The blog is officially online! I hope this blog will benefit this time of a prayer in a few ways. First, I am confident this will make it easier for me to write my daily posts. This site's software is geared specifically for this kind of writing and will give me a little more freedom and potential for creativity. Second, I believe this will make it more convenient for all of you to read these posts when you actually have time to spend a few minutes considering whatever is written that day, instead of just trying to read a long message caught in a long line of emails that probably hit your inbox everyday.
One other really cool function of using a blog is the ability for readers to post their own thoughts or responses. Several of you have taken the time to send me a message back over the last few days. Those of meant the world to me (I'm trying to respond to them all in some way, but sorry got a little behind over the holiday). Some of those are the kind of thing that would really benefit the whole group or foster some healthy discussion. So now you'll have the ability to write a response directly to my post each day which others can see. I will probably even offer up some specific questions or requests for response that can push our prayer discussion to greater depths as a group. If you have a personal response that you'd rather not share publicly, no problem, you can still just send me an email. Obviously, this is a really exciting addition to me personally.
So, how's your prayer life today? Have you taken the time to really open up to God some and share your heart with him? I hope so. I'm praying that this is so. Before I sign off for the day, I'd like to commend a couple of books to you that have and continue to be invaluable companions to me in this time of focusing on prayer. I have really enjoyed reading Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference by Philip Yancey, a popular level book written by a really thoughtful, honest and devoted believer, who also happens to be a really good writer. The other book that I have spent a lot of time consider in the few weeks is Richard J. Foster's Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. This book is an introduction or primer on prayer from a phenomenally insightful teacher and practitioner of the spiritual disciplines. Foster's book in particular has been extremely encouraging and educational for me. I believe it would be the same kind of tool for many of you.
Have a great rest of the day. Be in prayer continually. Pray for one another.
With having just celebrated the holiday, this quote from an Advent study I'm doing seems worthy to share here: "First Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, 'Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.' By remembering the words 'always,' 'continually,' and 'in all circumstances,'we can make Thanksgiving a yearlong holiday." (Ann Stewart--Preparing My Heart for Advent)
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