Ceaseless prayer.

"Pray without ceasing...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessaloniains 5:17

The first time I really heard, "pray without ceasing" that I can remember was from a song played over and over again by some parents for their children that I was babysitting in junior highschool almost every night for a week. I really started to think about what it meant to pray without ceasing. It definitley wasn't just praying in the morning, at the dinner table or during church which was what was familiar. Later, it became a lifeline especially early in the seperation of our marriage. It started to look like pray...eat...pray...get ready for work...pray...go to work...pray...go home from work...pray...eat dinner...pray...get ready for bed and then pray somemore before falling alseep. Pray without ceasing became a way of life and I experienced what Jesus meant by having a costant prayer life so dependant on the Father. My intamicy grew in the pain and I started to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it heaven in ways I never saw before. I dont always think I could be grateful for my life and circumstances at the moment but I was definitely grateful for this new intamicy with my Savior that proved Him in time, truly trustworthy.

Thankfully during the busy-ness of life, restoration and kids, I was trained during a very painful time to pray without ceasing that keeps on going in the present. It may not be as intermittant but it is definitly several times a day and many times a session in the middle of the night. And most of the time I am drawn to prayer and drawn to hear from my Savior or pour my heart out to Him. There are still challenges to face, kids to raise in the Lord and unsaved loved ones who I so desire to see in heaven someday. So the way of prayer does not cease...

The bible says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" -2 Corinthians 10:4

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." -2 Corinthians 4:18 because..."faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." -Hebrews 11:1

Prayer has produced so much good fruit in my life not only changing me but by God's grace, letting me partner with Him in His beautiful work of redemption. Other times it is work where I don't see anything changing in the physical but hang on to God's promises. Another prayer warrior once told me when you see movement in your circumstances whether good or bad take it as a sign that your prayers are making an impact- God hears and is at work. So keep praying until God's victory happens in the situation. And then take on the next circumstance in the same way, in ongoing prayer.