Prayer Walking

Last night I just wanted to get out of the house and enjoy the weather. At dusk, once the girls were in bed, I headed out. After a short walk in the neighborhood, I came back and started walking around our back lot. Part of the way around, I decided to start praying.

I prayed for anything that came to mind that would have far-reaching implications. I dedicated the land and prayed for blessings and a sense of having met with the Lord to all who would walk there.

When I finished my walk around the back lot, I felt so productive with this type of prayer that I continued. I prayed for the fruitfulness of the fruit trees and that our garden (which hasn't even been planted this year) could be used to bless others.

Then I headed on back to the house and circled it as I prayed for wisdom and self-control for those who would enter. I also asked for a cleansing in the hearts of us all.

I may not see immediate results, but I know God is faithful, and if these things will glorify Him, He will honor them. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to my next little prayer walk.

Have you prayed around your property lately?

Making Time

That stack of landscaping stones had been just to the side of the driveway for at least two years (an improvement over sitting in the driveway itself). The project they were to be used for has been slow in coming to completion, taking lower priority ever since our children came on the scene.

Every time I backed the minivan out, I fretted about clipping the stones. I kept thinking, if just the facing on the driveway side could be moved, it would give me plenty of room and I wouldn't have to worry about scraping the minivan anymore. But, family responsibilities and other projects again took precedence.

The other night, I finally did it. I moved the stones. All half ton of them. 40 pounds at a time. About 20 yards away. No more waiting for my stronger half to do the job. I just flexed my mommy muscles and spent about a half-hour or so in the closing moments of the day, in solitude.

You know, I bet a lot of us have big things looming on our spiritual to-do lists. Stuff like personal Bible study goals that don't ordinarily fall into the daily quiet time agenda. Or maybe it's something we told God we'd do, but we're too busy with other things. It's hard to get the right balance in life, much less make time for the extras. But sometimes that's what you have to do: make the time.

So, I challenge you to make this one week where you make time. Write down one thing in your walk with God you've been putting on the backburner for lack of time. Then, be vigilant as you go about your schedule. Trust God's leading to determine what REALLY needs to be done and what can wait till tomorrow or just dropped completely. Next, use that extra time He has provided. If you don't finish your project, that's okay. At least it's a start. And maybe, just maybe, you'll discover there are in fact things you can drop from your schedule to spend doing more for God.