Learning to Pray

The past three weeks have involved over 25 face-to-face meetings with couples, and individuals. From family and friends to brand new faces, we have gotten to meet with many different people. One of our missionary friends told us that raising support is just friendship building, and we have found that to be very true! We have genuinely enjoyed getting to sit across the table from so many people and hear about how God is working in their lives while also getting to share about where He is calling us.

So here we are, three weeks in, and I will say that support raising has taught me more about The Lord and what it looks like to walk with Him than I ever expected. The biggest lesson, surprisingly, has been in the area of prayer.

Before we got married, many people told us that one of the best things we could do as a married couple was to PRAY together. I, being a list maker and rule follower, decided that when we got married we’d better start praying together regularly. However, Sam and I initially found it difficult to keep up the discipline of praying together before bed each night. It would be simple things that stood in our way; one of us would fall asleep, or one would still be reading. Whatever the reasons, the simple truth was that we didn’t pray because we didn’t tangibly feel our need for Jesus.

Then, three weeks after we got married, we started raising support for Sam’s job with the college ministry at McKinney Church. Suddenly, our eyes were opened to just how dependent we were on the Lord. Since then, a day hasn’t passed that we haven’t gotten down on our knees as a couple; thanking God for His faithfulness that day and praying for His provision and blessing over the next day. We don’t forget simply because we can’t. We are completely aware that without the Lord’s presence and faithfulness in this entire process, we will fail. 

We pray because we know we are dependent.

“But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. 

You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay!”

Psalm 40:16-17

The interesting thing about prayer is that it builds. The more you pray, the more you want to pray. Unfortunately, it tends to work the opposite way as well, tempting those who have not conversed with the Lord for awhile to be hesitant to start again. Not only am I learning that prayer leads to more prayer, I am also learning that prayer is vital to the Christian walk.  Prayer is like your leg muscles. You might have some really attractive and ripped arm muscles but if you don’t have strong legs, you’re pretty much useless. I think that our prayer life is the same way. The “arm muscles” would be things like scripture memory, discipleship, and Bible studies; showy, popular, and pretty easy to do. But a deep and meaningful prayer life isn’t as obvious and it’s difficult to teach. But it’s foundational and necessary.

To be honest, I’m learning that my prayer muscles are pretty weak. I can go on and on about how to lead a Bible study, or the best way to memorize scripture, but when I sit down to actually converse with the King of Kings, I find that my attention strays very quickly. Instead of drawing my strength and inspiration from the One whom I am serving, I do it on my own all day and then give him a 5 second debrief on how it all went just before falling asleep each night. It’s pretty backwards, I know.

How can I expect to be walking with the Lord and in His plan if I never talk to Him?!

So I encourage you to learn from me, and not wait until the Lord takes you through the process of raising support to realize that you desperately need Him. And that prayer is powerful and necessary way to connect with the Lord and rely on Him on a daily basis.

When Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray, he includes this line.

“Give me today my daily bread.”

Matthew 6:11

And if Jesus prayed this, how much more should we?

Friends, let us pray.

Prayer Requests:

Sam and I fervently believe that the most effective way you can partner with us and serve us is by lifting us up in prayer before the King of Kings. Our current prayer requests are:

·     - The 2,000 new TCU freshmen that will be coming onto campus in about a month! We are excited to meet them and eager to start getting to know them!

·      -Sam and I will be traveling throughout Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma from July 23-August 4 to meet with family and friends in those states. Please pray for safe travels and the Lord’s blessings over those meetings.

·      -Trust in the Lord and passion as we continue to meet with people throughout the coming weeks.