Our theme for the week is PRAYER! Noelle set the foundation for this week’s chapter as she so graciously offered up beautiful prayers for many of you throughout last week’s comments.
Before we begin today, we want to announce the winners of Noelle’s Giveaway. She has written a note regarding the giveaway. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AS YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW THIS GIVEAWAY HAS TRANSFORMED!! Please find her note below:
Isn’t it amazing how we can have a spark of desire in our hearts, and when we lift it to God, He can create a wildfire? I have the distinct privilege of working out with an amazing boot camp team at o’dark thirty each weekday morning. We believe in striving for our own goals and at the same time, fighting the good fight for others. On Wednesday, I shared the idea of randomly choosing three ladies to receive copies of Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner.
My team took that vision and multiplied it. As a team, we would like to offer a copy of Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner to every lady who posted a comment this past week. If you don’t already have a copy, we know that this book will bless you beyond measure. If you do have a copy, we would love for you to give the gift of hope and healing that you have received and pay it forward.
We believe that God can work miracles in and through your hearts.
With love and support,
Transformation by Truth boot camp team in Aliso Viejo, California
Noelle, Molly, Amy, Jill, Ed, Greg, Juan, Jen, Holly, Bill, Shelley, Denise, Rekha, Sagar, Nora, Tami, Dianne, Colleen, Margarita, Jamie, Ron, Gisselle, Mary, Sarah, Christine, Dayna, “Hollywood” Audry, Gina, Freya
Noelle's Boot Camp
When I received this e-mail from her, I was truly blown away. Their generosity truly brought tears to my eyes because, other than Noelle, I have never met a single one of them. But God ordained it. He moved their hearts to give in this way. Why? Because God is omnipotent. He knew there was a need for you or someone in your circle of friends and family to truly know His Hope as told through Hidden Joy. He knew the goodness in Noelle and in the hearts of her boot camp friends. And God made a way to meet your needs through their generosity.
As for this week, I am excited about spending a week on prayer. In the video, you will find an invitation to write a prayer. You may write a few sentence prayer or a paragraph. My heart’s desire is that we put into practice what we learn. Please share your prayer with us!!!
You will also find a book recommendation. My dear friend (and wife of my pastor), Marilynn Chadwick, has written a book on prayer entitled Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars. It is her first book and one of my favorite books on prayer. If you would like to meet Marilynn, click here to see an interview she and I did a few months ago. Also, feel free to stop by her web site and say hello. She would love to hear from you. Marilynn gave me one of my first opportunities to share my testimony. Because of her invitation and encouragement, I felt confident to step out and share it more and more.
Below please find this week’s video lesson, assignment, and prayer.
Assignment: Read Chapter Nine in Hidden Joy, “Prayer.” Complete the Guide for Reflection and Study questions for Chapter Nine located in the back of the book.
Memory Verse: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You as the source of all Truth, as the Author and Perfector of my faith. Thank You for creating me to be in relationship with You. Thank You that You desire for me to come before You in prayer. I commit to deepen my times of prayer with You. Please meet me every time I open my heart to receive all You have to offer. Bring the fullness of Your Spirit into my prayer time with You. Let me sense the power of Your presence. Show me that You are active and listening. I claim Your promise that when I draw near to You, You will draw near to me. May I be different because of the time I spend in prayer with You. Change me as a woman, as a wife, as a mother, as a friend, and as Your servant. Make me a blessing to all those for whom I pray. May I draw others to You because of what You are going to do through me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Please know I will be praying for you thorughout the week, and I look forward to reading your prayers!!
Blessings,
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Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me life. Thank you for offering your gift of salvation. I am in awe of your priceless gift and don’t think that I ever fully express my thanks often enough or gratefully enough. Dear Jesus, I am tired. I am physically tired this morning and have a challenging 48 hours coming up at work and at home. I do not know how I will get all things done and I am concerned that my fatigue will interfere with my Christian witness to so many in my office that do not know you. Please give me the patience and the words to say at work and at home. I also ask special blessings on my daughter, as she strives to find a teaching job. Please give her the 2nd round interview this week. She is so desiring her own classroom. I love you. Thank you for loving me.
Amen Jackie! I pray the Lord blesses you this week!
Julie
How awesome for me to re-read this; many prayers answered!
Jackie,
I pray for your finding time to rest, pray, and trust that everything will be all right.
I pray for your daughter to find a teaching job. My daughter is also looking for a teaching job.
Please pray for her, too. Thank you so much.
Hugs, Elizabeth
Thank you Wendy for another great message. When you said ” When God leads you to pray for someone..” I had to stop because I was going to ask a similar question. How ever when these names come t o my mind i don’t often know these people personally. But I say a prayer for them asking God to be with them to help them and comfort them in what ever they are going thru. Sometimes a name will come and I will stop and pray. I love when God does that.
I also love that Debra! It has happened to me often and I have learned when a name is placed on me that it is just important to take a moment to lift that person up to the Lord. Amazing things happen when our hearts and minds are in tuned to Him and focusing on his plans for us! Blessings and love to you this week!
Julie
This is how the Holy Spirit leads and works…it is how He shows up in our lives to encourage us and enable us to BELIEVE for the difficult trials that will come our way.
W
Noelle, I am absolutely floored by the generosity of your boot camp team! I’m absolutely speechless!
Father, Thank You for moving in the hearts of Noelle’s team to offer such a wonderful, unexpected blessing! Amen!
THANK YOU NOELLE! I have not gotten to my stuff this week but I am just so touched! Your boot camp is amazing and I am so thankful that they have opened their hearts! I sat there with tears in my eyes at the generosity and love they have to share! I emailed you my info, I have several friends I would love to share this book with. Lord bless Noelle and her group for showing your love to others who need to experience you and your unconditional love and healing! Amen!
Julie
Wendy I have not gotten to read my chapter in our book yet this week…just had a few things to share pertaining to the message! I have been learning to pray for those the Lord puts on my heart. Recently I had a friend (we’ve lost touch several times), she has a controlling husband, anyways one day the Lord placed her on my heart and I messaged her. She was doubting and searching and knew bc we hadn’t been in contact that it was the Lord who used me to help her in her time of need….awesome! We are now supporting eachother as best we can. Secondly, praying out load is scary for me! I can be very shy. My husband and I recently started attending a couples group at church. At our Saturday meeting we both had the courage to pray aloud in front of the group! Wow, God sure makes us strong and moves in us when the time is right! Lastly I appreciate the piece about praying with your children. Through my journey the Lord is calling me closer to him and in turn I am feeling the need to do the same for my children. I am 29 years old and reading the bible for the first time….I have tried in the past and I would never finish. I want to do the best I can with my children, hoping and praying if we lead by example they might not struggle in some of the ways I have. We do devotional morning and night with them and I am reading them the bible. I appreciate hearing their little prayers and I like how you added to strengthen their faith by showing when certain prayers are answered…that was good! Thank you for all you do! I love and appreciate you! I look forward to writing some prayers this week and look forward to sharing! Blessings this week ladies!
Julie
Dear Julie,
It is great that you and your husband can be in a couple’s group. This can be a time when you and your husband can talk about spiritual things in a manner that doesn’t seem uncomfortable. I think it would be great if you could continue always in such a group and if one doesn’t exist later, you could start one. I went to a women’s group called “Renewing Love” (a class) for about 3 times of taking the course in order to improve my relationship with my husband (who passed from cancer 2 years ago). I think if I had not gone to that course we may have ended up in divorce. I am so glad that we worked on our marriage and had 40 1/2 years together. I love that you are praying with your children. Could you please share some of their prayers sometimes? God bless you and your family. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Hugs, Elizabeth
Praying out loud is one of the scariest steps to take. But once we take that plunge, God uses it to bless others and to grow us deeper in our prayer walk with Him. As we pray out loud, we model for others what prayer looks and sounds like. I learned to pray out loud because God gave me the privilege of being in a small group with women who spend hours praying out loud. At first, I could not imagine spending more than a few minutes in prayer. The more I spend time with these women, I came to the point where I never wanted the prayer to end. Corprate prayer takes us to such a special, personal place with God that we cannot reach any other way.
Wish we could all meet in one place, sit in a circle and pray out loud!!
W
Hello Wendy, I’ve never commented before to tell you how much I appreciate your posts, I don’t have the book to follow along and live in England, so also a bit of distance. However, I follow your posts and am now going to look up your past study on prayer. I need to learn a lot more about prayer and how to pray as I find this a difficult area in my spiritual life. I did recently receive a book from Dr Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministeries called Handle with Prayer, which I plan to study through. I’ve written down the exercises you’ve suggested on prayer and will concentrate my study on prayer this month. Thank you for very helpful and encouraging posts. Kind Regards Mandy Currie (mandycurrie@googlemail.com)
Mandy,
I am so excited to have a friend in England!! Thanks for sharing today and for your kind words. Charles Stanley is one of my favorite preachers/teachers as is his son, Andy Stanley. Praying God works in mighty ways as you begin to sit at His feet in prayer.
Blessings,
wendy
Thank you so much for your beautiful hearts! Your posts and emails have blessed me immeasurably. I plan to order the books on Friday through P31 Ministries. I figure that way, I’ll have most of the orders in and I can do them all at once. If I get other requests after, I’ll just do those as they come. I’m so excited to hear about the stories of changed hearts… whether they be yours… or the hearts of those you give the books to… or the hearts of my boot campers.
Mandy, Wendy’s study on Cultivating a Heart of Prayer is AWESOME. I’ve referred many of my friends to this site so they could do that study. It has made my prayer life incredibly rich with wisdom and practical ideas.
Noelle,
Do you want me to sign the books? I think I can get to the office one day next week to sign them.
W
OH MY GOSH- serious?? I’ll call the office today (Friday), order them and let them know our plan!!! AMAZING!!!! xoxo
Abba, thank You for Wendy. She has a heart so sensitive to Your Spirit’s lead. She brings us so intimately into Your presence. Give her the strength, patience, perseverance and wisdom to lead with all her heart, as working for You above human masters. God, it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the intricacies of our lives, or to be overwhelmed by the demands of balancing our work, family, and ministry… but in a way only You can, give Wendy ongoing zeal… spiritual fervor… in her serving. Bless her for using and multiplying the gifts she has to serve us. Lord, may she find rest in You when she is weary and burdened for You are gentle, humble in heart and You will give her rest for her soul.
Thank You for each beautiful girl here in our “small” group… Thank You for leaders like Heather and many others who show us one part of leadership is being a faithful follower. They are role models of grace and humility… Thank You for the compassion that abounds in every woman here. Your daughters in this study make this a wonderfully safe environment to be honest with our trials and grow in faith.
Abba, for our girlfriends who haven’t yet felt the freedom You are offering, bless them with wisdom and revelation to show them how to apply Wendy’s teaching to their lives in a way only You can. Give them Your hope as an anchor for their souls.
We love You. We praise You. Thank You. We lift our prayers in Jesus’ beautiful Name, Amen!
Noelle,
Thank you for the beautiful prayer. I prayed it, too, and I ask our Heavenly Father to hear our prayers and be with all of us as we do this study.
Hugs, Elizabeth
And all God’s girls said AMEN!!!
W
AMEN!
Hi girls,
Though I have not commented yet and not actually are doing HJ right now (but did it before) and I like to follow Wendy’s blog I was listening to her message this morning.
And I felt the urge to share something with wich Wendy ends about the desire of our hearts if it is in line with Gods desire and if we dare to trust in Him being souvereign.
Its is something that I went trough 2 years ago.
At eage 35 with a medical check docters found a spot on my husbands lung or heart.
It turned out to be a 6cm big tumor and they couldnt be sure if it was attached to his heart or lung.
The first visit to the specialist they said that because he was young and a none smoker this was likely to be spead form his colon. If so things would be very nasty.
Just a year before we took in a foster daughter of 10 with lots of damage.
Test needed to be done and 1,5 week from then we would here more.
Those dayse were the most of the whole proces.
One of those days , in my quit time ps 146 came around. It begins with much comfort but then I came to the last verse. He will comfort the orphan and the widow… emotional as I was I thought…. You see there you go! How easy to take that one sentence in and forget about the comfort of the rest of the psalm, cause it also says to put your trust in Him.
After this I started praying it was a long intensive prayer in which I processed the following steps:
1) I told God how sad I became of the last verse, but that the verse also holds the promise that God would be there for me
2) I decided to trust God in all his ways… no matter how hard. This is much faster said than done it was a real process to do this
3) I declared my wish to God, ‘Lord although I will follow your plans and choose to trust them and keep trusting you, as you understand it is totally not my wish or desire to lose Him’, I told all the good things God has given me in him and how strong we are as a couple
4) I told God that if this was his path for me, I may not understand His ways but will keep trusting His ways. I reminded God that He only 1 year ago made it so clear to us to take care of a fosterchild and my husband being called to serve as an elder in our church. Didn’t God gave us a job to do which was not finished yet?
5) Again I totally committed my will and wishes under God’s and told Him I would keep trust Him how hard this path would be.
During this prayer I was so filled with peace I almost couldn’t stop praying and pouring my heart out. When I finally opened my eyes my bible was still open on psalm 146. But on the same page there was part of Psalm 145. The first sentence I read was… verse 19:
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Peace filled my heart again though a difficult road followd in wich my husband lost 60% of his right lung but he is still with us and he is clean and healthy.
This is not a some kind of formula if some one you love is sick ( I know you want to hang on to anything) but it is a story how you can align your wishes with Gods and how you have to Give souvereignity in your life. Lucky for me the second text became true but if not I would have hang on to the verses from Psalm 146, the promises of God to be with the widow.
Sorry for this long message but i felt to share and maybe someone needs to hear this.
Wilth love,
Wendelijn
Wendelijn,
Typos or not, that story was beautiful. Your heart is so pure and I am humbled at how you chose to follow God’s lead at such a difficult time in your life. I pray to be more like that, and to allow His Holy Spirit to guide me as He promises to. Thank you for sharing your story and for reminding us that it isn’t a formula, but that He will change the desires of your heart to be His desires for you. Blessings to you! <3
Wen,
Thankk you for stopping by to share your story with us. I can remember you sending an e-mail to some of us at P31 inviting us to pray for your sweet husband. You shared your fears, your anxieties, and your heart. But through it all, you ALWAYS sought the Lord and looked to His Word for your hope. You always praised Him even in the darkest of times. You truly inspired me. God has been so faithful. Thank you for giving us practical tools and truths. They are such an encouragement.
Blessings,
Wendy
ps sorry for the many typo’s did write it fast and English is not my native… didnt read it a second time, so sorry…
Lord Jesus,
I am just overwhelmed by the grace that You have shown me and all the women here in this study. Lord, it seems we have all gone through so much, but You have stayed true to Your Word and have never left us or forsaken us. Thank You for that gift and for the gift of Your Spirit. Thank You that at any time, I can invite You into whatever moment I’m in and You meet me there. I love you and I am just so grateful for hearts like these. You have done magnificent things in my heart and I praise You for that!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for leading me to this study. At the beginning of the study, I prayed that if it might be your will, that You might provide me with a study book. In the ‘old days’ I would have just purchased my own, but during this season of financial challenges I am not able to do that. Lord, I thank you for Noelle and her boot camp who sent me a book last week! Thank you for providing that! and Lord, please bless Noelle and her boot camp for their generosity. God, now that you have provided this study for me, please give me a teachable heart to learn your ways. I love you and I want to know You better. Thank you for being my Father! In Jesus name!
Dear Lord, thank You for leading me to this study. Just when I was thought to Stop Praying this week, You have given me Many Reasons Not to Stop & How to Keep Strong. Your timing and Your Ways to show me overwhelm me! I Love You more & more each day. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this study and these beautiful, wonderful sisters in Christ. Please help me to do this study and to pray. You reminded me today that even though I am a widow now (65), You love me and my daughters and will care for us. Forgive me for even thinking that maybe I was on my own. You are with me in the daytime and all the night watches. You never slumber nor sleep. Praise the Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dear Lord,
As this day begins and I once again read LET THE MORNING BRING ME WORD OF YOUR OF YOUR UNFAILING LOVE, FOR I HAVE PUT MY TRUST IN YOU,SHOW ME THE WAY I SHOULD GO,FOR TO YOU I LIFT UP MY SOUL. PSALM143:8
I thank you Lord for the gift of “time”. Time to listen and to learn and to be in your “Quiet” not mine.
Lord, your time is bringing peace into my being and I am truly humbled.
Amen.
Papa, I thank you for Wendy and this Bible Study group. I thank you for my prayer sisters. You have blessed me with children, grandchildren and great grandaughters. My life is abundant in the thingsof the heart. Material blessings have come to mean nothing to me.
Papa you provide my daily needs, daily you forgive my sins and shortcomings. When I strayed you waited with patience for my return. Oh Papa, what did I ever do to deserve Your mercy and grace? I am not worthy.
You know my heart and you know my love for you. Papa, a love that is so profound that I can’t find the appropiate words to describe that love. So, I make groaning that only You can understand.
In the name of my sweet Jesus, I ask that may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight Papa.
Hi, I know this is some what off the beaten track but I am hoping someone maybe able to help me with a question that was asked of me the other day. The question was from a non Christian lady whose child I help out with 3 days a week. She asked me tell her why God gave me a child with cerebral palsy & not that family over there? She was referring to a rough, scruffy looking family with what she says is a normal children. I am a fairly new Christian so I thought oh no why me, how do I answer this? So I just said I don’t know why, maybe it was to bring unconditional love to his family & those who he comes in contact with. That is all I could really think of, I wanted to give her more but I in all honestly didn’t know what else to say.
Any idea’s on how to answer this question if it ever rises again, as she has asked a question like this before? Hope this all makes sense. I know what I am trying to say but sometimes it is hard for me to get what is in my head on to in this case the screen… God Bless
When reading you question, this is what came to mind.
We live in a fallen word where things do not make since all the time. Bottom line, bad things happen to good people. it’s not fair, but God promises to never leave of forsake us. In this study or maybe the Confident Heart study I’m doing as well, (sorry the over lap some) tells us we can either take what life gives us and let it define us, make us bitter, and let satan win. Or we can let God use teh circumstance of our life for His glory. Example:
I waited until I got married to have sex. (sorry so blunt I will make a point). After being married for 5 years, getting settle into a steady job, and being on our own we decided to try to have a baby. It only took one month of being off birth control to succeed. I was both excite and scared. Well, when I was 18 weeks along, I started spotting. While waiting on my doctor’s appointment, my water broke. Fear is an understatement. Once I got to the hospital, they said I had started going into labor. They gave me drugs and admitted me for the weekend. Well, Monday came and nothing changed so they sent me home. The next day I went back to the doctor with very painful cramps (being my first time I didn’t know what labor felt like) Later that night I gave birth to my first baby boy, Nathan. He never took a breath. He was considered still born, but he was perfect. He had all ten toes and fingers, ears, nose, mouth, just perfect.
I went through a time a grief, but I came to a point that I did not want Nathan’s life to be for nothing. I started seeking God’s will in the situation. God called me to restore the relationship with my father, that had never been good in 25 years. After several years, Nathan’s experience helped me council a young lady at my church who had a miscarriage. My heart broke for her and I was able to offer encouragement to her. If I had not experienced that, I would not have been able to do it.
I guess I shared all of that to say this. The choice is ours, each of us has to make it for themselves, to let God use the difficult times, or become bitter and waist the opportunities to shine God’s light. I hope this did not come across as harsh. I meant it with much love. Sometimes my words just don’t come out right. I hope God will use this to help encourage the lady you spoke of.
Angel, this is absolutely beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your testimony with us. Your words are so very wise. We have a choice…each and every one of us…as to what we will do with our circumstances. We can give them to God and look for Him and His purposes in the midst or we can let them make us bitter and angry, depressed and hopeless.
Love, grace, and authenticity shined through your words. Thank you for encouraging us today!
Blessings,
Wendy
Hi Angel, I understand completely where you are coming from. But I think at this stage trying to explain that to Annie who is not a Christian (yet) could prove quite difficult. I don’t want to over step the mark with work & that as I am Benji’s caregiver. Maybe one day I can explain to her how I was abused as a child & raped as a young woman, then she may be able understand that bad things do happen to good people (although what happened to me is not quite the same as she is going through). I let what happen to me define my life for well over 20 years & I am slowly getting my life back. Thanks to a very dear friend who brought me to God. I pray for Annie & her family all the time asking that God will draw them closer to him everyday.
Thank you for sharing your testimony. God Bless xx oo
I will join you in praying for her to draw close to God and that He will use your sweet spirit to draw her.
Hi Angel,
Thank you that would be greatly appreciated.
Hope a great week, God Bless you & your family.
Love & Hugs
Sorry Angel I was suppose to say Have a great week!!
Karyn… First off, my heart ached when I read that question. I’m sure she didn’t mean harm, but if I were in your shoes, that question would have been quite hurtful. I think you did a beautiful job answering that question with grace and honesty.
Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor (Romans 11:34)? Although you don’t know “Why?” I am sure you feel beyond blessed to have been chosen to be the Mommy of such a precious child. Maybe God knew that your heart was perfectly suited for the magnitude of this gift! I’m not saying you have an easy road, but you were chosen sweet friend! God perfectly trusts your heart and mind for your child’s care!
Abba,
Questions like these can sting. What we do know is You love Karyn and her child beyond measure. The mere fact they are family is proof of Your perfect love. How exciting to know a “celebrity” in heaven because the first shall be last in Your kingdom! For the lady who asked this question, I lift her up. I’m guessing she has deep hurts or questions in her heart. You know every minute detail of that lady. Would You meet her where she is… would You use Karyn’s words of grace to be a seed that was planted for Your sake, and would You bring that lady into Your arms and give her ears to hear You knocking on her heart, wanting an intimate relationship with her? We love You. We praise You. We lift our prayers in Jesus’ Name, Amen!
xoxo
Oy. So I don’t know if I read your question right. If the lady you help is the one with the special needs child, I guess my answer would be the same, but she would be the Mommy 🙂 If that’s the case, I think it’s beautiful that you gave her the answer you did (that part of my reply still is the same), and I think that God is providing with such intimacy that you are a part of that boy’s life as well! Sorry if I’m making matters more confusing!!!
Hi Noelle, yes Annie is the mother of Benji who has cerebral palsy. I am the caregiver who helps the family out with Benji three or four times a week. He is such a joy to work with; I can’t express how much love he gives out. He is one to the lucky ones as he is able to communicate verbally & is slowly learning to walk. I pray for him every time I am with him that God will strengthen in his legs to be able to walk unaided one day. I also pray for Annie & her family that God will draw them closer to him everyday. Plus I also know of another friend of Annie’s who is also a Christian who prays for her as well.
Thank you so much for your kind words & prayer. God Bless xx oo
Karyn,
Your answer as well as Angel’s and Noelle’s are all wonderful answers to this woman’s question. I love that she is asking!! She has a seeking heart, and I pray God will continue to draw her to you for answers to her questions. I pray that God will give you the wisdom and words to respond. I pray she will be drawn to the Light and Hope in your life.
W
Father,
You know my words are not eloquent and that most of the time I am not well spoken, but I so enjoy coming into Your presence to talk with You. I praise you for all You have done and are doing in my life. I see you healing my family and friends. My grandmother has been in CCU from and unknown cause, even on a ventilator. Now she is conscious and able to eat ice chips. You know how worried I was about her, even though I know you hold her in Your hands just like you do me. Thank You for continuing to heal her has she is moving to a “regular” room. My brother in You , Christ Jesus, was in a motorcycle wreck three weeks ago and has been in coma from a head injury since. I have trusted you to be in control and enjoyed being used by you to encourage his wife, only to be encouraged by her as well. I love them dearly and once again you have been faithful. He is waking up! Slowly but surely You are bringing him back. You have a plan and a purpose for him and I am grateful for being a witness to Your miracles. In the midst of these amazing things You are doing, I still have things that weigh on my heart. I have a friend, You know her name, who is struggling to recover from alcoholism. God restore the joy of her salvation and create a new heart in her to follow hard after You. She is an amazing woman and I know You have a plan and a purpose for her life. Help her see that purpose. Father I come desperately before you to ask for restoration for my husband. He is fearful and wonderfully made. Help him realize his worth in You. Bring him back in to Your flock. You promised to go find the one lost sheep that had wondered away from the herd. I know he belongs to You, but he is wondering blindly through this time. Find him, carry him back, so I can rejoice with You for his return. You have blessed me with such a sweet reminder of Your love, my son Caleb. My heart is overflowing with Your love each time he wraps his arms around my neck or kisses me. “Hold you Mommy” is my favorite words to hear. Even at the age of 4 he is struggling with I can’t. Teach him Lord that he can do all things through you, Christ Jesus, who strengthens him. He is more than a conquer, and You have plans to prosper him with hope and a future. Thank You for offering the ability to come to You and talk. I am learning to love my prayer time with you more each day. Please renew my heart, faith, peace, and understanding each time we meet. I have one selfish thing to ask. Please help Caleb poop in the potty. It stresses my husband out and I don’t like poopy underwear. It seems like such a silly request, but you know the desires of my heart and I take comfort that you know what is best for me and my family. Thank you for Wendy’s strength to follow hard after you and take you lead. She is an amazing woman that belongs to you. you have used her and this study to set me free and be able to move forward in your will for me. I love you Lord and am anxiously wait to hear from you as to where we will go next, together. I love you! I ask all of this in Your Son’s precious Holy Name. Amen
Amen and amen..
W
I am absolutely in love with your heart Angel! Amen to all of your heartfelt prayers. xoxo
Lord, I thank you for being Almighty, my Comforter, and my Shield. I cannot express how grateful I am for Your unconditional love and Your divine appointments. Thank You for loving me when I have been so unlovable. I praise You for the power in Your Word and the transformation that Your Holy Spirit has done in my life over the last several years. I pray that I trust in You Lord; that I recall often that Your plans for my life are to prosper me and not to harm me. I pray that Your will- not mine- be done in my life and that I allow You to complete the work that You have begun in me. I thank You for the new ministry that You have begun in Calais, Maine and ask that You continue to bless the fellowship and that You soften the hearts of the people who do not know You. I pray that You would have mercy on these people and that they’d receive You as their Lord and Savior. Help me to have the mindset of the apostle Paul, “That it doesn’t matter what happens to me as long as Christ is glorified and the gospel is shared with others”. I ask that You bless each woman that is part of this study and that you continue to speak to each of them in a deep and personal way. I ask that you forgive me for having a critical spirit and for gossiping. I pray that You do a work in me and my family and that our words would be acceptable in Your sight. I pray for Your continued protection over all your children, but especially my brother Josh as he is on deployment and that You help us and him to be on guard and watchful for the enemy who is out to steal, kill, and destroy. I thank You Lord for being FAITHFUL and GOOD! Please give me the strength to run this race and to finish well!! In Jesus’ name, Amen
I wrote a prayer for a friend that just found out that she was expecting! Sadly, she lost the baby already :(. They have been trying for some time and have had several miscarriages. After I re-vamp my prayer for her (it was hoping she would keep the pregnancy)…I will share it. I am now turning it into a prayer of hope and praise for her. If you could lift up a prayer for my friend Katrina in the mean time, I would greatly appreciate it! Hope you guys are having a super week!
Julie
Hello and Happy Thursday!
5/23/12
My mother is going thru a very tough chapter with my grandma, her mommy.
Today she is literally in the air as I type this, preparing her heart for a very tough journey she is about to endure. I can’t be there for my mommy physically, as I so in my heart want to be. Thinking about it fills me with tears because even if I could just hug her through this chapter in her life with grandma, I would be there just to do that. I can’t imagine what she is going thru. So as soon as I was filled with sadness, I want to share with you what happened.
God happened.
As soon as the feeling of sadness came to me, he just as quickly put me to work. After this prayer chapter there was no way I could not use the tools he put in Wendy’s heart to share with us.
I grabbed my journal, wrote down the words that came to my heart of what I wanted to do for my mom.
The words came so loud! COMFORT, STREGNTH, PROTECTION
I went straight to the bible and began my research, looking for God to let me know the exact verse I could use to hug my mommy from afar with.
Please know this is the first prayer I have ever written like this in my life. Never in my life even a few months ago, actually weeks or days ago did I think I would have done something like this.
Well I actually didn’t but I submitted to what God put in heart and just did it.
Here is the prayer to my mom I wanted share with this amazing study family:
Prayer for you, Momma
In the name of Jesus, you father God are my mommy, Sandra Beesons comforter, our comforter, in stress.
I pray that you continue to clothe her with the strength you have blessed her with.
Lord, please lovingly burn into my mommies heart as you have mine that she can do all things thru Christ who strengthens her.
I ask you thru Jesus Christ, Lord that you continue to protect my mommy, for we are faithful to you and we trust you with all our hearts.
Protect her from any evil spirits as she embarks on this journey you have placed her on with our Grandma, our ultra mommy.
I pray for the Peace of God to guard her heart and her mind in Christ Jesus.
God we love you so much, you know us and our hearts.
Thank you for hearing our prayers and our petitions, In Christ Jesus name, we pray, AMEN!
5/24/12
(This prayer was started Tuesday but the final version was completed just now and I’m on a very happy high for the Lord)
Father God, you created me, you formed me, you have built me into who I am today and I pray for the me you are growing me to be for you in the future. I pray for obedience, wisdom and for strength thru Christ Jesus that surpasses all understanding.
God I ask thru Christ Jesus, please give me the understanding to learn your word, your commands and the purpose you have for me in this life here on earth. I pray for the relationship we have today that is growing so strong.
Father God, I want to thank you for all you have done, all you are doing and all you will do for me.
Thank you for all the bible studies, this study, the amazing disciples in my life, the teachers, pastors, reverends, the God centered conferences, my church home, an incredible life story, my girls, amazing family and friends, the amazing love you have put in my heart. Father God the list of what I can thank you for can go on an on. Lord you know my heart and I thank you for my salvation thru Jesus Christ.
Lord I write this prayer filled with so much love and excitement for you and the relationship that is being made so much stronger.
Thank you. In Christ Jesus name I pray to you.
Amen
I do apologize for the length but I am so excited and I really wanted to share with a group of women that God put me with for this moment in our lives.
I love you and hope you all have an amazing day!
Margarita
Oh, Margarita, what a blessing to see your first written prayer!! Thank you for sharing it with us. We love you too and agree with you for each and every request.
Blessings,
Wendy
Maggie Moo… whew… you have me in tears and you have lit my heart on fire. You have always been an amazing woman. You have always had that flame in your heart that extends to your one-of-a-kind smile. God took that and He has multiplied it times infinity. His Holy Spirit pours out of you! I woke up this morning thinking about you yelling, “Woohooo! God is amazing!” God is moving mountains in your heart and mind and those around you (put me on the top of the list) move closer to Jesus because of it. I love you beyond measure. You inspire me to no end. I thank God that He has blessed me with you as a friend. I stand in full agreement with your prayer for your Mama and Grandma… and your prayer for YOU. Love, me
Margarita (and all girlfriends)… just FYI, I did Wendy’s study on prayer (go to her Bible Studies link) and it was AMAZING. I can’t wait for her upcoming study for more. You will LOVE it… even if you’re not doing it “real time.”
Wendy (and all girlfriends)… if you click on the boot camp picture, Margarita is in the bottom row, she’s the first beauty on the left hand side… 40 pounds lighter than when we first met, and way heavier (haha) in God-authored confidence and in her relationship with Jesus!!!!
Father, thank you for today, thank you for all the blessings you have given me, like waking up , breathing, the strength to get out of bed, see, feel, all the things I may take for granted some days. It’s on those days you show me you majesty and your power. Thank you for my sisters here and the ability to read their prayers to you and for each other. As an only child its hard to do things alone. Coming from a mother who saw my disability as a weakness and hassle. You also gave me a daddy who taught me how to live one handed and how to be a success. I dont attempt to understand why you did that I am just grateful. Somrtimes we are given to families to show them gempses of you, sometimes we are given to learn to rely on you but Father either way we know that you alone are in charge of everything and we are to only TRUST YOU and know you are in control. I am worried about school and transportation and even though I may see defeat you are still working Lord. thank you.
In Jesus name I pray Amen.
Lord, I come before you humbled and broken but in the knowledge that without you I am and have nothing. I thank you Lord for the “gift” of your son Jesus, his life, his death and resurrection. I praise you that you love me unconditionally and in the midst of my stuggles and doubt.
You have provided me with everything I have and everything I am. I ask for your grace and mercy as I walk through this life. I pray for your wisdom, guidance, peace and protection. I am weak and know you are strong; I am lost but know you are my shepherd.
I thank you for the witness of Wendy and her courage to step out and share her life and faith. I thank you for each and every woman who has joined the study, shared their lives and offered to pray. Bless them with your Holy Spirit to walk the paths that they find themselves in right now. Bring to them your love and power. Let them feel you today and all their days. Give them strength when they have none. I thank you Lord for touching me in my need, for blessing me each day with your presence, even when I don’t feel it or see it. Know my heart Lord and provide me with more of you in my life, give me a hunger and thirst that only you can fulfill.
Amen and Amen
Dona
My precious sisters in Christ,
Thank you for sharing these BEAUTIFUL prayers. Each one so precious as they reflect the desires and needs of your heart. How pleased the Lord is with your efforts to honor His call to prayer. My heart is so full after reading through each and every one. Praying God will show you in very real and personal ways how He is at work in and through your prayers. Please share any answered prayers with us!!!
Blessings,
Wendy
Papa,
Thank You for this week! Thank You for being with me each moment, helping me to just do the next thing. I know our time together has been lacking lately, the need to sleep just seems to overpower me each day, but I know You are still with me all day. Thank You for the opportunities to have given me to be refreshed little by little throughout the day. Thank You for letting me be ok with not doing so much right now, helping me not feel guilty when I can’t do everything. I look forward to the day when You and I can spend more time together like we used to, hours together shutting out the rest of the world. Show me Lord how I can still do that even once a week and still do what is needed for BB, my hubby, my job, and let everything else be set aside.
Thank You for my incredible husband. For the work You have brought him and the unbelievable opportunity You have laid at his feet. May You bless this endeavor, hold him up with You righteous right hand so that he gives You glory every step of the way. Keep him safe when we are apart and bring him home at the end of each day.
Thank You for this life You are forming within me. Help me to love and cherish BB all the days of their life. When I need to rest, help me remember that it’s not me that needs the rest but little BB. I trust You with BB Lord, it is for this child we have prayed and You have answered that prayer. Even now, You are in there, knitting BB together, setting everything just the way You want BB to be. How incredible Lord! There’s a double-portion of You within me! You reside in my heart, but You are also at work in my womb!
Lord, when I need to pause my day and be with You, help me to set aside all distractions and focus. Thank You for sending me messages through friends and family throughout the day reminding me one of Your Truths. I love You Lord and though those words do not say enough, may my life reflect the love I have for You, my Lord, my God, my Savior, my Brother…I love You!
Amen
I praise Him too for the beautiful life growing witnin you!!! Cannot wait to see you pregnant in a few months!!!
Love,
me
Really quickly, I wanted to share what Marilynn Chadwick posted on her blog today about prayer, I hope y’all will check it out 🙂
http://marilynnchadwick.com/2012/05/25/break-my-heart-for-what-breaks-yours/
Thanks, Heather!! Marilynn’s messages are always full of great wisdom!!!
W
Wendy,
I so appreciate your sharing on Prayer as i hope to deepen my prayer life, espeically in praising Him and being able to pray aloud confidently. In a group, I am nervous and couldn’t pray eloquently. Long ago, I was thought that we have to start with adoration/praising God, But, as I am weak in praise, I tend to jump in quickly to intercession. . Reading prayers of the women here, I could feel that intimacy with God when you weave scriptures into them, besides knowing that God has to honour His promises.
My grateful thanks to Noelle and all her beautiful friends from Boot Camp. Your love for God and His people are great testimonies for His Glory.
Dear God,
We thank and praise God for this life that is growing in Heather and pray that you continue to nourish and fully form this child in her womb, and grant her a safe/smooth pregnancy and delivery. Strengthen Heather as she desires to spend time with you, like she used to.
Lord, teach me to pray confidently using scriptures, in any place where I am called to pray, as prayer encourages and draw us closer to you, and those we are praying for.
Also, help me to be bold and courageous to share the Truth and way to salvation, because you did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind, whenever there is opportunity and to do it conversationally and not a fix way. In Jesus precious Name, I pray, Amen
Laura,
As you want to work on developing a “praise” prayer life, dig into psalms. That is what I did. David gives us a wonderful example and model for prayers of praise.
W
Noelle and Wendy,
I am OVERWHELMED with Joy!
I am so Positive that this is of the LORD!
I have wanted a copy of this book for so long, but my husband has been out of work.
I am amazed at His compassion, and provisions at just the time we need it!
My daughter is a prodigal, I have missed her so much for 3 1/2 yrs., sometimes it is so painful. I thought I was in such a Dark Corner, until I was reminded by David’s psalms that we are never alone. And we must remember God’s works of old and that He is with me and His light shines like a stream into that darkness.
I am so excited about reading this book and being nourished with the Message God has for me through this book!
Thank you so very much. This is a treasure, and a blessing from above.
When I am finished with it, I will share it with others who are hurting in a dark corner, that many may be blessed. We are comforted that we may comfort others!
II Cor. 1:4
I am truly grateful.
The Good Shepherd is my Father!
Debbie
Debbie,
Thank you for sharing how Noelle’s gift is an answer to prayer. Your words make her heart sing!!! These are the stories for which she prayed as she made the offer to give the books!!!
W
Debbie!
Wendy is so right… your words DO make my heart sing! I am praying for your prodigal daughter. If it brings you any hope… I was a prodigal. I made a LOT of bad choices. BUT GOD! BUT GOD knew the plans He had for me… to prosper and not harm me… to give me a hope and a future.
Abba,
Thank You so much for providing a way for Debbie to receive wisdom, hope and love from Wendy even when this study is over. Thank You for letting my team be a part of Debbie’s beautiful story. I lift her daughter to You. You know the plans You have for both her and her precious Mom Debbie. You have plans to prosper and not harm them… to give them a hope and a future. During the dark times, let Debbie feel Your presence like never before. For her daughter, open the eyes of her heart to see You. Give her the ability to hear you knocking on the door of her heart and give her the courage to open that door. Place Your hedge of protection around her until that moment happens. We trust You through this! In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen!
Hugs Debbie! xo
Heavenly Father,
Lord, I praise You for who You are. You are “the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”. I surrender my marriage to You. I know You have a plan for my family and me, and I know that plan is good! Lord I am putting my faith and hope in you. I pray that you will show me the power of your “unfailing love”. Father, only You have the power to transform my marriage, my heart and my life. I pray that Your will be done in this situation and I promise to give You all of the glory.
I pray this in Jesus mighty name
Amen
Anen and Amen!!!
Love,
Wendy
Father I praise your Holy and Great name, Thank you for releasing me from the strong hold of porn that had me in its grip As I looked and kept deleting there was even more but thanks to your strength and my brother supporting and encouraging me its gone. Thank you Jesus for helping me bury the former self once and for all. It is such a glorious feeling to be free of that. It was keeping me from you and for that I ask forgiveness. Thank you Father, thank you to you goes the glory.
Amen
As this was happening I could feel the layers of my former self being washed and cleaned. This strong hold has been with me for so very long. I wasn’t unfaithful to my hubby, I simply wrote and( I’m ashamed to say) watch videos to help get me turned on and that had become an idol for me – until last night when I found myself talking with a Christian brother who had also struggled and through the power of the Holy Spiri was convicted and with God’s help released from that. So last night after I told him I was struggling in that area and had asked God to help me get rid of that – it happened. And one by one these stories were deleted. Never to be seen again. One of my MAJOR strong holds was released last night – Thank you Jesus and thank you Wendy.
(Hope this doesn’t change your views of me ,,lol- I just had to share my great breakthru and Gods Awesome Victory..
Of course this has not changed our opinion of you!!! This is what God calls us to do…to confess our sins, to ask for prayer, and for forgiveness where necesary. I stand with you praising God for breaking down your stronghold and making all things new!!! I pray now for God’s protection from the evil one who would so desire to take you back down that path again. But you remember, you are STRONG! You are GOD”S CHILD! You can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens You!! You are victorious over all sin through the blood of Jesus. We celebrate with you today, Debra!
Blessings,
Wendy
I completely agree with Windy. no sin is greater than another. When God sets us free from any strong hold we should rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you for being confident enough to share with us.
Thank you Wendy and Angel , I just felt what I was freed from should have been kept in the closet, but as I shared with a few people at church today I learned there were a few others who were released from their own strong holds this weekend. So God’s Glory was seen every where today.
But I had to share with you all what great work God is doing in and through me,
How awesome and inspiring! Praising God for His amazing ways… and praising Him for YOUR courage to take such big steps. Debra, I’m celebrating with you. Your story helps me to remember to live BIG for Jesus’ Name! xoxo
Wendy,
I so love your idea of praising God A-Z. I am picking a word, which then leads me to remember a verse, or song, and am able to thank God and praise Him using His Word. I can use this to redirect my thoughts when I go off in the wrong direction and it brings me right back where I need to be. I still need to read the chapter, this was just from your video. Thanks so much!
I am so excited! I am caught up with you all and I love this study! It is so rich with the love of the Lord! I can not believe how wonderfully inspiring this study has been and will continue to be in my life! Thank you so much for this study, Wendy. May God bless you!
ABBA, my BELOVED Lord and Savior… I thank You ever so much for hearing our heart felt and filled prayers with so much weighing on each of our dear sisters that have received Your Love and Grace by reading Wendy’s “Hidden Joy”… so that we all may be transformed and changed for Your glory… I thank You for Wendy’s beautiful heart and studies drawing us closer to You, for Noelle and her boot camp team… a huge Thank You for their bountiful blessing for so many of us, which truly brought JOY to me to see such an enormous outpouring of giving hearts, bless each one in return as they gave to us, may it be given to them. I’m sorry that my written prayer here is so late but you know my situation here and lack of laptop.
You are my DELIVERER! I cannot express the gratitude I have that You set me free and showed me how to forgive others that changed the course of my life, two that raped me and other wounds of my past. Forgiving myself was more difficult.
You are my SHIELD, my PROTECTOR and my REFUGE! I run to You often to hold me and remind me of Your love, Your mercies, Your Grace, Your forgiveness, Your acceptance… my SECURITY and PROVIDER! You are the Lifter of my head!
I place my estranged, unbelieving husband in Your hands and trust You for His salvation and whatever restoration You will in our relationship, but more than this, I ask for You to open his hardened heart and eyes so that he will surrender his life to You. I have prayed for this for over 30 years yet I do trust You and the power of Your Holy Spirit to move on him and our two adult children to return to You and live for You! You are All Powerful, All Knowing and if I desire this how much more You must desire for all Your prodigals to return to You. I thank You for their salvation in Jesus Name! Although this weighs heavily upon me, it only makes me so much more thankful to You for my gift of salvation and our walk together. For the many times You rescue me as my Redeemer, and increase my faith journey as You Shepherd me. I lean on You, for You are my Peace, my Strength, my Joy because of how Wendy has opened my eyes through this book, her prayer study and the one in Hebrews! Continue to use Wendy as Your vessel, her book as a tool to reach others, her ministry to teach and the way she reflects You and Your Word in her prayers, teachings, videos, blogs, and life. Shine on her with as many blessings as she has made available to us! Lift her and encourage her! Put a shield of protection around her and her family as she continues to serve You and others bringing You glory in all she puts her hand or voice to… flow through her with a fresh anointing daily. Bless Wendy, P31 ministry, Noelle and her team as well as each women that passes through here or reads Wendy’s book.
Continue to draw me into Your sweet Presence daily, transform my life as You have Wendy’s so that I may bring You glory through the power of Your Word and Your precious Holy Spirit flowing freely to others. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and Redeemer. May I press on to devote myself to prayer and walking more closely
with You, being watchful and thankful at all times and in every circumstance, reveal Yourself in a whisper or a roar so that I may know that You are God, as I am still before You, let me hear You and know You ever so intimately… I love You, I adore You and treasure our moments together… forever and ever, be exalted as
I praise Your name and ask a mighty outpouring of blessings to each of us as we give You all glory, honor, thanks and praise for what You are doing in our midst both the seen and unseen… You are the King on high, I receive all in the beloved name of Jesus Christ, His authority and His reign in us… to You be all glory!