I'm Not Talking to Myself: 5 Ways to Pray

The bible says ask and it will be given to you. I often find it difficult to pray out loud. Sometimes I don't even know what to pray for. Romans 8:26 says, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Intercedes is a "big" word and I had to look up what it meant. It means "to speak for or on behalf of." The Holy Spirit speaks for us whenever we don't know what to say. This is amazing!

Now, sometimes I do know what to pray for but I usually am not comfortable praying out loud(I am working on it though.) I  asked a friend of mine if praying out loud was the ONLY way to pray. He told me no, prayer is a conversation with God and He doesn't want you to feel uncomfortable talking to Him. This is true. Prayer is a conversation with God. It may feel one-sided at times, but He is listening and He is working. I figured I am not the only one who feels this way on occasion. So I will give you some tips on prayer and a couple ways to pray if you either aren't comfortable praying out loud or are looking for a new way to pray. 

1. Don't be afraid to talk to God.

God is always around and He is always listening. I always thought prayer had to be super formal, using a specific formula, saying just the right words. However, this isn't the case. Prayers are seriously just a conversation with God. When you are talking to your friend or significant other do you talk like you're writing a letter? "Dear ______, Hi, how are you? Sincerely, ________." No, that would be silly. It's the same when talking to God. Just talk to Him. There are times when I am in my car, I'll be praying for something, and then I will get distracted and forget that I am praying or just stop without finishing my prayer for a ridiculously long time. I think this is commonly referred to as Prayer ADHD and I know for a fact I am NOT the only person who suffers from it. God is patient. He will listen even if you get distracted. He is here for you.

2. ACTS Prayer Method

A few years ago, while I was at a summer camp, our guest counselor introduced us to a prayer method called ACTS. Each letter stands for a different thing to pray for. The A is for Adoration. Start by telling God that He is awesome (because He is). Tell Him why are adore Him. C is for Confession. Romans 3:23 says ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone has sinned, admit that YOU have sinned and ask God for forgiveness. No one is perfect and that is okay. The T stands for Thanksgiving. Thank God for everything He has done for you, everything He has given you. He is an awesome God and He gives us so much that we don't deserve. Finally, S is for Supplication. The definition of supplication is asking for something earnestly or humbly. Ask God for what you need, present your requests to Him. This is a great way to outline your prayers when you don't know where to start. 

3. Go For a Prayer Walk

I just recently learned what a prayer walk was; I had never heard of it before. It is exactly what it sounds like; you go for a walk and you pray. I learned about this method through the Youtube channel Prayers & Penguins. She has many videos that help Christians be better Christians. She also has some videos on prayer. I highly encourage you to check her out! She explains a prayer walk as going on a walk and praying for the community, but she also mentions other things you can pray for on your prayer walk. (I will link that video at the bottom of this post.) Prayer walks can be great because you're getting outdoors and enjoying the fresh air while also having a conversation with your Heavenly Father. 

4. Make a Prayer Journal

This is by far my favorite way to pray. If you have read my first blog post or the "about" section of this blog, you know I like to write. A prayer journal doesn't have to be some fancy journal with inserts and decorations, it can literally be a fifty-cent notebook from the dollar store. I have always found it easier to write down my feelings and thoughts rather than saying them. There are many different ways to use a journal to pray. You can just write your prayers as a train of thought, bullet points, or as a letter. You can also divide your journal into different sections, each being a different area of your life you want to pray for. Often times, I see prayer journals on Pinterest that have a section for prayer, a section for bible study, a section for gratitude, etc. Your prayer journal can be whatever you want it to be, whatever you feel is comfortable and will be something you will use daily!

5. Don't forget: it's just a conversation!

These are just suggestions and ideas to help your prayer life. You are welcome to use any of them or all of them. There are also times when we aren't in a good place to pray, at an event or around people for example. Or someone tells you they need prayer and you say, "I'll pray for you" but then you forget to do that later (guilty). I was told once to just go ahead and say a little prayer. God knows what is on your heart and what you're thinking. Sometimes I just say a quick prayer in my head because I know God can hear me even when I don't speak. 

Control: Expectation vs. Reality

As I'm sitting down to write this week's blog, I can't help but notice I am having a difficult time doing what I am saying. Last Wednesday, as we were finishing up our bible study with our teens, one of the kids said, "I need extra prayer because I'm mad." The other teacher and I asked her why she was so mad. She then informed us she was mad because Biden was the new president. (I know I said I wasn't going to mention politics, but this goes right into the topic for this week.) The advice I gave to all the kids I am now going to give to you. 

In 2017, during my second semester of college, I had joined the S.P.A.C.E Hogs, because I love space and stars and astronomy. My membership in this club granted me an opportunity of a lifetime; I was put on the VIP list for a lecture by Mark and Scott Kelly. Mark and Scott are famous twin astronauts that participated in a study for NASA. For this study, Scott spent a year in space while Mark stayed on Earth. The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of space travel on the human body. This experiment provided not only the information they were looking for but also showed the human body can adapt to extended periods of space travel (this is important for trips to Mars in the future), and provided some milestones (fun fact: Scott Kelly was the first person to receive a vaccination in space- it was the flu shot). Since I was on the VIP list, this meant I had the chance to meet them after the lecture! I went to the lecture by myself and sat in the front row (like any good student would... or any good suck up). During the lecture, they cracked jokes and talked about the experiment they participated in. Two main things stuck out to me during this lecture, one was that Mark's wife, Gabby Giffords, was shot in the face and survived. The other was something they said: "Focus on what you can control." This sentence has stuck with me ever since that lecture. 

Scott Kelly (left), Me, and Mark Kelly (Right), 2017

Focus on what you can control. Well, what can you control? Could Mark control his wife getting shot? Or the results of the Twin Study Experiment? I invite you to make a list of the things you have control over in your life. Do you have control over strangers? Do you have control over your family? Do you have control over other people's actions? Do other people have control over how YOU feel? Can you control your emotions? Now that you've made your list of the things YOU can control in YOUR life, focus on those things. You can't control everything, I have a hard time reminding myself of this, but you can control yourself, you're reactions, your emotions, etc. I know it can be easy when you're angry, or upset to blame someone else for your problems. Let me show you a different way to think about these problems? We have established, you are in control of yourself. Who is in control of your spouse? They are. Who is in control of your friends? They are. Can these people control you? No. Only you can control you. It is exhausting trying to control other people. All it's doing is taking too much energy out of you (that could be used doing literally anything else) and creating problems that you can't fix.

So next time someone "makes you mad" (it sounds funny when you think of it this way) remind yourself, they don't control you. No one can "make" you do anything. The only person that can make you do anything is you. I can't make you do anything. Your mom can't make you do anything. Your dog can't make you do anything. Focus on you, focus on what you can control and the rest will work itself out. If you focus more on yourself, and less on trying to control others, your life will be much easier.

I asked the class if they had control over who the president was. They responded, no. I then told them they don't need to be mad or angry or upset over something they have zero control over. When we get upset, we often put blinders up and focus solely on the thing that made us emotional in the first place. This never ends well. Instead of putting up blinders, I encourage you to do these three simple things: Stop, Breathe, Pray. Stop what you're doing. Stop thinking those bad thoughts. Stop whatever is making you upset. Stop physically and emotionally (unless you're like driving or something where you can't stop, then just emotionally stop). Just stop. Take a breath. Take a couple. Breathing slows your heart rate. When you are angry or upset, your heart rate skyrockets. This makes your brain enter into a survival mode (AKA: fight or flight mode). When you're in fight or flight mode, you physically CANNOT have a rational conversation. Pray! Pray that God will take your anger, that He will guide you and calm you down. Prayer works for so many different aspects of your life. I encourage you to pray daily. 

Focus on what you can control. Focus on YOU!

This week in the creative corner: I have been working on destructive art, primarily in my Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. 

LINKS:

Twins Study- NASA

Twins Study- Article

A Little Resolution Reboot

Between December 30th and January 1st, it is a common practice to sit down with a pen and paper (or with today's technology, a tablet or computer is often preferred) to write out a list of goals to achieve before December 31st of the approaching year. These goals are commonly known as New Year's Resolutions. Google defines resolution as "a firm decision to do or not to do something." A firm decision. Something firm is determined and guaranteed and should be seen to the end. Many of these goals are personal and not bragged on or talked about unless they are achieved. Some people choose to have just one resolution for the whole year, while others choose to have multiple. I fall into the latter category. I have previously mentioned one of my resolutions was to start and maintain this blog (so far, so good). Multiple resolutions can sometimes be tricky to maintain and achieve. 

New Year's Resolutions can be seen dating back to the ancient Babylonians. Their "new year", like some cultures, started, not in January, but in mid-March. This is when crops were planted and promises were made to their pagan gods to pay off debts and return borrowed possessions. Providing for these gods were their firm decisions, which is different from the resolutions we think of today. It was believed as long as they kept their promises, they were in their gods' favor and would prosper. Like the Babylonians, the Ancient Romans also had their form of resolutions. Instead of making promises to pagan gods, the Romans would make sacrifices to the deity, Janus. Janus was the ancient Roman god of beginnings, transitions, and endings. Along with their sacrifices, the Romans would promise good conduct. Even early Christians used the new year to reflect on the past and look to a better future. There are many recordings of people making resolutions (or pledges) in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

Like many other people, one of my resolutions is to lose a few pounds that I gained in 2020. To do this, my boyfriend and I purchased a gym membership to our local gym. We decided to get this membership late last year. We went a couple times and then the holidays rolled around so we took a break until "serious time" when the calendar read 2021. Together, we made an agreement to go three to four times a week (again, so far, so good). The first week went something like this. Monday, it was clear we were not the only people who had made a fitness resolution. Tuesday, people were still going strong! We took a rest day for Wednesday. Thursday, there were fewer people than had shown up the previous times we had gone. Friday was another rest day (we are collectively blaming my parents for this being a rest day, but you gotta visit family on occasion.) Saturday rolled around. We went to the gym around 5:30 PM; I immediately noticed a drop in attendance. There were people there, just not as many as the rest of the week. I looked at my boyfriend and said, "It's day nine, I hope people aren't giving up already."

Then it hit me, some people are giving up on their resolutions already! I am really hoping this is not the case. If you are someone who is giving up or slacking on your resolution, hear this now, YOU CAN DO IT!! If you are trying to change your lifestyle or a particular goal is taking time to get used to, don't give up on it. It takes AT LEAST two weeks to develop a habit. This doesn't mean two weeks of occasionally doing the thing; it means training your brain to get used to doing it. It takes four weeks for you to physically see change and eight for others to see it. Just because you can't see something happening or it doesn't feel like change doesn't mean there isn't change. Everything takes time. 

Now, maybe there is a reason (I mean a real reason, not an excuse. There is a difference between reason and excuse.) you are struggling to continue this goal, and that is okay (as long as it's a reason and not an excuse). Take a minute to breathe. Take another to pray for the strength (or motivation) to achieve your goal. Take another to believe in yourself. You have to believe that you're going to do it. So often negativity gets in between us and the end goal. I, personally, have been a victim of this cycle far too many times. Keep hope, keep going, you CAN do it! If you have taken a breath, prayed for strength and guidance, and you believe in yourself but you're still struggling, repeat the process but do it harder. These three things help me a lot. However, if you are having a hard time doing one (or more) of them, I can provide some other forms of help in a different blog post. 

If you're sticking to your goals and you're getting stuff done, good for you! I am proud of you and I encourage you to keep going! Make new goals! Help someone who is struggling. We all could use some help every once in a while even though we won't ask for it. 

Maybe your resolution was not to do something. Keep not doing it! I know it’s hard if you’re sued to a habit, but you can do it! You can quit that thing! Last year my resolution was to quit drinking soda, which is so hard because I LOVE Dr. Pepper! But it’s been a year and I still haven’t had any! It’s still really hard and sometimes I crave one, but I’m staying strong! You can too! I believe in you! 

I am so proud of you! If you're struggling, that's okay. Here is a secret for you on why you're struggling... you're human. If you're not, awesome, help those who are to the best of your ability. Regardless of where you are in your goal setting, I am proud of you! Stick to it, keep hope! Remember to stop, breathe, pray, and believe! 

This week in creation corner: I substituted for an elementary art class this week. Their assignment required 5 random numbers between 1 and 30. There were 5 columns and 30 rows. Each row had a different word in it. When put together, these words made sentences. I asked Siri to pick my 5 numbers so they were random. My sentence was "a taco poked a happy hotdog on the couch." Here is the picture I came up with. 

History of Resolutions

Janus

Hold On, Pain Ends

Here we are, the first Wednesday of 2021! I hope your year has started out spectacularly and it continues to be the whole year. I have decided that Wednesdays will be the day new blogs are posted. We all need a boost on hump day and I am here to provide yours.

I wasn't exactly sure what my first real blog post was going to be about. I wanted to do something motivational (duh I'm writing a motivational blog) but I couldn't figure out what people would need to hear halfway through the first week of a new year. A reoccurring theme that has been surfacing in my life since my last post has been the idea of hope. Hope is defined as "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." I am sure there are many things you hope for this year. I, for example, hope this blog helps someone. I hope things go back to "normal". I hope God continues to reveal to me what I am doing in life. I hope the Cowboys have a good 2021-22 season. There are many hopes in life and they don't always play out the way we want them to. This often causes us to feel overwhelmed and we begin to doubt and lose hope in these things we had hoped for.

This past Sunday, my pastor discussed eagles as the topic of his sermon. Eagles are mentioned in the bible many times and often symbolize or are referred to as God's Grace/love. They also symbolize renewal and restoration (which is fascinating to think about when you realize they're the symbol of the United States of America). My pastor told us a story about the worst time in an eagle's life when they go through the molting process. According to the story, eagles have a similar lifespan to humans (about 70+ years). When they get to about 40 years old, they desire to live about 30+ more years so they fly up high to the top of a mountain alone to begin this process of renewal. I guess you could call it their mid-life crisis. During this time the majestic birds are weak(physically, mentally, and emotionally); they are losing feathers (mostly ripping them out on purpose) and they knock off their beak. This is an awful time for these creatures and the process lasts around 150 days. There are two options for eagles when they go through this process, die or endure the pain and wait for the outcome. Over time, their feathers and beak grow back. When this process is complete, the eagle is restored to the majestic creature it was prior to the process and comes out even stronger. Just like the eagles, we are often put through trials that seem awful at the time. When put through these trials we usually get overwhelmed and discouraged; we lose hope. He also talked about how people don't like to be weak. I can agree with him there. I hate to be seen as weak. When I am down, I don't want help or favors. But I am going to tell you right now, ASK FOR HELP! Ask God, ask your friends, your family, your husband, your wife. You can't do everything by yourself. Sometimes you need someone else to lean on for a short while. That is okay! Sometimes you have to go through a molting process before you can soar and become the best you. You are surrounded by people who love and support you, you just have to let them!

If you chose to lean on Jesus, he will catch you and hold on. He will take your burdens so that you don't have to carry them anymore. Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." You may be going through something awful, but it's just for right now. It WILL end and you WILL be stronger afterward. One thing I thought was interesting about eagles was that they aren't afraid of storms. When a storm is approaching, they fly to a tall tree or mountain and as the storm gets close, they open their wings and let the storm carry them to the top; they just soar for as long as they want above the storm. You can think of Gad that way. When a storm is approaching, spread your arms and let Him carry you above the storm. 

My pastor mentioned in his sermon a rhyme to help him get through troubling times. He said, "where you can hope, you can cope." You may, at some point, think your life sucks and it's awful. I promise it doesn't. Yes, this part sucks, but it's only this part. YOU WILL OVERCOME! You have extraordinary people looking out for you. They're right there, all around you. Lean on the people around you and ask for help. Everyone has their moments of weakness and maybe one day they will need you in theirs. It is okay to be weak, it is okay to ask for help. It is not okay to struggle through the burdens of whatever is causing your pain alone. Yes, it will still end, and yes, you will be stronger, but having people who love you to support you makes the suffering easier and the reward better. 

I encourage you to keep hope and believe you will get through the trail life is throwing at you. I believe in you. If you feel like no one else believes in you, I do, I will be your person if you need one. I also encourage you to spread hope this week. Share your hope with someone. Let them lean on you if they need someone to believe in them. I am praying for you all this week.  

**This week in creation corner... I finally finished editing my next Youtube video. I am waiting for the music to add to it before I post it, but other than that, it is finished. ALSO, I took and edited some photos of my boyfriend for his social media accounts. Share something you create this week with me! 

A New Year, A New Hope

     As we begin a new year, many people are taking the opportunity of a fresh start to partake in the usual activity of creating a  "New Year's Resolution" list. While it seems I am poking at these people, I too am making my list. One particular item on this list is to start a blog. Since I am writing and you are reading this blog post, I would say I have indeed completed this resolution. However, the resolution is not just to start a blog, because it is simple to start something, do it a couple times, and never touch it again (yes, we are all guilty of buying that gym membership and not using it like we had hoped) but rather to update it frequently for those who are interested in what I have to say. Hi, my name is Tuesdae and since you are here, you must be interested in what I want to tell you. That, or you're a relative or a friend and I asked you to read my blog so I would feel better about myself. I appreciate you. Anyway, I recently have felt that God is finally showing me what my calling is. After so many prayers asking God why I was here, why He chose me, why I was so interested in something as useless as art, I finally feel like I have an answer. Well, a smidge of an answer. I believe God created me to create. That is, my purpose in life is to create. If you've read the "about me" section of my blog, or you know me personally, you know that I am an artist and a history nerd. It is easy with today's technology to share photos and videos of art, cats, memes, etc. I participate in many of these platforms in order to share my creations. It has always been in the back of my mind that I wanted to write. I have always loved writing whether it's short stories, poems, or little blurbs about whatever, but never for the intention of being read by others. Writing, until now, has mostly just been for personal entertainment. I never really gave much thought to the connection between my love of art/writing and the fact they are both forms of creation.  I feel like I'm not the only person who struggles with trying to figure out if God is telling me to do something or if I am doing it for my own interest. This time I am sure it's God telling me to share my creations with others. 

    My intentions with this blog are simple to say but harder to accomplish. I have always felt that I wanted to do something special in my life. I mean, most kids want to be famous and be known by the world, but that's not necessarily what I mean. I want to make a difference in the world, even just a little one. A small pebble can make huge ripples. I want this blog to inspire people, to encourage people, to leave a lasting impression on them, and to be a motivator to those who need it. After all the drama of 2020, we could all use a pick-me-up. I'm not saying that the drama isn't going to just stop because the calendar says 2021 now. Instead of being an annoying thread about politics or COVID-19 or whatever else, my plan for this blog is instead to create a space where you can relax, enjoy some tea, read whatever little blurb I post, and maybe go out and create something yourself. Creations don't have to be beautiful or pretty or be kept forever and passed on as a family heirloom. You can create something temporary. My hope is that this blog inspires you to create, reminds you to enjoy the little things, and gives you a sense of hope and encouragement. Now you don't have to create anything because you read my blog. Like I said, this is a time to relax, to let go of stress, and to be encouraged.

   I envision this blog being more of a stream of consciousness. I have so many ideas for things to write about, which is one reason I couldn't narrow down to a specific niche. Most of my blog posts will revolve around creating and art and a few here and there about the influence God has on my life and my creating. That's not to say these are the ONLY things I will talk about. I will attempt to stick with creating as my main topic but there are no promises. That being said, I mentioned earlier that I love writing (duh, I'm starting a blog in order to do it more) but I also enjoy writing poems and short stories. Therefore, I feel this blog is a perfect platform to share those writings as well. Although this post is coming out on a Saturday, I am going to plan for future posts to come out on a specific day each week. While I have mentioned the various things I want this blog to do, first and foremost, it is a way for me to share the contents of my mind. I want my love of writing to be shared with all who are interested. For this purpose, here is a disclaimer: my posts are not all going to be the same. Like I mentioned earlier, I have so many things I want to write about, therefore, I am not going to stick to one specific topic all the time. 

    So, as I close my first ever blog post, I am hopeful that you, reading this, will continue to join me on this crazy adventure and see where God's path leads me. I hope you have a very Happy and Blessed New Year! May it bring you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.