The Stirring Faith Blog

Taking Your Prayers Digital

taking prayers digital

Taking your prayers digital

If you are like the majority of Christian women, you pray at least once a day. And that’s a good thing. Being in the habit of prayer is a lifestyle discipline of epic proportions. It can change your day, your marriage, your children, the future, and your own legacy. In essence, it makes us more like Jesus and tenders our hearts toward what breaks his heart—leaving us different.

From the earliest disciples and throughout the centuries, Christ followers have depended on prayer and noted its prominent place in Christianity. James, the half-brother of Jesus was fondly known as Camel Knees because of the time he spent in prayer in that prostrate position. One of the final instructions he penned was to pray because the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16).

In the twentieth century, George Mueller shows us how to incorporate such prayer into daily life. Mueller recorded his prayers in journals. He kept a record of the needs, requests, desires, and dreams he brought to the Lord, (along with how and when God answered him). In his lifetime of keeping records, he boasts of having over fifty thousand specific answered prayers. Thousands of these he confessed were answered on the very day he made the request.

Keeping a record of your prayers remains a faith-building endeavor. My problem is that sometimes I am without my journal. And when I attempt any significant time of prayer (longer than the distance from home to Wal-Mart), I can’t seem to stay focused long or remember who and what to pray for.

Thankfully, you and I live in a digital age with tools and resources at our fingertips that those who walked the planet before us could not even comprehend. Our phones can offer great assistance in taking our prayers digital.

How to Use Your Phone to Take Your Prayers Digital

Basically, there are opportunities for individual resources to aid us in our prayer lives, and there are group opportunities. Where does a person unfamiliar with prayer in cyberspace begin?

I’m so glad you asked.

Group Resources for Taking Your Prayers Digital

Most things are more fun and engaging when shared with another person whether in person or not. At least this is one of the greatest lessons gleaned from Covid-19. Just to offer a starting place, check out the resources below:

Prayerchainonline.net

This is an organized site that allows you to start or join a prayer chain that exclusively exists online. It’s easy to navigate and lets you determine quickly what you want to do there. Do you have a request? Do you want to join a team already in existence? Start a new group? Suppose you need resources in addition to prayer, like counseling, they’ve got it covered.

Meetup Prayer Groups

This is a hub for finding like-minded people or those with similar interests to yours. Note – this is not a Christian site. Be sure to examine the groups you can join to determine that the group meets your expectations and shares your religious beliefs. Can’t find what you are looking for (within the over 700 prayer groups already meeting)? Meetup also allows you to start your own group.

Zoom.us

In 2022, Zoom needs little introduction. But I would be remiss if I failed to mention it as a digital avenue for prayer. Creating an account and scheduling a :30 min meeting is absolutely free. It’s a great avenue for meeting others to pray together. You have likely used it for work, church meetings or gatherings, parent meetings for schools, and family gatherings. Why not consider using it for prayer?

Intercessors for America or IFA –

This organization focuses prayer on the United States, its leadership, and national issues. It also offers guidance and opportunities to pray for other needs on a global scale. Be aware, it leans conservative politically. The site is very well organized, active, and offers lots of people to pray for (regardless of political or religious leanings).

Bible.com or the YouVersion app –

YouVersion is one of the most recognized and utilized Bible apps on the planet. One of the newer features of the app is the ability to post prayer requests and to pray for the requests of others. Within the app are hundreds of thousands, even millions of users, but you are not praying for all of these. Similar to FB (without the social), you can connect with people you already know and become “friends.” It is within this circle you can share requests and pray for theirs. It’s a great option because it is both useful with others and alone. To pray alongside others, simply click on your “prayer list” and start praying for the needs your “friends” have shared. There is also a place to record how God answers these requests.

Small Group Digital Prayer

Groups such as She Prays (our favorite) housed on Facebook are plentiful. She Prays is a private group with over 500 members who offer prayer requests, comments and support, and prayer within the membership. Other groups function in a similar manner, like Christian Women’s Prayer and Praise Group with over 25,000 members. These types of options are great for connecting on a deeper level than you would get on social media. It allows people to support one another when they might not know each other. She Prays is one of my favorite connections.

Individual Resources for Taking Your Prayers Digital

Individual resources for taking my own prayers digital are where I have experienced the most development in my own practice of prayer. Remember when I mentioned George Mueller and his journalkeeping? I am a huge fan of journaling. In fact, I produce these because I am a believer in recording your history with God. We are so apt to forget, it’s difficult to remember to remember. Journaling or keeping a written record makes this essential more likely to occur.

My only hiccup with journaling is that my prayer journals are not always WITH ME. My phone is. Fortunately, in our generation, there are several options for moving your journaling efforts in prayer to a digital format.

YouVersion app or Bible.com

As mentioned above, the YouVersion app is useful for both group praying and your individual prayers. Within the app you can decide if you want your recorded requests shared with others (your friends) or to keep things private. In this way, you can keep an ongoing record of what you are asking and how God responds to your needs. It’s free and you can set a timer to remind you to pray. Although I receive zero compensation from YouVersion, as a content partner, I am a personal fan and cheerleader.

Echo Prayer App

Echo is a prayer app you can download from the App Store. There is a free version and a paid version. Personally, this has become my favorite app for taking my prayers digital. One reason is that it is simple to use. You can either pray or record a new request. It also allows you to title your prayers which makes them easy to shuffle through if I’m looking for something I have already recorded.

The other aspect I appreciate is that no longer do I need to riffle through sticky notes or pages in a book to get through all the people and issues I want to pray over. Echo gives me a randomized selection of what I have entered. There is also a section of more global requests, like praying for Bible translators, or people who have not yet heard to gospel message to gain access and be saved. I might not have those types of petitions on my agenda and this format allows me to expand my prayer beyond my own concerns.

If you are inclined, this app allows you to connect with other people, upload pictures, and a host of other niceties in the paid version.

Abide Prayer app

I became familiar with Abide from their reading plans on YouVersion. This app is very helpful in getting the user into the habit of prayer and meditation. It’s a very soothing resource but also filled with existing prayers covering a plethora of topics.

Prayminder

This app is available for free and works much like my beloved Echo app. It was created to help the user develop the habit of prayer. Toward that aim, the app offers a way of record keeping for your own prayers, giving reminders, and helping you track God’s responses to your prayers.

Daily Bible Inspirations app—

Daily Bible Inspirations is similar to what you might find on YouVersion just on a smaller scale and limited to the KJV. If you like sharing verses on social media, this app contains that added feature. The element I find of most interest is the housed digital journal. You will find a journal prompt or question with space to add your thoughts and comments. And it’s pretty.

These few suggestions only scratch the surface of what is possible when taking your prayers digital. One thing to remember is that prayer is a universal phenomenon, not limited to Biblical Christianity. When searching for an app that will help you in your relationship with the Lord, or a group to join, make sure to read the About or Purpose statements rather than just settling for functionality.

My Personal Move to take My Prayers Digital

taking prayers digitalPersonally, moving my prayer life to a digital format has deepened and strengthened my prayers. It has allowed me the freedom of organization, jogs my memory of who and what to pray for, and gives me space to incorporate scripture easily (cutting and pasting) into my prayers. I can also screenshot anything I might want to find quickly or pull up in line at the grocery store. It’s also made it easy to do throughout the day because it’s on my phone.

I made the digital jump a few years ago and will never go back. What about you? Are you ready to take your prayers digital? And if, like me, you have already made the digital leap, what resources are you using? I can’t wait to find out!

Did You Know?

For the one who feels invisible, largely passed over, and insignificant – Cheri has created a resource for you. Grab your copy of Can You See Me, Now? Good news for the lonely, left out, and less than and join the Strange Readers Café. We will be going through the book together beginning Oct. 3 until December 16 – just in time for Christmas.

Buy the Book 

Join the Group

Don’t forget to check out the latest FREE reading plan available from YouVersion!

Have you received my FREE gift to you? Get 3 resources to help you experience more of God in your everyday life. It’s filled with practical helps for living out what really matters.

DOWNLOAD NOW

WAIT! THERE’S MORE.

If you would like to become a part of the private FB group, She Prays, we would love to have you. Click the image to join.

glimpses of she prays

 

You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this:

Times of testing

What Has God Done for Me?

What has God done

November, especially the days and weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, is the time when many reflect more on that for which we are grateful. Pinterest oozes with ideas for family activities, transforming any environment into a picturesque event, and tantalizing recipes captured in perfection. For the believer in Christ, this is the ideal time to ponder what God has done for you.

Finding Scripture that calls us to be thankful or even what words to express our gratitude is easily located. Just open the Psalms and within a few pages, it will surface. But the call to reflect on what God has done for you is not limited to the Psalms. In fact, even a casual reader of the Bible will find it appearing across the entire book. The one that comes into focus for me this particular season is from the prophet Samuel.

Above all, fear the LORD, and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

We find this verse at the tail end of a discourse from Samuel (the last of God’s prophets) to the Israelites. The people wanted to become like all the other kingdoms and asked for a king to be set above them. You might recall how the request angered Samuel. But God reminded him that the rejection was not of Samuel and his leadership but of God. They didn’t want to rely on what they could not see for life. It’s a sinful request, but God instructs Samuel to grant it. Before doing so, he helps them see their error and calls them to remain committed and close to their God.

What if I really Mess Up?

These people really messed up. But their blunder did not result in rejection. Instead, God beckons them to Himself through His spokesperson, Samuel. Chances are, like me, you have made a few blunders of your own. Instead of hiding or covering it up or taking a different option moving forward, God calls out to you and to me through this same Word.

As you experience these days of November, remember who is Lord of your life. It doesn’t matter if you have failed Him. He still wants you near. All of you – all of those aspects of you that tempt you to turn away to what will not satisfy – He wants you.

The best way I have found to keep myself near is to take this good advice from Samuel.

Consider the great things God has done for you.

What has God done for you in the present and in the past? Answering this question should draw us to pray prayers of gratitude and praise for what only He can do. I hope you will do just that.

Today I want to pray over you to this effect.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for What God has Done for You

what has God doneDear Jesus,

In what other way can we come before you except in humble gratitude? You are the God who performs miracles. Indeed, what God is so great as our God?

Today I ask that you reveal Yourself to my friend. Make your ways of provision known. Spark her memories of Your activity in her life up until this juncture. Help her to know of your care for her and of her each passing moment. As promised, there is never a time or place You are not with her. Remind her of what You have done and of your presence in her going out and coming in. Then show her what you are doing now. The people in the days of Samuel needed a miraculous sign to help them see their sin and become sensitive, once again, to your voice and lordship over their lives. If this sweet sister needs the same, I ask that You give it. Give her a heart overflowing with gratitude until You return.

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Did You Know?

For the one who feels invisible, largely passed over, and insignificant – Cheri has created a resource for you. Grab your copy of Can You See Me, Now? Good news for the lonely, left out, and less than and join the Strange Readers Café. We will be going through the book together beginning Oct. 3 until December 16 – just in time for Christmas.

Buy the Book 

Join the Group

Don’t forget to check out the latest FREE reading plan available from YouVersion!

Have you received my FREE gift to you? Get 3 resources to help you experience more of God in your everyday life. It’s filled with practical helps for living out what really matters.

DOWNLOAD NOW

WAIT! THERE’S MORE.

If you would like to become a part of the private FB group, She Prays, we would love to have you. Click the image to join.

glimpses of she prays

 

You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this:

Times of testing

Knowing God’s Will

Knowing Gods Will

Knowing God’s will for your life can seem elusive. At times it feels as if there is some magical formula or secret code hidden from the woman who wants to know what to do or how to do it. But it’s not really like that in reality. The Word of God is instructive, guiding the reader to understand and make spiritual progress in the will of God for her life.

Sometimes Knowing God’s Will is a Straight-Up Answer

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

 

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40

 

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 1 Thessalonians 4:3

 

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 2 Peter 2:15

 

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

This is just a sampling of what the Bible says using the words will of God. There are many other passages that assume it by giving a directive or using other similar language. The point is that God’s will for our lives is not as distant or cagey as it seems.

Problems Discerning and Knowing God’s will

One problem is that we, as a population, are not familiar enough with the Word of God to know this reality. The latest statistics (from the Barna Group) tell us about one out of every six adults reads the Bible most days. That leaves a lot of people who read a few times per year. One certainly can’t expect to know God’s will without being in God’s Word. Unless you and I are deep in the Old Testament, and thoroughly in the New, will miss what He clearly intends us to know and embrace for our lives.

Another issue often rises to the surface. There exists a duel between our desires for what we want God’s will to be in our lives and God’s actual will. It’s as if we approach Him as someone we can manipulate into doing what we want. Maybe it’s a good thing. It may even be a godly endeavor. But neither of these qualifiers enables us to bend the will of God to our own. He remains sovereign even over the details of our lives.

Thank goodness.

The Gift for Knowing God’s will from Paul

One approach you and I can take in knowing God’s will for our lives comes from Paul. In his letter to the church at Colossi, he wrote to them about what he was praying over them and why.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:9-12

When I read that the Apostle Paul was praying for those with whom he ministered, I believe it is there for a reason. And thatknowing gods will reason is you and me and every other reader before us and hereafter. God saw fit to place these specific prayers in the Bible so that we might benefit. I am not wise enough or Christlike enough to know how to pray for myself or others. What a gift to preserve these specific needs for us as well as the purpose in relying on God to meet them.

No matter what the specifics are in your quandaries about the purpose and direction for your life, we share this same desired end: to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. Therefore, we, too, should ask to be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Today, this is the very thing I aim to do, my friend, over you.

A Prayer for Knowing God’s Will

Lord,

Thank you for Your Word. I pray that my friend reads it, desires it, and learns from it more tomorrow than she did today. Open her mind and heart to what You might say to her. And tender her to Your desires for her life, over her own. Fill her with the knowledge of Your will for her in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Show her how much You care for her. Then draw her to Yourself more and more as You reveal who You are to her and what Your purposes are for her life.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Did You Know?

For the one who feels invisible, largely passed over, and insignificant – Cheri has created a resource for you. Grab your copy of Can You See Me, Now? Good news for the lonely, left out, and less than and join the Strange Readers Café. We will be going through the book together beginning Oct. 3 until December 16 – just in time for Christmas.

Buy the Book 

Join the Group

Don’t forget to check out the latest FREE reading plan available from YouVersion!

Have you received my FREE gift to you? Get 3 resources to help you experience more of God in your everyday life. It’s filled with practical helps for living out what really matters.

DOWNLOAD NOW

WAIT! THERE’S MORE.

If you would like to become a part of the private FB group, She Prays, we would love to have you. Click the image to join.

glimpses of she prays

Did you know Cheri has over TWENTY different reading plans for you to choose from? Just click on the images below to check them out:

The Journey Toward Waiting WellConquering Chaos

If you like She Prays for battling fear you will like finding light

You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this:

Times of testing

Join My Book Club

book club

Join My Book Club

That’s right! I am hosting a book club on Facebook called, The Strange Readers Cafe` and I would love for you to join me. For the next 75-days (from Oct. 3 to Dec. 16) we will be reading Can You See Me, Now? in this private Facebook group together.

How do I know Book Club is for me?

  • If you start books but have a hard time finishing them,
  • If you would benefit from the accountability of reading with a group,
  • If you think you might be the only one who feels left out, passed over, or invisible,
  • If you crave community with the body of Christ,
  • If you would enjoy making new friends,
  • If you want to engage deeper with the author and into the material,

then this book club, The Strange Readers Cafe` might be just the thing for you this fall.

How do I join the Book Club?

To join, simply follow the link below that will take you to the private Facebook page and join. After approval by an administrator of the group, you will have access.

What can I expect from the Book Club?

  • You can expect to make some new friends. We will offer opportunities to get to know each other and find commonalities.
  • There will be a set reading schedule that is doable!
  • As the author, I will pop into the group on a regular basis to join in your discussions or comments between group members.
  • There will be weekly Facebook Live opportunities to get a closer look from an insider’s perspective, ask the author questions, articulate points of discussion, understandings, share personal experiences, and pray.
  • Inside you will discover a group of women who have all experienced feeling alone, insignificance, or left behind — and desire to move beyond this.
  • You will be able to finish with a personal actionable plan for becoming, not only seen but spiritually invincible.

book club storiesSign me up for Book Club!

If you are ready to sign up for this 75-day journey together:

  • be sure to join the Facebook Group, The Strange Readers Cafe.`
  • Secure your own copy of Can You See Me, Now? (Ebook or paperback)
  • Stop by the Welcome post to let us know all about you!

I can’t wait to meet you there!

For His glory,

 

Don’t forget to check out the FREE reading plan available about the book from YouVersion!

Have you received my FREE gift to you? Get 3 resources to help you experience more of God in your everyday life. It’s filled with practical helps for living out what really matters.

DOWNLOAD NOW

WAIT! THERE’S MORE.

If you would like to become a part of the private FB group, She Prays, we would love to have you. Click the image to join.

glimpses of she prays

Did you know Cheri has over TWENTY different reading plans for you to choose from? Just click on the images below to check them out:

The Journey Toward Waiting WellConquering Chaos

If you like She Prays for battling fear you will like finding light

You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this:

Times of testing

A Prayer Before You Go

before you go

A Prayer Before You Go

It’s Launch Week around here. And what a week it’s been! Wowzers. The book, Can You See Me, Now? Good news for the lonely, left out, and less than is officially out in the world. The launching process involves a lot of people across months. For these souls, I am eternally grateful, including my launch team leader, my launch team members, and my prayer team. Honestly, the whole thing can be overwhelming and scary. You don’t know how it’s going to turn out. Like a lot of situations familiar to you, there are times when our course of action is downright frightful. Before we go, prayer must take priority. As God would have it, there is a prayer of preparation before you go.

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”  Deut. 20:1

Moses is in the midst of giving instructions to the people. This is a particular people who have been called to take over the Promised Land one battle at a time. Against warriors. Giants. And vast kingdoms with resources that make the wandering Israelite people look easy to wipe out. Naturally, the response from God’s people is fear. And here God acknowledges this. At the same time, or you could say, in the same breath, the people are told not to let fear prevail, and why.

Because the LORD your God is with you.

No. There is no denying in the text that what you and I go up against is often greater than our own resources and strength. God sees what we see: more and bigger bad guys. Realistically, victory of any sort looks impossible. But obstacles of this variety are not to push us to frenzied terror, just because they are real. We are told, not to be afraid.

Then what Are We to Do?

Instead, we are to remember our God is the same God who has rescued and delivered us time and time again. God’s intent is that you come through to the other side of the situation victoriously.

The part I love is that God seems to know we can’t get there on our own.

Moses doesn’t just leave it with the directive not to fear. He involves non-fighters in the battle. To reinforce the call to trust in the God who leads, the spiritual leader is to come forward and give a charge—an encouragement for Who God is, for what He can do, and why he will do it.

And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’Deut. 20:2-4

What Does Praying Before You Go Look Like Today?

Today, I think this looks a lot like praying before you go. For instance, during the forty days leading up to this week’s book launch, my closest spiritual leader, my husband, prayed and fasted. He’s not a writer. He isn’t on my prayer team. But he does play a prominent role in what I do as God leads. So he prayed before I went.

Chad will admit that it wasn’t a time filled with personal mountaintop experiences. In fact, he often communicated it didn’t feel super spiritual at all. It was obedience to encourage and empower those within his realm of responsibility to trust God in the unknown and the scary, to remember His history in my life, and remind me that it is God, Himself, who fights for me to give me victory in whatever He has called me to.

I believe that God saw to it that we have this obscure set of instructions to change situations, to successfully navigate what lies beyond us, and allow us to experience the impossible.

Today I want to offer you this same prayer, not as one who is spiritually over you, but rather as one who is helping to cover and encourage you. May you be strengthened with courage and in faith to move out into whatever God has called you to, unafraid.

But I encourage you to write these verses down. Keep them close. Don’t be afraid to ask one of your spiritual leaders in your life to give you a similar charge before you go.

A Prayer Before You Gobefore you go

Lord Jesus,

Remind my friend today of your presence. Remind her that it is You who is going before her to battle. You are not shielding yourself behind her or casually watching from the sidelines. You are in the fight, leading. You are ready to do what needs to be done for Your glory and our good. Remind her of what you have brought her through. Calm her fears, Lord. Give her the courage to trust you in the impossible and the strength to take that next step. I ask that you be faithful to your word. Do what you promise and fight for her. May the battle make your name great.

In your precious name, Amen.

Have you received my FREE gift to you? Get 3 resources to help you experience more of God in your everyday life. It’s filled with practical helps for living out what really matters.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Did you know Cheri’s new book, Can You See Me, Now? is out?

Find out more HERE!

Don’t forget to check out the latest FREE reading plan available from YouVersion!

WAIT! THERE’S MORE.

If you would like to become a part of the private FB group, She Prays, we would love to have you. Click the image to join.

glimpses of she prays

Did you know Cheri has over TWENTY different reading plans for you to choose from? Just click on the images below to check them out:

The Journey Toward Waiting WellConquering Chaos

If you like She Prays for battling fear you will like finding light

You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this:

Times of testing