Breathing Prayer: Devotions for Anxiety

A friend of mine sent me this and I thought it might be helpful to someone else also.

Breathing Prayer: Devotions for Anxiety

When anxiety’s got you in its grip, it’s hard to avoid worrying. But there's a technique that can help. I call it “breathing prayer.”

By Julia Attaway, New York, New York

Can we talk anxiety? You know what I mean: that roiling inner whirlwind, the blinding, gut-wrenching, confusion-making state of being that takes over our hearts and minds from time to time.

When anxiety’s got you in its grip, it’s hard to avoid worrying about tomorrow. It’s difficult to adopt a Jeremiah 29:11 attitude. Sometimes it seems all we can do is shove our fears heavenward and hope God takes them away. I think there’s a better way.

Anxiety works on a very primitive level. It has a physical component which we can counteract by applying a physical remedy. Several years ago I learned that there’s actually a right way to breathe to reduce anxiety and stress. The Harvard Health Blog calls it breath control. The technique has certain similarities with prayerful meditation, and since it’s completely compatible with faith, I personally call it “breathing prayer.”

Try this: Close your eyes and inhale slowly, imagining pulling the Spirit in so fully that it fills every pore of your body. Make sure your stomach expands; you want to be pregnant with peace. Exhale slowly through your nose.

You can pray while you do this (though if you’re anxious when you start, you probably won’t think of it until after a few breaths, when your head starts to clear). Simple prayers work best:

While inhaling

While exhaling

Come Holy Spirit…

fill my heart

Lord Jesus…

grant me your peace

Lord Jesus…

I love you

If you practice when you’re not in the throes of wild anxiety, it will be easier to pray this way when you are. But “breathing prayer” is a good addition to any regular prayer time. Anything that clears the head and calms the body frees us up to hear God better. And that’s what prayer is all about.

The Old Apple Tree by Katherine Kehler

“They (people who delight in everything God wants them to do) are like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail” (Psalm 1:3)

The timing couldn’t have been better. My husband was home for a few days between trips, the weather was great, the grandchildren were out of school an hour early and the apples were ripe and ready to be picked.
As Marvin started the tractor, our daughter and granddaughters stepped into the front scoop and they all headed off to the big old apple tree in the middle of our pasture. Picking apples from the elevated scoop is so much easier than using a ladder. I watched them for a while and then decided to join them. I couldn’t stay in the house working on the computer when they were having so much fun.
We were all laughing. The girls loved picking the apples and we ended up with a large container full. I was amazed at how many apples that old tree produced. It was old when we first moved to the property 14 years ago. The trunk of the tree was almost completely rotten. How did it get its nourishment to produce leaves and fruit, I wondered? I came to the conclusion that because it was so old, its roots had grown very deep into the soil and they nourished the tree.
Christians also produce fruit in season and out of season, not just when we look and feel good. My brother had Lou Gehrig’s disease and spent his last two years in a long-term care hospital. Even though he was confined to a wheelchair and couldn’t speak, he radiated Christ. People would come to see him just so they could sit in his presence. He prayed all the time. At his memorial, his nurses all came. They openly shared that they would come to his room and tell him more than they told their significant other. Several of these nurses came to faith in Christ. Even though Frank’s body was decaying, he was rooted and grounded in Christ.
How are you doing today? Feeling a little discouraged because you cannot “do” all the things you used to be able to do? Let me encourage you to “be.” Abide in Christ and He will produce the fruit in and through you. Rest in Him and He will cause you to bear much fruit.
Father, thank You for producing fruit in and through us. Enable us to grow our roots deep into the knowledge of Your love so we will produce fruit whether we look or feel good or not. Thank You for telling us that we can’t do anything without Christ. It is good to know we can rely on You for everything. Amen.

 Used with permission, Thoughts About God:

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com

Prayer For Our Nation Father

 

Prayer For Our Nation Father,

We come before you and humbly ask that you forgive us of our sins and that you forgive us as a people for turning our backs on you over the years and allowing our lights to slowly grow dim and allowing darkness to cover our land.

We have fallen short, the Church has grown lazy and selfish. We weren't praying and fighting for righteous and holiness sake but, were more concerned with our own worldly gains. For this we are paying the price but yet Father, many of us still point our fingers at others and try and put the blame elsewhere.

Your Word said in Matthew, "You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye".

I pray Father that we come to your Call in 2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

It is not your Will Father that you destroy this land but our will when we do not do as you have required of us. Father, time is nothing for you, the days are numbered but you are the one that does the numbers and controls time. This Nation can be saved and restored if we do what is pleasing in you sight.

Father, I pray for your Grace to instill upon each believer in Christ Jesus to repent and do as you require so that you may heal our land in Jesus precious name, Amen.

To God be the Glory, Honor and Power for ever and ever, Amen.

Having Faith

Source: youtube.com via Karen on Pinterest

Please just click on the picture and it will take you to the story.  This is a must read!

Are We Praying the Wrong Prayer?

Are We Praying the Wrong Prayer?
Many of us praying for our unsaved friends, family, and neighbors are directing our prayers in the wrong way, saying, “Oh God, help them see.” But they are blind—they cannot see! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 explains: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

We must first bind the blind-er, Satan. We’re not in a battle of flesh and blood, but with Satan himself, and we will never rob his house until we first bind him.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

Do you pray morning and night?

I pray each time I feel the need to.  I stop what I'm doing(if possible) and just pray.  If I'm driving or in a meeting, I just pray.  I know that God will hear me no matter where I am or what I'm doing.  I also pray each morning and night.  Somedays, I catch myself praying most of the day, especially if something is bothering me.  Pray, God will always hear your prayers and where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name and ask in my son's name it shall be given.  I know I paraphrased that verse but it is in the Bible and God will hear and answer our prayers in His time.  Be Blessed!!!