Ready, Set, Go Pray!

Do you ever spend so much time thinking about how to begin something that its seems you never get around to actually, well, you know, beginning it? If you are like me (wishing I weren’t quite so much of a perfectionist) its hard to step forward with something new until you feel its “just right”. However, here is what the Lord is teaching me: If I wait until I feel ready, I will never do anything! I never feel totally “ready”. So, with that disclaimer, I now begin, ready or not!

In thinking about what to write for our first real posting, I’ve decided just to begin with what’s on my mind this morning. The topic is PRAYER. I know…you’ve heard about that before. In fact, you probably can recite some “prayers” by heart.

• “Now I lay me down to sleep….”
• “God is good, God is great….”
• “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name….”

But that is not the kind of prayer I am talking about. I’m talking about the kind of prayer that is more like a conversation. You know…the kind where you take turns both speaking and listening.

I’m currently reading the book, Praying the Bible, by Donald Whitney. I’d heard about the book for some time, and have read other books by the same author, so I purchased a copy and settled into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee for a good read. I wasn’t disappointed. However, I did more than read. I prayed! I’m not going to do a book review here, but I do suggest you get a copy and read it for yourself. I think it will transform your prayer life!

So, why am I thinking about prayer so much these days? Several things are going on in our life and ministry, which have caused us to pray more fervently recently.

Many of you know about the Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI) that our sending agency, the International Mission Board (IMB) recently announced. Mark and I spent the better part of 6 weeks praying intensely about whether to accept the offer for early retirement and return to the USA or to remain on active career missionary status. With the pulls of family on one continent and ministry on the other, it was not an easy decision! But, we feel God’s peace about our decision to return to Brazil in February, 2016. We prayed for wisdom and peace and God answered our prayers.

What do I mean when I say praying intensely? I mean a focused time of pouring our hearts out to God, expressing our fears and concerns and seeking His will (which He reveals to us through the reading of His word and often, the circumstances He orchestrates around us). It means praising Him for all He has already done and trusting that He knows the future. It is this experience of focused praying, and the reading of the book I mentioned above, that has me thinking more about prayer these days.

As Christmas approaches, Southern Baptists focus on their annual missions awareness emphasis, so we have numerous speaking engagements in the weeks to come. Often we are asked, “How can we pray for you?” What a great question! 🙂

When praying for missionaries it’s really not fundamentally different than praying for yourself, or anyone else you know. Think about these four categories:

1. Physical
2. Spiritual
3. Emotional
4. Relational

Physical—that’s the one we most often think of. Church prayer lists are full of physical needs of the congregation. When one part of the body is not functioning as it ought, our entire being is affected. We cry out for relief from our pain and our suffering. When you pray for missionaries, pray for physical strength and stamina, the body’s ability to fight off disease and infections, protection from harm (not everyone loves to see an American living abroad) and safety in travels. If we can’t keep going physically we are not as effective in ministry. Pray for the missionaries’ physical surroundings. Pray for the country they serve in and the political climate.

Spiritual—in this category we often jump right to praying for the lost to be saved, as well we should. However, don’t forget to pray for the many intricate parts of that process: the missionary’s daily quiet time and their healthy relationship with their Lord. Missionaries deal with sin in their lives, just like you do. Missionaries need to forgive and seek forgiveness. Pray that your missionaries will not being distracted from the primary tasks of evangelism and discipleship. Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel and for those who are open to hear the message of the Gospel and respond. Pray also for the ability to clearly communicate theological truth in another language and in a culture that distorts and often redefines the message in order to make it more “appealing” or politically correct.

Emotional—your missionaries are not superheroes. We get tired, grumpy, lonely and yes, even discouraged and depressed, just like you do. Every range of emotion you feel your missionaries feel as well. The next time you find yourself frustrated in traffic, pray for a missionary who is stuck in traffic too and probably thinking the same things you are. If you find yourself feeling left out or lonely, pray for a missionary who may be feeling the same thing. If you are apprehensive waiting for test results, remind yourself to trust in the Lord, yes. And also pray that your missionaries will remember that truth too.

Relational—If your missionaries were superheroes (which I have already mentioned they are not), then you would not have to even pray about this. But the truth is, relationships are challenging. Where two or more are gathered, there will be conflict! 🙂 Pray for long distance relationships with extended family members in another country. Pray for relationships between husbands, wives and children. Did you know that many missionaries live in small apartments with private living space being shared with office space, home schooling space, and ministry space? Now add to that the fact that often all members of the family are in the home together for the bulk of the day, day after day (think about that Christmas vacation when you were all snowed in and the kids were restless being home and you were ready for them to be back in school). No matter how much I love working with my husband and having my kids with me, there are days the relationships feel a bit frayed and we all feel we need a bit more space and time away from each other. Pray also for relationships between national colleagues. Just because one studies culture and language doesn’t always mean there is clear understanding. Those misunderstandings can damage relationships if not handled carefully. Even when working with other American colleagues, there can be a difference of opinions that influence the effectiveness of the ministry.

Finally, remember in your prayers don’t just speak to God. Listen! That’s what makes it a conversation, right? As you pray through these categories, read God’s Word—that’s how He speaks to you. Look at the circumstances around you—God may be speaking to you through your circumstances too. Can you begin to see things from a different perspective? Do you notice that there are others around you who would benefit from your prayers as well? Is God speaking to you, not only about your personal prayer life, but also showing you how you can pray for others? Pray for yourself, your family and work/school relationships. Pray for your missionaries. Pray for the lost. Pray for that annoying neighbor or difficult person you know. We all have the same needs. Pray and listen to what God is telling you to do. Then do it. It’s just that simple.

Truth that Transforms