My Father HEARS me...

As I sit on a plane hundreds of miles above the U.S. I am reminded of how BIG my God is. I always have those little butterflies before I fly, however I am so lucky that I have a God that hears my prayers. All it takes is a few small words to let him know my fears and instantly I feel the comfort of His presence. I think sometimes I forget how close He is. He is only a prayer away.

Prayer is a big focus for me this year and He has lead me in this direction for a reason. I started my Bible plan this year in Psalm's, and immediately He showed me why Psalm's and why now. It is almost like the words He wanted me to focus on appeared bolded on the page. HEAR! My Heavenly Father wants me (little insignificant me) to know that He hears me... I have always know that He listens, or did I? I think it is one of those things that you know but you never think much about.  He wants me to know it is so much more. It only makes sense....... If He is asking me to make prayer a priority (praying over people, praying with others, laying hands on people, lifting my arms in the air when I pray) then He wants me to know that He is listening. I mean really listening! In Psalms alone He has shown me over 15 verses that clearly tell me 'He hears me'. WOW!

What I am learning more and more is that not only does He hear my words, more importantly He hears my heart. As I have been more diligent in praying I sometimes feel like I run out of words or I can't pray as eloquently as others. This is satan's attempt to hinder my prayer life. God is showing me the TRUTH - that words are not the only thing that matter and that my heart is full of things that I can not even express in words. It is so much more than the actual words. My heart is so much deeper than any words I can actually form and express verbally. I am so grateful that I can have a conversation with my Father either with words or just the yearning of my heart. I can pray in the privacy of my home, on a plane, in the streets of bentonville, individually, or with the greatest group of prayer warriors I know - yet the bottom line is no matter where I am or who I am with my Father HEARS me....

CRAZY prayer circles.....

This past weekend was so POWERFUL for me. Little did I know that Lord had been working on this one event since the summer of 2011. I read the The Circle Maker the summer of 2011 and ever since felt God tugging on my heart to make my prayer life stronger. My first thought was "I pray a lot already how can it get stronger?" Well, needless to say God is patient and will wait until you get what he is trying to tell you.  :) I am so grateful for that.....
Summer 2011 I went on the mission trip with Kailey to Chicago. After witnessing the power in that church I felt God asking me to pray circles around that church, those kids, and our kids. I thought if I was praying in my quiet time that would be enough - it is enough, just not what God was asking of me specifically. I was not obedient! I felt those same tugs on several other occasions yet never acted on them, always thinking praying silently was sufficient. The enemy has a way of making you think that mediocracy is good enough for God. That is such a LIE! Our savior deserves the BEST we have to offer.
The book or a version of the book kept surfacing in my life. By the end of 2012 I had read every book Mark Batterson had written (I have always been good about asking God what he wants me to read, and I feel like he directs me to books that help enforce His word and what He is trying to teach/tell me - that could be a whole other blog entry.) Then the first Fuel ( a monthly youth event at FBC Bentonville) Ed Newton mentioned a powerful book he was reading. I was sitting on the edge of my seat to see what it was so I could download as soon as I got home that night (thinking God is telling me to read this book if it was worth mentioning). Then BOOM, he says The Circle Maker. My heart rejoiced because I knew how great the book was and at the same time sank because I knew God was giving me a little slap down :) Beth Whitlow asked me the name again and I told her the name and assured her it was a GREAT book. That evening on the way home I felt the guilt of disobedience. Beth starting reading that night and couldn't put the book down and keep texting me about her excitement of the book. With every text God was trying to show me what he wanted me to do - Be BOLD!
That leads us to the past weekend. In preparation for the Mom's Retreat and String of Pearls my heart was heavy wanting to give my BEST to these events. Friday we prepared all the last little details of the event and I was on my way home to get ready for the nights events. Then God asked me again to be bold and create a prayer circle around this event. I was scared to do this alone, then Beth's name popped in my mind. The text feed looked like this:
Dawn: What are you doing at 4:15
Beth: Something for you?
Dawn: Want to do something crazy
Beth: Right up my alley
Dawn: What do you think about walking around the church 7 times praying for the event tonight
Then the wait that felt like eternity; what would she say, would she think that I was off my rocker? I saw that she was typing her response....... then......
Beth: Awesomer than awesome!!!! I'm all in

PRAISE THE LORD!!! the affirmation I was asking for.

That afternoon me, Beth, Faith, Jeanine, and Kristy all circled the church 7 times praying for this event. Each time we stopped in front the entrance of the event holding hands and praying out loud. You could feel God's POWER. That night we felt His presence and knew He heard our prayers. The next night we went to the Embassy where the girls event was and prayed over the room and each chair where someone would be sitting. That night we felt the Holy Spirit in the room. I have never experienced His power in that magnitude before; however expect to feel it more often by praying circles around events and people.
I thank GOD for being patient and waiting on my obedience. I give Him ALL the glory!! I was just the sinner He asked something from and I was willing to give.
Thank you for your LOVE and MERCY. Thank you for calling my name.

Dawn