On My Knees...

I am usually huge on New Year's Resolutions.  However, this year I was at a loss for what to tackle as my resolution (or I thought I was at a loss!).  Generally, I am pretty good at sticking to resolutions so I do spend a bit of time committing to them.  For example, blogging was my 2014 New Year's Resolution.  I don't always commit to them for life; like the year I committed to keeping a clean and tidy car.  I did keep my car clean for a year but only a year.  (Confession time:  although my car is relatively clean, it is rarely tidy.  And it always smell like my chocolate lab. But I did keep it clean AND tidy for one entire year.)

Anyway, it's February 1st and I am just now committing to a New Year's Resolution.  However, I am pretty sure God had my resolution picked out on January 1st, I was just too slow to realize it (or avoiding it).

I think God is not-so-subtly telling me to spend more time on my knees  in prayer.  As 2015 closed out, I was overwhelmed with answered prayers.  God just took care of so many things for me...things I know many people were praying about it.  And regrettably, things I worried about.  My worry overwhelmed me until one day God just revealed many answered prayers to me.  It was like He looked down and said, "See, I told you.  I GOT THIS."  

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And it was with the first of many answered prayers that I felt an urge to devote the year to praying for others.  Sure, I pray for others on a regular basis.  But I wouldn't say I commit to prayer on a regular basis.  And I just feel like God has called me to this resolution.  For example, after feeling the initial urge to pick this resolution (but still actively resisting it!) a co-worker showed up in my office with a prayer journal.  She said she  found it in her house, wasn't going to use it and thought maybe I might make use of it.  I thought to myself, "That's odd.  I've been thinking about spending more time in prayer and she just so happened to offer me...a prayer journal.  (Note:  I wonder how God feels when I respond to Him with a "that's odd".)  You'd think that would make me dive into prayer...however, I continued to resist.  Until yesterday.  

I am confident it was not a coincidence that the first church I attended, on the first Sunday after I moved to Morehead City, NC was a church working on a stronger commitment to God in...PRAYER.  The moment the pastor said the church leadership was feeling as though God wanted them to lead others in a stronger commitment to prayer...I knew God was right there talking to me.  

So today I took my first step toward my New Year's (minus 1 month) Resolution and pulled out that little prayer journal to start my day of.  Sometimes I can't believe how slow I am when God is trying to pull me in a certain direction (obviously a direction toward Him) but I resist the pull or stand still.  When I finally move,  I always feel right when I step forward.  So over this next year, I will be looking to pour out blessings of prayer on others in honor of God and the many answered prayers in my own life.  I also have a feeling this might be one of those resolutions that I don't give up after a year.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Need prayer...just say so and I'll lift you up in prayer.

Resolutions, resistance and prayer,

Ashley Lucille
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