with Him and His interaction with us. Without a doubt, Mary Jo is a voice for this generation about the topic of prayer. Her heart shines through as she writes about listening to and speaking with God. Prayer and worship walk side-by-side in this wonderful book, in the same way that they have in her life. The Lord has truly blessed me by letting me know her and learn so much about prayer from serving with her in ministry. She and this book are a gift to the body of Christ. —Mark Harris Executive Pastor, Worship, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas Solo Artist and Founding Member of 4Him I have met many people who are passionate about prayer, but none embodies what a life of prayer looks like to me better than Mary Jo. Her practical approach to prayer and her childlike faith in the words she prays have always taught me great lessons. I am grateful she has written Adventures in Prayer for us. In its pages, you will not find formulas, but faith-filled expressions breathed out in simple, yet profound ways. Mary Jo doesn’t teach us how to pray, but rather she shows us why. As you read each day, you will also grow stronger in your desire to communicate with God through prayer. Let the journey begin! —Tim Ross Senior Pastor, Embassy City Church, Irving, Texas
v | Adventures in Prayer
Adventures in
PRAYER A 40-Day Journey
Mary Jo Pierce
Adventures in Prayer Copyright © 2016 by Mary Jo Pierce Unless marked otherwise, Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org) Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org) Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other—without prior permission from the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-9965662-3-0 First Edition Printed 2016 Gateway Create Publishing 700 Blessed Way Southlake, TX 76092 www.gatewaycreate.com www.maryjopierce.com
Dedication Gratefully dedicated to my dear husband, Bruce: Through your love and friendship to me, you have shown over and over again the unconditional love of God the Father, the servanthood of Jesus His Son, and the daily fruit of the Holy Spirit. A pastor who did not know us once spoke a prophetic word to you: “Bruce, you are a good man and you enable this woman to do what she does. I want you to hear that. You are one of the main reasons that this woman does what she does.� Truer words were never spoken. Thank you for living life and celebrating prayer with me.
vii
Contents Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ xi Acknowledgements.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... xiii Introduction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... xvii Day 1: The Prayer Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 1 Day 2: Life in the Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ 6 Day 3: Abide.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 13 Day 4: Sirens.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 19 Day 5: The Sand Dollar.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 23 Day 6: The Bible.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 28 Day 7: Rhema.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 32 Day 8: Pinpoint Obedience.. . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 36 Day 9: Traveling the Scriptures.. . . . . . . . . ........... 40 Day 10: Thirsty.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 45 Day 11: Life Verse.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 53 Day 12: Destiny Prayers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 57 Day 13: My Prayer Chair.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 63 Day 14: My First Prayer Room.. . . . . . . . . ........... 68 Day 15: A New Name.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 73 Day 16: Silent Seasons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 80 Day 17: Hindsight.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 84 ix
Day 18: The Journey in Pictures.. . . . . . . . ........... 91 Day 19: Carpet Time.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 97 Day 20: Mary or Martha.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 103 Day 21: My Listening Chair.. . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 111 Day 22: Hush Fast.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 115 Day 23: Donkeys Still Speak.. . . . . . . . . . . .......... 123 Day 24: Prayer Friends.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 129 Day 25: Second Chances.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 133 Day 26: Finding Rhythm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 137 Day 27: Tucking In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 142 Day 28: Turkey.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 147 Day 29: Bernadette’s Gift.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 155 Day 30: Prayer Leaders.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 159 Day 31: Hezekiah Healing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 163 Day 32: An Appointment in Berlin.. . . . .......... 169 Day 33: Wittenberg.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 175 Day 34: Protection for the Protectors.. .......... 179 Day 35: Grace, Grace.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 182 Day 36: Red-Letter Journey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 186 Day 37: Warsaw Prayer Meeting.. . . . . . . .......... 191 Day 38: HUT—Him, Us, Them.. . . . . . . .......... 198 Day 39: Spiritual Warfare.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 201 Day 40: Build an Altar.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 211 Conclusion: Mary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 217
Foreword My wife, Mary Beth, and I met Mary Jo and her husband, Bruce, 14 years ago. From the very beginning of our relationship, I have known her as a person of prayer, even before she became Gateway Church’s Pastor of Prayer and Intercession. I saw that she walked with God and had close conversations with Him. Mary Beth and I were attracted to Mary Jo and Bruce’s relationship with the Lord from the start. In those early days, when I would talk with her, she was always so full of life—she still is to this day. She has always had a fresh word from God—such as, “This is what God showed me today.” She keeps her ear very close to what the Lord is saying. The things Mary Jo writes about in this book demonstrate the way she lives her life for the Lord. Mary Jo came on staff at Gateway Church in 2004. She had just finished a time in Colorado Springs at the World Prayer Center. Before she left, she already had a great burden for prayer on her heart. When she came back, she realized her place is not merely in mobilizing prayer, but even more in activating prayer. So from the early days, even in all the worship albums the church would do, we would involve Mary Jo and her prayer team. They would ask God what He wanted to say and do through our music. She helped to create a spirit and culture of prayer rather than xi
xii | Adventures in Prayer
simply making a structure. When people are around her, they catch the significance of what she is trying to teach by the way she lives. She shows them what it is like to be in the presence of the Lord, keeping her ear bent close to Him. I remember several years ago, after a New Year’s churchwide focus on prayer, I approached her and said, “Mary Jo, you need to write a book on prayer. This needs to be exported beyond Gateway. The world needs to hear this.” I had that conversation with her and challenged her. Later, she came back to me and said, “You know, I want to do that.” And that became the birth of this book—Adventures in Prayer: A 40-Day Journey. This book teaches principles by which Mary Jo lives her life. She lives her life to the Lord. The stories are there because of the principles she has lived. They are interwoven with each other. She encourages her readers to grab hold of these examples for their own lives. People who read this book will gain a deeper passion for hearing God and for communicating with Him. The basis of our life and all that we do truly is with Christ, and that is clearly expressed in this book. The book doesn’t focus as much on how-tos as it shows a life dedicated to the Lord. I really want the world to get to know Mary Jo. You will find her heart in these pages. And you will find God’s heart here as well. —Thomas Miller Executive Senior Pastor Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas
Acknowledgements To give honor to whom honor is due. —Romans 13:7 I’ve learned in God’s economy that He uses a multitude of people and their prayers to accomplish His work. It was no different with this book. Weaved through these stories are the footprint, heart print, and prayer prints of so many of God’s people. My parents, Theophil and Yula Mae Dobski, who gave priority to establishing a foundation of faith. For their countless sacrifices, I am eternally grateful. My Pastors Robert and Debbie Morris and the Gateway Church Elders have committed to creating a church that helps people develop an intimate relationship with Christ. They, in turn, have made a place for me to build a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). I’m beyond blessed. My Worship Pastor, Thomas Miller, taught this praying girl, who doesn’t carry a tune, how to worship and serve. Working closely with Thomas and witnessing his humility and godly character have modeled ministry for me. And he’s so fun! He is “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” My spiritual parents, Pastor Olen and Syble Griffing, who taught me by word and deed to hear and obey God. xiii
xiv | Adventures in Prayer
Their lives of believing the Word of God and living it every day imparted more than they will ever know. My Prayer Mentors, who knowingly or unknowingly have shaped my walk with the Lord and my heart for ministry. Words cannot express my thanks to Catherine Marshall, Quin Sherrer, Cindy Jacobs, Dutch Sheets, Chuck Pierce, and Mike Bickle. My Prayer Partners, who have stuck closer to me than a “brother.” Three couples agreed to pray in partnership with me. Over the years, they have carried me through many of the adventures you read about in this book. I can’t imagine doing life without them! To the Basshams, the Cooks, and the Kelseys who saw more, believed more, and then prayed more, I give them my deepest gratitude. My countless Prayer Teams, who sacrificially prayed for this labor of love again and again. This offering to the Lord has your incense of prayers on it. To the many who offered their time and talents toward crafting ideas, words, and stories with me. Raymi Moore, Jay Bogenreif, Christa Barclay, Kathy Overton, Christy Atkinson, Krista Mae Doyle, Sarah Wronko, Kathy Krenzien, and Debbie Street—you helped bring this project over the finish line. To Gateway Create Publishing, Craig Dunnagan and his team, who believed in my prayer and intercession message and made this book a reality. I am grateful and thankful for my virtuoso Editor,
xv | Adventures in Prayer
John Andersen. His integrity, insights, and input brought this book together. He made me laugh, love writing, and appreciate this process. His faith in seeing the end from the beginning built faith and excitement for what God can do through Adventures in Prayer. Last but not least, my God-gift family, Bruce, Toni and Traci, who made the Scriptures dearer to me. They showed me that prayer was the best way to love them. For my children (including son-in-law Pete) and grandchildren, Mackenzie, Bethanie, Grant, Sammi and Cassi. They are the true joys in my life. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children (and grandchildren) walk in truth. —3 John 4
Introduction May he keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors. —1 Kings 8:58, The Message
Signposts
I found the most wonderful piece of gold in the book of 1 Kings. It surprised me. Not that there aren’t lots of gold pieces in its chapters and verses. I didn’t expect to find a Scripture that so pointedly describes my 40 years of living prayer hidden in this treasure trove of Scriptures. A Scripture that prioritizes a heart centered and devoted to Him. Prayer. Relationship. Devotion. Worship. A Scripture that promises a path for my life, marking it with signposts. Bible. Prophetic. Intercession. Destiny. A Scripture that calls me to follow Him. Timing. Sabbath. Rest. Legacy. xvii
xviii | Adventures in Prayer
And to add to my already over the top joy with this gem, I dug a little further into the Scripture and found David’s prayer for his son, Solomon. “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.” —1 Chronicles 29:19 This prayer mirrors Solomon’s prayer for Israel, God’s desire for me, and my prayer for you. It is a legacy of prayer from our spiritual ancestors to Our Father, then to you and me. I love prayer. People ask me why I love prayer so much. My answer is simple—it works! Prayer encompasses the whole of why we were created. We were created to have a personal relationship with God and to partner with Him to bring heaven to earth. Prayer—this one little word represents my life with God. It encompasses the whole of my journey with Him. It speaks to the adventure I have been on since He first called my name. My adventure in prayer began 40 years ago. In fact, the number 40 plays a significant role in this
xix | Adventures in Prayer
book. First, on a personal level, this book is set to be released on the 40th anniversary of the day I accepted the call to follow Jesus—my second and best birthday. Second, I have written 40 chapters designed to be experienced in 40 consecutive days. Of course, you may read the entire book in one sitting, but you will benefit from using it over 40 days. Finally, the number 40 plays a significant role in the Bible. God used the span of 40 years or 40 days on several occasions to accomplish great things. Two events, in particular, stand out as groundbreaking moments in the formation of God’s people: Israel’s 40 years in the desert (Exodus–Deuteronomy) and Jesus’ 40 days in the desert (Luke 4).
Over the last 40 years, God has taken me on a circuitous route. Still, I have never been lost. The People of God encountered so many things during their wilderness experience. They received God’s Law, learned about His provision, paid the price for disobedience, and saw His ultimate deliverance. However, if you try to retrace their steps on a map, you will be confused at best. They followed no discernable geographic pattern. The walk through Sinai took no straight lines. God taught them along the way, but the way followed God’s design.
xx | Adventures in Prayer
Similarly, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, where the devil tempted Him. Luke followed this story with the account of Jesus returning to His own hometown of Nazareth, where the people soon wanted to kill him. He escaped their clutches by His supernatural power. After that encounter, Luke began using a curious phrase: “He set His face toward Jerusalem.” Once again, those who closely follow maps will find themselves puzzled with Jesus’ journey. A trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem would take a little over three days on foot. However, Jesus doesn’t arrive in Jerusalem for about two more years. If you follow the map, you miss the point. Over the last 40 years, God has taken me on a circuitous route. Still, I have never been lost. You will see many signposts I have found on the way—many mizpahs or places where God has watched out for me. He has taught me, spoken to me, and delivered me. I have had water, meat, and manna, just as the children of God did in the wilderness. I’ve experienced healing, deliverance, and salvation. I found all of those things “on the way.” This book is an invitation to witness my journey and begin your own. This is a book of leaven; so you may find the bread has risen before you knew it was rising. That is how God often works.
Tent dwelling
This book also represents a travel log for a life dedicated to prayer. Everything written here began the day I accepted
xxi | Adventures in Prayer
Jesus’ love for me and chose to follow Him. I then spent the next 40 years as a student of prayer. Now I want to share that adventure with you. I invite you into my prayer room—my tent of meeting with God. I have committed my life to learning how to live prayer and then practicing what I have learned.
I wanted a tent. I wanted to meet God and bring Him the deep questions of my heart. I created a word; it has become one of my favorites— Tentology. This term describes the mission God gave to me. Simply put, Tentology is the practice of making a place where God can meet His people. One day, I was reading in the book of Exodus: Moses used to take the Tent and set it up outside the camp, some distance away. He called it the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who sought God would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. It went like this: When Moses would go to the Tent, all the people would stand at attention; each man would take his position at the entrance to his tent with his eyes on
xxii | Adventures in Prayer
Moses until he entered the Tent; whenever Moses entered the Tent, the Pillar of Cloud descended to the entrance to the Tent and God spoke with Moses. All the people would see the Pillar of Cloud at the entrance to the Tent, stand at attention, and then bow down in worship, each man at the entrance to his tent. And God spoke with Moses face-to-face, as neighbors speak to one another. When he would return to the camp, his attendant, the young man Joshua, stayed—he didn’t leave the Tent. —Exodus 33:7–11, The Message The powerful message of this Scripture gripped my heart. Moses pitched a tent outside of Israel’s camp, far from the camp, and called it the tent of meeting. In that place, Moses and the people brought their questions to the Lord, and I knew that was what I wanted. I wanted a tent. I wanted to meet God and bring Him the deep questions of my heart. God wants to meet with us. Can you see how intentional He is about “pitching a tent” in your life? Do you see how important it is for you to make a place to meet God face-to-face? So, I needed a specific place to meet with Him outside the busyness of life. Lord, give me a tent! Over the years, I have found this experience contained throughout God’s Word. He wants us to be intentional about meeting with Him. God wants to train our ears to
xxiii | Adventures in Prayer
hear and our hearts to respond. Since He wants to meet with me, I want to be intentional about creating that place and time to meet with Him. Now when someone asks me what kind of work I do, I say, “I’m a tentologist”—I study how to meet with God. This is my personal invitation for you to become one as well.
How to use this book
Each chapter contains a story or an experience from my life. You will discover some things about me, but that is not the reason I have shared personal stories. On the contrary, I want you to have your own stories. My encounters with God are experimental and experiential—this is what I know and what I have learned. Even so, the stories I tell point to a greater truth—God loves us and wants to meet with us. As you read each story, ask God what He wants you to learn and grow in your relationship and partnership with Him. My Message to You
Each chapter also includes some of the things I hope you will take away from the stories. I learned these things along the journey. As you reflect on my message for you, I hope you will have a deeper experience with God. As you read them ask, “Holy Spirit, what are You saying to me?” God’s Message to You
I have selected special Bible readings for each day. I
xxiv | Adventures in Prayer
chose these Scriptures because I sensed they expressed God’s message for each chapter. As you read these verses, listen for God’s voice. Your Message to God
Each day, I suggest some things to pray about. Of course, you will talk to God about many other things, but I provided these guidelines to give you a head start. It would be a shame to read a book about prayer and not really pray! Let God work on you as you take this journey with me. Your Journal
If you do not have a prayer journal, I recommend getting one. You don’t have to choose something fancy or expensive. You might use a simple notebook, but you can also purchase journals specifically designed for prayer. You may use your journal for many purposes. For example, write your thoughts about God, jot down your prayers, or memorialize God’s answers. Use your journal as a personal way to communicate with God, and more importantly, record what God is saying to you personally. We all start somewhere.
First Encounters My beginning …
My grandchildren only know me as a praying grandmother. They know me as someone who loves to pray,
xxv | Adventures in Prayer
wants to pray with you, and stops to pray for no obvious reason. They have seen my prayer room stacked with Bibles, journals, and other books. Since their birth, that is all they have ever known. However, that’s not where I started. It seems that God has always given me a desire to pray. When I was a year old, my mother wrote that I participated in family prayers, repeatedly saying, “buzza buzza buzza.” Then she said that at age two, I started praying on my own with my older sister, Theresa. Very early on, my mother saw in me a desire to pray. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but God deposited in me a longing to connect with Him. I believe that God puts that desire in every human being. He is the True Author of prayer. This longing is His gift to every person. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that God gave every person the ability to think about Him. And St. Augustine recognized that there is a God-sized void within each of us: “My heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.” So as a girl I watched, listened, and learned about the ways others around me connected with God. My parents prayed at mealtimes, at bedtime, and in weekly church services. I grew up in the Catholic Church. The church taught me that the priest would go to God for me. At Catholic school, the nuns did the same thing. I learned that the Bible was a book about God. In addition, I memorized
xxvi | Adventures in Prayer
prayers that I should say to God. However, I didn’t understand that I could connect to God myself. I really loved those school years. I attended the same Catholic school as my father. Each day, I went to Mass before the start of classes. In third grade, Sister Elizabeth Ann inspired me by the way she talked about God. I recall telling her that my baby sister had died years earlier. She prayed for me. I remember feeling God’s love and peace. It made me want to pray even more. Each year my desire to know God became greater.
I believe that God puts that desire in every human being. He is the True Author of prayer. In the second grade, I made my first confession to a priest and took my first communion. I knew I was a sinner and that I had done things against God. So every time I went to confession, I would leave feeling as if God had cleaned my slate so I could start fresh with Him. I wanted to please God very much. I was taught that when I went to confession God would give more grace to live a holy life. So I went to confession—a lot! One afternoon in the third grade, I took advantage of an occasion when my parents were late picking me up from
xxvii | Adventures in Prayer
school. I walked into the confessional so that I could ask the priest to forgive my sins. I finished. However, my parents still had not arrived. After fifteen minutes, I returned to the confessional. I remember telling the priest that I couldn’t think of any new sins, but I wanted more grace! I smile about that now, and I am reminded how pure-hearted children are, when they seek, find, and follow after God. My hunger was still there. I started reading stories of saints and martyrs. Their commitment captivated me, as did their passion and devotion to God. Moreover, I kept saying the prayers that I had memorized as a child. Still, I never thought I was worthy enough to approach God by myself. Instead, as a Catholic, I learned to pray through the saints, believing they could go to God on my behalf. Lenten Season was always one of my favorite times during the church year. It is the time leading up to Easter, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The church taught me that it was a time for Christians to deny some pleasure to themselves in order to prepare their hearts for Easter. I learned many things from those periods of intentional discipline. As a pre-teen, I took a vow of silence from noon to 3:00 pm on Good Friday in honor of Jesus’ time on the cross. Today, one of my most valued spiritual disciplines is fasting. Those early years in school nurtured a craving to separate myself for the sole purpose of drawing closer to God. The nuns I knew had a great impact on my life as I
xxviii | Adventures in Prayer
watched them serve God. They taught me early to consider God’s vocation for my life. How did God call me to serve Him? My options appeared to be very limited. In fact, there only seemed to be one option—becoming a nun. Like most young girls in a Catholic school, I did give this serious prayer and consideration. During my senior year, while many of my peers were exploring different colleges, I was sending letters to several orders of nuns. I wanted to understand and weigh each order’s mission and vision. Of course, my life took a different direction, but a deep desire to serve God remained. Yes, I grew up fully aware of God, wanting to serve Him, wanting to connect with Him, and wanting to do the right things so that I could be in right standing with Him. However, I was not always able to “stay the course.” As the years passed, I wouldn’t say that I became less in love with God, but I did not feel closer to Him. I didn’t know how to have a real connection to God through prayer. Into my darkness
During my college years and into my twenties, I entered what I would call my “dark night of the soul.” My childhood dream of a home with a white picket fence and children remained unfulfilled. I measured my happiness by how other people treated me and what they thought or said about me. I worked as a stewardess (that is what they called us back then) for a major airline. I loved my job, because it
xxix | Adventures in Prayer
allowed me to escape in a way. I became two people: one in uniform, happy and friendly, and one at home, depressed and isolated. Whenever I wasn’t flying, days could pass before I would talk to anyone. At times, I would talk aloud to myself just to hear a voice. Like Humpty Dumpty, I had fallen off the wall and there was no one there to put me together again. Life was not working for me. My relationships were falling apart. God was somewhere, but I couldn’t see that He was anywhere near me. Completely out of control, I had questions with no answers and problems with no solutions. I felt disconnected from the God I had learned about as a child. I was going nowhere—fast. And I didn’t know how to save myself. But God … It was at that point in my life that I believe God looked at my condition and said, “Enough is enough!” I was existing, breathing, and still employed, but I was also in darkness. My heart was crying out, “Is there any hope that my tomorrow will be any different than my today?” “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust.” —Matthew 12:20–21 Discontent … disconnected … darkness … depression …
xxx | Adventures in Prayer
brokenness … emptiness. Those words all describe that decade. Even so, this is what I believe with all my heart— someone, somewhere was praying for me. I know now that my reality was not God’s reality. He knew an ember still glowed within me and He needed to rekindle it. He knew I couldn’t do it myself. While my life spiraled downward, God was awakening churches all over America to a fresh love for Jesus. This was the time of the “Jesus Movement.” People were hearing the Good News of God’s love starting on the West Coast and sweeping across the nation. Passionate young believers entered the churches, bringing new ways to worship Jesus with them. As for me, many of my fellow crewmembers started talking about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and prayer. Passengers carried Bibles. I would see people praying … in public! None of this made any sense to me. Even so, something big was happening, and I knew it. During one flight, I began talking with some young passengers. To my surprise, they wanted to talk to me about Jesus. I’m sure they could tell that I didn’t understand many of the things they were saying. Yet their words drew me, and I recognized something different about those kids. The young man in the aisle seat reached into the overhead bin to retrieve a black pocket New Testament. I learned he was from Campus Crusade for Christ. He handed the book to me and encouraged me to read the Gospel of John. For a
xxxi | Adventures in Prayer
long time I didn’t take his advice, but I held onto that New Testament. I still keep it as a treasure. The Holy Spirit was brooding over me, and I felt my heart begin to soften. I thought I could control everything in my life. However, some things were about to happen over which I would have no control. I was about to discover that God’s light was greater than my darkness. God’s love was greater than my fear. God’s desire for me was greater than my detachment from Him. God was pursuing me, and I had nowhere to escape. Praise the Lord!
I was about to discover that God’s light was greater than my darkness. God’s love was greater than my fear. I was about to encounter prayer lived out loud—real, concrete, in-the-flesh praying. During this period, my mother and sisters started attending a weekly prayer meeting. They discovered that Jesus was more than an important figure in an ancient religion—He is alive today, and they could have a relationship with Him! My dear mother would send me pages of handwritten lyrics to worship songs, hoping the songs would ignite a spiritual spark in me.
xxxii | Adventures in Prayer
During the Christmas holidays of 1975, I returned home to visit my family. My mother invited me to go to church with them, but I made a lame excuse about being too tired. I didn’t want to go. My refusal was not out of rebellion, it was out of fear. I was afraid if something penetrated my heart that I would fall apart completely. If I encountered God, I knew I would come face-to-face with love, and I didn’t know what to do with love. And so, when the phone call came a few weeks later, I was completely unprepared: “Mom has cancer. Terminal cancer. Three months to live.” All this time, I had been taking control of my own life, even though the results weren’t very good. But now … this. I had no control over this. Into His light
I rushed back home to be with my mother and family. That night, my sisters asked me to attend their prayer meeting. This time I didn’t refuse. I was desperate and dazed, and I only agreed to go so that I could record the meeting for my mother. Armed with a cassette recorder and a blank tape, I was prepared to press record, but I was unprepared for what God was about to do.
Her hug, joined with the Holy Spirit, made me feel the presence of Jesus.
xxxiii | Adventures in Prayer
That moment still plays in my mind. When I entered the room, a tall, stately woman approached me. She was beautiful and graceful. She set her eyes on me with what I can only describe as liquid love. When she embraced me, I felt the walls of my heart begin to crumble. Her hug, joined with the Holy Spirit, made me feel the presence of Jesus. I had been desperately searching for something, and here it was—love. Unconditional love. That hug was prayer lived out loud. This is why I teach that one of the most powerful prayers can be a simple, loving hug. Prayer is both connecting to God and connecting others to God. And at that moment, my journey began. Soon I would learn that I could connect to Jesus through a true and lasting relationship. Humpty Dumpty fell into the arms of a loving God. And He began to put me back together again. My upside-down world turned right side up. That night heaven came into my heart and ignited my prayer life. None of this began with me; it all started with Him. From that moment on, there was no turning back. Sure, I have wrestled with darkness at times in my life. I have encountered depression, strongholds, pain, abandonment, and anger. But God’s light in me still burns. And when the darkness comes, God only shines brighter. God interrupted my life with His love. Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;
I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory! —Psalm 18:28, The Message
Day 1
The Prayer Meeting I sit down as the prayer meeting begins. The participants greet each other like family. Chairs are placed in circles, several layers deep. Inside the circle, several guitar players begin playing a song and everyone joins in. I’ve never heard these lyrics before. They are personal, heartfelt, and intimate conversations with God. I sense God drawing me into this conversation. I feel at home. But why? There are about 75 people here, and I only know three—Theresa, Bernadette, and Raynora. And they are my sisters. Yet, I belong. My tears begin to flow, and I have no idea why I am crying. The musicians start playing a new song, but it’s an old hymn I recognize: “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine …” And I hear the words like never before—Mine? How can this be? I am overwhelmed with the thought of it. I wonder if this means I will be going to church and reading the Bible for the rest of my life—my first thoughts are more about religion than they are about relationship. But that will change over time—all my have-tos will become want-tos. 1
2 | Adventures in Prayer
Then, for the first time, I hear someone speaking in an unknown language. As people sing, some of them are using a language I do not recognize. Still, it is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard! In the Catholic Church, we would celebrate “High Mass” and hear Latin spoken and sung. At first, I am wondering if this is a Gregorian chant. But it’s not. The sounds flood my heart with peace and wonder. I had heard about the gift of tongues before, but this is the real thing.
The sounds flood my heart with peace and wonder. The people grow silent, and then a woman stands to speak: A man who does planting and knows how to plant makes his furrows deep and straight. He prepares the soil for the right time to plant the seed. He knows the amount of soil to place upon the seed so that the birds will not come and take it away. In the same way, I tell you to lay a firm foundation so that you will make your furrow straight and deep. And plant your seed so that the birds will not
3 | Adventures in Prayer
come and take them away. Be so deep into the soil with My words from the Scriptures. Know them. Teach them so that the attractions of the world will not take them away from you. I am not interested in numbers, but you. I am interested in the foundation that you are laying among yourselves. Lay that foundation strong. Let nothing take that foundation away from you. Because I tell you that you will see those seeds come out of the ground and you will see the plant until it comes to full fruit and you shall eat it. And this will be My blessing upon you for the labor that you have done in My Name. This woman is delivering a prophetic word. I have never heard someone speak with such authority, power, and love. I don’t yet know the context of her words. What I do know is that my heart begins racing. I am certain that God is in this place.
My Message to You
Have you experienced God in ways you can’t describe? Have you seen spiritual things that you don’t understand? You may be going through something like that right now. This book may even tell you about things outside of your experience. In times like these, feelings of uncertainty are
4 | Adventures in Prayer
normal. Trust God. Not every spiritual experience comes from God, but that doesn’t mean you should run from everything that is new. When you encounter new spiritual experiences or you hear new things, you have resources to help you. • First, ask if your new experience is in line with God’s Word. Does the Bible speak about your new experience? What does it say? Should you ask another believer to show you what Scripture says about it? • Second, talk to God about your new experience. Ask Him to show you the truth. If you are really seeking the truth, God will lead you to it. • Third, what do other believers say about your experience? Ask mature believers you trust. Talk to your pastor or other leaders in your church. Ask them for advice and counsel.
God’s Message to You
Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from
5 | Adventures in Prayer
glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. —2 Corinthians 3:16–18 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. —James 1:5
Your Message to God
• Thank God for revealing Himself and His ways to you. • Ask Him to give you wisdom and discernment as you experience new things. • Ask Him to show you the things you need to know from His Word.
Day 2
Life in the Spirit A few weeks after my experience at the prayer meeting, I registered for a seven-week seminar, “Life in the Spirit.� It was a busy time for me. I was living in South Texas and commuting 500 miles each week by air just so I could work for another airline. On top of that, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my mother in Michigan, especially while she was battling cancer. In spite of all those obstacles, I attended every weekly class of the seminar. God did miracles with my commitments and calendar so that I could attend. For example, one week I was unable to attend the regular class at the church in Michigan. However, I found a local church in Texas that was conducting the same lesson during the same week. God allowed me to be in the right place at the right time. He wanted me to be there as much as I wanted to be there. How loving is that? In the seminar, I heard about all that the Lord had done for those who were willing to come to Him. We would pray, give praise, and learn about how Jesus Christ wanted to establish, restore, and deepen His relationship with each of us. We shared with one another through discussion and 6
7 | Adventures in Prayer
questions, and we would always end in prayer. Through this seminar, I received a deeper understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. I learned many new things in those seven weeks. I discovered the importance of the daily disciplines of spending time in God’s Word and practicing personal prayer. I also experienced the value of group study and prayer. Yet, most importantly, these lessons introduced me to a loving God who sent His Son Jesus to save me from sin and to deliver me out of darkness. I began to understand how He wanted to give me a new life through His Spirit. But in order to receive God’s gifts, I needed to change my heart and mind. I needed to approach God in faith. In those seven short weeks, He nurtured my faith. Interestingly enough, all of this was happening during one of the most painful times in my life—my heart was breaking as I watched my mother fight her courageous battle with cancer. Yet through it all, God surrounded me with Christ-centered men and women. I saw faith in their hearts, hope in their conversations, and love in their actions. I was amazed at how they talked with God, in normal, everyday words. In addition, I saw how they expected God to hear, act, and then move them to action. I didn’t know how much I needed prayer until I saw it working in the lives of those believers. I had no idea how real, relevant, and life-changing prayer could be. Once I saw it in action, I knew I would never be the same. I could never be the same.
8 | Adventures in Prayer
Those weekly lessons were my first encounters with corporate prayer and worship outside of the things I had experienced in the Catholic Church. In fact, everything I experienced there was new to me—the songs, Bible studies, and joyful people. I had never seen so many happy people in one place outside of my family’s big Polish weddings! During our lessons for “Life in the Spirit,” my study guide provided me with a daily devotional thought and Bible reading. These devotions introduced me to the discipline of listening to God every day. For the first time, I learned how the Bible is the starting place for my conversation with God. I was praying! Personal, real-time praying! I discovered how prayer is simply being present with God. I could pray in many different ways—praising and worshipping, giving thanks, making requests, or simply listening for God’s voice. Sometimes I would just sit quietly in God’s presence. For so many years, I had a deep sense of longing as I tried to connect with God, but now, that feeling was gone! As a young adult, I finally discovered the grace I was looking for in the third grade when I repeatedly visited the priest in the confessional. Day by day, one Bible reading at a time, my love affair with God’s Word began to take shape. God planted new seeds in my heart as I read His Word, and my adventures in praying along with the Bible began as I started to see its practical application in my life. God would speak to me through the saints of both the Old and New Testaments. I
9 | Adventures in Prayer
began to see my life in God’s Word! Each day, my heart softened a little more. I was beginning to hear and see people and things in a different way. Before, I could only view the world through my own wounds, but now God was replacing my lenses with His own. He was transplanting His loving heart into me.
I was praying! Personal, real-time praying! During the fourth week of the seminar, as I was participating in worship, I suddenly became aware of a welling up inside of me. At first, I couldn’t understand this experience. Later, I read a Bible verse that described what I was feeling: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” ( John 7:38). This feeling caught me by surprise: I couldn’t ignore it. I leaned over to my sister with some concern and tried to tell her what was happening to me. She didn’t say a word. Instead, she winked, smiled, patted my knee, and kept on worshipping. I was unprepared for what would happen next. The fifth week was the designated time for seminar participants to have people pray for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. My sister, Theresa, and the leader of the group, Marian, guided me through a prayer of confession, repentance, and commitment. Then they began
10 | Adventures in Prayer
to pray for me to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit along with my prayer language. I wasn’t really expecting to receive this gift, and more than anything else, I simply wanted peace in my heart. However, as they started praying, I felt that same welling up inside of me that I had felt the week before. Yet, this time it came rushing like a river, and out of my mouth came my own version of the “Gregorian chant.” The Holy Spirit gave me a heavenly language, and it flowed freely from my mouth. I had tears and laughter as I hugged the other women and we rejoiced together. When I look back on that night, I remember how dramatic it was to receive my prayer language. In hindsight, God knew how important it was going to be in my prayer life. He knew how much it would help me commune with Him—until He could bring me to a fuller understanding. I learned about: • The joy of corporate worship. • The power of His presence. • The wonder of His speaking in a gathering—speaking corporately and personally. • The value and discipline of a daily devotional. • The impact of wordless praying. • A hug, an act of kindness, a tear; any expression that engaged God in my life. • The gift of praying in the Spirit and with understanding.
11 | Adventures in Prayer
• The weightiness of prophetic words. I learned to: • Recognize His still, small voice, the whisper of God. • Hear God speak through the written Word; my Bible became my prayer book. • Distinguish the difference between my voice, the enemy’s voice, and God’s voice. • Value the transparency, honesty, and necessity of prayer partnerships. • Trust God to arrange my calendar for His plans and purposes. • Seek His presence first and His provision after that.
My Message to You
Life in the Spirit is a small phrase that covers a large territory. As it is used here, the Spirit means the Holy Spirit, part of God’s eternal Trinity. So, in simple terms, Life in the Spirit means receiving everything God has for you. He is a good Father who gives good gifts (Luke 11:11–13). Always be ready and willing to receive every gift He has for you. Incorporate spiritual disciplines into your life, such as daily Bible reading, praying with others, and talking to God as you would a friend. • What does God’s Word say about spiritual gifts?
12 | Adventures in Prayer
• Find someone who will pray for you to receive everything God wants to give you. • Open your heart and mind to receive the things the Holy Spirit has in store for you.
God’s Message to You
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. —Philippians 1:3–6 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit . . . . —Jude 20
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. —Psalm 84:5
Your Message to God
• Give God thanks for the gifts He gives through the Holy Spirit. • Ask God if He has gifts that He wants you to receive.
• Pray for God to send other believers to show you all the things God wants to provide for you.
13
14 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 3
Abide After I received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we were sitting in circles surrounding the worship team, my mind became lost in wonder and amazement as I thought about the things God had done for me in those last few weeks. My life had changed so much on the inside! My circumstances weren’t any different; if anything, they had grown worse—but I was different. Then the Lord whispered to my heart, “I am in you. You are in Me.” Clear as a bell.
Then the Lord whispered to my heart, “I am in you. You are in Me.” I wrote down those two sentences immediately. “I am in you. You are in Me.” When the time for sharing came, I boldly stood (although my knees were shaking) and declared, “I am in you. You are in Me.” Then I sat down. It was clear—God was speaking to me.
15 | Adventures in Prayer
Many months later, I was reading the Gospel of John and came across this verse: “… you in Me, and I in you” ( John 14:20). Jesus spoke of His relationship to the Father. Immediately, I remembered the words God spoke to my heart on March 16, 1976: “I am in you. You are in Me.” As I continued reading, I came to John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” God’s Word began teaching me about prayer and abiding. Then I learned about how those two things go hand-in-hand. That first night, God gave me the ingredients of what would become my life’s message. Abide. Abide Ask Desire Shall be done God was writing my life’s purpose. Even more, He was calling me into a relationship and a partnership with Him through prayer. As I look back on that night, I have deep affection and gratitude for what God did for me. He prepared my heart to receive all the things He had in store for me through the Holy Spirit. God spoke to my spirit so clearly during a time of worship, and he confirmed that message, as I read His Word.
16 | Adventures in Prayer
Entry from my journal: Abiding. Dearest Lord Jesus, Hemmed in by your love today. I know I am every day, but today there is a peace in the midst of demands, pressures, deadlines, deep prayer needs … Just walking into my prayer room and surrounding myself with my Bibles and journals ~ curled up in my prayer chair. Today we spend time in John 15:1–8. Those beautiful ABIDING verses. “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you.” “You will bear much fruit.” “Anything you ask will come to pass.” “You will bring glory to the Father.” “I am in you and you are in me.” It is as if you whispered these words fresh this morning. They still resonate deep in my spirit. As clear to me as the night of March 16, 1976, when first I heard them. “I am in you. You are in me.” A new thought. A beautiful thought. A confirming thought.
17 | Adventures in Prayer
Months later, reading the Gospel of John and there were these words: “Abide in me and I will abide in you.” “If you abide in Me, and I in you …” I couldn’t believe it! There in the written Word, an exact echo of the words you whispered to me those first moments … Sealed. Sanctified. Set apart. You were speaking so clearly. “This is what our relationship looks like. This is how it will work. This is the key to sweet communion and partnership!” Prayer Effective Joyful Powerful Meaningful Prayer is rooted, nurtured, matured in ABIDING. What JOY! John 15:8 says that your abundant growth and faithfulness will bring GLORY To the Father.
18 | Adventures in Prayer
My heart’s delight and desire is to bring glory to My Father. Jesus’ response: “Me too!”
My Message to You
The apostle Paul told the people at the church in Corinth that if they were in Christ, the whole world would become different (2 Corinthians 5:17). Don’t make the mistake of believing that only you change—everything changes. Things you thought were impossible become possible, things that were hopeless become hopeful, and even things that were dead live again. Has Jesus changed you in these ways? Once He does, you can know what it means to “abide” in Him. Sometimes believers become discouraged or disappointed, even when they follow Jesus. Take time today to remind yourself that you are a new person living in a completely new world. If you have not had that experience with Jesus, today is the day to change your heart and mind and turn to Him. He will not send you away disappointed.
God’s Message to You
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:4–5 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. —Ephesians 3:14–19
Your Message to God
• Ask God to renew your mind constantly so that you will always know you are “in Christ.” Tell Him you want to see the world the way that He does. • Admit that you sometimes allow things to come into your heart and mind that should not be there. Ask God to forgive you. Then ask the Holy Spirit to fill you so that your heart and mind become the heart and mind of Christ. 19
20 | Adventures in Prayer
• Listen closely for God today. Let Him speak to you about the ways He wants to change you to be more like Him. • Write down the things the Holy Spirit is telling you today about abiding in Jesus.
21 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 4
Sirens In her later years, my mother walked closer to Jesus than at any time before in life. She testified that she had found more joy and peace and experienced more love as she grew closer to Christ. When the doctors diagnosed her with cancer, she clung to faith and surrounded herself with praying friends. She prayed for all of her children to come to know Jesus as personal Savior, loving Lord—Friend. She filled her home with praise and was clothed in gratefulness for all the things God had done and would do. And God answered her prayers! Before Mom passed into heaven, her four daughters were following Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for giving me a praying mother. Even so, the time came. Mom labored through the night with the pain of cancer overtaking her body. Hospice had set up her bed in the front of the house. Throughout the night, I sat next to her. I dozed even as I tried to listen to her labored breathing. And I prayed. Then I heard her last words before she slipped into unconsciousness: “Come Jesus, I can’t take it any longer …” The last thing I heard was her prayer crying out to Jesus.
22 | Adventures in Prayer
As the morning came, an ambulance carried my mother to the hospital. I followed in a car with members of my family. We knew we were on the last leg of her journey, as we heard the ambulance sounds. My right leg was trembling so much that it was difficult to keep the gas pedal steady. My dad, my three sisters, and I spent the last day beside Mom’s bed. At 9 pm, she left us and became fully present with the Lord in heaven.
The sound of the ambulance that day forever challenged and changed my prayer life. The sound of the ambulance that day forever challenged and changed my prayer life. Over the past 40 years, every time I hear the sirens, I pause to pray and ask God to intervene in each situation. Other mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers need His tender care. I pray that He will bring peace to the family, He will be their strength, and He will answer their prayers. And I pray that if they do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, God will reveal Himself clearly to them in the middle of their crisis. Lastly, I pray for the medical personnel. They see so many things that most of us don’t witness. They need an extra dose of God’s comfort each day. The pain and distress that I felt as I
followed behind my mother’s ambulance became a teaching moment for me. God transformed the pain of that moment into a lifelong prayer assignment.
My Message to You
The Hebrew people used a special instrument made from a ram’s horn called the shofar to announce the year of Jubilee. They used another type of horn, the hasorah, to call the people to worship in the Holy Tent. When the people heard the sound of the priest blowing this horn, they knew it was time to meet God. At times, the Hebrews used other trumpets to let the people know when danger approached. The priests also used incense to remind the people of God’s holiness through the sense of smell. I can remember as a child almost every small community had a church with a bell, which rang to announce times of worship, joy, and grief. In the Bible, God often encouraged His people to use something that would appeal to one of the five senses to remind them to worship and pray. Train your senses to the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and other physical sensations that remind you to turn to God. Perhaps it will be a siren. But it might also be that certain tastes remind you to thank God, such as the sweetness of honey. Or you might remember to pray for people who suffer, every time you see someone begging on the street. You may experience the warmth of the sun, the cool of the evening, the sweet smell of flowers, or the sound of 23
24 | Adventures in Prayer
crying. You should notice good things and those things that do not conform to God’s will. Train your senses to notice, and train your spirit to respond in instant prayer. Find calls to prayer in the things you experience every day.
God’s Message to You
… rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer . . . . — Romans 12:12 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. —Colossians 4:2 In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. —Psalm 18:6
Your Message to God
• Tune your senses to experience God today. Ask Him to give you a sight, sound, smell, taste, or other physical sensation that will always be your call to instant prayer. • Short prayers are powerful. Train yourself to pray quick prayers for a school, church, business, or family. Make this a daily practice. • Write down the things God is showing you today,
25  |  Adventures in Prayer
especially those He wants you to make a part of your daily prayer habit.
26  |  Adventures in Prayer
Day 5
The Sand Dollar There is a moment: a signpost a Scripture a song You just know it. There is a moment a word a picture a prayer You just know it. There is a moment These moment(ous) encounters with God Saved Healed Delivered You just know it.
27 | Adventures in Prayer
No matter your age, circumstance, background, or location. No matter … there is a moment when prayer is activated and you begin your eternal relationship with Him. No matter your history, at that moment you begin this adventure in prayer—the process of knowing Him, hearing His voice, responding to His love. Not long after I had a personal encounter with God’s love, I was visiting Los Angeles. My hotel sat on the oceanfront. Eager to spend time alone with God, I would wake up early to stroll the beaches. This particular morning, the sky was pristine, the sun just rising over the waters. The beach was deserted except for the sand sweeper moving ahead of me. The sand under my feet was a blank canvas with no footprints, no sand castles, no washed up fish. It was just a beautiful, smooth carpet of sand. My thoughts were with Him. God had awakened my heart to this new love and pure joy. On this morning, my prayer went something like this— “God, is this real? This feeling that You and I are really connecting, talking, and communicating?” I spent my childhood memorizing prayers. And I learned to pray through others. However, I had not been praying directly to God. Now here I was praying—to God. “God, is this real? Do you really hear me? Really?” I turned my attention from the rising sun to the prints my feet were making in the sand. Then something caught
my attention. Here, on the smooth sand, lay a perfectly formed sand dollar—untouched as if someone had carefully placed it on top of the sand. How could this sand dollar have possibly escaped the sand sweeper?
I picked up the sand dollar and in that moment … I knew that I knew that I knew. I picked up the sand dollar and in that moment … I knew that I knew that I knew. God hears me. God is near. God is answering. When I drew near to Him I knew He heard my voice. And I heard His. A few months earlier, the Christmas before my mother went to be with the Lord, she gave me a gift: a sand dollar. God was teaching me how He wanted to speak to me.
My Message to You
As followers of Jesus, we avoid making physical objects into idols. However, some things we collect may serve as reminders of our experiences with God. The Hebrew 28
29 | Adventures in Prayer
people often collected objects. For example, inside the Ark of the Covenant, they placed the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, and a jar of manna. All of those things reminded them of God’s Law and testified to His faithfulness and provision. I have collected objects over the years that remind me of a particular place where I met God in an exceptional way. I also have objects that remind me of special things about God as well as my relationship with Him. They are testimonies. The objects are not holy in themselves, but they point me toward a God who is certainly holy in Himself.
God’s Message to You
O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. —Psalm 63:1
For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. —Job 33:14
Your Message to God
• Give the Lord thanks and praise for those special
30 | Adventures in Prayer
moments He has made His presence known in your life. • Ask God to help you hear His voice. • Think about some of the miraculous things God did for you. Write about them in your journal today. You are marking the territory of God through your writing. • Be alert for God’s voice in your life today. When God speaks to you, find ways to memorialize what He is saying. As you collect these objects, keep them in a designated place so that they can remind you of God’s activity in your life.
31 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 6
The Bible My young grandson looked at my bookshelves lined with Bibles. “Gege, why do you have so many Bibles?” I explained how each one of them tells the same story and has the same treasures hidden within the pages. Then I told him how each Bible represents a love relationship between God and me. I have many Bibles. Lots. Different translations, different sizes. Some are for travel, some for study, some for reading, some for memorizing, and some for journaling. I love every faithful translation. Each one is a treasure in itself. Each one is a friend. I have marked my Bibles with underlines, comments, prayers, and notes. I have taken them on the journey with me through the seasons of my prayer life. This Book plants, waters, and nurtures my prayer life. The Bible molds and shapes my prayer life so that it will echo the character of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Nothing has become more personal to me than the Word of God. I have treasured prophetic words, godly teaching, good books, and all the rich resources available to me, but
nothing comes close to opening the Word and hearing from God. These Bibles, these friends, have become my prayer books. They have taught me how to pray more than any other resource. Within their pages, I have heard the voice of God. My tears have dried on many of the pages, all a part of my greater testimony to His faithfulness. The underlined verses give witness to my ongoing conversation with God. The more I become familiar with the God of the Bible, and the people in the Bible, the more my life begins to make sense.
This Book plants, waters, and nurtures my prayer life. Through the Bible, we come to know how to cooperate with the Trinity in the act of prayer. Through each of its books, we read how God’s people constantly prayed. Through its chapters, Jesus teaches His followers to pray and to live prayer. Through its verses, the Holy Spirit directs and inspires our prayers. And through every single word, God the Father releases His will in our lives. From Genesis to Revelation, we see God’s pursuit of every person. I am constantly surprised and amazed at the ageless gift of the Scriptures. I stand in wonder that something inspired by the Holy Spirit so many years ago is still as relevant to me today as it was to those who first read those 32
33 | Adventures in Prayer
words. It will be just as applicable to those who will read it in the future. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). And every word of the Bible is a witness to Him.
My Message to You
God’s Word will change your life. You may choose to read other things, but the Bible is the only book that makes everything else make sense. There are many ways to read Scripture. Some people meditate on a single verse, others study specific subjects, and still others try to read large amounts of the Bible every day. There are many ways to explore Scripture. Try them all. Every recipe will turn out well. As you make a habit of reading God’s Word, you will fall deeper in love with God and the Bible itself. If you are hungry to know God and yourself, start with the Bible. You will find life—there is life in the Word.
God’s Message to You
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness . . . . —2 Timothy 3:16 But He said, “More than that, blessed are
34 | Adventures in Prayer
those who hear the word of God and keep it!” —Luke 11:28
Your Message to God
• Today, start a regular Bible reading habit. Remember, the best Bible reading plan is the one you actually do. You may focus on a single word or a single verse, or you might choose to read large sections of the Bible, such as a complete chapter or book. If you need help developing a plan, many resources are available online or in other books. And you should always ask the Lord what to read. • Before you begin your daily reading, ask the Lord to guide your mind so that you can hear what He wants you to hear. • If you are at a place where you are able, practice reading the Scripture aloud. Hearing God’s Word will have an amazing effect on your spirit. • Practice reading from several different translations. God’s Word is perfect, but no translation is perfect. Ask God to give you discernment as you read. • Practice praying God’s Word. Sometimes you will encounter actual prayers in the Bible. But you can pray all of the Bible. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you in the passage you are reading? • Search for a Scripture selection or a word that
35  |  Adventures in Prayer
relates to a current prayer need. Print this passage, read it, and pray about it over the next several days.
Day 7
Rhema I was about to learn how Scripture becomes Rhema— how the written Word becomes the Living Word. The heart of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are revealed fully in the Scriptures, which speak to me today. Rhema is the timely, Holy Spirit-breathed, clear Voice of God for any particular season, situation, or circumstance. It could be the word of the Lord when I am praying for someone, or it can be God’s message directly to me. One Rhema word can anchor me in any storm, deliver me from any fear or concern, and strengthen me for any test or trial. It unlocks new ways to think about God, relate to Him, and understand Him. I learned this great truth as I sat beside my mother’s casket. I was a new Christian, unfamiliar with God’s Word. I cried out to be comforted. Mom had been so sick. All of us had prayed … and we prayed hard. However, her body finally succumbed to the disease. I needed a word—I needed to hear God’s voice. I needed Rhema. So, sitting there with my Bible closed in my lap, I called out to God. I was prompted to open His Word—my eyes fell on 1 Corinthians 15:42–44 36
37 | Adventures in Prayer
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. As I read those verses, the Word of God suddenly became the voice of God. My mother was fine. God knew, heard, and answered. Still, something else happened in that moment—I fell deeply, passionately, and totally in love with God’s Word.
As I read those verses, the Word of God suddenly became the voice of God. As I read those verses, I began to hear the sounds of the words—as though God was reading them aloud. They had a voice. They became audible. Then they became whispers to my heart. This Scripture passage spoke the truth of what had just happened to Mom when she died. And I was comforted. God had listened to my prayer and answered through His Word. Rhema. Now I knew that God spoke through the written Word.
38 | Adventures in Prayer
And over the years, His voice became more than an occasional answer; it became an ongoing conversation through the Scripture. We talked about His plans, purpose, and will for me. Instead of my prayers being a list of wants, I began to ask God what His will for my life was. My focus changed to His focus. And the Rhema word became a compass, a charge to keep, a call, and a confirmation to my life’s prayers.
My Message to You
I will never get over, or get used to the pure joy of having the Word become life to me. God is not a sleepy God (Psalm 121:4). He is always awake and available. Every believer has times when God seems far away or unapproachable. Take courage—He is here. He wants to have a personal, private audience with you. As you read God’s Word, listen. He is speaking. Always, He is speaking. As you open your Bible, pay attention to the things your eyes see. Even more, pay attention to God’s voice whispering in your spiritual ears. Listen for the Rhema.
God’s Message to You
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” —John 6:63 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger,
39 | Adventures in Prayer
and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. —Deuteronomy 8:3
Your Message to God
• Give thanks to God that the Bible is more than pages and words—its words become alive in your life. • Trust God wants to show you Scriptures that will be signposts in your life. • Ask God to show you things that stand in the way of you hearing His voice. Tell Him that you want to remove those obstacles. • Are there places in your heart that you have tried to keep hidden from God? Today, invite Him to speak to those specific areas that you have tried to keep private.
Day 8
Pinpoint Obedience Learning to hear God’s voice and to know the difference between God’s thoughts, my thoughts, and thoughts from the enemy took time. My personal quest began with much self-doubt. I constantly heard other believers say things like, “God told me” or “God said.” They sounded so certain, which only caused me to question whether I could really hear God. One day I asked God about hearing Him and He replied with a question, “Are you one of my sheep?” I was certain I was. As I prayed, the promise of John 10:27 came to mind: “My sheep hear My voice …” That meant I could hear His voice. At that moment, I confessed my doubt and unbelief to the Lord. He told me to forever put an ax to the root of the enemy’s lie. Then the adventure of tuning my spiritual ears began. I call that adventure pinpoint obedience. It is the practice of hearing, believing, and obeying. Through it, I have finetuned my ability to hear the voice of God. No matter how small God’s nudge seemed, I learned to obey. God may be telling me to call someone, turn off the TV, look at a journal, read a book, ask for forgiveness, or go down a different aisle 40
41 | Adventures in Prayer
in a store. Whatever the Holy Spirit told me to do, I began to listen and then obey. God’s Word became the source of pinpoint obedience for me. The more I read and prayed through the Bible, the more I became sure of God’s direction, affection, counsel, and character. As I learned His ways, the Bible became the blueprint for my adventures in listening.
Whatever the Holy Spirit told me to do, I began to listen and then obey. I have learned, often through trial and error, how to understand the difference between my own feeling and God’s direction. God’s lesson of pinpoint obedience sharpened my hearing. I can hear my Beloved even when storms rage or the stillness deafens.
My Message to You
God wants you to hear Him. God’s Word joins with the Holy Spirit and gives you the best opportunity to know His will. If you know that you have clearly heard God, are you willing to obey? I pray that you will ask Him to remove anything that stands in the way of obedience, such as fear, intimidation, anxiousness, or rebellion. Yes, you can have confidence that God wants to speak to you. And if God
42 | Adventures in Prayer
wants to speak to you, you can be sure He will give you the way to hear Him.
God’s Message to You
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” —Deuteronomy 28:1–2 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. —Philippians 2:12–13
Your Message to God
• Ask God to help you hear and obey. The Holy Spirit is working in you to help you do what He asks of you.
43 | Adventures in Prayer
• Take time throughout the day to listen to God. Ask God to give you one pinpoint assignment and then step out in faith and obey it. • Write in your journal about what pinpoint obedience would look like in your life.
44 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 9
Traveling the Scriptures Someone once asked me to name my favorite Bible translation. I replied, “The mjp version”—my initials. In all seriousness, when I find a Bible passage that God wants engraved on my heart, I will read every translation I can find. I then write the Scripture selection in my own words, sometimes including my name or the names of my loved ones. I follow this practice so that I can personally identify with what God is saying to me in that moment—the mjp version. It is oh, so personal … so God. But I do have a favorite Bible. It is extra-large and bound with leather. It covers my whole lap when I open it. I call it my “hugging Bible.” In fact, there are times I will sit in my chair and just hug it. When words do not form in my heart to pray, I hug my Bible. At those times when I am overwhelmed with burdens, I hug that Bible. At times when I am lonely, I hug it. When I feel gratitude, or love overcomes me, I hug my Bible. It has become my very special friend … my “hugging Bible.” Early in my relationship with the Lord, I came across a book titled My Friend the Bible, by John Sherrill. At first, I
thought, “Why would anyone title a book, My Friend the Bible?” It didn’t make sense to me. How could the Bible be a friend? Friends are personal, always available, loving, trustworthy, and loyal. I was curious, so I bought a copy of the book and began to read it. And I couldn’t go to sleep until I finished it! John Sherrill’s book changed my life in many ways, but more than anything else, it opened my eyes to the Bible as an ongoing conversation with God. Over the years, the Holy Spirit has taught me how to have a conversation with God through His Word. That conversation may begin with a Scripture, a prayer, a word, or a thought. A message I hear, a book I’m reading, or something I heard on the news might trigger me to search the Scriptures. It may start with a dream or vision, a journal revisited, or a favorite song. Each time, I find that God drives me to His Word.
Over the years, the Holy Spirit has taught me how to have a conversation with God through His Word. I have come to refer to this experience as “traveling the Scriptures.” I’ll often ask the Lord, “What do you want to talk about today?” Then I will sit still—in a hush—waiting 45
46 | Adventures in Prayer
for His answer. As I wait, suddenly a word, a situation, something I have heard recently, or a conversation with a friend will come to mind. The Holy Spirit can speak from many sources. Even so, I travel to and through the Bible to confirm that God speaks. In my prayer life, I have discovered that traveling through the Scriptures is the key to following God and finding His heart for my prayers. I look for things that the publisher has put in bold typeface, underlined, or italicized. That’s where the conversation begins. I am listening for God’s voice throughout the day. I may hear it as I read. Or, it may come as a thought, something spoken, or something heard. It can be a picture, a story, or a formed question. I can hear God’s voice when I am talking to Him alone, writing in my journal, praying for others privately, or praying with others corporately. Often, while I look at a list of Scriptures, a particular Bible selection will stand out and speak into my spirit, which often triggers me to look at another Scripture. It is an adventure in hearing God, as I journey through His Word. And when I talk with God, the Bible has become my close, intimate friend. This friendship grows even stronger when I ask questions, listen, and seek to know Him. The Scriptures become the “script” to my prayers, as I dig deeper into God’s will for me. And they mold my heart, while also directing my path. This Book is alive. God lives within the pages of the Bible—so real and so close. After the Resurrection,
47 | Adventures in Prayer
Jesus met two of his followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). The Bible says that while He spoke with them, their hearts burned. I can relate to this experience. The Bible can bring tears, laughter, joy, questions, or answers. It changes the way I see and understand things. I can barely describe the joy I experience when I am speaking with the Lord, and then I open the Bible and receive a perfect response … that is so God. God’s Word is a wonderful traveling companion, and such good company.
My Message to You
The Holy Spirit breathes life into the written Word. It becomes so personal, so private, and so profound. As John Robinson, one of the American Pilgrim Fathers wrote, “I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth yet to break forth out of His Holy Word.” Yes, there is always more … ask the Lord to show you more. As you search the Scriptures— beginning with a word, a thought, or a picture, begin conversations with your heavenly Father. He will reveal the truth about your heart, your will, and your actions. And through the Bible, he will form you into His image.
God’s Message to You
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the
48 | Adventures in Prayer
knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. —2 Peter 1:2–4 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. —Psalm 119:105–6
Your Message to God
• Ask God to speak to you through the Bible today. • Write down something you want God to speak to you about. Listen for a word, picture, or Scripture to come to mind. • As you begin your adventure of searching through the Scriptures, record the experience in your journal.
49 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 10
Thirsty Denial. That pointedly describes much of the way I was processing my past and moving forward in my life. Although I had walked with the Lord for many years, I compartmentalized a lot of my pain. I ignored the heartache. I stuffed the memories. I discounted years of accumulated rejection, hurtful words, wrong actions, and bad decisions—both others’ and mine. I was determined to work out my own problems: I would do all the right things, and everything would be better. However, things were not better. I discovered that I couldn’t get to the root of the pain, which would have allowed God to heal and strengthen me. Instead, I began to handle my pain by consuming alcohol. First, I drank a little, and then I drank a lot. Denial. I thank God that the Holy Spirit pursued, convicted, and strengthened me. God’s Word continued to speak to me, but it was a journey. During this time, I saw a quiz about addiction in a magazine; I took it and flunked. No
50 | Adventures in Prayer
surprise. I became more and more uncomfortable with the decisions I was making. One day, I stumbled onto an autobiographical book about a man’s struggle with alcohol. He wrote about how he finally yielded to the Lord. He said he “had not had a drink since that day.” As I read his story, the Holy Spirit was writing my story. During a worship service the following day, I sensed the Lord speaking to me. He whispered, “I love you and I will never leave you … but we will not go further than we are right now if you continue drinking.” I had a choice, a serious decision to make. It was a defining moment in my life.
Jesus refused to drink so He could take the pain I was drinking to avoid. I dropped to my knees and began to pray, “Lord, I covenant to never drink again.” I didn’t promise. Promises are often broken. But when I said covenant, I meant that I was entering into an irrevocable agreement with my Lord. In my heart, I was choosing God over everything else, including alcohol. God immediately began giving me the tools to face my pain. No, it wasn’t easy. My healing came in layers – in stages. First, I learned to forgive others and myself. Then
51 | Adventures in Prayer
I learned how to let go and trust God. Next, I learned to trust the voice of God, the Word of God, and the will of God. Finally, I learned to run to Him, rather than running and hiding from my past. “I am thirsty.” Hanging on the cross, moments before He died, Jesus uttered these words. They are a prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 69:21, “… And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” “[T]hey gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink” (Matthew 27:34). It was customary to give a mind-numbing drink to intoxicate and help alleviate pain and suffering. But Jesus refused. He suffered the full penalty of my sin, sober and in His right mind. Jesus refused to drink so He could take the pain I was drinking to avoid. His body and blood became my communion, strengthening me to work through my pain. “I am thirsty.” I also spoke these words. I began to meditate and pray on Scripture passages that speak about God’s response to our “thirst.” I read, “Come, all you who are thirsty …” (Isaiah 55:1, niv). I heard Jesus say, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” ( John 7:37). I learned to hunger and thirst for His righteousness (Matthew 5:6). I found, like the woman at the well, I could draw from the Living Water—Jesus ( John 4). He could fill me up with His strength, power, and love in a way that no
52 | Adventures in Prayer
other drink can do. And like that woman at the well, Jesus set me completely free—33 years ago. On that day, God had mercy on me and allowed me to walk free from any desire or temptation to drink ever again. My thirst for the wrong thing ended. It was settled. I praise God for His love, for His whispers to my heart, and for the grace He gave to me in that moment. Sometime later, I was reading these verses in my Bible: “Yet now, be strong, Zerubbabel [Mary Jo],” says the Lord; “and be strong, Joshua [Mary Jo] … be strong, all you people of the land [Mary Jo],” says the Lord, “and work; for I am with you,” says the Lord of hosts. “According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you, do not fear!” —Haggai 2:4–5
I Am Thirsty
Dear Jesus, I don’t understand, even in a small way, what it must have been like to be so thirsty. There on the cross, physically beaten and bruised for my transgressions and humanity’s sin. Such thirst.
And still to refuse any liquid that would dull Your senses to the pain for me. I don’t know dryness and what it is like to so desperately need relief, refreshing, renewal. And the only, only, only response is You! My Lord Jesus. Thank you, that when my cry is “I am thirsty” You immediately respond with Living Water. Mary, This takes Me back to the conversation ( John 4:12) when I revealed to the woman at the well— I Am the Living Water. Mary, You are right to revisit 53
54 | Adventures in Prayer
how to move forward. I will always be the answer to your dry—desert—wilderness, pain, doubt, confusion, fear. It will always be Me.
My Message to You
Are you dry and thirsty? Is your heart bruised and broken? Believe this: Jesus knows and He has always been there—waiting, listening, and caring. If you are parched … if you have run out of patience … if you feel powerless to change an overwhelming situation—He is there. His presence is the only thing that can refresh you. You may be trying all sorts of cures to heal your heart, but one word from Jesus can do more than countless bottles, many meaningless romantic partners, long hours at the office, or anything else you are using to mask your pain. One word … one drop of Living Water.
God’s Message to You
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring . . . .”
55 | Adventures in Prayer
—Isaiah 44:3 “Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord. “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” —Jeremiah 2:11–13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” —John 4:13–14
Your Message to God
• Have you been looking for a way to deal with your problems, but you keep making them worse by your
56 | Adventures in Prayer
choices? Maybe you are dealing with addiction, anxiety, or depression. Are you willing to give Jesus your concerns today? Right now, ask Him for His help. You should seek help from your church leaders or a Christian counselor, but nothing will be successful without help from the Lord. • Thank Jesus for being the Living Water for you. Only He can satisfy your deepest needs. • Be still. Listen. Rest. Let Jesus be your Living Water—refreshing the dry places in your life.
Day 11
Life Verse I am often asked, “What is your favorite Scripture?” My reply is always, “The last one I read.” I’m serious … God’s Word is so amazing! I can read the same Bible passage a dozen times, and each time a different word, a different thought, or a different understanding will leap from the pages. Although I don’t have a favorite Scripture, I do have a life Scripture. Many years have passed since I first began walking with God and loving His Word. I spent many hours searching and studying the Bible. Yet, I can remember the exact moment, time, and place when I read Psalm 17:15 for what seemed the first time. The Amplified Version reads: “As for me, I shall see Your face in righteousness; I will be [fully] satisfied when I awake [to find myself] seeing Your likeness.” This was a particularly holy moment in my life. It shouted out to me as though the words were bold, underscored, and italicized. Time froze, and my heart began to beat faster. Tears came to my eyes as I sensed the presence of God and knew He was speaking to me. Many years have 57
58 | Adventures in Prayer
passed since this Bible verse became a prophetic picture of what God was performing in my life. It became a job description of sorts.
I believe the Lord gave that Scripture to me so that I would be anchored in Him. I searched several versions of the Bible and meditated on each translation. Finally, I did find a favorite version. It is the “mjp translation,” of course. I considered each translation, together with what I felt were the best readings, and applied the meaning of the verse to my life: As for me, Father, because of Jesus’ righteousness and my right standing with You, I will be fully satisfied, when I awake in the morning, seeing You face-to-face and having sweet communion with You (mjp). I memorized and meditated on that Scripture. I made the verse reference part of my email address. Yes, every Scripture has the strength to become my favorite Scripture, but this one is my life verse. Through this verse, God told me who He created me to be and who I am. Nothing
59 | Adventures in Prayer
satisfies me more than my early morning time with Him. We talk. I hug my Bible. Tears may flow. I journal and sit still and listen. These times are precious to me, face-to-face, just the Lord and I— the sweetest moments in life. I believe the Lord gave that Scripture to me so that I would be anchored in Him. Only He can comfort and satisfy me when everything else around me seems to be going wrong. He reminds me of my standing with Him—my place. I am who I am because of who He is and who He says I am. That verse will surely be carved into my tombstone one day. God has already engraved it on my heart: “… fully satisfied seeing Him face-to-face.”
My Message to You
God will use Scriptures to establish signposts in your life. As you read the Scriptures, be alert to your response to God’s word. As you read the Scriptures, you will experience many emotions. Ask God, and He will give a special verse to you. It will mark your life and speak regarding the plans and purposes God has for you.
God’s Message to You
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. —Psalm 119:11 And we know that all things work together
60 | Adventures in Prayer
for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28
Your Message to God
• As you read the Bible, ask the Lord to help you hide it in your heart. • Do you have a life verse? If so, ask God to show you new ways that His Word can guide your life. • If you do not have a life verse yet, ask God to give you one. Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak.
61 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 12
Destiny Prayers God has an unfolding plan for our lives—our destiny. He wraps this plan in the hours, days, weeks, and yes, even years as we pray, obey, be, and do. Even so, I became frustrated as I watched others operate fully in their God-given destiny, but I did not. I prayed and asked God, “What do You want for me? What is Your will for my life? For what purpose did You create me?” I kept thinking of destiny as a destination. If I could only arrive there, then I would know the purpose for my life. Repeatedly, I would accomplish something or God would put me in a particular circumstance, and I would think, “I’m here. This is it. I’ve finally arrived.” But I hadn’t. Although destiny and destination are related, they are not the same thing. A destination focuses on the end, but a destiny is the way God unfolds His plans in our day-today lives. He guides me as I dream, pray, plan, serve, and minister. The Lord takes me outside of my comfort zone, which may include calling someone to pray for the first time, praying for people who come forward at the end of a worship service, or overseeing a prayer ministry. He has been shaping my destiny.
62 | Adventures in Prayer
I have always been a good team player. I like to dive in headfirst and offer my help. I love to volunteer and serve anywhere that people need me. Since I made the commitment to follow Jesus, I have always been a part of some kind of group. When a group wasn’t available, I would start one. Sometimes we would read a book together, share a devotional, or study, even if we could only do it over email. I love staying connected to others who are seeking to follow the Lord. So when my husband and I moved to a new city and joined a church, we soon discovered that the church needed a Sunday school teacher for the middle school children. I had never been part of a church that had Sunday school. I volunteered and decided to write my own curriculum, and I focused on prayer. I arrived for the first class session alone. My husband had agreed to be my co-teacher, but he was also an airline pilot and had to work that first week. There I stood, six months of lessons and a few illustrations, to lead my class—I was ready. The class had 19 boys and 4 girls. I gave a brief introduction of the lessons and myself. Then I proceeded to deliver 6 months of lessons in 20 minutes! I was off to a rough start. The ending was better than the beginning, as we enjoyed a wonderful 3-year relationship with those kids. Still, I was asking God, “What is my destiny?” Later, I volunteered for a prayer ministry called Breakthrough. Catherine Marshall started this postal mail
ministry, which involved connecting people who needed prayer with others who were willing to pray with them for three weeks. I was part of the team that mailed the prayer needs to the volunteer intercessors. After three weeks, we would mail the intercessors’ prayers back to the people who made requests. Breakthrough served two needs—some people needed prayer and others wanted to pray. I served that ministry while I kept praying, “Lord, what is my destiny?”
The whole time I kept praying, “God, what is my destiny?” While I was a volunteer at Breakthrough, a few of us formed a small prayer group. We met every week at Evergreen Farm, the home Catherine Marshall shared with her husband, Leonard LeSourd. Out of that small group, a church was born, Church of the Intercessor. I still did not understand everything about my destiny, but this church was part of the journey. As the years went by, I took part in groups, taught, ministered, joined in prayer partnerships, mentored, and wrote newsletters. The whole time I kept praying, “God, what is my destiny?” The amazing thing is that I was living my destiny and 63
64 | Adventures in Prayer
didn’t even recognize it. Why? Because I still had my destination confused with my destiny. God unfolded His purposes in my life through each day, each prayer, each meeting, and each lesson. One day, I was standing in the middle of the church, praying for someone. I bowed my head as Dr. Kingsley Fletcher was ministering. Then I turned my prayers to my own life, when God gently dropped these words into my spirit: “Full-time ministry.” I began to feel an immediate peace. I knew. It was done. Whatever those words meant, I was ready. “Full-time ministry.” So I said, “Yes, Lord, I surrender to Your call.” Then I started peppering the Lord with questions: “Who? What? When? Where? Why?” Again, the Lord answered, “I know and I will tell you what you need to know when you need to know it.” I was shocked … but I was not unsettled. I felt peace, assurance, and confidence. That message, “Full-time ministry,” changed my life. After the worship time, I went home for lunch and told my husband what had happened. He was not surprised, but I was! Then we prayed together. Kingsley Fletcher had once told me, “The call of God will interrupt your life, your mindset, and your home, but it will not disrupt or destroy it.” And I have found that message to be true. Later, as I was asking God about His call to full-time
65 | Adventures in Prayer
ministry, I opened my Bible to Isaiah 6:8—“Here am I! Send me.” On the opposite page, Freda Lindsay had written a commentary. “Starting at some time in your walk with Jesus … you will hear God’s call to follow Him—in a given area—minister, missionary, helpmate, mother, teacher … To answer the call may not always be easy. Obey God.” God confirmed His message. He was looking for an obedient heart. So, I prayed, “Lord, while my focus has been a destination, Your plans have been a destiny. May I have the grace and wisdom to embrace the whole of the journey.”
My Message to You
Do you really want the Lord’s will to be done in your life? You have no idea what wonderful plans He has for you. The only way to find God’s will is to begin living in God’s will today, right now in the moments, hours, and days. As you obey God, He will reveal more and more to you. Also, pray for your leaders, especially those in your church. Pray that they will follow God’s destiny for their lives. Ask the Lord to give them both sight and insight. Most of all, surrender with joy to the task God has given you to do. Both the journey and the destination are beautiful.
God’s Message to You
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
66 | Adventures in Prayer
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. —Psalm 84:5 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry . . . . —1 Timothy 1:12
Your Message to God
• Thank God for giving you a destiny. Ask Him to help you hear clearly about His plans for you. If not, take time to fast, pray, and ask Him. If so, what was it and how has it affected you? • Ask God to help you become a person who is more concerned with your destiny rather than your destination. • Take a moment to look back on the events in your life. Do you see God’s pattern for your life? Thank Him for his presence.
67 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 13
My Prayer Chair I didn’t always have a prayer chair. For a long time, I was like a nomad, roaming from bed to couch to chair and from patio to kitchen table to lap desk. I knew I should have a quiet time and place to pray, but none of those places felt like home. None of them felt settled. I needed a place, a regular place, to meet God face-to-face. As I thought about my place and what it should be, God opened my eyes and I saw it—the chair. I moved it to a special corner and I put a table next to it. I knew I was home after I placed my Bible, journal, and pen on the small table—my place. Through this simple act, I established a dedicated spot, a chair that had only one purpose—to meet God there. This would be my tent of meeting (Exodus 33:7) or my secret place (Psalm 91:1). Over time, this chair has become a place of comfort, counsel, and conversation. This chair has become a setapart, consecrated, and holy place for me to meet with the Living God. This is a treasured chair—my sanctuary and hiding place. My prayer chair started as the place for my morning meeting with God. However, over the years, it has become
the “seat of counsel” when I face decisions, questions, and fears. It is in those times that I retreat to my chair. On my lap sits an open Bible with my journal next to me, and often a facial tissue in hand. I seek His thoughts, words, directions, and peace. Here in this chair, I am me. No one knows me more than He does. I don’t have to pretend to be braver, stronger, or smarter. This is my safe place to be totally transparent, honest, and real. This is my authentic altar for prayer. In my honesty, God accepts me. In this place, He meets me with kindness, wisdom, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. This is the most adventurous place I’ve ever been.
I have now transferred everything into the Father’s care. So many amazing exchanges happen in this chair. Sometimes I feel like a spectator and say to myself, “Did I really find this Scripture?! … It is God’s perfect word for this situation. Did this idea really come to me? It must be God, because I would never have thought of that myself!” I’ve even been known to declare out loud, “God, You are so fun!” At other times, I have no words. I cannot give full expression to my pain, worry, or fear. On those days, I 68
69 | Adventures in Prayer
sit—just sit—and He ministers to me. I sit longer. Then His grace washes over me. I sit even longer. His love embraces my heart, and tears easily flow. Do I always leave my prayer chair with clear direction? No, not always. Often, my prayers and cares are about others, like family or friends. I pray for those who are hurting, struggling, lost, sick, or wounded. I will talk to God until I feel the burden lift and the fear evaporate. Even if I don’t know all the answers, I leave my chair believing that God is working and I have joined with Him. Finished for today … Finished for now … I have now transferred everything into the Father’s care. I also trust that the Lord will continue speaking with me as I go throughout the day. For now, I will move forward with the things I do know. One young mother heard me teach about my prayer chair. She went home and began clearing a space for her “tent of meeting” chair. Her young children soon became curious about their mother’s activities. Why was she moving a chair into her bedroom specifically to sit and pray? “What are you doing, Mom?” they asked. She responded, “We can all hear God anywhere and talk to Him at any time, but this is my special chair where I will sit and talk to God and listen to Him.” So, she began to use the chair. A few days later, her six-year-old son approached her
70 | Adventures in Prayer
again. He asked, “Mom, I need to talk to God—can I use your chair?” She told him that he could, so he sat down in it. The mother watched his facial expressions; the boy was having an intense internal conversation with God. After a resounding “Amen,” he shook his head and said, “That was a really serious moment right there!” Then he told his mother that the Lord was going to help him start making better choices at school. The mother was amazed. Bringing that chair into the house helped her focus her prayer life; yet, how could she have known that the chair itself would be an answer to prayer?
My Message to You
Jesus often went away from people to pray. And one of the greatest joys of your life will be the uninterrupted time you spend with your heavenly Father. The best way to make sure you have that time is to intentionally establish a place to pray. Make it a sacred place, set apart, and safe. If you are willing to make this small move, I promise that the Lord will meet you there face-to-face. You will have conversations, revelations, and answers to your prayers. I know you will grow from that special place. You don’t need a designated set-apart place to meet with God. But trust me, you will want one.
God’s Message to You
“But you, when you pray, go into your room,
71 | Adventures in Prayer
and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” —Matthew 6:6 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. —Mark 1:35 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. —Luke 5:16
Your Message to God
• Thank God for His desire to meet with people. Do not take His love for granted in your prayer. His willingness to connect with you is one of the greatest things you will ever know. • Ask God to help you establish a regular time and place to meet with Him. Ask Him to guide your search. • As you listen to God’s choice for your “tent of meeting,” prepare your heart and mind. Ask God to guide your innermost thoughts and feelings.
72 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 14
My First Prayer Room After a year of poring over house plans, floor samples, and paint colors, and after making hundreds of other decisions, our new house was finally finished. My husband and I were doing our first walk-through before the mortgage closing. We enjoyed seeing all those decisions become a reality in our “home sweet home.” The contractor had taken care of every detail. He built a game room with a small closet for storage. The door on the back of the closet led to what I thought was the attic. Then my husband, Bruce, told me to open the back door of that closet. What I saw marked my life forever. A prayer room. Bruce had prepared a surprise for me! I thought he wanted me to look at the attic. Instead, it opened into an 8-foot-by-8-foot room with a skylight, my prayer chair, and a lamp. In addition, Bruce had placed bookshelves there for my Bibles, journals, and devotionals. For the first time, I had a dedicated room to meet with God. First, I was overcome with Bruce’s thoughtfulness—what a romantic guy!
Second, I felt God’s presence already inviting me—“Come meet with Me.” Family and friends gathered to dedicate our new home. I was so excited to show my prayer room to them. I pointed and said, “On this wall, I’m going to write prayer requests, and then I’m going to record answers as they come in.” A friend suggested, “Let’s start now.” And so, we did.
Each name and date stood as a witness to His faithfulness. During that season of life, my grandchildren were small. We spent time together in that prayer room. We danced together and prayed together. I had them trace their handprint on my prayer wall. Inside the drawing, they wrote the name “Jesus.” I led a weekly Bible study and prayer groups in our home. When someone accepted Jesus as their Savior, I asked them to sign their name on the wall and put a date beside it. When individuals received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they joined the wall as well. God gave us the privilege of having many missionaries from around the world in our home during that time. I would also have them put their signatures and the dates on the wall. Over the years, that wall of remembrances became a treasured 73
74 | Adventures in Prayer
testimony of God’s plans for our home. Each name and date stood as a witness to His faithfulness. Like my prayer chair, my first prayer room became a settled, secure, and holy meeting place with God. Countless times I would sit in my prayer chair and give thanks to God for meeting me there. And I would offer a special prayer of thanks for my Bruce.
My Message to You
One time, I prayed for a woman who needed a safe place to meet with God. Living in a crowded situation and having no alone time, still we prayed. Weeks later, she reported with great joy and thanksgiving that God had designated a place for her to meet Him—her bathtub. That’s right! With no water. Can you imagine the pleasure of our Father at the intentionality and purity of her pursuit? The world is God’s footstool, and we can meet with Him anywhere. God is closer than your breath and your whispers. Exodus 33:7 paints such a beautiful picture of God’s people making a tent and pitching it away from the busyness of life. You need a place where you can run away with God. Your home may not be large enough for a prayer room. You may not even live in your own home. In fact, you might be in an extended care facility. But you can find a special place to talk to God. It might be a prayer room, a closet, or even a seat by the window. Set aside a place where you can pray
75 | Adventures in Prayer
and proclaim God’s rule over all things. I pray you will find your “tent of meeting.”
God’s Message to You
My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!” —Song of Songs 2:10–13 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. —Psalm 119:114 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues. —Psalm 31:20
76 | Adventures in Prayer
Your Message to God
• Listen to God’s voice as He calls for you to “come away” with Him. Ask Him to help you establish a location to meet Him. • Think about how God met Moses in the Holy Tent. His presence rested in a special way in that place. Ask God to meet you in a special way today.
77 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 15
A New Name I believe God has a redemptive purpose for everyone and everything, and His Word speaks to every situation. And I love to have a Scripture for everything. Nothing happens by chance. There are no coincidences. God is always working, and He uses the Bible to confirm His plans. In 2000, my life hit a brick wall. God was moving us to Colorado Springs, Colorado. As my husband signed the contract with the real estate agent, I sat in my prayer chair, hugging my Bible and crying. Why were we leaving our family, friends, and church? I believed that life, as I had known it, was over. My small group, prayer partners, ministry—all finished! The future appeared as a blank page. I was scared, confused, and sad. At this time, my prayer had no words … so all I could do was cry. I placed my Bible on my lap and opened it. Then my eyes landed on Numbers 32:20–22: “If you will do this … take the land … then afterward you may return” (paraphrase). My spirit settled. I knew God was sending me, had plans for me, and would bring me home. So, I began to pray.
78 | Adventures in Prayer
Father, thank You for the unique way you have designed each of us and the personal way you speak to me. Thank You for Your written Word that is also Your voice. Thank You for unfolding destiny in my life. Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening. God has moved me around enough for me to know to ask Him these important questions: “Why am I here? Why did You move me here? What is it that You want to do in and through me in this place?” When we moved to Colorado Springs, I prayed for the Lord to make our home a place of redemption and do miracles there. As He started talking to my husband and me about our home, we traveled through the Bible. I came upon Zechariah 3:10, a verse about a fig tree. It made my heart pick up speed. The fig tree in ancient Judaism was often a place where people would rest, where they would take their afternoon siestas. They also sat and talked about the Lord under the fig trees. That image captivated me. I sensed that the Lord was telling me that was the redemptive purpose of our home. So we named our house Fig Tree—a place to rest and talk about the Lord. I asked God what he wanted me to do to make our house that kind of place. I searched the Scriptures and read every reference to “fig tree” that I could find. As I learned about the fig tree and its role in the Bible, I became more
79 | Adventures in Prayer
certain that our home was to be a place of rest and conversation about God. So I prayed even more. Zechariah 3:10 became the theme verse for our new home: “ ‘ In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ” We dedicated Fig Tree to the Lord and asked Him to show us how to make it a place where others could rest and learn more about God. He had a plan, and it soon became our plan. So, I took that Scripture quite literally; I invited our neighbors to come and visit. I made special invitations. Then I went door-to-door and invited all the women to come to our home for tea. At our meeting, we would consider having a neighborhood Bible study and prayer meeting. And that is what God did. We had lived in Colorado for only six months and God had already formed a women’s Bible study and prayer group in our home! I playfully called the women my Figs and their husbands called themselves “Fig Newtons.” The women came from many denominations, and each person was at a different place in her relationship with the Lord. Over the course of two and one-half years, we prayed and studied the Bible together. Before my husband and I moved back to Texas, each woman accepted Christ and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Bible became
real and alive to them. We introduced them to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit did the work.
I knew God was sending me, had plans for me, and would bring me home. Before we moved to Colorado, I had no idea when we would return to Texas, but we surrendered to God’s will and set out with hope and a promise. When we returned to Texas, God had used us in Colorado just the way He planned it. As suddenly as God took us to Colorado Springs, He brought us back. When we arrived back in Texas, we decided to build a new home. We shopped for the right place at the right price. After several dead-ends, we found ourselves driving through a neighborhood with three empty lots. Finally, we came upon one and immediately felt as if we were home. It was adjacent to a 36-acre horse ranch with a lovely fountain, which would become our backyard view. Bruce and I listed all the reasons we would not be able to purchase this lot. Nevertheless, we sensed that God had chosen this property. So we prayed, and then called the owner of the lot. It turned out to be a blessing for everyone; he moved on and we moved in! 80
81 | Adventures in Prayer
That afternoon, I glanced at the open Bible on my desk. My eyes fell upon Psalm 16:5–6. The Lord will hold and maintain my lot. Surely the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places (paraphrase). So, we named our home Pleasant Place. We had these Bible verses engraved in stone and attached to the front porch wall. They stand as a statement and a reminder to all who enter—Welcome to His Pleasant Place.
My Message to You
Are you content with where you are in life? Many people spend their lives thinking the “good stuff ” is just around the corner. Remember, your destiny and your destination are not necessarily the same thing. If God has planted you somewhere, set down roots. At least set them down far enough for God to allow you to minister to others in that place. Repeatedly, God’s Word gives accounts of special names for places. You might be in a large home. You could even be in prison. Or, you might be somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. Whatever situation you find yourself in, meet God there and ask Him to show you His purpose for putting you there. And then, name it—go to God’s Word and name it. Find a name that declares God’s glory for that place.
82 | Adventures in Prayer
God’s Message to You
Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. —Psalm 37:3–6 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:11–13
83 | Adventures in Prayer
Your Message to God
• Thank God for placing you where you are. He is working out everything there for your good. • Ask Him to show you what purpose He has for you in this place. Ask Him to show you how this experience is part of His greater plan for your life—you might not get the answer today, but He will answer. • Search God’s Word. Ask God to help you find a name for your current place in life—to His glory.
Day 16
Silent Seasons Have you ever been in seasons where it seems like God is silent? I have. At those times, I wrestle to get back to that place of meeting. I pray, I fast, and I repent. But silence. Just silence. There’s no sense of an aha moment when I leave my prayer room. It feels like I have hit a spiritual brick wall. When I minister, I don’t sense the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So, I wait; I abide. At these times, I cry out, “God, I need you!” God has always spoken to me when I open the Scriptures and read His Word. It’s like manna to my hungry soul. But now, I find myself turning the pages of my Bible and looking for a message that will jump off the page and into my spirit. One day, at the end of my resources, I called out, “Father, I would love a word. I’d love to hear You.” Hesitantly, I open my Bible. With a deep breath (and lots of hope), I look down and it is … a blank page. Blank? Of all the pages … how did I open my Bible to one of the few pages where there’s no print? Not one word. Nevertheless, here I am, at the end of the Old Testament 84
85 | Adventures in Prayer
and before the beginning of the New Testament. The blank page is staring back at me. And I respond: “That is not funny, God! Not funny!”
One day, at the end of my resources, I called out, “Father, I would love a word. I’d love to hear You.” Then, I sense His presence. I become quiet and still. A calm touches my spirit, and God speaks: Mary, this is a transition season. You are not seeing your circumstances the way that I see them. Even during Israel’s “400 years of silence,” I was still there. A transition. You are passing from law to grace. You are moving from the prophetic promise to prophecy fulfilled. You are moving from old revelation to new. You are moving to Immanuel—God with us—even as I am in heaven. What a relief! God has been working all along. My seasons of silence have taught me so much about waiting, trusting, pressing in, and persisting. Most of all, they have
86 | Adventures in Prayer
taught me worship. Now, my prayer life is so much more about who He is and less about what I am experiencing. I had been making it all about me. I was focusing on what God and I were doing together, rather than who He is.
My Message to You
Have you experienced a season of silence? When you do, the quietness may seem deafening. Do you hear your voice growing louder while God seems to whisper? Sometimes God speaks most clearly during times of silence, but we need to listen closely. During these days, He resets our perspective. Remember, God stays the same, but He speaks in many different ways. Step back, search His Word, and listen. Worshipping Him is more important than anything else you can do right now. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). He is present in the middle of your worship. Praise Him! Don’t stop until His voice rings in your ears.
God’s Message to You
Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily. —Psalm 102:1–2
87 | Adventures in Prayer
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:38–39
Your Message to God
• Psalm 46:10 encourages us to “Be still and know that I am God. . . . ” Take a moment right now to stop and to be still. • Then begin to praise the Lord for who He is and for what He has done. Try not to think about yourself. Keep your heart and mind on Him alone. • As you focus only on praising Him, how does it affect you? Write about these feelings in your prayer journal.
88 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 17
Hindsight I love getting older. By adding years to my life, I feel like I gain the gift of hindsight. Looking back allows me to see God’s eternal plan, His perspective, as He works out His purposes in my life. It is a gift to have the ability to recognize the faithfulness of God. He has never left me nor walked away from me. I have learned to trust my future to God. He lovingly orchestrated the past, and I know He is working in the present. In 1990, God arranged a property purchase for Bruce and me in Michigan. Years later, that purchase along with God’s direction landed us in a garden home in Colorado Springs. For a short season, we lived part of the time in Colorado and part in Texas. While in Colorado, we found ourselves only three miles from the World Prayer Center. For those first two years, I lived just three miles from the classes being taught by my prayer mentors: Chuck Pierce, Cindy Jacobs and Dutch Sheets. Although I had not met any of them personally, their ministries and writings greatly influenced my prayer life. Dutch’s book, Intercessory Prayer: How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth,
89 | Adventures in Prayer
had alone given me the most important revelation I had for understanding how God needed my prayers. Cindy Jacob’s book, The Voice of God: How God Speaks Personally and Corporately to His Children Today, taught and encouraged me to recognize and respond to God’s voice. And Chuck Pierce’s Receiving the Word of the Lord: Bringing Life to Your Prophetic Word revealed how I could receive and activate the prophetic in my life. For those two years, I kept asking God if I could attend the classes and conferences at the World Prayer Center. And God said, “No.” I was in the wilderness. I kept asking the Lord, “Is this a wilderness I chose or one you called me to experience?” God’s response: “Both.” I felt as though He had grounded me. However, I look back at those two years as being some of my richest times with God. I learned the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, journaling, meditation, Bible reading, and study. God gave me a time to refine and define my relationship with Him. It was both a wilderness and a treasure. Then, once again, God interrupted our lives. Through a series of events, our finances demanded we move from Texas to Colorado Springs. God’s counsel was, “Life as you’ve known it is over.” Ultimately, God had been laying the foundation for us when we purchased that property in Colorado. One night, while sitting at my computer, I started alphabetizing the prayer webpages that I visited. And my
90 | Adventures in Prayer
computer mouse landed on one of the links. I clicked it. The page opened to a site that just happened to be the World Prayer Center and Wagner Leadership Institute. I began exploring the website for the first time. Attending the school would cost money, but I felt the weightiness of the Holy Spirit settle on my shoulders. I heard God say, “I want you to go there.” Then I told Bruce what I had heard God say. He responded, “Because of what has happened to our finances, I don’t know how we could afford this.” The next morning he left his prayer chair to tell me that God had spoken. I was to attend the school. So, we sold some of our furniture and dishes, and God provided all the money that I would need to go to the school!
By adding years to my life, I feel like I gain the gift of hindsight. Only nine days later, I found myself sitting in a classroom with 30 other students for a two-day intensive class on prayer. For the next 18 months, I lived an adventure; I went to classes, attended conferences, wrote papers, and processed information. And I prayed. I received prophetic words that to me seemed too big and unrealistic: “You are going to lead prayer, teach, speak, and go to the nations.” I understood enough about the prophetic to know that God would need
to confirm this message; it would have to agree with His Word. I continued to pray, “Here I am. Use me.” And I told God to have His way. I decided to follow the Lord through every door He opened and to trust Him for everything else. For two years, I asked God to show me what His plans would look like. I wanted to know how He was going to fulfill this prophecy. Every time I asked Him these questions, He responded the same way: “I know. And I’ll let you know what you need to know when you need to know it!” In November 2003, I attended a class in which I received a prophetic word from Chuck Pierce. He said: Mary Jo, you have been through many ups and downs this past year. Nevertheless, you have continued to advance. Keep advancing. Your husband will come to understand your calling. In the spring, you will blossom. Keep advancing. That following February, Bruce and I went to Texas to prepare our taxes and visit family. When we left the tax appointment, Bruce said, “We are going to have to go to work.” My last full-time job was as an airline stewardess in the 1960s. I had no idea what I was going to do. One of my friends told me that her church in Texas was hiring administrative assistants. But I didn’t have any administrative skills! However, the following afternoon, I stopped by 91
92 | Adventures in Prayer
Gateway Church to see the newly completed construction of their sanctuary. There were not many people in the building. As I walked through the quiet halls, I met one of the pastors. Each of us knew who the other one was, but beyond that, there was no connection. In the process of exchanging pleasantries, the conversation turned to ministry. I mentioned hearing that he might need an administrative assistant. He said he did, and then he asked if I knew anyone available from Colorado Springs. I laughed. Then he said, “What I really need is someone who will establish, train, and release prayer.” Immediately, and for the second time in my life, the weightiness of the Holy Spirit rested on my shoulders, and God whispered, “This is that.” So a few months later, I joined Gateway Church as the pastor over prayer and intercession with a mandate to develop a culture of prayer at the church. Only God— because I could never dream this big nor imagine anything this wonderful. And I never expected this blessing. In that one moment, God put together the puzzle pieces of my life and showed me the picture He had created for me. As I said, I love hindsight. I went through a season of separation from my family, friends, and church. I didn’t feel abandoned as much as I sensed that the Lord had pulled me aside. Once, I asked Him, “Why did You do that?” He replied, “What if I did that so I could spend time with you?” It was in this season that the Lord rearranged my life. He
93 | Adventures in Prayer
reshaped, repurposed, refashioned, and enlarged my heart to beat in sync with His. Only God.
My Message to You
God does not count time the same way that you do. As you look back on your life, can you see God’s plan revealed through the things you have experienced? Perhaps you’re going through things right now that leave you confused and wondering. But listen—God is engaged in your life. Trust and obey. Stay in relationship with other followers of Jesus. God has a destiny for you, a plan. Be patient and pray.
God’s Message to You
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:16–18 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
94 | Adventures in Prayer
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. —Proverbs 3:5–6 So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” —1 Samuel 15:22
Your Message to God
• Thank God for His work in your life, even when you couldn’t see Him acting. • Do you need God’s perspective on some area of your life? Listen for His voice and search His Word today. Ask God to help you see your situation through His eyes. • Today, tell God that you are choosing to trust Him with your past, present, and future. Believe that today is a new day, filled with God’s hope.
95 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 18
The Journey in Pictures Living in Colorado Springs was a season in which I had been separated physically, emotionally, and spiritually from everyone I knew. While living there, I knew I had allowed the cares and concerns of this world to mute God’s voice in my life. My heart felt heavy and burdened. And God wasn’t answering my prayers in the way I thought He should. I didn’t need to learn to endure or survive for a season. But I did need to be close to God—the Living God. Bruce and I went through so many changes, and like a boulder on my heart, my concerns weighed down my expressions of praise, worship, and thanksgiving. Yes, I prayed. And yes, I believed God listened. But He answered in ways my ears were not tuned to hear. During this time, I signed up for a women’s spiritual retreat scheduled at the beautiful Glen Eyrie Castle, nestled in Colorado Springs’ Garden of the Gods. I hoped that getting away would help me break through the barrier I felt between God and me. While I didn’t know what to expect at the retreat, Karen, the host, was an incredible Bible teacher and worship leader.
96 | Adventures in Prayer
The theme for the retreat was “Deeper than Words,” which gave me the impression that the teachings would focus on our personal relationship with the Lord. I knew God wanted me there. In the middle of the busyness of my life, trying to juggle family, school, moving, and ministry, I needed to stop and take account: How was my relationship with God? And what was the condition of my heart? Karen planned to facilitate a weekend for us to hear from God. She asked a professional photographer to speak to us about seeing God in the arts, particularly through the lens of a camera. During his discussion, he encouraged us to see God’s work in and around us. He told us to pray before taking photographs, “God, what are You showing me? What are You saying? God, what do You want me to express?” He shared some significant insights about photography as a devotional exercise: • Photographs show the eye or the soul of the believer. • Photographs shot upward from a position below can express humility and awe. • Photographs taken from above aiming downward give an image of God’s perspective. • Light in a photo touches the negative and makes it a positive. • Expressing our devotion and understanding of God in a non-verbal form, such as photography, often touches parts of our spirit we do not normally access.
Karen’s instructions followed. Her desire was that we would find out how to express our heart to the Father in non-verbal ways during this weekend. She presented each of us a disposable camera and instructed us to take photos that told a story about what God was saying or showing to us. Finally, she told us to prepare to hand back the camera the following evening.
How could I have known that God would speak so clearly to me through those pictures? Early the next morning, we drove to a cabin with an amazing view of the mountain range. Here, Karen provided us another way to experience hearing God. She gave each person a choice of chalk, paint, or pencils. We were told to create a picture of what our hearts looked like. I picked watercolors. And God used the image I created to tell the story of what was going on in my life. As I began to talk with God, I told Him I felt like there was a boulder on my heart. I admitted to Him that I wasn’t doing a very good job at handling this separation from family, friends, and church. I was filled with heartache; I felt as though there were pieces of stone falling from that boulder into the river of life that was supposed to flow out of me. The rocks were 97
98 | Adventures in Prayer
blocking everything. I included all of those elements in my painting. It wasn’t very pretty—the drawing or the condition of my heart. I drew just that—a huge boulder with rocks falling into a stream of flowing water. The rocks were inhibiting the flow of the water. When we left the cabin, Karen invited us to visit a small rustic chapel. What I saw surprised and blessed me. As I opened the door, I saw the walls were constructed around a boulder—actually around a huge boulder! An open Bible sat upon the rock. Suddenly, I felt grace and peace flow gently into my heart. God was healing me; He was changing my perspective. I heard the Lord speak clearly to me, “Stand on My Word. There you will find the answers to your questions. There you will understand the condition of your heart. In My Word, you will find My response to all the things that concern you.” As we drove back down the mountain after that session, I took note of a road sign, and as I did, I stopped to take a photo of a road sign. It showed small rocks falling from a boulder, identical to the one I had painted earlier. I began to laugh and joy filled my heart. Later, I looked at the developed photos from the disposable camera. How could I have known that God would speak so clearly to me through those pictures? They told a story: I was leaving the past behind, embracing the present, and pursuing the future. I laid the photos out into an album. God spoke clearly through those 24 photos. Jesus healed my heart that weekend. He helped me refocus and
99 | Adventures in Prayer
reconnect with Him. And I heard His voice speaking to me, louder than any confusion, care, or concern. And He gave me photographic evidence of His presence.
My Message to You
Look around you—in your home or office. How have you decorated the walls? What objects surround you? Often these images and objects signify our emotions and spiritual condition. Maybe you take photos. What kinds of photos do you collect? God can speak to you about your spiritual health as you explore the images that surround you. The Lord demonstrates His love to you by letting you see the deepest parts of your heart. Ask God to show you the things He wants you to know through this experience.
God’s Message to You
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. —Psalm 139:23–24
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the
100 | Adventures in Prayer
light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” —Matthew 6:22–23
Your Message to God
• Sit quietly for a few minutes and ask God to show you the picture of your heart. What images do you see? • Next, ask God what image He wants for your heart. • In your journal, draw a picture of both images— yours and God’s. • Ask God to help you change your picture to be more like His. What will need to change in your life for yours to be His?
101 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 19
Carpet Time Someone once said, “You can tell who the intercessors are by the carpet impressions on their faces.” People who are crying out to God for others spend a lot of time face down. I’ve spent a lot of time on the carpet, and I wasn’t always interceding for others. Sometimes I simply humbled myself before a Holy God. Other times, I responded with a heart of worship, or I needed a time of repentance. But sometimes I have just been tired and in need of refreshing. And there is no better position than face down before God. The lower I get to the floor, the closer I feel to the heart of God. When I lay prostrate before the Living God, I am physically communicating my desperation, dependency, and a deep desire for His touch in my life. I know the saints and angels are kneeling in heaven. And I am preparing to kneel with them. But I also wonder if I will fall on my face in awe, wonder, and gratitude before the Almighty God. I love floor praying. Many of the most transformative experiences of my life began as I was lying on the floor before the Lord saying,
102 | Adventures in Prayer
I’m just lying here before You, Holy Spirit. And I know that when I get up, I’m going to be different than I am right now. I can feel You hovering over me. I can sense that You are visiting with me. I know You are speaking, comforting, loving, encouraging, exhorting, teaching, and healing me. And when I get up, I know I’m going to be different. I can’t always explain what happens on the floor. But this I know for certain—I am a different person when I get up. Through time and personal experience, I know that when I meet with God, I will be different on the other side of the encounter. I don’t bring an agenda to my “carpet time” prayers. I have no prayer list. And I have no need greater than my desire to meet with God. I want to stay in that place of always wanting more of God. I want to live in a place of holy dissatisfaction. I always want to give God an opportunity to show up and to reveal His glory. I want God to tell me more about who He is and what His plans are for others and me. That is the kind of attitude I want my heart to have. One day, I was resting before the Lord when He brought back a memory of when I was in the second grade and taking First Communion. This event was very significant in my life as a Catholic girl. When I was young, all the
Catholic girls would dress as brides for First Communion. We wore white dresses, white socks with lace, white patent leather shoes, and beautiful little white veils. We were so excited, anticipating a very special day. We gathered in our classroom for last minute instructions. The nuns gave us very clear instructions, “Girls, do not touch your veils. You are not allowed to touch your veils.”
And there is no better position than face down before God. Rather than some deep religious significance, the adults were simply trying to prevent rows of second-graders from a preoccupation with their veils. My veil stood up about three inches like a crown, and it was not secured—it was merely sitting on my head. During Catholic Mass, the participants are very mobile, as they stand, kneel, and sit many times. And there I was—moving. The more I moved, the more the veil kept falling down. At one point, it was resting on my nose. I kept reminding myself, “Don’t touch your veil.” Finally, in an effort to see, I knelt and moved my hands over my face as if praying, attempting to reposition the veil on to the top of my head. I was successful once; I was even successful twice … or so I thought. After the Mass, we went back to our classroom to 103
104 | Adventures in Prayer
debrief. When we sat down, my teacher publicly rebuked me for playing with my veil. There wasn’t time for explanation or excuses … it was what it was. I was shamed. I was embarrassed. And I was deeply wounded as she pointed out that I had played with my veil – not once, but twice! I didn’t realize what a wound that event had left. But, 50 years later, the Lord reminded me of that incident. To my surprise, tears began streaming down my face. I cried. I wept as a second-grade little girl who didn’t have any other motive than to see clearly and keep her veil from falling off. So, we talked about it, the Lord and me. He knew that I had carried a hidden wound. Right there, on my face, Jesus began to minister to me. He removed my shame where I felt embarrassed. He understood when I had been misunderstood. And He declared me righteous when I had felt judged. There, face down, I forgave and released—and I smiled. When I got up, I went to the communion table in my home and took the elements—the bread and the cup. I had the most wonderful time with the Lord that day. Communion took on a new depth and breadth—almost like this was my First Communion. After simply having carpet time before the Lord, I was forever changed. Thank you, Lord, for carpet time.
My Message to You
There is no place more restful than prostrate before the
105 | Adventures in Prayer
Lord. In that position, you can experience God at work. He will show you some of the deepest truths about your life—your hurts and His calling. Learn to discover the joy of praying from a position that is flat, quiet, and still. I know that when you rise, you will be different after a touch from the Holy Spirit. I pray for you to rise from this place submitted, committed, and permitted by our Holy God.
God’s Message to You
All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” —Revelation 7:11–12 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. —James 4:10
Your Message to God
• If you are able, practice lying flat before God. Let your physical expression demonstrate your submitted heart.
106 | Adventures in Prayer
• God’s Word tells us to humble ourselves before Him, and He will lift us up. Ask God to show you what this would look like in your life. • Try playing your favorite music as you rest before the Lord. Allow Him to speak to the deepest parts of your heart. Be ready to listen for the changes He wants to see in you.
107 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 20
Mary or Martha For years, I let Sabbath come and go. It became a day like any other day. Yes, I would gather with other believers to worship and pray, but then I returned to my busyness. I admit that I did not intentionally set aside this day and “make it holy.” Instead, God had a place in my calendar, just like everyone else. Sometimes I called it “a day off,” but I didn’t really rest, let alone celebrate the Holy One Blessed Be He. This neglect began to slowly but surely chip away at me … a little here and a little there. I started doing, but not being, talking, but not listening, serving others but barely serving God. One Sabbath, I was sitting in my prayer chair holding my list of things I needed to talk about with God. The page contained a list of concerns and cares that were weighing me down. I was fretting, and I needed answers. I found myself going back and forth from the Bible to my prayer journal. I was wrestling for that place of peace and trying to find God’s answers to my questions. Then the Lord reminded me of the time a very special out of town guest came to dinner … my dad. I searched
108 | Adventures in Prayer
for the perfect recipe, which I hoped would show him how special I thought he was. And I spent hours shoppin’, choppin’ and stressin’ trying to create the perfect dinner experience. But when the day came, I spent the entire time choppin’ and stressin’. Meanwhile, my dad kept urging me to sit down and spend time with him. Even when we sat to eat, I was too worn out and frazzled to enjoy Dad’s company. I was feeling very much like Martha and very little like Mary. God whispered that the way I approached Sabbath was very much like my dinner with my dad—not very special. How I was living my Sabbath wasn’t working. Not for me. And certainly not for God. But things were about to change. I opened my Bible to the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38–42. Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and
109 | Adventures in Prayer
troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” When Jesus arrived, Martha was busy serving her guests, trying to make everything perfect, while her sister did nothing but enjoy the presence of Jesus. Martha and Mary—two sisters. Two opposites. One chose busyness over worship, the other chose worship over busyness. Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet, leaving Martha to work in the kitchen alone. Jesus responded to Martha’s legitimate request, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).
The goodly gift of Sabbath has influenced my entire prayer life. God nudged me once again to choose “the good part.” He invited me to savor His presence. I put my Bible down, turned on some worship music, and listened quietly. I realized that I had pressured myself into a self-imposed Martha-mode. What I really wanted was a Mary-moment. I wrestled with the unholy tension between those two
110 | Adventures in Prayer
choices. My heart wanted to be like Mary, who chose the better part. But my mind couldn’t shake my “to-do” list. I felt such frustration. So, I finally asked, “Lord, did you love Martha?” I mean, I know that He did. Still, I needed to ask. As I read Luke 10, I thought about Jesus’ response to Martha and Mary. I admit that I felt a little discomfort. Did Jesus prefer one sister over the other? So, I picked up other versions of the Bible. I opened each of them to John 11:5. And in every version, the translators used very similar English wording: “Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.” I read eight different English versions. When John wrote these words, he mentioned Martha by name, and he mentioned her first. When I realized what John had done, it made me smile. Jesus loved Martha. And Jesus loves me, but He wanted me to learn to rest in His presence … for my own good. Then God began to speak to me about Sabbath. Shabbat is a signpost. Sabbath is a rest stop. I often thought of Sabbath as a day of rest that looked a lot like a vacation, a trip to the spa, or a holiday. In reality, it is part of God’s rhythm of life. I needed a serious reboot, a physical, mental, (and most of all) spiritual reset. I needed to start living what I preached. That means I needed to take a serious inventory of my priorities and find the rest God promises to us. But where was I supposed to start? I went to my
computer and typed in the search term “rest.” The first result was a book by Senator Joseph Liebermann, who is also an Orthodox Jew: The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath. He had much to say about rest from the Jewish tradition of Sabbath observance. So I downloaded the book to my digital reader and swiped to the first page. There, as an epigraph on the first page, was a quote from the Jewish Talmud. “The Holy One, Blessed Be He” My heart began beating faster. So, I paused. For some reason, these six words echoed within me and caused an awe of God to rest on me. Then I started reading again: “The Holy One, Blessed Be He, said to Moses, ‘In My storehouse is a goodly gift and Sabbath is its name.’ ” At that moment, I knew God was changing the trajectory of my life. I committed my heart and lifestyle, not only to learn about this “goodly gift,” but also to learn how to live it. The goodly gift of Sabbath has influenced my entire prayer life. The intentionality of living from and towards God’s rest has rearranged my priorities. I am only at the beginning of discovering all the treasures wrapped up in God’s heart for Shabbat. God loved Martha and Mary, but Mary had learned to rest in the presence of her Lord. This teaching moment was the only the beginning. God has spoken. Sabbath is a commandment. Sabbath is a key 111
112 | Adventures in Prayer
to discovering an “unforced rhythm of grace” mentioned in Matthew 11:28–30. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (The Message). I am on a quest to incorporate God’s plan for rest into my life. In only a few years, I have learned that obeying God about Sabbath brings great joy and establishes a pace for the rest of my week, my life, my prayer time, and my ministry.
My Message to You
Every stage of life has its unique pressures. We can always busy ourselves with something. I pray you will have as much wisdom to say, “No” as you have the energy to say, “Yes.” I pray you will overcome your fear of other people and their expectations. Both Mary and Martha had great strengths, and Jesus loved them all. These two women represent our lives. Very likely, each of us has taken on both of
113 | Adventures in Prayer
these sisters’ characteristics. Remember, a godly work ethic requires a godly rest ethic. Work and Sabbath. Both have their place. But God created the Sabbath for people. He wants us to learn to work and rest, not just one day a week, but also every day, as we trust Him with our lives.
God’s Message to You
“Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove. Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.” —Exodus 23:10–12 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. —Psalm 37:7
114 | Adventures in Prayer
Your Message to God
• Give God thanks that He allows you to rest and trust Him. • The Lord wants us to work, but He wants us to see our labor from His point of view. He is the source of all good things, including your work and your material possessions. Be alert to temptation and ask the Lord to forgive you if you have let the sin of pride shape your view of your work. • Ask God to give you wisdom about when to work or rest. In all things, ask Him to show you His will for you.
Day 21
My Listening Chair I sat in my prayer chair struggling with a list of questions that needed answers. And not just any answers. These questions needed God-answers. My prayer chair had become a place of petition, tears, searching, studying, and journaling; it was a very busy spot. I began my long litany of requests, responses, reports, regrets, and rehashing to the very One who already knows everything. So there I was, sitting in my prayer chair, lamenting to God about people, places, and things. Then God interrupted me, “Mary, you talk too much!” That’s right! God told me I talk too much! I laughed and said, “Lord, you’re not the first one to tell me that.” In that moment, God spoke to me in the gentlest way— as He often does. He told me that if I would just hush and listen, He would speak clearly to me. In fact, He took the conversation one step further. He directed me to get a “listening chair” and put it in my prayer room. Apparently, I couldn’t be quiet long enough in my prayer chair to listen to Him. I needed a tent of meeting for my tent of meeting! It only took a few minutes for me to go downstairs and 115
116 | Adventures in Prayer
pick a chair. Then I carried it upstairs into my prayer room. Now I have two chairs! I have my prayer chair where I talk to God, meet with Him, pray for people, and we wrestle through things. Then I have my listening chair to curl up in and just sit. I wait on God there … I listen for His voice … I lean in.
Then God interrupted me, “Mary, you talk too much!” My listening chair has now become my favorite spot in my prayer room. It is not there so I can journal, study, read, or pray. Its purpose is for listening. It is the place for Jesus to love on me. In that place, I am encouraged, comforted, and counseled by the Holy Spirit. Early one morning, I sat in my listening chair and imagined what it will be like to see Him face-to-face—that moment in time, in timeless eternity, when we meet. God began speaking about that moment. I grabbed a pen and began to write down what I heard Him say. My Listening Chair
This chair, an intentional place to sit, As if climbing on Your lap, I just fit. Enveloped in Your presence free
117 | Adventures in Prayer
To rest, Selah, ponder, just You and me. I picture Your throne room, large and grand. I enter. You rise and reach out Your hand. I bow, I tremble, and I seek a place Where I can hide and merely see Your face. Instead, You take some steps towards me. As we walk to a place I cannot see. I follow You with heart beating fast. And pray silently that this moment will last. We turn the corner, and what do I see? But my earthly listening chair beckoning me. Here is my heavenly place set apart, Reserved for my Lord and me: one heart!
My Message to You
Learn to listen. Your Father God is not a distant, absent, too-busy, scolding parent. On the contrary, His desire is for you to sit still so that He can tell you how much He loves you. Are you ready to receive those words of affection from Him? Stop, rest, and find peace as you practice listening for God’s voice. As you sit quietly, let your awareness of His presence grow. If you will take time to listen, you will feel His presence even as you go out to conduct your affairs of the day.
118 | Adventures in Prayer
God’s Message to You
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. —Psalm 46:10–11 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.” —Proverbs 8:32
Your Message to God
• Choose a place to sit, be still, and listen to God. Make listening part of your regular prayer discipline. • Write in your journal about the things you hear from God during this experience. • If you find it difficult to sit still and listen for God’s voice, write about that experience in your journal. Be honest with God about your struggle. God may give you a solution in your own writing. • Find your own listening chair, curl up and hush! Discover His presence, peace, and overwhelming love. Once you live out the revelation that you were created to be a friend of God, you will never be the same. Come closer, He wants to share His heart with you.
119 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 22
Hush Fast Several years before I went into full-time ministry, I read a book about developing a prayer life. The book cited a survey on the prayer discipline of people in full-time ministry. This survey stated that, on average, pastors pray 22 minutes per day. It felt like an arrow went into my heart when I discovered that fact. I thought, “That can’t possibly be true!” Now, I personally know how it possibly can be true. The Lord took me to Zephaniah 1:7: “[Hush!] Be silent before the Lord God …” (Amplified Version). The Lord asked me to do a 22-day fast, where I would remain silent for 22 minutes each day. He told me to stand in the gap for the pastors whose prayer lives were reduced to only 22 minutes a day. I had such a burden for those pastors and their prayer lives. So, I did it. In fact, it became one of my favorite fasts. It wasn’t easy learning to hush—to be silent. It took several days to quiet my mind, because I wasn’t actively praying for those 22 minutes. Instead, I was just being still before the Lord. In hindsight, I believe I was fasting in silence as a way to pray
120 | Adventures in Prayer
for those leaders in full-time ministry to take time to be with God; to be silent, to listen, to receive.
In that place of submission and obedience, God filled me with awe. On the first day, I lay prostrate before the Lord, quieting my mind. It actually felt like I was sinking into the heart of God. I sensed the sweet hand of God over me. It was a deep rest. The sun had shifted in the window when those 22 minutes ended; it had landed immediately above me. I felt its warmth. I took off my shoes, because I sensed the Lord had established holy ground. In that place of submission and obedience, God filled me with awe. It is a discipline that I like to revisit: “Hush, be silent in the presence of God.” After each of those 22 days, I recorded the experience— no matter how good or bad, long or short it was: 3–11–03
22 minutes of silence before the Lord today. A real struggle. Not easy to silence my mind and pray, etc. Submit.
121 | Adventures in Prayer
3–12–03
22 minutes of silence before the Lord today. A little easier than yesterday—trying to get my heart of worship on Him only! 3–13–03
Fought to get in His presence today. Finally submitted at 3:30 pm. Real struggle to rest my spirit and mind on Him. I pray my soul learns to submit to my spirit. 3–14–03
Less of a fight to submit to the 22 minutes today. Found a more comfortable resting position … not prostrate, rather kneeling prostrate. 3–15–03
Prophetically followed the LIGHT today. Moved my face to be in the sun. 3–16–03
Sensed this is a big move of God in my life—calling me to “Hush, be silent in the presence of the Lord.” 3–17–03
Lord telling me—“This is BIG!” This act of
122 | Adventures in Prayer
obedience and being silent before Him for 20 minutes is BIG! “Watch and see what I will do in your spirit,” says the Lord. “Watch and see. Be silent before me,” says the Lord. 3–18–03
Today, after sitting in the presence of the Lord— and then doing my Bible reading, I came across “discernment.” Psalm 119:125—“Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws” (nlt). 3–19–03
Today, lying prostrate before my Lord … “Rest in the light,” He says. Don’t judge others—take the speck out of your eye. 3–20–03
Today, as I prepared for my Hush Time, I repented for all the times I had come to the Lord and allowed others to interrupt—phone calls, etc. 3–21–03
Came into the sitting room and the fireplace was burning—and I thought of the burning bush. I said, “Speak Lord, Your servant is listening” …
silence … felt Him singing over me. I took off my shoes. . . . 3–22–03
Revelation 4. Hallelujah! Lord God Almighty! Thank you for creating me so I could know You, love You, and serve You! 3–23–03
It is in this Hush Time—when I sit and lie in His presence that the Glory of God will fill me … like Moses, when he came down from the mountain and people could see the Glory in him. 3–24–03
Hush Time—God Almighty meets with a host of warring angels and releases them for justice and righteousness … His will on earth. 3–25–03
“I AM … I AM Thy Shield and Thy Exceeding Great Reward … I AM the Lord, Who brought you out … I AM the Almighty God … I AM the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob … I AM that I AM.”
123
124 | Adventures in Prayer
3–26–03
22 minutes Hush Time today—My heart full of love for my God! I can only love because He first loved me. 3–27–03
Today—lay prostrate before Him with a white receiving blanket over me. Robes of righteousness. 3–28–03
“Come, let Me hold you close.” 3–29–03
Father’s Heart. Tears—Heartbroken. Today I just need my Abba Daddy—to sit on His lap … To feel Him near. 3–30–03
It’s all about Him. Throne room. 3–31–03
Hush—“Friend, I call you Friend.” 4–1–03
Thank You, Abba—I serve and love an Awesome God!
125 | Adventures in Prayer
Looking back on this holy, set-apart 22 minutes for 22 days, God taught me so much: how to quiet my soul; how to submit my soul and body to my spirit; and how to hear God speak and then see it confirmed afterwards.
My Message to You
God’s Word is faithful to teach and lead you. The prophet Zephaniah delivered a powerful message of God’s judgment, which would extend from Jerusalem to Judah, and finally to the entire world. God’s holiness and power should cause people to fall silent. But God’s message of silence does not apply only to times of judgment. When God is speaking, all creation should fall silent. For this reason, times of silence remind us of the power and majesty of God, both in love and in judgment. You can declare God’s glory with your mouth— sometimes when you speak and other times when you remain silent. Allow the Lord to have authority over your tongue, so that His Spirit can speak to you and through you.
God’s Message to You
“But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” —Habakkuk 2:20 “Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!” —Zechariah 2:13
126 | Adventures in Prayer
Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; For the day of the Lord is at hand, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. —Zephaniah 1:7
Your Message to God
• Practice silence before the Lord today. Focus on God’s holiness, love, and power. • What is the Holy Spirit saying to you during this time of silence? How will you respond to Him? • Record your experiences in your journal.
127 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 23
Donkeys Still Speak I didn’t expect God to speak to me through a donkey. I mean, who does? But that’s exactly what He did. I had just finished writing this prayer in my journal: Father, I love doing life with You. But in this season, I have more questions than answers about what You want to do with my life. Help me understand Your will for my life. Show me how You want to use me. Teach me the way to go and I will obey. As I thought about that prayer, I had an instant image in my mind. I was standing on a fence overlooking a field. I was feeling a great deal of freedom. This image was so clear that I took my colored pencils and drew it in my journal. Then came a whisper: “What do you see?” I sat there for a very long time. I looked up Scriptures about fences, fields, and freedom, but nothing spoke back to me. After a prolonged time for meditation, questions, and lots of silence, I closed my journal and said, “Lord, I don’t
128 | Adventures in Prayer
see a thing in that field. Nothing. But I trust You that when You are ready to show me, You will.” When I headed downstairs and walked through my living room, I glanced at our backyard, which happens to overlook a small ranch. I stopped in my tracks. My heart started beating fast, and I laughed aloud! There, in the field on the other side of my fence, I saw a donkey! I had never seen him before. “A donkey!?” I exclaimed. I know very well that there is an important story in the Bible that reminds us God can even use a donkey to speak to us (Numbers 22:28–30). In that story, God spoke through a donkey to the prophet, Balaam. At that moment, I began a conversation with God that is still ongoing. I started by looking up every Bible passage that contains a donkey. I discovered that God was speaking to me using the donkey as an important image. So, I studied donkeys, both in and out of the Bible. I learned that the Bible often describes donkeys as burden-bearers. An intercessor is literally a burden-bearer. They are the people who carry the concerns of others and the burden of God’s message through their prayers. Donkeys are loyal and faithful. They have incredible memories— they can recognize the places they have been and other donkeys they have known, even when separated by a span of 25 years. Unlike horses, donkeys are not easily startled. And they have a keen sense of curiosity. Donkeys also have a reputation for stubbornness, but this is due to their highly developed sense of
self-preservation. They can hardly be forced or frightened into doing something, especially if they think it is not safe or to their advantage. Donkeys are more independent in their thinking than horses, with an ability to reason and make decisions based on their own perception of safety.
Who would have thought God still speaks through donkeys? Also, donkeys express emotion and they bond for life. If they trust a human, they will do almost anything their owners want. Donkeys are trained by showing through words and actions that they will be protected. And they can learn many things if their owners take time to show them. God was answering my prayer: “Teach me the way to go and I will obey.� He was instructing me in my role as a pastor over prayer and intercession for my church. Many of the strengths of a donkey are also vital for prayer intercessors. Fear does not control us when we trust the Lord. Instead, we should assess the conditions and make wise decisions based on the safety of those people within our circle of prayer. The lessons and similarities to the characteristics and strengths of an intercessor were amazing. I learned to love that donkey. For three years, I watched as he took care of a horse. He followed his horse, grazed 129
130 | Adventures in Prayer
with it, watched over it, and spent many hours with it. I watched that donkey rest with the horse, brave the weather with it, and drink water beside it from the stream by my house. He stood constantly beside that horse like a faithful armor-bearer. This donkey was a constant reminder of God’s voice and presence. So, I named him “Friend.” I have written down many lessons I learned from that donkey in a journal. God spoke to me and taught me through my “Friend.” Through something so simple, I learned that God would “Teach me the way to go and I will obey.” Who would have thought God still speaks through donkeys? But He does.
My Message to You
Get ready—God is going to speak to you. How do I know this? Because God is always speaking. Our only limitation is our hearing. He may begin with a whisper, a picture, or a Scripture. He is speaking. Be prepared—you will find him in simple things, which then become profound. He will speak to you in your own language, just as He did for the crowds on the Day of Pentecost. God wants to change you to be more like Him. Get ready.
God’s Message to You
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have
131 | Adventures in Prayer
I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.” Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. —Numbers 22:28–31 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.” —Job 12:7–8
Your Message to God
• Has God ever spoken to you in a unique way? Thank Him for talking to you in a language you
132 | Adventures in Prayer
could understand. Write about the experience in your journal. • Tell God you are ready to listen to Him. Then be open to hear His voice. It may come in many different forms. • As God shows you new things, stop and listen. Then record His messages in your journal.
Day 24
Prayer Friends “I want you to walk with them.” I heard God’s undeniable voice. I didn’t respond in my usual way, such as asking the Lord questions: “Why? How? When? What would that look like?” Instead, I approached the married couple God had shown to me and asked them, “After the meeting, would you like to go with me to get something to eat?” These people were strangers. A mutual friend introduced us. Of course, they didn’t know me either. When the meeting ended, I offered to have our church’s Leadership Team pray for them. That’s when that voice interrupted my prayers. I knew the only response from me was—“Lord, I’m ready, willing, and able to accept any assignment.” Over a late-night hamburger, I learned this couple was in transition. Then I found myself awkwardly asking them if they would like to do a forty-day fast with me. In my mind, I was saying, “Lord, did You just say a 40-day fast!?” But there’s no better way to position ourselves during a transition time … and they enthusiastically agreed. The next thing I did was ask another couple to join us. All five of us agreed on a starting date. Then I set up 133
134 | Adventures in Prayer
a private blog for us to communicate our prayer concerns, share the things God was saying to us, and encourage each other. We also agreed to meet in person to pray for one hour per week. For 40 days, we shared our lives together. We carried each other’s burdens; we laughed and cried together. We listened as God affirmed and confirmed His will to us through the Bible. We listened for His voice through transitions, trials, and tests. We found that not only was God knitting our hearts together, but we were also relating to Him in a deeper way. And we stood in amazement as He answered prayers. Then God strengthened our faith when our prayers went unanswered. Through this experience, we learned about the special blessing of partnering in prayer.
The best friendships happen when we pray for one another, believe for one another, and hear God for one another. That first experience was many, many years ago. Since then, my husband and another couple have joined us. Now we are an eight-strand cord. No doubt, the friendships forged in prayer are strong like a rope with many strands.
135 | Adventures in Prayer
Together, we have seen God’s hand as He moved mountains, healed those without hope, and restored things that seemed irretrievably lost. We have laughed and cried together many times—iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17). God has been glorified. The best friendships happen when we pray for one another, believe for one another, and hear God for one another.
My Message to You
One of the most precious things you can ever receive from God is the gift of prayer partners. I am asking God to give you lifelong prayer friends—men and women who will pray with you. They should be faithful to the Lord and the Bible and have the ability to hear God. God is building a partnership for you right now, even before you ask Him to do it. Together, you will agree in prayer and have the joy of seeing prayers answered.
God’s Message to You
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” —Matthew 18:19–20 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’
136 | Adventures in Prayer
doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. —Acts 2:42–43
Your Message to God
• Do you pray with others? If so, thank God for giving you the gift of your prayer partners. If not, ask God to send prayer friends to you. • Think about some of the benefits of praying with others. Write about them in your journal. • Ask God to show you how to be a better prayer friend to others.
Day 25
Second Chances I sat on the airplane, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. As I hid behind my book, I ignored the Holy Spirit’s nudges prompting me to talk to the woman sitting next to me. The hours passed in flight. As we taxied to the gate, I offered a polite greeting. In response, she poured out her story. I discovered that her life was in desperate need for a connection with God. I had been too busy to hear her heartache for her family and her circumstances. I hurriedly listened to a few things she said, and then I quickly replied, “I’ll pray for you.” It sounded hollow. It felt worse.
Why hadn’t I listened to the Holy Spirit? Why hadn’t I listened to the Holy Spirit? If I had only obeyed His prodding, I had plenty of time to share God’s hope with her. Now, I was left with only a split-second opportunity to say I would pray for her. I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. And I immediately repented and promised 137
138 | Adventures in Prayer
the Lord that I would hear and obey Him from now on. I promised not to let another opportunity pass by when He told me to connect someone to Him through prayer. I prayed the Lord give me another chance. Then I prayed for the woman and her family. God is merciful. He gave me a second chance to obey, much like He did for the prophet Jonah. On my return flight, a businessman was sitting next to me. He seemed very busy with his paperwork and looked like he didn’t want to be bothered. However, this time I chose to step out of my own comfort and obey the urging from the Holy Spirit. I turned to the man and said, “Excuse me, but I’m going to spend some time praying on the flight home. Do you have anything specific you would like me to pray for?” While that might be an unusual thing to ask a stranger, God prompted me to say it. As He did, a conversation began. I listened to the man talk about growing up in church. However, the more I heard his story, it sounded like he had a lot of experience with religion and not much of a relationship with Jesus. Again, I felt the Holy Spirit’s prodding—“Ask him about Jesus.” Once again, I obeyed. This time it opened the door for Jesus to join the conversation. By the end of the trip, the man had prayed and committed his life to Jesus. I’m so grateful to God for His mercy and grace. My prayer changed from “Dear Lord, please forgive me for not
139 | Adventures in Prayer
being available to pray when You asked,” to “Thank you, Father, for letting me be Your vessel to minister to this man.” Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. —Philippians 2:3–4
My Message to You
The Lord is a God of second chances—even third chances. He does not want to see you fail. Seize the opportunities that God provides. And when you fail, change your heart and mind and immediately obey Him. God has chosen you. He wants you to connect people with Him and to tell people about Him. So many people are hurting, lonely, sick, and confused … they may not even know that they need God. But God has placed you in their path. He has chosen you to respond to them with kindness, planting the seeds of God’s grace in their lives.
God’s Message to You
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for
140 | Adventures in Prayer
their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. —Jonah 1:1–3 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. —Galatians 6:2
Your Message to God
• Ask God to show you how to obey Him immediately when He speaks. • If you have missed opportunities to respond to God’s voice, ask Him to forgive you. • If you feel guilt or shame for disobeying God’s prompting, ask Him to heal your emotions. • Think about how you will listen for God’s voice going forward. Write about the things God is saying to you as you tell Him you want to hear and obey.
141 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 26
Finding Rhythm May He keep me centered and devoted to Him, following the life path He has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms He laid down for me. —1 Kings 8:58, mjp God often uses objects to teach deep spiritual principles. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?” If we asked that in our churches today, many in the audience would reply with a thundering “Yes!” I have certainly been at that point in my life—the point where I can only pray that one word powerful prayer: “Help!” I have found myself wrestling with a clock that has only 24 hours and a calendar that has only 7 days. Help! How many times have we heard someone say, “There’s just not enough hours in the day”? Everyone seems to say it at some point—teenagers, college students, young couples, new professionals, parents with young children,
grandparents, and retirees. Every person carries burdens. Help. I am busy, and I like being that way. I thrive with multi-tasking. I like to be around people. I like to start new things. And I love serving God. This problem is universal. I blurred the line between serving God and obeying God. I allowed myself to do religious activities and neglect my relationship with Him. In order to prevent over-commitment, I have even practiced saying the word “No.” Ultimately, I found myself lying on my prayer room floor crying out, “enough is enough!” During one of those times, I was listening to a message by Dutch Sheets when one word shouted at me—metronome. The word was louder than the message. I knew it had something to do with music, but I didn’t understand its purpose. So, I searched the Internet. I discovered that a metronome measures and regulates the tempo in music. It trains the ear to hear the rhythm. The metronome has a weight on its arm that can be raised or lowered to adjust the tempo; it regulates the pace. Then I heard God clearly whisper to me, “The Holy Spirit is your internal metronome, showing you how to walk with Me and work with Me. Watch how I do it. Your pace (your activities, commitments, and calendar) should accelerate or slow down depending on My voice, counsel, and direction.” He was teaching me. Whispering to me, “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy 142
143 | Adventures in Prayer
or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me, and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” So, I purchased my own metronome, and it sits on the windowsill of my prayer room. I often find myself sitting there watching and listening to the rhythm of the metronome, as I synchronize my heart to His. I tune my ear to the sound of the arm swinging back and forth to that constant, faithful rhythm, reminding me of God’s eternal heartbeat.
I tune my ear to the sound of the arm swinging back and forth to that constant, faithful rhythm, reminding me of God’s eternal heartbeat. In Beyond the Veil, Alice Smith relates a story told by Bible teacher Kay Arthur. Kay and her husband, Jack, had been watching a medical program that showed a heart transplant surgery. The surgeon laid the diseased heart and the transplant heart side by side before transplantation. He moved them next to each other, until the tissue of one heart touched the other. Suddenly, both hearts assumed the same rhythm. God created us in such an amazing way.
144 | Adventures in Prayer
When I become physically and spiritually exhausted from pushing myself too hard, I retreat to my prayer room so that I can lay my heart next to God’s heart. Then I can synchronize with His heart. I have found His unforced rhythms of grace. He won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on me. The Lord safeguards me during those seasons when I cry, “Enough is enough!” He is enough and His grace is sufficient. In seasons of peaceful rest or tiring work, quiet or clamor, when things are well with my soul or the floodgates of hell are trying to prevail, I have found I can trust God’s Word from Matthew 11:28. My metronome stands as a reminder to seek and find the rhythm of God’s heart.
My Message to You
Do you have balance in your life? If you are like most people, you probably need improvement in this area. Listen for God’s rhythm. The Lord will guide you, if you will let Him. The Holy Spirit will fill you so that your way will become His way. If you are experiencing burnout, lay your heart next to His. Let Him tether your priorities to His and receive His rhythm. Learn the truth of Isaiah 30:21— “This is the way, walk in it …”
God’s Message to You
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has
145 | Adventures in Prayer
himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. —Hebrews 4:9 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. —Genesis 3:8 What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. —Romans 3:28, The Message
Your Message to God
• Ask God to search your heart. • Ask Him to show you where your heart is not in rhythm with His. • Then ask the Holy Spirit to restore you and synchronize your heart.
146 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 27
Tucking In My prayer room, my prayer chair, and my listening chair are not easily moved. They are part of my home. However, one night, God showed me how to set my life apart from everything else, so that He could take up residence in my heart. I stood in the middle of a worship service, voices swelling around me. The sweet presence of God rested like a cloud on all the people gathered there. The words of the songs were messages from the Holy Spirit spoken to me, resonating with me. I was caught up in loving Him. Without effort, I found my head bowed with my hands cupped to my face, as if tucked into God’s arms. Then I heard the Father whisper, “This is your tent of meeting. The same way you sense My Spirit and hear My voice in your prayer and listening chairs, your heart can hear Me now.” Tucking in. These are times when our hearts are nurtured by the presence of God. During these moments, a well of living water springs up. God supernaturally deposits peace, comfort, and wisdom into our hearts. Tucking in is accessing this quiet place in God and yielding to the Spirit.
Once you find this special spiritual place, the actual physical place is not relevant.
Tucking in is accessing this quiet place in God and yielding to the Spirit. We can hear God now. Regardless of the hectic and harried lives we lead, we can hear Him. Now. When we are caught in traffic, running late, or even in moments of confusion and conflict, we can hear Him. We can hear Him when we are in the hospital or when we hear some dreadful story on the evening news. In all circumstances, God has shown me how to “tuck in” and meet with Him. God disclosed to me this special way to meet with Him: • Stop. • Whisper a prayer. • If possible, move to a quiet place and listen for God. It can be a restroom in a restaurant, pulled over on the side of the road, or choosing to remain silent during a conversation, while you listen for God. Tucking in may only take a few minutes. Often, when I’m teaching or praying for others, I pause. I sense the 147
148 | Adventures in Prayer
Father wanting to direct, redirect, or simply speak to me. So, I pause. I wait. I listen. I only proceed when I sense unity with His words, will, thoughts, and prayers through me. I wait to connect to the rhythm and heart of God. Recently, my family went through a crisis. The outcome was uncertain. I longed for the comforting reassurance of the Holy Spirit. At that time, I was able to “tuck in” and draw from the presence, peace, and power of God. Tucked in, He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. —Psalm 107:29, niv
My Message to You
Have you ever considered the reason why Jesus could sleep in the middle of a storm at sea? He is the Creator of the entire universe, which includes the wind, the waves, and the wood of the boat. When the King of all creation is in the boat, nothing can hurt its passengers. The Lord is telling you that He is in control of everything. Do you believe this? Even if you face terrible circumstances, you can stop, whisper a prayer, and listen for God. He is an ever-present Father, who will comfort you in your time of need. Make a habit of “tucking in.” Realign your heart to His, and you will find His peace.
149 | Adventures in Prayer
God’s Message to You
You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them. —Psalm 89:9
Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” —Luke 8:22–25
Your Message to God
• Thank God for hearing you at any time and in any place.
150 | Adventures in Prayer
• Practice “tucking in” today. Wherever you are, stop and center on God. • Whenever you see other believers in distress, offer gentle instruction about how to “tuck in” with God.
151 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 28
Turkey Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. —Proverbs 3:5–6 A photograph of a young girl from Turkey hangs on my prayer wall. I have never had a conversation with her. But in a way, we did meet. Our eyes locked for a brief moment—long enough for the camera lens to capture a lifetime prayer assignment. I was thrilled to be included in a ministry trip to Turkey. A small team from my church made plans to travel through the country, visiting pastors and encouraging key leaders in cities like Istanbul, Adana, Tarsus, Antioch, and Ephesus. Just the names of the cities had been enough to make my heart leap. I lost sleep as I asked God for His direction. How should I pray for these famous cities written about in the New Testament books of Acts and Revelation? Our five-member team met to plan a strategy for this
152 | Adventures in Prayer
trip. We always sensed that God was sending us; we weren’t just tourists. So we gathered to pray and listen for God’s specific directions. As we prayed together, God’s message became very clear. He gave us a Scripture, 1 Kings 18:41–45, about Elijah’s prayer for rain. While he prayed, he sent his servant to the top of the mountain to look for rain. Once there, the servant saw a cloud like a man’s hand coming off the Mediterranean Sea to the west. We believed that God was sending us as a united team. We would be much like the five fingers of a hand that would refresh the believers in Turkey. The Scripture reminded us to be like rain after a drought or an extended hand, offering friendship and gentle guidance. Shortly after we confirmed the plans for our trip, I began to encounter subtle, but nonetheless unsettling, harassments that caused me to question whether I should go on this trip. Then fear set in. Concerns about my travel, where I was going, and what I would be doing began to emerge. I had to answer the question for myself: “Is God sending me, or am I doing this out of my own will?” I took these concerns to my husband, my own prayer team, and the person I report to in the church. All of them had peace about my travels. However, I still did not. I had to get this settled with God. I knew this much—God was sending me to my prayer chair! That day I spent 13 hours in my prayer chair. The hours passed as I worshipped, wrestled in prayer, traveled
153 | Adventures in Prayer
through the Scriptures, and wrote in my journal. It turned out that the Lord had so much more He wanted to talk with me about in addition to the trip. I specifically heard God’s heart for the nation of Turkey. I happened, very accidentally, upon a song (although there are no real accidents in my prayer chair). I was looking for another song and instead found Klaus Keuhn’s “Break Me for the Nations.” More than an hour passed as I listened to the words of that song and wept. The lyrics became my prayer as I played the recording. God was synchronizing the beat of my heart with His. There in my prayer chair—God was transplanting His love for the people of Turkey into me. He was clearly breaking my heart for this nation.
It does not matter where we go; it matters that we are sent. My conversation with the Lord continued. Next to my prayer chair rests a white three-ring binder. I have filled it with pages of special words from the Lord, prophetic words other people have given me, devotionals, Scriptures, and a collection of conversations. I picked it up and started flipping through this binder. I came across a prophetic word given by one of my former instructors. At the time, I was a stranger to her, a new student. Long before I had any dreams
154 | Adventures in Prayer
or opportunities to travel to other nations, and seven years before this trip, God was speaking through my instructor: “Daughter, the nations are calling out to you,” says the Lord. The Lord says, “I have replaced the soles of your feet. I have given you authority and boldness and courage.” And the Lord says, “Yes, even though it’s closed nations that I talk about, don’t look at the global climate and start discounting the word of the Lord.” For the Lord says, “Even in the midst of the global climate, I will cause these nations to open to you. And I will send you as a secret agent,” says the Lord, “and I will send you with those of like heart and like vision to dig wells of revival, to dig wells of salvation, and even in the land where the spirit of revelation did not fall.” And the Lord says, “Daughter, do not fear, for I am with you. I will make a way. I will provide the finances. I will provide the resources, the plan, and the strategy.” The sun went down. I sat in the dark, hugging my Bible and lingered long enough for the Holy Spirit to minister His peace, joy, and love to me.
The morning of the trip, I knelt beside my prayer chair. Nothing about the trip had changed except my heart. God was sending me. I knew I had no guarantee of coming back, but I knew I was being sent. I wrote in my journal that morning: Abba, When I gave you my heart, I meant it. When I gave you my will, I meant it. When I gave you my desires, hopes and dreams, I meant it. When I gave you my life, I meant it. Love, Mary He answered, Daughter, When I gave you My heart, I meant it. When I gave you My will, I meant it. When I gave you My desires, hopes and dreams, I meant it. And when I gave you My life, 155
156 | Adventures in Prayer
I meant it. Love, Abba On our first day in breathtaking Istanbul, we had an opportunity to visit many beautiful places, including Hagia Sophia, an ancient cathedral revered by the Eastern Orthodox Church. We then made our way to the Basilica Cistern, an underground water museum. We were so amazed when we discovered the Basilica was featuring a special exhibit entitled “Clouds and Hands”! One of the featured pieces consisted of seven very large floating objects depicting a cloud that became a hand with five outstretched fingers. Imagine our joy at seeing God confirm the prophetic direction He had given us before the trip. Near the end of the trip, we broke from our itinerary and made an unscheduled stop in Adana that only God could arrange. We visited a park and market where families gathered to socialize and have picnics. We saw women who were wearing traditional clothing and chatting with each other, children playing games together, and men seated and talking. We experienced a beautiful encounter with family life in the city. I grabbed my digital camera and began clicking, capturing the faces and places that I might never see again. When I downloaded the pictures back at home, one stood out; there, looking back at me was a young girl shrouded in darkness with piercing eyes, smiling. I knew
157 | Adventures in Prayer
instantly that she was the reason I went on this trip. Twelve days in Turkey reduced to one moment. My Father had given me a lifetime prayer assignment. He loved this young girl so much that He sent someone halfway around the world on an assignment to pray for her. Sometimes missionaries are sent to openly share the Good News about Jesus. We could not do that on our trip to Turkey. Nevertheless, we could pray along with God’s purposes. It does not matter where we go; it matters that we are sent. For God so loved the world that He sent His Only Son for that young girl. And He sent me to pray for her.
My Message to You
Some people may think that going halfway around the world to pray for people is a waste of time and money. Other people think we should openly share the Good News, but that isn’t always possible. God’s economy is different from ours. Still, you don’t need to go around the world for divine appointments. God makes them everywhere and every day. Open your eyes to recognize His prayer assignments, prayer opportunities, and prayer meetings. Learn to count things the way that God does.
God’s Message to You
Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance,
158 | Adventures in Prayer
And the ends of the earth for Your possession. —Psalm 2:8 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. —Acts 20:22–24 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ . . . . —Philippians 3:8
Your Message to God
• God has specific assignments and divine appointments for you. Ask Him to show you the things He has for you to do. • Pray for courage and boldness to say “yes” to God’s assignments.
• Ask God to show you how to keep your heart sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
159
160 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 29
Bernadette’s Gift At 7:20 am, the phone rang … “She’s gone.” My nephew tried to speak, despite the wail of grief coming from somewhere deep inside of him. My 55-yearold sister, Bernadette, or “Bin” as I called her, had moved to heaven. Bin was my prayer partner, friend, sister, and sisterin-the-Lord. Just one day before, she and I had shared our last time agreeing in prayer over the phone. We had connected with each other and the purposes of God. I couldn’t imagine life without Bin. We shared a kindred spirit. We shared a love of Bibles, Bible reading, and prayer journals. We shared prayer needs, struggles, and victories. We cried together for our families and rejoiced when we saw God answer our prayers. She was an encourager who believed in me and cheered me on. She saw God in me even when I didn’t. I needed her. What would I do without her? One of the greatest honors of my life, to this day, was officiating at her celebration service. I shared her testimony and faith, as I told the people about her love for Jesus. I
161 | Adventures in Prayer
knew Bin was cheering me on; this most difficult assignment was actually a great blessing.
I opened the front cover and inside, in Bernadette’s handwriting, was a note addressed to me! Later that day, I sat at her desk. In the middle of my tears, I prayed and asked the Lord to give me something special of Bernadette’s to keep. I needed something to remind me of the treasured friendship we shared. Just then, my eyes rested on a bookshelf and on a specific book on the top shelf. I retrieved a stool from across the room and climbed to reach the book. When I stepped down, I looked at the title—Esther. I opened the front cover and inside, in Bernadette’s handwriting, was a note addressed to me! To Mary Jo, You truly are a source of strength and dignity and inspiration to me. I love you, Bernadette The note was dated five years before Bin went to be
162 | Adventures in Prayer
with the Lord. God had saved this gift to be an answer to my prayer for five years! God works … and He is always working.
My Message to You
I am reminded that God has perfect timing. My sister may have forgotten to give me that book, but God didn’t forget. He knew exactly when I would need it. And God knows exactly what you need when you need it. His timing will show you that He wants to be involved in your life. I am praying for you to receive the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He will minister to your lost and lonely places, and will know with certainty that God answers prayer.
God’s Message to You
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” —Matthew 10:29–31 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” —Jeremiah 31:3
Your Message to God
• Give thanks and praise to the Lord for caring about every detail of your life. • God knows the future. Let God know that you trust Him with every day of your life. • Today, ask God to allow you to see His lovingkindness toward you.
163
164 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 30
Prayer Leaders When Gateway Church gave me the task of developing a culture of prayer, I knew we would have to begin with prayer and that would take leaders. These leaders needed to be people with faith, who really believed prayer made a difference. They had to know that God didn’t only want our prayers, but He needed them. Those prayers would make a way for God’s will to be done “… on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We needed people who had been tried by the fire so that their character had begun to reflect the heart of God. They would have to be people whose sole agenda was to serve God’s plans and purposes through prayer and intercession. Would they be difficult to find? Perhaps. But was it possible? Absolutely. God willed to bring like-minded people together who would agree with each other and with Him. I prayed, “Lord, I sure wouldn’t mind walking into the sanctuary and seeing tongues of fire on their heads.” That way I would know the people who the Lord was raising up as prayer leaders for our church. Not long after I prayed, one at a time, men and women made appointments with me. They came from so many
165 | Adventures in Prayer
different backgrounds: young and old, stay-at-home moms, and marketplace men and women. However, they all had one thing in common—they loved to pray, to connect with God, and bring other people before Him. I didn’t see the tongues of fire, but God had supernaturally chosen a prayer leadership team from a diverse group of believers. We got to work. Together, we got in the trenches for the church. Some people sat outside the church in their cars every morning for six months and prayed. Others led prayer groups that focused on things like families, the church’s leadership, or healing.
I didn’t see the tongues of fire, but God had supernaturally chosen a prayer leadership team from a diverse group of believers. I often teach about “nameless, faceless prayer.” Humility and a servant’s heart are the greatest characteristics of a prayer leader. They do not seek recognition, honor, credit, power, or prestige. Our recognition and thanks come from God, not people. Our satisfaction comes from knowing we were faithful to God’s assignment.
166 | Adventures in Prayer
Jesus chose twelve followers to share His message and turn the world upside-down. Over the years, God has blessed our church with over 100 Spirit-led prayer leaders. They have prayed faithfully. We see the fruit, and yet only heaven knows its full effect.
My Message to You
God never intended for you to be a lone prayer warrior. He designed you to be among other like-minded believers, together for God’s purposes. God is looking for a network of people all around the world to pray—in every church, community, city, country, and continent. Are you willing to enlist in God’s great army of prayer?
God’s Message to You
But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. —Exodus 17:12 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end
167 | Adventures in Prayer
with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. —Ephesians 6:17–18
Your Message to God
• Ask God to identify your prayer assignments. • Ask the Lord for biblical models of prayer for your life. • Ask God for Scriptures to pray for your friends, family, church, city, and nation. Then begin journaling and see what God does in answer to your secret prayers.
168 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 31
Hezekiah Healing Only a few weeks after I began to walk with the Lord, He challenged my understanding of prayer, specifically regarding healing. As I sat beside my mother’s casket, I cried out to be comforted. I had prayed … really prayed. Nevertheless, her body gave in to the disease. I was desperate for answers. I wanted to understand what God’s Word had to say about prayer and healing. The few resources available to me seemed to produce more condemnation than understanding; they put the responsibility for healing on me. Was I praying with enough faith, long enough, hard enough, or smart enough? That experience with my mom drove me to my knees and to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit became my Comforter and Teacher during that time. And I came to realize fully that God is our Healer. My prayers merely act as a vehicle for releasing the saving and healing power of His Word. But I had to learn the full truth of God’s Word. Over time, I discovered the balance between the entire message of the Bible and the singular promises that the
Holy Spirit may teach me from God’s Word. The written Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword with the potential to cut (Hebrews 4:12), but when it actually “cuts,” it becomes the Living Word of God spoken to us by His Spirit and made real in our lives (Ephesians 6:17). Sometime later, halfway across the country, a dear friend lay in a hospital near death. The prognosis was bleak. Because of a congenital heart condition, an experimental surgery was proposed. The doctors gave little hope for success. But my friends and I prayed for a miracle. Driven to my knees and the Word of God, I began to ask the Lord how I should pray. He led me to 2 Kings 20:1–6, where Hezekiah became mortally ill, and Isaiah told him that he would die. Hezekiah cried out to God for his life. Then Isaiah returned with a word from the Lord: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.” As I read God’s response to Hezekiah, I sensed a deposit of faith in me to pray for my friend. In addition, I recognized an assignment from the Lord and a message from God’s Word for my friend. God directed me to activate my prayer in person, so I took a plane to Washington, DC. Then I drove directly to the hospital. When I went into my friend’s room, I read the Scripture with him. Then I added my faith to my friend’s faith and we prayed together. The next day, a successful surgery took place. Today, my friend is still serving the Lord and testifying to the miraculous power of healing prayer! 169
170 | Adventures in Prayer
Twelve years later, I encountered another daunting prayer assignment. Another dear friend found herself staring at an uphill battle for healing. Once again, I fell on my knees and rushed to the Word of God. Once again, I opened my Bible to the story of Hezekiah. This time, instead of a gift of faith being released, I questioned God if this was indeed a Rhema word for me. I asked God to confirm it, and three times He did—through His Word, people, and circumstances. He spoke and immediately I received the gift of faith to pray for healing. Today, thank God, my friend is still serving the Lord and testifying to the miraculous power of God’s healing.
I apply this plumb line: Does the Rhema word I have heard line up with the rest of God’s Word, wisdom, and character? I have learned not to presume on a singular word as a spoken promise. Instead, I ask God to confirm it through His Word and His people. I apply this plumb line: Does the Rhema word I have heard line up with the rest of God’s Word, wisdom, and character? This test allows me to work with Him in strategic intercession. “Rightly
171 | Adventures in Prayer
dividing” God’s Word is difficult work, but the rewards are eternal. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. —Ephesians 6:13–18, The Message
My Message to You
God’s Word works; it is alive and active. Learn to read it, but always bring the Holy Spirit with you on that venture. God heals—there’s no question about that. The question is whether you will work with God or against Him. The Word and the Spirit are speaking, if we will just believe and obey. We cannot thwart God’s purposes. You might deposit a boulder in a stream, but the stream does not stop. The
172 | Adventures in Prayer
water will move around it toward its destination. The same is true with God; we can follow the stream or we can stand against it. Either way, the water moves on. Go with the flow of the Spirit. The Kingdom will come. But will you be part of it?
God’s Message to You
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. —James 5:14–16 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another
173 | Adventures in Prayer
faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. —1 Corinthians 12:4–11 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. —1 Thessalonians 5:19–22
Your Message to God
• Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Invite the Holy Spirit as you read. • Tell God that you want to cooperate with His plans and purposes. Ask Him to reveal them to you. • Today, ask God to show you how to activate faith in your prayer life. Pray for those who are sick or injured. God heals. Believe this.
174 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 32
An Appointment in Berlin I love being in the right place at the right time. But it takes more than a compass and a watch to get there. For the believer, it takes a guide—the Holy Spirit. A few years ago, I was leading a prayer team in Berlin. Our itinerary took us to Berlin’s most famous attraction, the Pergamon Museum. Over one million people visit this collection each year to see its fantastic artifacts. The museum includes the huge Altar of Zeus and the famous Ishtar Gate from Babylon. The security guards required us to check our bags before we got in line to purchase our tickets. As we stood in line talking and waiting, I was a little distracted and unsettled in my spirit. For some reason, I didn’t have the peace of God about visiting this museum. Although the museum was on our itinerary, our hosts had helped us coordinate it, and everyone had checked their bags before purchasing tickets, I still had no peace. I kept saying to myself, “You’re here. You’ve checked in. You have planned this. So why is this tugging on your heart when all the scales of reason tell you to relax?” Still, I had no peace. Where were we supposed to be? What should we
be doing? Even if we are able to talk ourselves into relaxing, the peace of God should lead us first—and I didn’t have it! I asked the members of our team to trust me as we retrieved our bags and retreated down the steps to the outside of the museum. At the bottom of the entrance, we gathered discreetly. I began to pray, “Father, where do you want us to go? What is it you want us to do?” As the sun was setting over Berlin, I thought of the remnant of intercessors who had prayed for this beloved, beautiful city even through some of the worst days of her history. Bombs rained on the city, Hitler retained power, and the spiritual stench of the Holocaust filled the air. Still, God had His people in Berlin, and they prayed. So, we began to pray for the intercessors of Berlin, those faithful ones who over the decades never stopped praying. They stood in the gap for the people through the horrors of war, political uncertainty, and tyrannical oppression. They prayed until the wall came down, and they are praying still. They prayed through persecution from the government and passivity from the church. They experienced isolation, loneliness, and discouragement. Still, they prayed. And we prayed for them, that God would give them blessing, honor, and peace. We asked God to encourage and refresh them. When we finished our prayer, we rounded the block to the Berlin Cathedral. This cathedral overlooks Lustgarten Park. It was there in February 1933 that 200,000 people 175
176 | Adventures in Prayer
demonstrated against the new Nazi Party and its leader, Adolf Hitler. Then at the height of his power, he addressed mass rallies of up to one million people in front of this church. As we scaled the steps of that historic building, I told the people in the group to explore on their own and reconvene on the steps in 45 minutes. I stared at the wonder of this magnificent old building, thinking about what she had seen over the centuries.
Apparently, both of us had an “appointment” there. When we returned to the meeting spot, I noticed that some of our people were talking with an elderly woman, so I joined them. She told us that her name was Anna. Then she shared her story of serving the Lord as an intercessor for the city of Berlin for many years. She reminded me of the faithful prophetess of God, Anna, from the Gospel of Luke. The Bible’s Anna dedicated her life to prayer and fasting. Likewise, our Anna had faithfully prayed for the city of Berlin and the nation of Germany through many years of turmoil. She told us how isolated, lonely, and discouraged she had become. But that evening the Lord instructed her to leave her apartment and go to the steps
177 | Adventures in Prayer
of the Berlin Cathedral. Apparently, both of us had an “appointment” there. It was there that God unfolded His plan. Our senior pastor, Robert Morris, once encouraged our congregation to think of intercession like the word “intersection,” because it intersects people with God and unites them. So here we stood outside the Berlin Cathedral, over 5,000 miles from our home in Texas, and God intersected people and prayers for His purposes. Before I left the US, I tucked a quarter-sized stone in my pocket that was inscribed, “PRAY.” And there on the cathedral steps, I pulled it from my coat pocket and pressed it into the palm of Anna’s hand. Sisters. Then we hugged. Tears accompanied our praises as we stood on the steps of that grand church overlooking the city square where hundreds of thousands of people once shouted praise to Hitler’s name. And we sang “God of the City.” Like I said, I love being in the right place at the right time. Thank you, Holy Spirit.
My Message to You
You will find blessings in obedience. The Holy Spirit speaks to God’s people—every day, all the time. Followers of Jesus do not follow the practices of the world. The world will tell you, “Make your own decisions. You are an individual. Be independent.” Instead, believers do not “make
178 | Adventures in Prayer
decisions”; they discern what the Spirit is saying. They are not individuals; they are “in Christ” and members of the Body of Christ. They are not independent; in Christ, we “… live and move and have our being …” (Acts 17:28). The Holy Spirit will put you in the right place at the right time, if you will hear and obey. We can experience adventure with the Lord—through the Lord. Be prepared to offer strength and hope to strangers—they may even be angels! (Hebrews 13:2).
God’s Message to You
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men . . . . —1 Timothy 2:1 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. —Luke 2:36–38
Your Message to God
• Is the Holy Spirit prompting you to obey? Ask the Lord to speak clearly to you today. • Ask God to give you an adventurous prayer life. In your journal, write down the things you think should be a part of that life. • Ask God for a “divine appointment” today. When you hear God’s voice, write about it in your journal.
179
180 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 33
Wittenberg “The keys are in the door, but they don’t know how to turn them.” God gave me this prophetic word before our prayer team went to Germany. It became a “measuring rod” for the trip. The Bible often uses the image of keys to signify God’s revelation, so we prayed for “keys.” Our itinerary took us to Wittenberg, made famous by Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, which he nailed to the front door of the city’s All Saints’ Church, also known as the Castle Church (Schlosskirche). Our German hosts arranged for us to visit the top of the church’s castle tower, where we would pray for the city—an intercessor’s dream assignment. Upon our arrival, the tower’s gatekeeper informed our hosts that they could not allow us to go to the top because of a scheduling conflict with another large tour group. When I learned that, I said, “No way! God brought us here to pray. I’m going to go make an appeal to God.” So, we gathered in a circle and I prayed, “Lord, You open doors that no human can close. If You intend for us to pray atop the tower, we will.” When I finished, I
181 | Adventures in Prayer
released the members of our team to tour the church and its grounds. After about ten minutes, one of our hosts approached me with excitement and said, “You are not going to believe this, but we have been given access to the tower and our group has been cleared to go up.” Not only could we climb the tower, but also we would have it to ourselves and could stay as long as we wanted! Of course, I was overjoyed. So, I gathered the group and we climbed the 257 steps to the top of the tower. What I didn’t realize until we reached the top was that the tower’s gatekeeper had given the keys to our hosts with these instructions: “Lock the door behind you, you can have it as long as you like.”
The Bible often uses the image of keys to signify God’s revelation, so we prayed for “keys.” On top of that tower we rejoiced, worshipped, and prayed. We turned in each direction, praying for the north, south, east, and west. After we prayed for the city, we prayed for our hosts (who were twin brothers) and their wives. Both couples had been unable to have children, but they believed God for a miracle. So, we added our faith to
theirs and prayed for the blessing of babies. I do not know the great things God did for the city of Wittenberg as a result of our prayers, but I can report that each couple now has two children. I thank God for the prophetic word that marked our trip. The Holy Spirit taught me a lesson on that trip— appeal to God. He is always faithful to see His mission accomplished. We can ask with faith, trust, courage, and confidence.
My Message to You
If we are faithful to pray, God is faithful to answer. He is able to do so much with so little. Do you persist in your prayers? When God says, “yes” are you willing to take “no” from anyone else? Pray and believe. God will follow through with His promises. In the Bible, God’s people often face “hopeless” situations. But can God ever be without hope? Pray. Believe.
God’s Message to You
Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness. —Psalm 143:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men 182
183 | Adventures in Prayer
always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” —Luke 18:1–5
Your Message to God
• Have you ever “given up” on God? Be honest with God. Ask for His forgiveness for unbelief. • Ask God to give you a prayer assignment. Be open to whatever He speaks to you, and write it down in your journal. Pray and believe God will answer. • How is God changing the way you pray? Write down your thoughts.
184 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 34
Protection for the Protectors I spotted the telltale slip of yellow paper trapped under my windshield wiper. I thought, Oh, no! But, oh, yes! A parking ticket. On Sunday morning, the church’s parking lot fills up quickly. Overflow parking was available, but I was in a hurry that morning. So, I pulled alongside the curb and rushed into the church building. The slip of paper was there to inform me that alongside this particular curb was a fire lane. Monday morning, I called the city office to inquire how much I would have to pay. The answer—$91.00! That seemed like a lot of money for a parking ticket. But my mind immediately traveled to Psalm 91, a prayer for protection. These verses speak of the believer’s faith in God’s protection during times of danger. So I forgot about the price tag for the ticket. I knew God was directing me to pray for the protection of our protectors, the public servants of our city. I asked God to be the First Responder who would arrive before our city’s first responders. I was praying for a proactive shield to protect and guard them.
185 | Adventures in Prayer
I printed a copy of Psalm 91 and put it on my desk. Now, God frequently leads me to pray a verse from this psalm. When I see a police officer, firefighter, or ambulance driver passing by or I read about them in the paper, I stop and pray. Our protectors need the Protector.
Our protectors need the Protector. So, I sent a check for $91.00 to the city, and I wrote a letter to our chief of police. I wanted him to know that my ticket served as a reminder not to park where there are red lines. More importantly, I wanted him to know that I was praying for all of our officers and first responders. They may never know who is praying, but I pray that they will know God is their Protector, Shield, and Provider.
My Message to You
God has a purpose. In all things, He is working for our good. The Lord provides reminders for us—reminders to pray, praise, repent, and believe. Be ready for God’s reminders. And remember to pray for those who protect and serve your community. The apostle Paul reminds us to pray for those in authority. God has chosen them to carry out His work in the world.
God’s Message to You
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” —Psalm 91:1–2
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. —1 Timothy 2:1–4
Your Message to God
• Pray for God to protect those who serve as protectors of your community. • Ask God to show you how to bless the civil servants in your community. • Read Psalm 91. Pray that psalm for yourself, your family, the leaders of your church, and other people God brings to your mind. 186
187 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 35
Grace, Grace I was beginning to feel a lot like Charlie Brown’s friend, Pig-Pen. I was covered with a lot of ideas and questions, creating a dust storm in my wake. I needed answers and solutions, but I felt overwhelmed by concerns. I retreated to my prayer chair, but I didn’t pray. Instead, I worried and stewed about my problems. So, I went to the Bible. I asked myself, “What Scripture can I find that will start my conversation with God?” I did a search in the Bible for the word overwhelmed. I remembered that David wrote something about it. So I picked up my phone, opened a Bible application, and did a word search. But it returned zero successful search results. I was certain that couldn’t be right. So I keyed in the word again, and the search engine changed my search term to “overgraced”! I can’t explain why the engine corrected my search. I know what I typed. I have no idea how the program replaced overwhelmed with overgraced! But it did. So, I erased the term and attempted to search again, and the autocorrect feature once again changed my search word to overgraced. Overgraced.
188 | Adventures in Prayer
I don’t know if the Holy Spirit programmed that search engine. But He certainly used it for His purposes. Just as I was fretting, God was speaking. And I experienced His grace; it filled my heart. Why should I worry when God has provided? His grace is enough. While I was telling God I was overwhelmed, He was reminding me that I was really overgraced. He spoke to my fears, anxieties, and worries. Who of us can really give an account for the supernatural ways that God meets us every day?
So I keyed in the word again, and the search engine changed my search term to “overgraced”! By the way, I did find the Bible verse I was looking for originally: “… I will cry to You when my heart is overwhelmed” (Psalm 61:2). Yet, for some reason, God hid it from me on that day. God wanted to begin the conversation with “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ” —Zechariah 4:7
189 | Adventures in Prayer
Grace, grace—Overgraced. I wrote in my prayer journal that day: Oh dear Abba, I began a search for “overwhelmed.” I looked down and there were no matching words. I knew “overwhelmed” was in the Scripture. I went to search again and saw that I had written— “overgraced.” Yes, Lord, I am overgraced with Your presence, Your Word, Your promises, Your peace, Your strength, and Your love! Yes, I am overwhelmed with wonder. “… I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed.” —Psalm 61:2
My Message to You
Undeniable. Your heavenly Father cares for you. He will speak to you just when you need it. It is a miracle. As you read God’s Word today, listen. Let Him draw you to Himself. He will speak sweet words of hope, love, and peace. When you are overwhelmed, be encouraged that God has given you more than enough grace—you are “overgraced.” Undeniable.
190 | Adventures in Prayer
God’s Message to You
And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord:
“For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” —Ezra 3:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. —Psalm 84:11
Your Message to God
• If you have believed God does not care about you, ask Him to forgive you for unbelief. • God does care about every situation you are facing. Share your fears, hurts, and concerns with God today. Trust Him to care for you and bring you comfort. • Write about your situation in your journal. Remember to return to this page in your journal as God answers your prayers.
Day 36
Red-Letter Journey It was the first day of December. I sat in my prayer chair, recognizing the year was close to its end. Still, I felt that something was left unfinished. It had been a busy year with many good things, lots of great things, and loads of God things. I had much to celebrate as I reflected on God’s love and how He was having His way, both in and through my prayers. It was definitely a sweet moment. Still, I sensed something was unfinished … I want to know you more. It came first as a thought, then as a whisper, but finally a deep hunger … I want to know you more. Jesus. Yes, I want to know you more. Then an idea came to me: I will have a conversation with Jesus through only reading the red letters in the Gospel of John. John the apostle—His beloved. Me—also His beloved. I will walk through the pages of that Gospel and have a conversation with Jesus’ red-letter words, as if He was speaking directly to me. Twenty-one chapters. Twenty-one days. I will be finished in time for Christmas with a few days left before 191
192 | Adventures in Prayer
I begin a New Year’s fast. So I sat in my prayer chair, hugged my Bible, and I prayed, “Lord, I am excited about this new adventure in Your Word and in prayer.” Next, I purchased a journal specifically for the purpose of my red-letter journey. I decided to use a red pen when I sensed Jesus was speaking to me and a blue pen when I needed to speak to Him. So, blue pen in hand, I began to write my letter to Jesus: Dear Lord Jesus, The little children were brought to You so that You might put Your hands on them and pray. “Allow the little ones to come to Me. Do not forbid, restrain, or hinder for such is the Kingdom of heaven.” Always and still, Dearest Jesus, I hold an awe—a childlike faith—of joy and devotion to You. My spirit is childlike still. I do not want life, the world, situations, or circumstances to forbid, restrain, or hinder me from coming to You. Please put your hands on me and pray … Your little sheep, Mary Jo That grand plan to finish my red-letter journey by Christmas … well … that never happened. By March, I
193 | Adventures in Prayer
asked Jesus if He realized we were only in chapter 4. Of course, He did. I think I saw Him smile—“My plans are not your plans.” In fact, only He knew that our journey would last an entire year.
Now that journal has many pages filled with Jesus’ red-letter words and has become my dearest treasure. But what a year! As I walked through the Gospel of John, journaling a conversation using the red-letter words, I was transported to the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry: “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Now that journal has many pages filled with Jesus’ red-letter words and has become my dearest treasure. I can go back to the journal, which I often do, and revisit the conversations, the questions, and the answers.
My Message to You
God is inviting you to walk through His Word. Listen to Him speak to you as you read, meditate, and pray. As you practice reading God’s Word, you will find yourself increasingly drawn into its pages, until it shapes all of your
194 | Adventures in Prayer
life. Find a way to dig deep into the Bible. Create your own unique way to understand God’s message to you, or use my example. You will have a personal encounter with the Living God if you continue in His Word.
God’s Message to You
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” —John 8:31–32
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” —Matthew 18:1–5
195 | Adventures in Prayer
Your Message to God
• Ask God to show you a creative way to engage His Word. Write about what you hear in your journal. • Begin your own red-letter journey. Go through the book of John reading and recording conversations using only the red words of Jesus. • When you read that Jesus says His followers should “become as little children,” what does that mean to you? Ask the Lord to show you how to become as a child to Him.
196 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 37
Warsaw Prayer Meeting After six amazing days of ministry in Budapest, Hungary, we finally arrived in Poland. I think of that country as my “homeland.” From there, my grandparents immigrated to the US in the early 1900s. My grandparents taught me to embrace my Polish heritage—the food, language, traditions, and religion. I loved my grandmother, “Boosha.” She was a faithful homemaker, always working. In every way, she was the matriarch of our family. God has blessed me to be able to travel to Poland many times, but for some reason this trip was particularly special. I didn’t yet understand why, but my spirit was expectant. Perhaps I felt that way because I had joined our Polish pastor and his church on a 40-day fast leading up to the trip. Or maybe it was because his congregation was moving into a new church building and our worship team would lead the first night of worship. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was so excited, but I was. I also believed God was signaling that He was up to something, and I was going to play a part. I felt like I did when I was a child. I would get up early on Christmas morning full of anticipation
197 | Adventures in Prayer
and excitement, waiting for my parents to wake. I had that same kind of feeling. I would only stay in Warsaw for 36 hours on this trip. We arrived just before midday on the first day. At lunchtime, our hosts planned to take us to an authentic Polish restaurant. We had seen the menu earlier, and it looked like it came straight from my grandmother’s kitchen. After lunch, they arranged a tour of the older section of Warsaw. Our hosts were wonderful people. They showed us interesting places and made sure we ate delicious food. I was sure it couldn’t get any better. The next morning, I settled into the comfortable chair in my hotel room. It had become my temporary “prayer chair.” I was reminiscing and meditating about some favorite Scriptures I had read during the recent fast. I also thought about my grandparent’s journey from this land. I marveled at the amazing things God was doing through this Polish church and prayed for the work that still needed to be done. Time passed as I rested over the Scriptures. I also wrote in my journal. I couldn’t seem to find the end—the “Amen” to my quiet time. I couldn’t sense that God was finished speaking, so I couldn’t be done listening. I felt Him saying, “Linger. Don’t go. Stay a little while longer.” I had become accustomed to these invitations from God—enough to know He meant it, and I certainly didn’t want to miss it. I called one of the other leaders of our team and excused
myself from their activities because God was calling me to a prayer meeting.
My agenda was already becoming dim compared to meeting Him. That’s right. When we meet with God, it’s a prayer meeting. It’s very much like a group meeting with one important difference—God was leading this one. I started by kneeling at my bedside. On my knees, thanksgiving and confession rolled out of my heart and mouth as I began to align myself with God. There I adored Him for who He is—He is awesome, mighty, available, and close. I sensed Him drawing near to me as I drew near to Him. I found some worship music on my phone and began to focus even more on who He is, not what I would say. My agenda was already becoming dim compared to meeting Him. Then I picked up my Bible and began to hug it, walking around the room the whole time. God brought Scriptures to my mind and I started to see things differently. The tall apartment buildings that I could see out my window became alive. The stone buildings with colorless windows and motionless curtains soon teemed with living people—families, marriages, and children. God saw the 198
199 | Adventures in Prayer
precious people behind each window. Only He knew what they needed. The one thing I knew was that each of those people needed Him. The worship songs from my phone continued to whisper to me in the background. I sat down. Then, in a low voice, I said, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” I waited. The worship songs echoed my prayers. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s “Faithful to the End” came on. I began declaring God’s faithfulness. I asked Him to look into each window and see the faces. I trusted Him to hear their cries, carry their worries, and lift them out of depression, discouragement, and hopelessness. Tears began to form as I cried out for faith to fill these homes. My mind started to wander, and God brought me back into focus. He had much more to say. He brought the churches of Poland to my mind. All of them have gone through many things for the sake of the Gospel. They have seen years of persecution, drought, famine, and war. Still, the church in Poland stands. I began to cry for the churches of Poland. I asked God for the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit that they have ever experienced. I prayed for their leaders and for their unity. Minutes turned into hours. I went from worshipping to weeping, from fear to faith, and from hope deferred to great anticipation as I sensed God’s amazing love for the people of Poland and His Church. Once I sensed His Amen, I lingered in His sweet peace. Part of me wanted to shout from
200 | Adventures in Prayer
the rooftop and another part of me wanted a nap. So, I got up and took a walk around Warsaw. I saw families, people going to work, children rushing to school, markets, and churches. I felt as if I were taking a stroll with God. That evening, as our worship team led the service, I came as a ready participant rather than as a spectator. For a moment, I was certain I heard the heavenly choir, “… so great a cloud of witnesses …” (Hebrews 12:1), and all the saints of Poland, past and present, joining in the singing of Hallelujah. And I remembered … God had a plan. I had a prayer. God had a purpose. I had a prayer. God had a process. I had a prayer. This day was all about God’s prayer assignment. I had no idea that God would follow a 40-day fast with a prayer assignment. I couldn’t have known that God desired for His heart to be expressed through my heart for this nation and these people. There is nothing like being a part of a prayer meeting that He calls.
My Message to You
Allow God to interrupt your plans. Let Him interrupt
your prayers. God’s schedule is not your schedule. He will come to you in special times. You cannot plan for it, make an agenda, or pour out your needs. Just be. He wants to be present with you. During these prayer meetings, He will give you clarity and wisdom. Then you will know how you should pray and act.
God’s Message to You
A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” —James 4:13–15
Your Message to God
• Be ready to linger with God. If you become available, the Lord will be more available to you. Be open and available for the prayer assignments God has planned for your future. 201
202 | Adventures in Prayer
• Take time right now to quiet yourself. Ask God if He has a prayer assignment for you. Listen. Write down the things you sense He is saying to you. • Tell God you are ready for Him to ordain these special times in your life, times where He will impart His great love for you and others.
203 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 38
HUT—Him, Us, Them During one of our weekend worship services, our senior pastor, Robert Morris, told the congregation about the building plans for our new church campus. He shared with the congregation that this building was to be for Him, Us, and Them and that perhaps a new slogan for the building campaign could be something like “HUT” to represent that purpose. The suggestion brought laughter from the audience. But whenever our senior pastor speaks to us, even in light-hearted moments, I try to tune in with my spiritual ears. The minute he said “HUT,” I sensed God pressing my heart. I knew that God was giving me a prayer strategy through our pastor’s words. As an intercessor, when something like that happens, I have learned to search the Bible. So, I began traveling through the Scriptures. I looked up references for “hut.” I found an interesting usage of that word in Scripture: a watchman’s hut. “… Or as a hut which the watchman has made.” —Job 27:18, nasb
204 | Adventures in Prayer
The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field. —Isaiah 1:8, nasb The symbolism of our pastor’s prophetic word did not escape me—we should establish a watchman’s tower, a place to pray and make intercession, a tent. After a few conversations with others, the department that was overseeing the project had placed a “HUT” on the property. Actually, it was a trailer, but it had a huge sign that read, “HUT—Him, Us, Them.” Groups met there to pray. Our church’s elders gathered there to pray. Departments of the church came there to pray. Every Saturday morning a group of people specifically dedicated to praying for this project gathered there. We had established a prayer hut for the building project.
I knew that God was giving me a prayer strategy through our pastor’s words. God helped us complete that building project ahead of schedule, under budget, and without injury. Constructing a building, even with Legos, isn’t always that smooth. It was a miracle. We like to say, “Prayer did its part!”
205 | Adventures in Prayer
My Message to You
The Lord wants partnership. He wants to be your partner. And He wants you to be in partnership with other believers. As God works with us and others, the Kingdom grows. God did not create you to be alone. He desires that all of us find unity through the Holy Spirit. Pray for “HUT” moments.
God’s Message to You
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent. —Isaiah 62:6
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” —Matthew 13:9
Your Message to God
• Ask God to open your ears for His assignments. Today, ask Him to give you “ears to hear.” • Ask God to give you partners who will intercede for your church and community. • Ask God to give you one assignment today to be His “watchman.” Write in your journal about how God answers this prayer.
206 | Adventures in Prayer
Day 39
Spiritual Warfare Christian leaders have said many things about spiritual warfare. It’s a worthy topic. There’s no question that believers are in a battle. This is a real war between right and wrong, good and evil, and light and darkness. This battle rages in our lives, minds, and hearts. We see it expressed in our homes, marriages, children, and finances. It affects our cities, communities, and churches. No question. Then what part should we play? Our part is to make a way for His part. Just as He divided the Red Sea and made a way for the people of Israel to escape from bondage, He parts the way between right and wrong, good and evil, and light and darkness. He makes a way for His children to escape evil, discover His provision, and experience His presence and protection. He is available to us in the middle of turmoil and conflict. Is the battle easy? No. But it is possible. In the middle of it, God has a plan for each of us. Through prayer and intercession, we are overcomers (Romans 8). Problems will still come our way, but we can find God in every situation and circumstance as we pray from the place of faith.
207 | Adventures in Prayer
Like John Wayne
One leisurely morning, Bruce and I were enjoying a time of coffee, prayer, and conversation. We talked about how hindsight is a blessing. It was my birthday, and we scheduled a lunch at my favorite tea room. Then we planned to spend the afternoon shooting photos at some of my favorite places. We had the beautiful Dallas Arboretum on our itinerary. It was a perfectly lazy-hazy-crazy day of turning a year older with my best friend. However, that perfect day only stayed that way until 11 am. By then, we were in the hospital emergency room with my husband hooked up to machines and tubes, and doctors and nurses scampering around. The whole scene filled me with concern. My thoughts ran in every direction. I stood in the hallway by myself, when I saw Pastor Zach Neese making his way down the hall. Even at a distance, I recognized him by his walk—strong, confident, and ready-for-battle. But his face was also reassuring and kind. With all the authority of heaven behind him, he marched into my husband’s room, positioned himself next to the bed, and asked if he could pray. Of course, I said, “Yes!” Father, I thank You for Bruce. I pray You will hide Bruce under Your garment. And when the enemy comes looking for him all he will see is a BIG God. Amen.
208 | Adventures in Prayer
That’s it. And then, Pastor Zach hugged me, turned on his heels, and left looking very much like John Wayne to me. I felt the presence of God fill the room. Worry and fear ran away. Faith took their place as we took confidence that God controlled this situation. A few days later, we walked out of the hospital, hand-in-hand. We had pictures and x-rays confirming that Bruce was a healthy “young” man— body, soul, and spirit.
Warrior Child
On another day, I had one of those unscheduled appointments that God often makes. In one of the hallways, Pastor Thomas Miller and I stopped a few minutes to engage in one of our favorite conversations. We talked about what God was doing and what He wanted to do in our church through worship. We prepared to say goodbye, when he paused and said, “The warrior is a child.” Those words kept reverberating in my spirit. When I got back to my office, I phoned him and asked about the phrase. He explained that The Warrior is a Child was a much-loved song written and performed by Twila Paris in 1984. That song depicts the life of an intercessor, both the cost and our God’s response. We partner with God for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Lord used that encounter to speak to me through my friend. God was showing me how someone like me could carry out His assignment. I would do it with childlike faith. I would
209 | Adventures in Prayer
constantly depend on Him. I would know that the battle is real, but I am winning, knowing I can always retreat to Him for more strength. I can do nothing without His help, guidance, and wisdom. Nothing. He is able to do all and more.
Sing Over Me
We will not always be in control. One day I got to that point. Tiredness crept in. Worry put its feet inside the door. Hurtful words had stung me. I had been given more responsibilities, but I felt as though I was barely hanging on. I could see God moving all around me, but a battle was raging in my heart and mind. I felt confused and insecure. In many ways, I could understand the prophet Elijah, who ran from Jezebel. He had seen victories and made advances, yet he wanted to run, give up, and turn back. I understood all of that. I stopped to get a cup of coffee, but I couldn’t even get out of my car. I grabbed my phone and called Pastor Tim Sheppard. Although he was on a retreat, he picked up his phone. Immediately, I began to cry as I tried to explain what was happening. I asked, “Will you sing over me? Would you war for me?” And that is what he did. There in the car, curled up in tears, God’s sweet melody came through the speaker of my phone through the voice of my friend. He worshipped God on my behalf. And I was encouraged. When we hung up, I sat and rested in God’s presence.
210  |  Adventures in Prayer
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit filled my car and filled me. The battle was over. My heart and mind were at peace. The three men in these stories are all worship leaders in our church. Each, in his own way, responded with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Each of them recognized that we are in a battle. We are stronger together. Worship is my weapon of warfare. Worship turns my heart to God. Worship breaks the strategy of the enemy.
Intercession as Warfare
Our commitment to intercession contains both a privilege and a cost. However, our strength comes from childlike faith as we repeatedly run to the Father. Many people will never understand that we are privileged to fight this fight, despite the wounds of battle. We often go home and fall at the feet of the Father to be refreshed and renewed. This calling is a privilege. Just as there are those who enlisted to defend our nation, God enlisted His people to bear His Name, taking our place along the battle lines. We may be fighting for a child, combatting a sickness, or standing watch over a national crisis, but we join God and expect His victory. We want our prayer life to mirror God’s Word and character. So we must recognize that there is an enemy who has
set out “… to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” ( John 10:10). Believing otherwise is foolishness. We must understand the strategies and schemes of the enemy. Yet not everything hurtful or negative is from the enemy; often our own actions lead to results or consequences. God is present to help in these situations as well, but we must approach them differently.
There’s no question that believers are in a battle. During difficult times, my first response is to look within. I grew up with the spiritual discipline of examining my conscience. My pastor, Robert Morris, has taught me to ask, “What is it I can’t stand anymore?” And I pray from the answer. I have never been the type of person who would pick a fight. I try to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). God wired me to love and to love deeply. He created me with a natural attraction to empathy and harmony. Those characteristics don’t typically describe someone who is hardened for battle. Yet, through the Holy Spirit, I am. God created me to love what He loves and hate what He hates. People often ask me, “What is intercession?” In simplest terms, intercession is allowing God’s heart to live out through yours. What do you care about? What breaks your heart? What moves you? What troubles you? It is there 211
212 | Adventures in Prayer
that you are most equipped to be an intercessor. When your heart is moved with compassion that is more than a natural empathy, you know God has given you an assignment. God can call you to intercede for a season, a reason, or a lifetime. Intercession is spiritual warfare—but this is no earthly battle. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:12 Intercessory prayer should occur when there is a spiritual battle for our own lives, our families, our friends, believers all over the world, and our nation. When I see something not like God or something that is against Him, my spirit will react. When I hear gossip, lying, or hateful words, God prompts my spirit. When I see injustice on the news, I feel called to intercessory prayer. The closer I draw to God and the more I get to know Him, the more sensitive I become to the things that do not reflect Him. Sometimes battling in the spiritual world becomes overwhelming. The task seems too great. At times, I feel ill equipped to stand in the gap for God’s righteousness, power, and love. I am in constant training. The US Military is the greatest in the world, but their
213  |  Adventures in Prayer
mission is bigger than they are. Their mission is bigger than our nation itself. Our nation calls on them to defend justice and freedom, which knows no political boundaries. They are willing to die for those values. Whether they believe their calling is from God or not, He gave them the desire to live and die for those values. They live sacrificial lives, which discipline has taught them to do. They live under authority, obey instructions, value teamwork, and are willing to lay down their lives for their fellow soldiers. That is the nature of the US Military. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the Vietnam War escalated. Many of us knew friends, neighbors, or family members who served in the military during that conflict. Near the end of the war, I worked as a flight attendant for a major airline. Flight after flight, we transported members of the service back to their families in the US. Those of us who worked for the airline would take turns getting off the airplanes with them so that we could witness the reunions. We shed many happy tears during those years. But we also had the privilege and heartache of escorting the bodies of our fallen soldiers on their return voyage. Their caskets rested in the belly of the plane until we delivered them to their families. That was a different kind of pain altogether. We shed many tears of sorrow as well. This painful period in our history as a nation instilled in me a deep sense of honor and respect for the sacrifice paid by our men and women in uniform. They often were not
214 | Adventures in Prayer
appropriately honored when they returned home, and that grieves me. I grew to value their courage, selflessness, and willingness to serve despite the separation and sacrifice they had to endure. We also have much to learn from the example of the selfless soldier. Our prayer lives should be fashioned much in the same way. God will train and mold us until we can submit to His command. We become warriors. He calls us to sacrifice and perform unseen acts of courage. We are engaged in a battle between light and darkness, good and evil. Prayer is our most effective weapon. Armed with the Word and the Spirit, we carry out strategic and often hidden maneuvers.
My Message to You
Do you know other believers who will go into spiritual battle for you? If not, I am praying you will find them. They will stand beside you during those intense skirmishes against the kingdom of darkness. The enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy—but take courage. Jesus has overcome the enemy. As you prepare for battle in your places of prayer and intercession, understand that no weapon formed against you will prosper. You can run to your Protector as a warrior child.
God’s Message to You
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
215 | Adventures in Prayer
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. —Ephesians 6:12–13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:13–15
Your Message to God
• Pray for those believers who will pray for you. As they go to “war” on your behalf, pray for them today. • Ask God to show you how to be a spiritual warrior. • Thank God for the spiritual victories that He has given to you. Tell God that you know He is really the One who did the fighting for you.
216  |  Adventures in Prayer
Day 40
Build an Altar Throughout history, certain events defined the people of God and demonstrated His purposes. Often, the people of God responded by building an altar. Noah, Abraham, and Jacob stand as a few examples of those who established memorials by building altars. They did not build them to memorialize people or places. Instead, the altars represented God’s encounters with His people in those places. In my prayer journey, as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have experienced those moments when I knew God was driving a stake into the ground and marking an important moment. And marking me. Sometimes He does it with my face on the floor. Other times, He has defined covenant choices for me, like the decision to observe the Sabbath. And still others, he has memorialized moments of prophetic calling when His mission seems grandiose to me, but makes perfect sense to Him. I had an opportunity to return to some of those places. These are defining places with important moments. I
landed in Colorado Springs, several years after Bruce and I made our way back to Texas. As I drove to my hotel, the Lord spoke: “We are going to re-dig some wells here, Mary.” Everything about this city represented a holy wilderness to me. During my time here, God separated me from the ordinary and synchronized my heart with His in significant ways. After I checked into the hotel, I made my first stop at the World Prayer Center. As I worshipped, I remembered the hours I lay in prayer on the floor there. I thought about the amazing classes I attended. I recalled the training and impartation I received as a student at Wagner Leadership Institute, the place where the prophetic words called out someone in me that I didn’t even know yet. I reached for my phone and began to pull up those prophetic words that I had long ago stored away. Gratitude and awe flooded over me, as I thought about God’s faithfulness. I stood up and walked to each place I received those words. I wept as I anointed myself with oil. Then I prayed fresh prayers of faith. An altar of remembrance. An altar of praise and prayer. An altar of thanksgiving. The next day, I went to the property that had been our home. I lay in the grass across the street with my open 217
218 | Adventures in Prayer
Bible. God replayed a series of memories, reminding me of all He had done in our home, in me, and through me. I recalled our Fig Tree Bible Prayer Group, the hours I spent in my prayer closet, and the place He set me apart for His plans and purposes. Again, I wept. Then I anointed myself with oil and prayed fresh prayers of surrender. An altar of remembrance. An altar of praise and prayer. An altar of thanksgiving. The next day, I attended a conference at New Life Church. I remembered the worship and prayers from this place that grew, refreshed, and blessed me. During one workshop, I was so moved by the teaching that I sensed a fresh calling from God about this season of my life. I separated myself from the crowd and went to the church’s prayer center to talk with the Lord. The main area of the prayer center was closed, so I went to a side room. I remembered it was in that room that I attended my first prayer meeting at New Life. At this spot, the leader spoke prophetically over me. I had also saved those words on my phone, so I pulled them up. These words confirmed the teaching I was hearing in the workshop about how God wanted to work in my life. My heart flooded with gratitude and amazement at the faithfulness of God. I moved to the very place those words were spoken. I wept. And I anointed
219 | Adventures in Prayer
myself with oil. Then I prayed fresh prayers of faith over those prophetic words. An altar of remembrance. An altar of praise and prayer. An altar of thanksgiving. When I think about my prayer life, I turn to Psalm 84:5: “… whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” It is important and good for us to pause, wait, and consider the things God has spoken to us in our prayer lives: our quiet times, our loud times, our mountaintop times, and our valley times. It is good to reflect on each season as God connects with us and we connect God with others. It is good to build altars— places of remembrance. Even if we can’t return to those places physically, we should at least revisit them in our prayer journals.
These are defining places with important moments. My time in Colorado ended on a perfect note. I drove once again through my old neighborhood. I stopped in front of each of my former neighbors’ homes and prayed for them. I took one last glance over my old backyard and saw a rainbow! God once again reminded me of His covenant promises. Standing on that same back porch 12 years
220 | Adventures in Prayer
earlier I had taken a photo of another rainbow. I placed it in a frame that includes this promise: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 4). It sits in my prayer room today. We serve a covenant-keeping God!
My Message to You
Sometimes we must go backwards to go forwards. God often reminded His people of the ways He worked in their lives in the past. When they forgot God, He reminded them. When they praised God, He reminded them. We remember the things God did in the past, because it shows us how He will work in the future. When God forgives and heals us, we should forget about the sin and disease we left behind. But we don’t forget about the God who forgives sin and heals disease.
God’s Message to You
I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. —Psalm 77:11–12
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,
221 | Adventures in Prayer
He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” —John 14:25–26
Your Message to God
• Today is a day to remember. Remember all the things God has done for you. Remember how He has spoken to you as you have traveled through this book. Thank Him for His faithfulness. • If you have forgotten about God’s deeds, ask Him to forgive you right now. Recommit your heart and mind to Him. • If you know someone who has forgotten God, pray for that person to hear from God today.
222 | Adventures in Prayer
Conclusion
Mary This wonderful adventure of prayer marks our life in Christ. This lifelong journey reminds me of my marriage vows: “… for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” I am His and will be His until I see Him face-to-face—to be forever His.
Mary
My editor surprised me about something as we were working on this book. As I wrote the book, I often referred to myself as “Mary Jo.” But when I gave accounts of meeting God through prayer, I referred to myself as “Mary.” As you were reading, you may not have even noticed. In fact, I didn’t notice until it was pointed out to me. What was interesting about using “Mary” rather than “Mary Jo” is that only one person on earth has ever called me “Mary”—my earthly father. Shortening my name to “Mary” became his term of endearment for me.
Mary
I remembered an intensive class on prayer and
223 | Adventures in Prayer
intercession, taught by Dutch Sheets. He spent two days pouring into us, letting the Holy Spirit speak through him. Dutch, in many ways, has been a spiritual father to me. At the end of class, he went around the class of approximately 30 students praying and prophesying over each student. I listened and waited. I heard words of encouragement, direction, and exhortation come out of his mouth. Still, I listened and waited. I anticipated a map, a compass, a clear picture of what God wanted to do in my prayer life … I listened and waited. Then it was my turn. Mary, take the anointing … all of it. Mary. Mary. Mary. Mary. That was it. Just one word. One word that spoke volumes of what God wanted me to know.
Mary
I have been outside of Jerusalem and stood near Jesus’ garden tomb. It was there that one of His followers thought she was meeting the gardener, until He revealed Himself by calling her name—“Mary.” So tender. So intimate. So real. From my very first prayer meeting, when I heard that worship song, “I Heard the Lord Call My Name,” I knew God invited me personally into a relationship with Him, defined by the word prayer. He knows my name. Today,
224  |  Adventures in Prayer
calling me higher into his heart, deeper into his purposes, wider into his plans. Mary. And, my dear friends, God is calling your name. He desires to connect with you in your everyday life. He has designed prayer to be a ceaseless communication with you and as you connect Him to others. He has plans and purposes to use your heart, your prayers, your tears, and your dreams to make heaven happen on earth. He has your name on His heart. Enjoy the journey. I have been and will continue praying for you. He wants to talk to you, meet with you, stretch you, grow you, use you, and enjoy you from here to eternity. Write your stories. Teach others to see God in the Scriptures, to hear His voice, and to obey. Invite others to join in your adventurous prayer life. Love, Mary ( Jo)
225  |  Adventures in Prayer
You were born to blaze new trails. Pioneer great adventures. Reclaim new territory. Take daring risks. You were born to tell an original story. Be God-strong and foolishly courageous. Let faith not fear be your compass. Truth not lies be your guide. Always remember to give God room to prove Him faithful. You were born for such a time as this. Tiffini Kilgore
226  |  Adventures in Prayer
About the Author Mary Jo Pierce is the Pastor of Prayer & Intercession at Gateway Church in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, joining the staff in 2004 to develop a culture of prayer and intercession. She uses every tool available to inspire and exhort people in their personal prayer lives including teaching, training, writing, photography, social media, and even baking bread. She and her husband, Bruce, along with their two Maltese puppies, Honor and Glory, reside in Roanoke, Texas. For more information or to contact Mary Jo visit www.maryjopierce.com.
227 | Adventures in Prayer