My Prayer List: Simply Put

For the last 3 summers, some of the ladies at my church have gathered for what we call -- for lack of a very creative leader -- "A book read." 2007 found us pouring over and into Randy Alcorn's "Heaven." I can honestly say that book changed my life -- or at least my perspective of God -- and that in itself will change one's life. Last year the ladies picked up "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver, and yesterday we finished our 3rd year of our summer reading with Margaret Feinberg's, "The Sacred Echo." And once again, it has rocked my world -- or at least my prayer life -- and, again, that alone will change one's world.

In the introduction to her book, Margaret shares her conviction to get serious about her "yo-yo prayer" life, and so she decided to ditch her prayer journals and develop a more simple method. She simply opened her Bible to the back empty page and began to make a list.

Being one who could completely understand the frustration that comes with keeping a prayer journal, I thought, "I can do this." And do I did. I opened to the only available page in the back of my navy blue bonded leather NKJV Nelson Study Bible, and began. It was easy enough to start: my husband, my children and their spouses (my in-loves) made the quick top 7. Not that I needed a list to remind me to pray for them, but I wouldn't start a "prayer journal" without them. Through these two months of study, my list has grown as the Lord has laid people on my heart. Names range from my parents to young mothers and wives in my church; my pastor and our elders, to an old college roommate, a couple of special ministers, a former piano student, a neighbor and even my massage therapist and her fiance. How cool is that!

Upward swirls have been drawn around some names as I have prayed for covering; hearts surround others, and hedges around even more. Scriptures, such as Psalm 139:5, 149:4 , and Romans 12:1-2, dot the pages as do simple words which carry much strength: renew, protect, surrender, deliver, purpose, to name a few.

And at the bottom is inscribed this prayer from Margaret's book: "God, give me eyes to see people as You see them, ears to hear what You're speaking, a heart to love as You do, and hands to serve as You want to be served."

But more than anything, there is now a continuous flow of names, not just before my eyes, but before my Father's throne. And as Margaret says, it now forces me to live life with eyes wide open to see what God just might do.

Here are the wonderful ladies in our morning group. Couldn't have asked for a better bunch!