1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Praise brought to you by Life Audio 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 2: and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. For 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 2: more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: Welcome back, friend. You are listening to the Teach Us 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: to Pray podcast, where we teach believers practical and real 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: with God through the power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson, 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: host of the Teach Us to Pray podcast and founder 10 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: of Beloved Women, where I encourage, equip and empower women 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of 12 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: God's Word. I am so excited to share today's episode 13 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: with you because it's an interview with my good friend, 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: Heather Dixon. Heather is an author, speaker, and Bible teacher 15 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: who understands living with a story that is not easy. 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: Diagnosed with an in curable and terminal genetic disorder that 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: she inherited from her mother, she is passionate about encouraging 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: and equipping women to trust God, face their greatest fears, 19 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: and live with hope, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances. 20 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: If you have ever wanted to have a stronger prayer life. 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: This episode is for you. I know that many of 22 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: you already know the importance of prayer, but maybe you 23 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: desire to grow in this area. In this episode, Heather 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: is going to share with you practical steps that she's 25 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: taken and is still taking to grow in the discipline 26 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: of prayer. In this lighthearted and fun conversation with Heather, 27 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: you will learn practical steps to make prayer a daily 28 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,279 Speaker 1: part of your life, how to use the Lord's prayer 29 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: to start your day with God, and how daily prayer 30 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: can drastically change your life. So if you are ready 31 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: to strengthen your prayer life life, enjoy this episode. 32 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 3: Let me tell you one of the ways that God 33 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 3: is challenging me with prayer and will I will say, 34 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 3: of the spiritual disciplines, prayer has probably been the one 35 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 3: that always needed where I needed more growth in. Like 36 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 3: I love reading God's word, like love it like that's 37 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 3: an easy yeah, I know you do, two sisters, so 38 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 3: eat that's an easy one for us. And worship love it. 39 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,679 Speaker 3: Worship is fun, Worship is encouraging, you know. I love 40 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 3: spending time you know in worship, whether it's singing or 41 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 3: just you know, telling God who he is. But like 42 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 3: actual prayer and like praying for all the people that 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 3: ask for prayer, request and literally praying that one was 44 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 3: kind of a doozy for me in terms of figuring out, 45 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 3: you know, Okay, how do I incorporate this into my 46 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 3: life and actually do it well, I guess, or do 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 3: it in a way that is well. I don't want 48 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 3: I want to attach values on prayer, but you know 49 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 3: what I mean. But you know, I just I wanted 50 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 3: to do it better, you know, But I just really 51 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 3: felt like that spiritual discipline was probably an area where 52 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,920 Speaker 3: I could grow. So I started this year. In the morning, 53 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 3: I you know, wake up and my body is very 54 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 3: cranky because number one, I'm forty five and number two, 55 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 3: you know, I live with a connected tissue disorder, so 56 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 3: that often means just cranky joints and cranky body in 57 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 3: the morning. So I roll my joints out and you know, 58 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 3: and I kind of, you know, stretch a little bit. 59 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: And then before I go I've gone to bed at night, 60 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: I placed one of my big pillows right next to 61 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 3: my bed, and so I get up and I like 62 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: roll over on the side of the bed and I 63 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 3: land on the floor on my pillow, face down. Okay, Okay, 64 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 3: so I'm like face down because that's about all I 65 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: got in the mornings, and I'm face down, and I 66 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: started reciting the Lord's Prayer. Most of us, if we 67 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 3: can recite anything from the Bible, can probably recite that, 68 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 3: if we've grown up in the church at all. And 69 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 3: if you can't, it's fine, it's there. 70 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: You can. 71 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 3: You can learn it. But I start, you know, face down, 72 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 3: saying that prayer, and as I get through, you know, 73 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 3: in my mind, I'm just thinking through all the different 74 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 3: sections of that, like our Father and you just like 75 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: just stop there, and the truths that we can think about, 76 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: like our number one Christina, You and I are sisters 77 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: in Christ. We are a member of the same family 78 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 3: humanity believers in Christ. We are all one united family. 79 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 3: We have one united father, our Father. We are a 80 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 3: part of a royal family who are in Heaven. Okay, 81 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 3: He's in heaven. He is in control. He is not 82 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 3: just some dude behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz, 83 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: like he's you know, he has created the earth. He's 84 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 3: created the heaven and the earth. He is the creator. 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 3: So anyway, I just I go through each a little 86 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 3: little piece of that. I let my prayer where it's 87 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 3: just spin off of whatever, you know, whatever comes to 88 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 3: mind as I hit those phrases in the Lord's Prayer 89 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 3: and I get up and get some coffee because another 90 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 3: reason why I'm reciting the Lord's prayers because I have 91 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 3: zero words and the first thing in the morning, you know, 92 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: but those you know, easily roll off my mind and 93 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: it is changing my day. 94 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:13,119 Speaker 1: I love it. 95 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, here's why. Number one. I mean, I've seen God 96 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 3: moving in situations that I have prayed for or I've 97 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 3: just done like little small prayers. But like in this prayer, 98 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 3: something we had a family member, something was going on 99 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 3: with her and it was, you know, we needed medical attention, 100 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 3: you know, very quickly. And I remember the caregiver calling 101 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 3: me and she was like, I don't know how this 102 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 3: happened so quickly. And you know, my husband looked at me, 103 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 3: he says, because you started your day because you were 104 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: face down, And I was like, thank you Jesus. I'm seeing, 105 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 3: you know, God moved throughout my day. I'm recognizing he's moving. 106 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 3: And because I have started my day giving him glory, 107 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,799 Speaker 3: it reminds me to give him that glory as things 108 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 3: go go, you know well throughout the day or I 109 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 3: see answered prayers, it also is convicting me. So when 110 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 3: I start to worry or get anxious, I can remember, 111 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 3: you know what I give us this day in my 112 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 3: daily bread, you will give me what I need to 113 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 3: get through this moment. And so, you know, my brain 114 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 3: is starting to connect the you know, the circumstances of 115 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 3: my day with the words that I've prayed in the morning. 116 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 3: And I don't know God is I mean, I haven't 117 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 3: come to a lot of conclusions yet. I can just 118 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: say that God is really teaching me a lot through 119 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 3: that practice right now, and it's really changing the way 120 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 3: I'm walking through my day. So what would you say 121 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 3: about prayer? 122 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: One thing that I always like to say is to 123 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: start with you have you know, because I know when 124 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: you're always like really busy and you know, tired and 125 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: things like that. But like any other spiritual discipline, it's 126 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: something it's a spiritual muscle that you can build up, 127 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: you know, So you might not be praying hour every 128 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: morning like your grandma did you. 129 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 3: Know, I'm not me either, but she sure did, didn't she? 130 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: And so but maybe you can still with two minutes 131 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: and then maybe five minutes, and not even like you 132 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: need to be like timing yourself like we were talking 133 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: about before, as as far as like putting a grade 134 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: on it, like a longer prayer is necessarily a better prayer. 135 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: Like no, there's so many like just quick, short prayers 136 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: in the Bible as well that God answered, that God heard, 137 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: you know, And so just encouraging women to look at 138 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: prayer as not an obligation or something that we need 139 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: to check off, but like I'm connecting with my father 140 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: and he's hearing me, and I'm hearing him, just like 141 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: you would be excited to talk to your girlfriends, you 142 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: know and having a conversation with them, and so really 143 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: just trying to shift that mindset on prayer. And for me, 144 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: it's I have my set times where I pray, particularly 145 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: trying to pray before I go to sleep at night, 146 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: before and then maybe before I do my devotions in 147 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: the morning, but then also just like little prayers throughout 148 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: the day, you know, as I'm driving, Lord, let us 149 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: get to school safe, let the kids have a good 150 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: day at school, or even before we're doing an interview, 151 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: you know, I'm like, oh God, let it go, well, 152 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: you know, and I'm just kind of like just a 153 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: little quick prayer in my head, you know, just acknowledging 154 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: that like God is here with me in this moment 155 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: as well, you know, and he's he hears and he sees, 156 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: and I'm not alone in this moment. And when we 157 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: just pray little prayers throughout the day, it reminds us 158 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: of that. What a power packed episode with practical tips 159 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,239 Speaker 1: that we can implement today to strengthen our prayer lives. 160 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: It is my hope that today's episode has provided you 161 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 1: with insight and helpful tips on how you can pray. 162 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: We have so much more to talk about when it 163 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: comes to prayer, so I hope that if you are 164 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: encouraged by today's episode, you will share it with a 165 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: friend and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes 166 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: of the Teach Us to Pray Podcast, where we will 167 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: continue to learn how, just like breathing, prayer can become 168 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: a natural, consistent, and life giving part of our everyday lives. 169 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: Until then, be sure to connect with me at Belovedwomen 170 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: dot org and check out the show notes to download 171 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: my free five day prayer guide. I also want to 172 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: invite you to study the Bible with me by downloading 173 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: the Beloved Women app available in the Apple and Google 174 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: play stores, or at Belovedwomen dot tv. Thank you so 175 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: much for taking time to listen today. God bless you 176 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: and I'll talk to you in the next episode. 177 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Pray is a production of Life Audio 178 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 2: and the Salem Web Network. If you enjoyed this episode, 179 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 2: would you take a minute and leave us a review 180 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: in your podcast app? It really does help more people 181 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 2: like you find the podcast To hear more from Christina Patterson, 182 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 2: be sure to check out her fantastic site, Belovedwomen dot org. 183 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 2: A special thanks to Kelly Gibbons, Steven Sanders, and Stephen 184 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 2: McGarvey for their production and editing on this episode. You 185 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: can find more podcasts like this over at lifeaudio dot com.