Prayers

I can remember as a little girl saying my prayers at night time. Sometimes my mom and dad would join me for those prayers and sometimes I said them on my own. It is funny how our concept and understanding of prayer truly changes as we grow older and learn more about what prayer is. In my Christian walk, prayer has always been somewhat of a struggle for me. I talk to God often, but I often feel convicted that I am not praying as I should be. My prayers too often start with thanks and quickly turn to the request. This is something I have been challenging myself to change this year. I have been challenging myself to pray in a way that is fervent and faithful and what I might truly say to God were He visibly standing in front of me. It helps me sometimes to write down my prayers so I can keep my train of thought, it is also nice to go back and see how my prayers have developed over the year.

So tonight, I am simply thankful for the ability to pray to the Lord whenever and wherever I would like. I think one of the most difficult things for me about leaving Georgia to come and live in Germany is leaving the "Bible belt." My home, my church, and even the school I taught in were filled with people who all believed in what I believed. It was more difficult to find someone who didn't than it ever was to find someone who did. I go to church on base here and I see familiar faces of course but none that are ever so present in my daily life. I often found myself asking God why this was so. Why would He take me from this place filled with believers and place me in an environment that was bound to be this way no matter where my locale was. If you had asked me when I was younger, or before I met my husband, if I would ever live out of the state of Georgia- I would have emphatically told you no! I never saw myself as moving away from home and I am pretty sure I was the last one my mom ever thought would as well. However, here I am- 6 time zones away from my family and my comfortable southern home. It is now more than ever that God is reminding me He has called us to this life for a reason- to be His light. There are so many times when Jonathan comes home and shares with me about people that look at us and admire us for our marriage and who we are. There is no other answer than to say God is at the center and I love that I get to show people that is what is different about our lives. We do not have to shout at people about God because they can see it in us. It shows me that this is just a small part of why we are here and I will ever be grateful for the opportunity as long as the Lord allows.