Well, I have finished the book, "The Circle Maker" and I have to say out of all the books I have read in a while, this book has had a major effect on me. The book is on prayer and on circling your prayers over and over again much the way the city of Jericho was circled. Mark Batterson suggests that we dream big, pray hard and think long. Alot of what I will share here are things from the book. The Dream Big part comes from the suggestion that we don't trust God with the big thing in our life. God is there for the small and big things. He is glorified through all things but when we ask for big things and He answers then His name is glorified even more. He suggests that we think of big things to pray for. Yes they have to have a God purpose, praying for a million dollars just because is not what he is talking about. Praying for a million dollars to donate to missions, give to a church or even if you are burden by debt and need that to get you out would be ok. Batterson suggests that you determine what it is you want to pray for and then you write it out, and circle it in prayer. Set some permanence to it so that you pray for it and continue to pray for it. Second, pray hard. Pray until you get an answer. While it may still not be the answer you want the answer will be better than what you want. If what it takes is getting on your face, get on your face. pray for it daily, or fast and pray....just continue to pray. Get others to pray with you, then their is the think long. Our prayers are not all answered ASAP. Some prayers take awhile and others may not be answered in our lifetime. A person doesn't plant a fruit tree for the harvest they will get in a month or two but they plant it for what they will get in the future. Farmers use that kind of foresight they plant today what they will reap later. So we should pray today knowing that the answer may be in the future.
The other thing that still lingers in my mind about the book is the fact that Prayers never Die. He mentions the prayers of grandparents for their children. I think back to my grandma and hearing her pray for me at night. Those prayers are still petitions laying at the feet of Jesus. God still honors them even today. If she ever prayed for my safety ..... He is still answering that prayer. With that in mind, I think it is changing my prayer life especially in how I pray for others particularly my daughter. Knowing that my prayers for her will never die even when I do gives me great PEACE. I am now praying daily not just for Maggie in the here and now but for Maggie's future, for her family that will one day be. I have prayed over all my family differently this week because of this book. There is also the suggestion of praying the promises in the Bible. I am gonna compile a list of God's promises that are directly for us and begin to pray them over the people that I think they are needed for.
There are still some things that I have to work out in my head so that I can circle them. I have some Big things I need to pray for. Yes there is healing that I can pray for but I have a few other things that I would love to see God answer prayer too. I am so thankful for the gift of prayer.
If you don't pray, I encourage you to give it a try. If you only pray when you need something then try to pray some when you don't need anything - just pray and praise HIM. If you pray often but not daily, give daily prayer a try. If you pray daily, think about making it longer each day. The Bible says to pray continually. I think this is to constantly have a prayer in your hearts. There is a part of this book that talks about Daniel and that he prayed 3 times a day and even when the King outlawed prayer he continued to pray. Oh I want that determination. God is Good and He answers prayer! I am a living example of answered prayer.
So as I always end. Keep Praying....or start praying. If you don't have something to pray for .... let me know and I can give you a few things to join me in prayer for. I actually have a prayer on my heart right now that has been ongoing for a couple of years. I know God will answer one day and in Him I Will Trust. Only He knows the answer and thankfully He knows the situation. I don't understand somethings but books like "The Circle Maker" give me the tools I need to help change me. God is so good to me that I wanna do all I can to please HIM.
Keep Praying and Keep Looking UP! My God is Awesome and He is capable of some MIND BLOWING THINGS. Let's tap into that, let's look for the awesome to happen. JOIN ME IN PRAYING FOR IT. Pray for God to SHOW OFF in some area of your life then Give Him The Glory. When He does something BIG then there is no question as to who did it. There are some things that ONLY God could do and that the things I am gonna add to my prayer list.
Love you all!
Tammy
If you have any prayer requests and want someone to join you in praying for them...let me know. I am willing to help you circle those requests in prayer!
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