cyclical

I miss writing.

I come by good ol blog world and catch up on friends' lives [or as Mel calls it, "blog stalk"] and joyfully find myself challenged with ways God is revealing Himself to others and ways He is working through people to be His hands and feet across the globe. But I also come by good ol blog world because I find such joy in writing. I want need to write. I thought about jumping on and saying, okay, now pray, but really, come on, this is the world wide web we're talking about here... not necessarily the place to get all vulnerable. Who am I kidding? I get vulnerable on here all the time often.

There are things I've found to be cyclical in my life: some good, some grievous.

After the Lord walking me down a road of freedom and healing in an area of bondage, or once a valley in an area of life passes, I usually find myself with a renewed sense of passion and life. Priscilla will usually hear me spark up conversation with the same questions and topics: going to seminary, retreat center, spending time in another country, teaching, etc.

In my hour pit stop by blog world the other day I found myself, tears in eyes, greatly humbled, challenged, and reminded of something that we are not only commanded to do, but is a huge part of my cyclically-neglected heart. Prayer. [This is the grievous part]. In my adolescent years God revealed to me the intercessor heart He's placed within me. What am I doing with it? Right now - not honoring or using it. It's not that I'm not praying - I'm often carrying conversations with God, but I'm not stealing away time to intercede and listen for what the Spirit would have me pray for. On top of that, I'm neglecting the things that are not right under my nose.

I have a whole family [across the country] who is not living in the freedom and life Jesus offers them.

I have a boss who watches me live out my faith, but doesn't have an intimate relationship with Jesus herself.

I'm scraping up every gift card and certificate I can find for food because my hours were cut beyond my ability to make ends meet.

I have relationships and friends who are living in bondage, addictions, abuse, and under the lies and fears that the easy road will yield less pain, and bring them closer to the things they think they want.

My heart hurts for and in each of these situations and relationships and yet I fail to intercede for them without ceasing. God, our God who moves mountains, our God who parted the Red Sea and continues to part the seas in our lives, lends His ear to our hearts and voices as we cry out to Him...  and yet I go through seasons of silence. God is still God and will work and move apart from my neglecting this part of my heart He's put within me, but over and over He instructs us to pray. He reminds us we are co-laborers with Him in doing so.

When I read of Shaun's trip to El Salvador I was once again reminded of the amazing privilege we have to freely go before the throne of our Holy, Majestic King, and the power found in prayer as we come before His Majesty. May the things that break our Father's heart break our own hearts. May we approach Him often with intercessory cries. May we be found faithful co-laborers with Christ as we serve those around us being the hands and feet of our merciful, compassionate, loving, caring God. And may we steal away time to come before Him with the heart and attitude of prayer - knowing that He can, and will, do things in and through those times that only He can do... things that are far beyond our scope of anything we could imagine. We serve a mighty God indeed!