
thisorthat
Each morning from Wednesday, September 1 through Sunday, October 10, Stonecreek's key leaders and volunteers are praying one prayer as one church. Our desire is to see the Lord declare new things in our life, families and community (Isaiah 42:9 NIV). Everyone on this prayer journey will receive a daily e-mail that includes the one prayer as well as a specific idea to reflect on for that day and a question to answer or step to take.
Archived Daily Prayers
Here you'll find links to each prayer e-mail. If you have started the journey after September 1, no problem. Click on a link below to review the days you've missed.
A Few Tips As You Begin Your Prayer Journey
Here are a few ideas to keep in mind as you think about setting aside time each day to spend with God in this one prayer.
1. CHOOSE A SPECIFIC TIME OF DAY.
It helps to have a specific time set on the calendar and to treat it just like you would any other meeting or appointment. If you wait for the time to “be right” then you’ll probably never get around to it. And don’t worry, we’ll deliver your e-mail at 12:01 a.m. so you’ll have it no matter when you get up.
2. CHOOSE A SPECIFIC PLACE.
If there’s a good chair or a writing desk in your house, those could work well. You could also choose a private place at work or in a coffee shop, but it’s better to find a place that’s predictable, quiet and fairly solitary.
3. HAVE YOUR MATERIALS HANDY.
It’s good to have easy access to your Bible or one of the electronic Bible tools,
Biblegateway.com or YouVersion. You should also have a pen and a notebook or something to write in. Make sure you have
whatever you need before you sit down so that you’re not distracted in the middle of your time.
4. BE REASONABLE ABOUT YOUR TIME.
Deciding to spend an hour on this might sound noble, but it’s probably unrealistic for most people. Set reasonable expectations around time so that you’re consistently meeting them. Fifteen to thirty minutes is probably best.
Some Thoughts On Prayer
Prayer means communicating with God. Prayer can often feel hard. But prayer is really meant to be simple. Here are three ideas to help you stay focused on the simplicity of prayer:
1. MAKE THE COMMITMENT
The most important aspect of the prayer journey is to stick with the daily prayer. In 2 Chronicles 16:9 the Bible says, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." Set aside time in your schedule and commit to the time each day through 10/10/10.
2. FOCUS ON THE MEANING, NOT THE TASK
As you pray, do not make this a race to say the words and complete the task. Slow down and think about what you are reading and saying. Ask God to show you what He wants you to know from what you are praying.
3. SPEND TIME LISTENING
And last, but not least, to effectively communicate with God, we must be ready to listen more than we speak. Prayer with God cannot be a one-way conversation. While you most likely will not hear His audible voice, you can know His Will. Our team will provide you with reflections each day on different portions of the daily prayer. These reflections are meant to help you tune in to God's promptings. I recommend you have a journal or notebook ready to capture your thoughts and any time you feel God prompting you towards a next step.







