The 3 P's = super awesome PRAYER!

We’ve been talking about prayer a lot lately.  I am preparing myself for Lent, as well as members of our congregation for a Lenten WRITTEN prayer challenge. So, it’s only natural for my children to be extremely aware of the practice, purpose and POWER of prayer. The 3 P’s.

The concept of the 3 P’s came to me a few weeks ago, as I was doing some meditation in preparation of a women’s retreat that I was leading.  As a teacher, I was always looking for easy ways to help my students remember things, and now as a Mommy-Teacher, I look to do the same thing. I guess it just happens in my brain. SO…the 3 P’s concept was born.

 Practice…Purpose…Power.

The practice of prayer is as old as documented time. The Bible is full of prayer. Both the Old and New testaments.

David, in Psalm 51: 1-2 prays:

“Have Mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

David, pure of heart and honest with God, was always able to express his wrongdoings and ask for forgiveness through prayer.

Jonah, the coward (as I call him J) shouted out in prayer from within the belly of the whale:

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.  From the depths of the grave, I called for help and you listened to my cry.  You hurled me into the deep, Into the very heart of the seas and the currents swirled about me.  All your waves and breakers swept over me.  I said, I have been vanished from your sight, yet I will look again toward your holy temple.”  …

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.  What I have vowed I will make good.  Salvation comes from the Lord.”

~Jonah 2:2-4, 8-9

When in dire need of God’s grace, Jonah found himself offering thanks for that grace and asking for the Lord’s help in getting him out of the belly of that great fish.

When Paul writes to the faithful saints in Ephesus, he  says:

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that God of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength.”

Paul offers thanks and then tells the Ephesians that he is praying for them, and tells them specifically what he is praying over them, as a people. Paul’s prayers are full of intention; of purpose.

Purpose. In my opinion, prayer means nothing unless it is intentional and full of purpose. The rote repetition of popular, well known, historically written “prayers”  provide structure and stability to many individuals. BUT, there is no dialogue with God when simply reciting a prayer. Yes.  I said dialogue.

Did you just raise your eyebrow and say, “Dialogue, Danielle?”

Bet you did.

YES…I said dialogue.  God DOES speak back. You just have to be STILL enough to LISTEN.

It took me well into my 30’s to develop a REAL relationship with God. A relationship that is now the MOST important relationship in my life.  I put it before my relationship with my husband, my children, my parents and everyone else! I credit this relationship to my intentional, real act of praying.

I pray all the time. Sometimes it is silent. Sometimes it is audible, but most times it is in writing.  Yes, again, you read that correctly.  God DOES know how to read!

I have been journaling my prayers for 2 years now. I started out with a simple salt and pepper notebook… that turned into 3 notebooks…and then I did a notebook decorating project with some of the young adults that I work with at church, and now I currently have 4 working prayer journals at one time. They are scattered all over; one next to my bed, one in my bag and 2 more that float around the house.

My prayers, when written, are pure honesty. I have always felt that I am most raw and truthful when I write, which, allows me to be raw and truthful when I speak to God. Sometimes I draw, sometimes my thoughts and scripture turn into poems. Whatever I am feeling, whatever I need help with but most of all, whatever I am grateful for, shows up in my prayer journals.

I guess my favorite part of writing my prayers is the ability to go back and READ them.  I have a record of my feelings, my struggles, my needs but most of all, I can look back and SEE just how God has answered my prayers, how He has shown me guidance,  how He has worked through me. He has written back to me. He is the greatest pen pal I have ever had.  He will always writes back.

This brings me now to the POWER of Prayer.  I have seen, first hand, how the POWER of prayer acts no less than as a shield made of iron. Prayer protects. Prayers guides. Prayer comforts. Prayer  heals the heart. What more could you ask for?  Not to mention prayer is WAY lighter than an iron shield.

SO…who wants to pray with me?  Seriously!

I am facilitating a Lenten prayer challenge.  We will be using Rachel Hackenberg’s Writing to God; 40 Days of Praying With My Pen.  I purchased my copy from Amazon, if you are local, we have a few copies at NRUMC , but if you are not local, but want to join us, PLEASE DO!  [check out Rachel’s web-site and read some of her work.  I love her style and love her gentle motivation.  Her blog is great too! www.rachelhackenberg.com]

One of my favorite things to do is gather with like-minded individuals and read and share what each other has written.  I LOVE to learn about other people.  I love to see how different minds work.  We will be meeting on 2 Saturday mornings, during Lent, to share, guide and encourage each other: March 8 and April 5 at 9:30 AM in the fellowship hall of NRUMC. You are always welcome here.

There is one week until the beginning of Lent. Though there is no reason to “wait” to become more faithful, I find this season to be one of deep reflection, mucho prayer-o, and tres grande amounts of love!

I would love to hear how the 3P’s can trickle into your life.  If you choose to take the writing challenge, please leave a comment here.  I will try to encourage you the best I can.  I plan to share some of my written prayer and poems as well.

I will leave you with a kiddo story.

‘The Dude’ says our dinner blessing every night.  After he finishes praying last night, he says I bet that all the other 5 years olds are saying their blessing right now too, huh mom? WOW. This kid has no idea of the level of his thinking. ‘The Farmer’ answered him, quite well I might add. He said, “you know, not all kids pray as well as you do, buddy. Some of them don’t sit down and have dinner as a family.”

‘The Dude’ says, “that makes me want to cry [OVERLY DRAMATIC…obviously, he belongs to me]

‘The Farmer’ says, “it is kind of sad, but Mommy and I will always try to make sure we eat together every night, and that we pray together every day. Don’t you EVER stop your praying”

LOVE that man.

{beBlessed} and have a super day.