Prayer - what puts you off?

Guys did you know big things happen when we pray? Satan knows it, it scares the Hell out of him - so he will try and stop us praying at all costs. If he can distract us from praying it's like stealing the bullets so the guns aren't effective... rendering us open to attack and the battle influenced. There is a very real battle going on all around in the spirit realm which we can totally miss in our busy lives and it's why prayer matters. Have you noticed though, when you try to make time to pray somethings always comes up? If it's not the phone or the postman, it's the sudden feeling of exhaustion which washes over you as soon as you begin to make a start. Or perhaps like many you feel daunted by the mechanics of 'how to pray'. Prayer can also at times feel a bit one way and this can effect our motivation and our faith. May I share some really practical keys I've found helpful?

• Know from the outset you'll be distracted press through this.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, direct you as you pray.
• Look at what Jesus says about prayer (Mathew 6 v 5-15).
• Have a notepad beside you so you can write stuff down. (God is ok with this!)
• Personalise scriptures – write them out, declare them till they become your own. (here’s one of my fave’s Psalm 37 5-6)
• Write out the days of the week… allocate a person/situation to a day. Monday - Dad & Mum  Tuesday - people trafficking... and so on.
• Watch the news – what’s happening in our nation is our responsibility prayer wise (even covering one news item in prayer is brill).
• Pray with other people.

Beloved prayer is not fancy words or clever phrases it just you talking to the one person who really really cares about what you have to say and is listening to your every word.Why not go and have a chat with Him now, I know He'd just love to hear from you!

hugs Ruth x 

The victory in plodding...

There was a song I remember being played on the radio on Sunday after noons from which a line was 'the road is long with many a winding turn' and I guess it was describing the journey that is a life. When life is good is it can feel like it speeds up and when it tough it can seem to drag on forever. On my flight back from Ireland yesterday I was sitting beside a guy, a trainee soldier. He was telling me that he was not just physically but mentally being put through his paces at boot camp and how every time he got bawled out by his C.O. it just strengthened his resolve to improve. He clearly loved what he was doing! But he told me 40%-50%  of the guys who start out, drop out before the end of training. Only those who wanted their wings to the point of blood sweat and tears were worthy of them.

His dedication was inspiring... it got me thinking though, about going the distance and finishing boot camp in a Spiritual sense. If you feel like you're a ''soul-dier'' in training can I encourage you today to stick at it... It may not feel like you're flying through with great finesse, boot camp is messy, exhausting and a steep learning curve. In boot camp you don't get to choose your comrades, and learning basic life skills (like just getting along with people) can be emotionally very difficult. But there very fact you're still here, still trying, still working out your salvation with fear and trembling means you are victorious regardless of how things appear. We wouldn't send our troops into battle ill prepared and nor does our loving Father. If you're going through a pressing time be encouraged God is training you for something strategic and useful for His kingdom...


You can do it keep taking one step at a time...

Hugs Ruth x

Need a Hug? then give and you will receive...

I was speaking at a women's event at the weekend in Manchester. It was a wonderful evening where we explored the whole topic of friendship and all the ways in which other people can shape your world. Our friends can influence the choices we make and the values we hold, our sense of belonging and our security in life. But have you ever thought about your influence on other's? When you walk into a room do you smile or do you have (what we call in Ireland) a face on?

You see even something as simple as a grumpy face can influence your your relationships.  There's a girl in my aerobics class who's always smiling and asking if you've had a good week. She brightens up the group with her lovely laugh and literally carries a sense of joy around with her in her spirit. Shouldn't God's kids be like this... I have no doubt that she is challenged with the same problems we all face but what's different is her mind set. I asked her one time what her secret was... she said she just tries to be happy even when she's not and her feelings more often than not follow. How wonderfully straightforward!!! 

I love the simplicity of that... too often we focus on our own challenges - we sit in our place of self pity and excuse unacceptable behaviour towards others because we're not having a good day. Perhaps we can learn allot from my friend who actually puts into practice without knowing it the model of Christ Jesus. Thinking himself as nothing He took on the form of a servant, He set His emotions to one side and just loved the Hell out folks!

Go and smile, Hug, encourage someone today and watch what happens...

hugs Ruth x
 

Hidden Prison..?

  T

The word  'freedom' is often bandied about in Christians circles, which is cool because when you make Jesus your best friend He helps you disentangle the mess sin hurts your world with. The things we need to be freed from may seem obvious at first - drinks drugs and rock n rock? But I think these might be red herrings to our focus. You see obvious sin is easy to deal with in many respects because it's right there in your face. However the Devil isn't stupid, he knows if you scaffold a lie onto a truth so it becomes a half truth, a plausible thing, it's more easily accepted. He is and always has been a liar, a con-artist... who wants to hold us back from our God destined purpose. God's been showing me recently how there are areas in my life in which I am still imprisoned. Yes after 20 yrs of loving Jesus!!! I asked myself this very simple question (God's Holy Spirit really is beautiful in His simplicity) "what's the thing that I find myself revisiting time and time again that shrinks my spirit"? I'll be honest with you the thing I struggle with is a sense of failure - am I making any difference for my Father in Heaven at all? I do honestly hope so...

Anyho... God's been showing me how the enemy uses hidden chords to keep us going round in circles so we have a sense of movement but actually we're going nowhere. I know a lady who struggles with self-pity which imprisons her in a place of ingratitude and despair. I know someone else who's been very hurt by someone they loved and they can't move forward because they keep looking back and revisiting the past pain. What I'm coming to see is we revisit these areas of weakness for a reason... that's God wants us to get victory so we can go to the next level. We need to change our response when we find ourselves in the same rat whole again. I want to give 2 keys to unlock the doors which we keep closed. 1) identify what is it keeps coming back to bite you on the bum and write it down on a piece of paper and stick it in your bible 2) change your response - if you go into your hole and hide get out go be with people - if hopelessness drags you down get up! get your bible and declare the promises of God over your world (this is what proper bible bashing is!) Let's not keep going round in circles - let's go out and take ground for His Glory.

Love Ruth x