1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:18,980 Speaker 1: Life Audio You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: helping you pray God's Word for your family in the 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 4 00:00:24,540 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 5 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:30,500 Speaker 1: and best response in parenting. And every day we come 6 00:00:30,540 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 7 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: For today's devotion, I want to share a sneak peek 8 00:00:35,860 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: from my newest devotional, Everyday Prayers for Moms, praying God's 9 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,650 Speaker 1: word for your children from newborn to empty nest that 10 00:00:41,729 --> 00:00:45,909 Speaker 1: comes out tomorrow. I can't believe it's finally here. Today 11 00:00:45,930 --> 00:00:48,610 Speaker 1: is the very last day to get your pre-order bonus. 12 00:00:48,810 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: If you pre-order today, you receive early access to our 13 00:00:51,740 --> 00:00:54,020 Speaker 1: new prayer video course that is a great preview or 14 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: companion for the book. Find our pre-order link in our 15 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,860 Speaker 1: show notes. To learn more about our Everyday Prayers Divisional 16 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:04,649 Speaker 1: Series and the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit millionprayingmoms.com. 17 00:01:05,050 --> 00:01:07,370 Speaker 1: After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together 18 00:01:07,410 --> 00:01:19,700 Speaker 1: for our families. Day 1. We believe prayer works. Psalm 34, 4. 19 00:01:19,700 --> 00:01:22,979 Speaker 1: I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered 20 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,899 Speaker 1: me from all my fears. For three years, I longed 21 00:01:28,060 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: to be a mom. During this season, I was serving 22 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:34,890 Speaker 1: in the local church as a kids' ministry pastor, constantly 23 00:01:34,950 --> 00:01:39,090 Speaker 1: surrounded by kids and families, a steady reminder of what 24 00:01:39,150 --> 00:01:43,389 Speaker 1: I was missing. After recurrent pregnancy losses, I found myself 25 00:01:43,430 --> 00:01:47,100 Speaker 1: in a place of desperation, crying out to God day 26 00:01:47,260 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: after day, only to feel like my prayers were hitting 27 00:01:50,060 --> 00:01:52,900 Speaker 1: the ceiling of heaven, not quite making it all the 28 00:01:52,940 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: way up. Some days, I struggled to pray at all. 29 00:01:56,350 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: Maybe you can relate. Have you ever prayed for something 30 00:01:59,330 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: and felt like you were getting no response? Did you 31 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:07,460 Speaker 1: keep praying? Did you give up? Did you change your prayer? 32 00:02:08,580 --> 00:02:11,460 Speaker 1: Our prayers aren't always answered in the way we expect, 33 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:15,980 Speaker 1: but they are always answered in our best interest. Our 34 00:02:16,060 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: measure of whether prayer works should be less about if 35 00:02:19,090 --> 00:02:22,310 Speaker 1: God does what we are asking and more about our 36 00:02:22,389 --> 00:02:27,739 Speaker 1: proximity to him. Prayer draws us nearer to God, regardless 37 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,340 Speaker 1: of the outcome. A helpful question to ask ourselves is, 38 00:02:32,020 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: do I want the giver more than I want the gift? 39 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,690 Speaker 1: In my struggle with infertility, I had to come to 40 00:02:38,750 --> 00:02:41,910 Speaker 1: a place where I desired God more than I desired 41 00:02:42,010 --> 00:02:45,350 Speaker 1: a baby. I had to realize that my identity and 42 00:02:45,430 --> 00:02:49,250 Speaker 1: worth were not found in the title mom, but rooted 43 00:02:49,430 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: in being a daughter of the father. When we pray 44 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:55,850 Speaker 1: for our children, We have to answer a fundamental question. 45 00:02:56,570 --> 00:03:01,010 Speaker 1: Do we believe that prayer works? Do we believe that 46 00:03:01,070 --> 00:03:05,310 Speaker 1: it is worth our time, energy, and investment? If you're 47 00:03:05,340 --> 00:03:09,740 Speaker 1: like me, your answer is automatically, yes. But the way 48 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,580 Speaker 1: I spend my time and energy doesn't always reflect this desire. 49 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: Or maybe your answer is more, I'm not sure. Maybe 50 00:03:18,650 --> 00:03:21,930 Speaker 1: you want to believe it, but your experiences have taught 51 00:03:21,950 --> 00:03:26,650 Speaker 1: you otherwise. or caused you to question. It's okay. God 52 00:03:26,690 --> 00:03:30,250 Speaker 1: can handle our honesty when we come to him in prayer. 53 00:03:32,430 --> 00:03:36,570 Speaker 1: Something to think about. King David, who penned these words 54 00:03:36,750 --> 00:03:40,310 Speaker 1: in Psalm 34, certainly knew what it was to feel 55 00:03:40,350 --> 00:03:44,510 Speaker 1: like God wasn't answering his prayers. He was familiar with 56 00:03:44,690 --> 00:03:50,250 Speaker 1: asking and waiting, praying and believing. When he wrote Psalm 34, 57 00:03:50,250 --> 00:03:52,690 Speaker 1: David was on the run from King Saul, and he 58 00:03:52,730 --> 00:03:56,070 Speaker 1: was seeking refuge in the Philistine city of Gath. He 59 00:03:56,090 --> 00:03:58,970 Speaker 1: was hiding out from his enemy, fleeing for his life, 60 00:03:59,490 --> 00:04:03,770 Speaker 1: and he cried out to God. Even in ongoing struggle, 61 00:04:03,890 --> 00:04:08,050 Speaker 1: David writes with confidence, I sought the Lord, and he 62 00:04:08,170 --> 00:04:11,900 Speaker 1: answered me. Verse 4. When things didn't go the way 63 00:04:11,940 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: he wanted or expected, David didn't let this keep him 64 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,979 Speaker 1: from praying. Instead, he allowed his struggle to prompt him 65 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,190 Speaker 1: to pray. Even when he felt hopeless, he kept showing 66 00:04:25,270 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: up to God in prayer, being honest before God about 67 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:33,660 Speaker 1: his circumstances and his heart. His confidence in God's character 68 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:39,670 Speaker 1: and trustworthiness didn't waver. It was strengthened. As the story 69 00:04:39,710 --> 00:04:42,710 Speaker 1: of David's life unfolds in the narrative of Scripture, we 70 00:04:42,750 --> 00:04:47,150 Speaker 1: see how God honors David's prayers and his heart. God 71 00:04:47,210 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: invites us to do the same thing. He encourages us 72 00:04:50,660 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: to come to Him in prayer and to have faith 73 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,770 Speaker 1: that He is hearing and responding, even when our circumstances 74 00:04:56,830 --> 00:05:00,270 Speaker 1: don't change in the way we might hope. David models 75 00:05:00,290 --> 00:05:02,929 Speaker 1: for us what it looks like to believe that prayer 76 00:05:03,390 --> 00:05:10,529 Speaker 1: works by continually seeking God in prayer. Let's pray. Father, 77 00:05:11,050 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: help me to believe that You hear and respond to 78 00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:18,580 Speaker 1: my prayers. Help me to trust in Your character continually. 79 00:05:19,140 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: even when life doesn't go the way I want or expect. 80 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: I release my expectations to you and trust you with 81 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,979 Speaker 1: the outcome of my request. Strengthen my faith by the 82 00:05:32,060 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: power of your spirit. In Jesus' name, amen. My guess 83 00:05:37,490 --> 00:05:40,410 Speaker 1: is that if you're here listening to the Everyday Prayers podcast, 84 00:05:40,430 --> 00:05:45,090 Speaker 1: you kind of care about praying for your children. My 85 00:05:45,130 --> 00:05:48,570 Speaker 1: newest book, Everyday Prayers for Moms, Praying God's Word for 86 00:05:48,610 --> 00:05:52,710 Speaker 1: your children from newborn to emptiness is a great resource 87 00:05:52,750 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: for moms who desire to pray for their kids. I 88 00:05:56,540 --> 00:05:58,060 Speaker 1: don't know if you've ever looked up at the end 89 00:05:58,100 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: of the day and realized that you didn't pray at all. 90 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,130 Speaker 1: So often we have this desire to pray, but we 91 00:06:05,190 --> 00:06:09,589 Speaker 1: may not know how to put that desire into practice. 92 00:06:10,060 --> 00:06:13,020 Speaker 1: I'm learning in motherhood that my prayers adapt and change 93 00:06:13,100 --> 00:06:15,700 Speaker 1: based on the season that we're in as a family. 94 00:06:16,140 --> 00:06:20,460 Speaker 1: I'm also learning to give myself grace in those different seasons. 95 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,270 Speaker 1: I know God isn't after perfect, polished prayers. He's after 96 00:06:24,310 --> 00:06:28,890 Speaker 1: my heart, and He's after yours, too. So my plan 97 00:06:29,010 --> 00:06:32,489 Speaker 1: is to be intentional, whatever that looks like, in this season. 98 00:06:32,990 --> 00:06:36,729 Speaker 1: I hope that is your plan as well. God sees 99 00:06:36,810 --> 00:06:40,100 Speaker 1: our hearts. He's honored us. by our desire to connect 100 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,550 Speaker 1: with Him. If you're feeling stuck in your prayer life, 101 00:06:43,870 --> 00:06:49,289 Speaker 1: I've got a new free download, a five-day prayer reset. 102 00:06:49,710 --> 00:06:54,260 Speaker 1: It's a great guide to help you get started, jump 103 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 1: back in, stay consistent, grow deeper in your prayers for 104 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: your kids. It's also a great tool to share with 105 00:07:01,510 --> 00:07:04,570 Speaker 1: with your friends or with your family members that may 106 00:07:04,630 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: be seeking to know God deeper in prayer as they're 107 00:07:09,190 --> 00:07:11,580 Speaker 1: wanting to pray for their kids. I hope you will 108 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: grab your copy today at millionprayingmoms.com. We'll also put a 109 00:07:16,140 --> 00:07:20,900 Speaker 1: link in our show notes. Until next time, friends, may 110 00:07:20,940 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make His face 111 00:07:24,370 --> 00:07:27,670 Speaker 1: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 112 00:07:27,730 --> 00:07:31,650 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor upon you. and give you His peace.