If you’ve followed this blog for very long, you may have read previous posts where I’ve talked about some of my favorite books on prayer (A Praying Life and Praying God’s Word for Your Husband). You also may have picked up on my love of the Psalms.

So you can imagine how delighted I was when a recent challenge from 40 Ways to Grow Closer to God involved praying a Psalm.

I love the idea of praying God’s Word back to Him. There’s something powerful about repeating inspired words back to our Holy God. I can’t help but believe that it makes Him smile.

If praying God’s Word is a new concept for you, I think Psalms is a perfect place to start. In most cases, the psalms are prayers that were sung. And some of them are so very personal, you almost don’t need to change the words.

I’ll give you an example from a familiar Psalm….Psalm 23. If you wanted to pray Psalm 23, you might say something like this.

Get the idea?

Now, the above example assumes that you are in a pretty good place when you start your prayer. But we all know…well…here’s another version.

Father, I know you are my shepherd, but there are so many things we need right now. Please provide. I am so tired, Lord. If I have another day like yesterday, I won’t make it past breakfast. Please lead me to places of rest. A few green pastures and quiet streams would be such a blessing after the roller coaster ride I’ve been on lately. My soul is wrung out. I cannot fix it on my own. Abba, you’re the only one who can restore my soul. Right now, I don’t know what to do, or where to turn. Please lead me. Show me the right path, not so I can boast, but so you will be glorified.

See the difference?

Regardless of whether you’re relaxing by a cool stream in a soft, grassy field, or fighting for each step through a dark valley, try praying a few Psalms today. You might even consider getting really bold and journaling your version.

We’re not going for literary genius here! There’s not a right or wrong way to do this. When you first start praying God’s Word, it’s okay to “cut & paste” – just pray the words exactly as you read them. Over time, you’ll naturally get more creative with the method.

The idea is to communicate with God. Prayer isn’t talking (or shouting) at Him. It’s opening ourselves up to what He wants to do. It’s being still long enough to hear His soft voice. It’s paying attention long enough to notice when He responds.

When you do, would you mind coming back here and sharing your experience with all of us? You could share the Psalm, or you could share why you chose it, the actual words you prayed, or how God has answered.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! (That’s from Philippians 4:23)

The post Do you Cut & Paste your prayers? Maybe you should… appeared first on Lynn H. Blackburn.

I have a few pet peeves. Well, probably more than a few. And if I tried to list them, there is one that would make the top five. Maybe the top three.

Man bashing.

I’m not talking about good natured teasing. I’m talking about the tendency for women to gather for lunch or an evening out and spend a significant portion of their time airing their husband’s faults and weaknesses, usually to a receptive and appreciative audience who can’t wait for their turn to do the same.

It’s like fingernails on the chalkboard.
Or talking during a movie.
Or book reviews that give away the entire plot making it pointless for me to read the book.

I’m not implying that women should never say anything negative about their spouse. Relationships are hard work. And sometimes, a little advice from a carefully chosen person can help you see things in a new light.

But it shouldn’t be in a group of twenty in the middle of a crowded restaurant at full volume.

We live in a society that heaps pressure on men and then mocks them in movies and television commercials. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, they can’t win.

So what’s a wife, friend, sister, mom, to do?

Sure, we can affirm them. We can try to love them the way they want to be loved. We can make their favorite meal and be sensitive to pressures at work. We can encourage them to develop and maintain friendships, get enough exercise, and eat right.

But there is something else.

Something so much better that it could revolutionize our relationships and revitalize the men we love. Something so simple, we often overlook or minimize its importance.

We could pray for them.

I’m sure many of you do. But what if there was a resource that could help you pray for your husbands using the Word of God, tailored to specific seasons in their lives?

Praying God’s Word for Your Husband by Kathi Lipp is just such a book. She spends the first few chapters talking about why this type of prayer is so effective, gives tips for establishing a routine, and shares suggestions for ways to partner with other women who also have a desire to pray faithfully for their husbands.

In the remainder of the book, each chapter focuses on a particular topic (Employment, Finances, His Relationship with Others, His Relationship with You, Parenting, Health, etc.) and while there is a little bit of narrative, the bulk of the chapters is made up of specific Scriptures, followed by sample prayers based on those verses.

It is a fabulous resource. You can pray through the different topics on a rotation, or use it to specifically address areas where your husband is struggling at the moment.

While this book is written for wives praying for their husbands, I think it’s also a great resource for moms who want to pray for their adults sons, sisters who want to pray for their brothers, and daughters who want to pray for their fathers.

This book has earned a permanent spot in my “quiet time” stack (along with my Bible, my gratitude journal, and my copy of Jesus Calling).

I
I highly recommend Praying God’s Word for Your Husband.

Available June 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The fine print: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review. Opinions are my own.

The post Book Review::Praying God’s Word for your Husband by Kathi Lipp appeared first on Lynn H. Blackburn.