It's always lovely to be asked to do some National Radio. I'm on UCB 1 with Paul Hammond, doing his talking point show today just after 11am. You can tune in by visiting https://www.ucb.co.uk/ucb1
The main feature was in Prayer Magazine - Subscribe Here
Here's what I'm covering.
Ideas for Prayer this Summer
Whether you are working, on a staycation or jetting off somewhere hot, there is always an opportunity to pray. Hopefully gone are the cold wet days of winter, which can often mean we are able to get out more, organise more and see more of what is going on in our community.
Most people only pray for a few minutes each day and when issues arise that time is often impacted or reduced.
We’ve put three simple ideas for each of our four headings, of how you could pray during the summer. Just 12 points which could revolutionise your prayer life over summer.
If you are working this summer
Let’s face it, having to work through the summer without a break is never easy. Work colleagues can often be telling you of their adventures, showing pictures etc. Sometimes it’s easy to forget prayer when people are telling you of the great time they had.
Speak a blessing in prayer over them during your prayer time and try not to let your heart be jealous.
Create a list of everyone you know in your place of work, and pray through the holidays for the various situations they have; ill health, family issues, etc.
Have you ever thought to pray for the issues your employer is going through, perhaps a contract negotiation, a merger, bidding for a new client – there is often plenty of prayer cover needed, that we don’t know about.
If you are watching your Children or Grandchildren over the summer Holidays
It’s always good to encourage children to pray. You would be amazed how they connect with God, their insights and innocence.
See if you can have a short prayer time with the child or children each day through the holidays, explain you are doing this through July and August and it will only take 5 minutes per day, each of are to pray a short prayer for whatever is on your heart.
If your Child or Grandchild is not used to praying at all, then you could chat to them about what it means to pray, why we pray and encourage them always to give thanks to God for what he has done.
You can also make Prayer fun. How about getting some chalk and create a grid of 12 boxes on the pavement. Each box then needs to contain one word that we could pray for. Take it turns to think and write in each box and then a different person needs to pray a short prayer for the word in the box. It would be surprising how quickly and fun this exercise is.
If you are on holiday, but at home
Find half a dozen scriptures which speak of life and walk around your local town proclaiming those scriptures over the businesses, offices and organisations there.
Set aside one hour a day to enjoy Christian worship and pray following the lyrics of the songs being sung. Often a song will move our heart, will take us deeper with God, whisper and ask God what He could speak to your heart through that song.
Take time once a week through the summer to prayer walk a different street or area of your community. Get a little map, divide it into eight segments (eight weeks of July & August) and then use a highlighter to colour each place, prayer walked. Pray the Prayers on God’s heart while you walk. By the end of the summer you will have covered the whole area you selected in Prayer !!
If you are jetting off somewhere
Take a little notebook with you so you can record some points when you see something you didn’t know before. On many trips over the years I’ve not understood a different culture, their approach to church building, their own walk with God. Take a little time to find out and pray a blessing over the place you are holidaying and the churches you may be visiting.
Use the down time to read a book on how to improve your prayer life. Debra Green has recently brought out ‘Mountain Moving Prayer’, Pete Greig, ‘How to Pray’, ‘Dirty Glory’, ‘God on Mute’, Philip Yancy, ‘Prayer’ and an old classic from Wesley Duewel, ‘Might Prevailing Prayer’. All are great books.
Again because of time to breathe, relax etc. Take an hour and go for a walk with the intention of asking God what He would like you to focus on for the Autumn Season in prayer when you return home. It might be prayer for your family, your Church, to focus intense prayer for someone’s healing, listen to His whispers and act on that when you come home.
Don’t forget Thanks giving.
So many people come to God with a list of things they want answers for. Very few come to God thinking about Psalm 100 verse 4, to enter His gates with Thanks Giving in their Heart….
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
And his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
(ESV)
If the only thing you did this holiday was to spend a little more time each day with God, pray a few minutes more each day, you summer would be better at the end than the beginning.
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