1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to every Day Prayers with Million 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's 3 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: word for their families in the areas they need at most. 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: helped thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Rachel Adams, author of Everyday Prayers 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 1: for Love, a part of our Million Praying Moms every 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: Day Prayers devotional series. This month, with Rachel as our guide, 13 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: we are walking through some excerpts from this book as 14 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: we focus on what it means to truly love God, 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: love others, and even ourselves. Our prayer and hope is 16 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: that this month our understanding of God's love would grow 17 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: deeper as we pray together. To learn more about Rachel, 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: or to learn more about how you can get involved 19 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: in the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit today's show 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: notes or million prayingmoms dot Com. After a brief word 21 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, will pray together for our children. 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 2: The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put 23 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: their hope in his unfailing love, Psalm, Chapter one, forty seven, 24 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: verse eleven. I've always been a bit of a hopeless romantic, 25 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 2: an endearing believer, and happily ever after. Perhaps it stems 26 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 2: back to Disney movies about princesses. Hu marya prince charming 27 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: riding in on his white horse. Bride's Magazine assures me 28 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 2: I'm not alone in my utopian notions. It reports that 29 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: hopeless romantics choose to see the positive and relationships over 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: the negative, believing wholeheartedly that love conquers all. They are 31 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 2: more susceptible to following in love and get carried away 32 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: in their romantic feelings. Yes, these words describe me to 33 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: a tee. I tend to walk around wearing rose colored glasses. 34 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 2: I'm the one in our marriage who will always choose 35 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: the outdoor seating at a restaurant, knowing it's sweltering hot 36 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 2: and our food will be swarming with bugs before the 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: meal ends. Or the person in our family who wants 38 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 2: to go to the orchard to get our caramel apples 39 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 2: and the pumpkin patch to purchase our mums each fall, 40 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 2: and of course each winter, I insist that we drive 41 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: around to see the Christmas lights while sipping hot chocolate 42 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 2: and listening to carols, to create traditions and memories, even 43 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,239 Speaker 2: if my family rolls their eyes at me. Every year, 44 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: many of us hope and pray for world peace, but 45 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: as we read the latest headlines and watch the news, 46 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: it seems unrealistic, like a fairy tale that will never 47 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: come true. There is a lot we desire to be different, 48 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: unanswered prayers we've been waiting and longing for. We pray 49 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: for open doors and new opportunities, better economy, adequate work, 50 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: cures for diseases, significant others to propose positive pregnancy tests, 51 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: and loved ones to come to believe in Christ. How 52 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: many times have your hopes been raised only to see 53 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 2: them crushed. Even the most optimistic personalities can become worn 54 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 2: out and weary trying to hold on to hope. Sisters 55 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: Mary and Martha experienced hopelessness when their brother Lazarus was ill. 56 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: They sent word to Jesus, Lord, the one whom you 57 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 2: love is sick. When Jesus heard this, he responded, this 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: sickness will not end in death. No, it is for 59 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: God's glory, so that God's son may be glorified through it. 60 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: Scripture records that Jesus loved the siblings, yet he did 61 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: not go to heal Lazarus for two more days. He 62 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 2: knew their pain, but it didn't respond immediately. His delay 63 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: had a purpose. When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in 64 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: the tomb for four days. Mary and Martha both cried 65 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: out to Jesus in their anguish. If you had been here, 66 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: Lazarus would not have died. Jesus wept at the tomb, 67 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: and the Jews remarked about how much he cared for Lazarus. 68 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: Deeply moved, Jesus commanded that the stone be rolled away 69 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: from the entrance. Then he prayed and called out for Lazarus, 70 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: and the dead man walked out of the grave. When 71 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 2: all hope seemed lost, Jesus performed a miracle. It wasn't 72 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: long after this experience that Jesus himself was in the tomb. 73 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,559 Speaker 2: I imagine the disciples felt hopeless in their hours between 74 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 2: Jesus's death and his resurrection. Their hearts must have been 75 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 2: overcome with doubt and sorrow. On Holy Saturday, the day 76 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 2: between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, every promise they clung 77 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 2: to was buried in a grave. Life feels this way sometimes, 78 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 2: doesn't it. God's timing, especially his delays, make us think 79 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 2: that He's not answering or responding in the way that 80 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 2: we want. But he will meet all of our needs 81 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 2: according to his perfect schedule and purpose. WO must simply 82 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,679 Speaker 2: wait on him, despite my faith filled expectations. I feel 83 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: the heaviness of life in this way World two. Thankfully, 84 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:03,799 Speaker 2: I also see the light at the end of the tunnel. 85 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: In the midst of all the desperation is a thrill 86 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: of hope, and his name is Jesus. The people in 87 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 2: the Old Testament were longing for a savior. Then on 88 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: a starry night in Bethlehem, Love came down to this 89 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: weary world as a baby in the manger. He changed 90 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 2: the lives of all those who encountered him. He isn't 91 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 2: Prince Charming on a white horse, but he is the 92 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 2: King of Kings and Lord of lords, who made his 93 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey and one day 94 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 2: he will return to Earth for a second and final time. 95 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: With this hope, we can rejoice no matter how much 96 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 2: tribulation we face. Let's pray, Father, the world around me 97 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 2: can cause me to feel hopeless in situations when I've 98 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: been praying and waiting on your answer. Help me to 99 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: trust in your plan and timing. I put my hope 100 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 2: in you and believe you are in control. Fill my 101 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: heart and mind with faith to live optimistically based on 102 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 2: the promises in your word and Jesus name. Amen. 103 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: Are you a visual learner? Would you like to receive 104 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: our daily devotions and written form Write to your inbox 105 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: then join our Patreon community of Praying Moms. Not only 106 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: will you receive the transcripts of each podcast devotional, you 107 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: will also receive a monthly prayer calendar and surprise bonus content. 108 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: Learn more about our Praying mom community in today's show 109 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: notes or at million prayingmoms dot com. Till next time, friends, 110 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 111 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 112 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.