I've been thinking a lot about my prayers lately and I'm pretty sure I'm doing it wrong. I forget from time to time how to assert myself with people around me and with my Father in Heaven. That might sound like it lacks humility, but it really doesn't.
I think He expects me to present an inventory—both of what I am thankful for, what I need to correct, what I've done right, and what I need.
I always start my prayers with the "thank-yous," but they have recently been in repetitive generalizations. I need to get down to the tiny miracles I see in my life everyday and acknowledge His hand in them.
Then I need to quickly repent of all the thoughtless things I've done since the last prayer. Sorry for sin is a tall order, but one I have to continuously address.
Next comes the assertions. I believe He likes to hear from me an accounting of what I'm doing right. This is as important for me as it is for Him. I need to constantly be inventorying my positive behaviors. I spend far too much time self-deprecating! I need to account for my worthiness as well as my shortcomings.
Then come the needs. There is nothing wrong with asking for the righteous desires of my heart and they are plentiful most days. I have to avoid too many wants and stick with the needs.
I forget that I need to be specific about things—to talk intimately with Him.
One time, when I was, due to circumstances way beyond my control, living in a strange city with my Bishop and his family, looking for work and a place to live. I found the job and it was a pivotal one, leading to many more amazing opportunities. But I had to find a place to live and get my kids and I out of the good Bishop's hair.
The problem was, in the city we lived in, there was a miniscule vacancy rate and every apartment I applied for had an application fee associated with it. I was quickly running out of $25.es! And because I was fresh from a divorce, I didn't have a real history of renting under my belt. So on my walk to work one morning, I talked frankly and openly with God. I told him the things I was thankful for, repented of my bad behavior, then told Him all the things I was trying to do right. Then I hit him with the biggie. I need a place to live. I reminded Him of all that I had been through to find a place and turned it over to Him.
When I got to work that morning, I opened the newspaper and found a perfect place only miles from where I worked. I could easily walk that since I didn't have a car.
I called the number and the guy told me that he really didn't want to go through the whole interview process. He told me that if I could have the money to him by noon, it was mine. Now, you have to understand how miraculous this was. Without even looking at me, without scrutinizing an application, without any references, he offered me this condo. Unbelievable! But was it? Not really. God knew the needs of my family. There is no question this was a miraculous divine intervention. No doubt at all.
So now I sit walking down the path I'm supposed to be on, accruing a small following of faithful readers of this blog, my books, my articles, and my magazine, and I had to beg for $
I think He expects me to present an inventory—both of what I am thankful for, what I need to correct, what I've done right, and what I need.
I always start my prayers with the "thank-yous," but they have recently been in repetitive generalizations. I need to get down to the tiny miracles I see in my life everyday and acknowledge His hand in them.
Then I need to quickly repent of all the thoughtless things I've done since the last prayer. Sorry for sin is a tall order, but one I have to continuously address.
Next comes the assertions. I believe He likes to hear from me an accounting of what I'm doing right. This is as important for me as it is for Him. I need to constantly be inventorying my positive behaviors. I spend far too much time self-deprecating! I need to account for my worthiness as well as my shortcomings.
Then come the needs. There is nothing wrong with asking for the righteous desires of my heart and they are plentiful most days. I have to avoid too many wants and stick with the needs.
I forget that I need to be specific about things—to talk intimately with Him.
One time, when I was, due to circumstances way beyond my control, living in a strange city with my Bishop and his family, looking for work and a place to live. I found the job and it was a pivotal one, leading to many more amazing opportunities. But I had to find a place to live and get my kids and I out of the good Bishop's hair.
The problem was, in the city we lived in, there was a miniscule vacancy rate and every apartment I applied for had an application fee associated with it. I was quickly running out of $25.es! And because I was fresh from a divorce, I didn't have a real history of renting under my belt. So on my walk to work one morning, I talked frankly and openly with God. I told him the things I was thankful for, repented of my bad behavior, then told Him all the things I was trying to do right. Then I hit him with the biggie. I need a place to live. I reminded Him of all that I had been through to find a place and turned it over to Him.
When I got to work that morning, I opened the newspaper and found a perfect place only miles from where I worked. I could easily walk that since I didn't have a car.
I called the number and the guy told me that he really didn't want to go through the whole interview process. He told me that if I could have the money to him by noon, it was mine. Now, you have to understand how miraculous this was. Without even looking at me, without scrutinizing an application, without any references, he offered me this condo. Unbelievable! But was it? Not really. God knew the needs of my family. There is no question this was a miraculous divine intervention. No doubt at all.
So now I sit walking down the path I'm supposed to be on, accruing a small following of faithful readers of this blog, my books, my articles, and my magazine, and I had to beg for $