Fervent // Week One

Can I be bold for a minute?

I was terrified of this book. I mean like, really terrified. Put it in the freezer kind of terrified (and I apologize to those of you who aren’t friends enthusiasts who have NO clue what anyone would put a book in the freezer. You can see why here…). I knew that this book would test me. Would call me to a more radical approach to life than I had previously been living. Especially where my mediocre prayer life was concerned.

But, I knew deep down that this book didn’t just happen to stir me for no reason. I knew that I couldn’t escape the commercials for the movie, the book cover popping up in Google ads all over the internet (I swear Google spies on us) and then in my inbox when I got newsletters from a handful of different book publishers. It was everywhere. And to be honest, I have never read anything written by Priscilla Shirer. I listen to her podcasts and have listened to her devotions on some of my 5 minute Devotions for Women CD’s that I listen to in car line. Other than that, I just hadn’t ever picked up anything of hers. But I can assure you now that it won’t be the last. All of that being said…

Week one! How did you guys do?! What did you think?

I wholeheartedly enjoyed catching a glimpse into her past where she talks about the time she spent with her grandmother. What a wise old lady to pass on such an important characteristic and habit to her grand-daughter. Reading about that made me think of Josh’s grandmother again…what a legacy of prayer she left behind! If only Priscilla’s (we can be on first name basis, right?) grandmother saw the kind of legacy that SHE is now passing on based on what she was taught.

I think the thing that stuck out for me the most out of all of the reading this week, was how much I ignore the enemy’s attacks on my life, my family, my marriage…in ways that up until now I have never thought anything about.

Praying with precision is KEY. When we pray about the places where we seriously suspect the enemy is at work-that’s how we keep our prayers focused, not only on particular situations but on biblical truths that are consistent with maintaining victory in the midst of them. (pg. 3-4)

There are a few areas of my life where I am really vulnerable. I am aware of it. I know what they are. I know when they become the most vulnerable. And low and behold during this first week of this study, I was having an off day. God woke me up at 5:00 and I refused to get out of bed. Just refused. I was tired. I was exhausted actually…beyond the every day kind of tired. Flat out run down. So I stayed in bed. Thinking about it now, I was probably acting much like a defiant child who doesn’t want to get up for school. I rolled over, ignored God and went back to sleep.

And my day was garbage from that point on.

My boys woke up insanely early, so I didn’t get in ANY prayer/bible time (which is probably why God was waking me up at 5:00 am) and I just had an all out nasty attitude all day. I argued with my husband, I yelled at the boys, I drop some four letter words that I shouldn’t have more than one time…and then there came the enemy. Hitting me in a place that I knew I was weaker in. I text my best friend Lauren and told her about it. She said immediately, “Girl, the enemy is out to get you today! Don’t let him!”

In that moment everything that I had read in Fervent came back to me…

Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is kryptonite to the enemy and to all his ploys against you.

I hit my knees and prayed HARD that God would forgive me for ignoring him earlier that day. I prayed for strength to get through the rest of the day and that this area of weakness in my life would be broken so that it wasn’t an open floodgate for the enemy in my life.

My day wasn’t immediately sunshine and roses, but I could sense the shift in my heart that came when I closed my eyes and just let the Lord do his thing. The very thing he had wanted to do earlier that morning that I failed to let him do.

Strategy One / Your Passion

I have to say, I am not passionate about running or athletics the way she describes. When the muscles start screaming when I’m working out or running (which isn’t often because I have bad knees), my mind says, “Yep! Time to call it a day…”

I don’t like to work out. I absolutely hate the discomfort that comes from exercising. I feel great afterward but that whole have to get up and actually do it thing is for the birds.

I do have a passion for other things though. I have a passion for writing and sharing here with all of you. A passion that I hope someday, God willing, spreads to a passion that allows me to speak to groups and write books and Bible Studies and be part of God’s work where I get to reach so many more people and meet so many more readers.

I’m passionate about my children and their hearts belonging to the Lord. I’m passionate about my husband and helping him to achieve the dreams and the goals that God has placed on his heart. I’m passionate about domestic adoption (something I don’t write about much because we aren’t to that point yet, but will be when God decides it’s time).

But, whenever I’m having an off day…whenever I’m just not “feeling it” those things, even as much as they mean to me and as much as I emphasize THEM over everything else, becomes a second thought. Those are the days in which the door to my soul is wide open for the enemy’s sabotage. And he takes advantage of those off days whenever he can.

Working hard to make me doubt the goodness of my God and the many, many promises he has for me.

Not anymore…I’m praying for the renewal of my passion and working steadfast to keep my eyes and my heart focused on the one that matters.

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 So let’s share…what were your thoughts on the first chapter/strategy and the introduction?
Did you learn anything or notice anything that you’ve never once thought about before?

One thing that I wanted to make sure that I did and that I personally took from this study was praying scripture. It’s not a habit I’ve ever had, but I’m seeing that it is VITAL to praying these big prayers and fighting what we are up against. So, I wanted to offer these free printable prayers to all of you! You can take them and print them out on your printer at home, laminate them if you’re feeling fancy and carry them with you or hang them on your own prayer/war room wall. Whatever you need to do to be reminded to Pray BIG and pray BOLD to the God of the universe! He hears you!

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