http://www.godsholyspirit.com/christian_desk/How_to_pray.htm
- Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray?
The answer to this question is yes there is. We read in Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. This not only tells us that there is a right and a wrong way to pray, but we can also be taught to pray. As with anything else our prayers should reflect our walk with God. Our prayers should become stronger as we gain insight into God’s holy plan.
- Will God still listen if we pray the wrong way?
God issues a warning to anyone who prays to only show that they are “men of God”. Or to boast in
themselves saying look at me!
themselves saying look at me!
Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
- Again here is another warning from God. This Pharisee was praying a boastful prayer, showing the pride of his heart.
Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.(14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
So many times I forget to tell God how truly miraculous and marvelous He really is. I forget to ask forgiveness of my wrong doings, and just go right into, "Help my daughter with this God" or "Keep Thomas safe while flying" or "Help me with this". God commands us to put God FIRST, our spouse SECOND, and our children THIRD! OMG, who finds that difficult? So many times I put Thomas before God, Heather before Thomas, and Heather before God. Wow, I really screwed that up. I'm trying to take one day at a time to re-set this priority. I cannot even try to fake this when I tell you all, that this is hard! Really hard!
I have a daily devotional I am starting TODAY called Jesus Today by Sarah Young. She's awesome awesome awesome! Then, I always want to begin to pray to God praising Him first, asking forgiveness second, praying for Thomas, and then Heather. As I wanted to pray for Heather this morning, I came to a stump of WHAT exactly to pray for.........because there's a lot. To decloud my mind, I wrote it all down not only for me, but for all of you amazing prayer warriors out there that constantly follow our Heather Faith and ask how YOU can pray for her. So, it's lengthy, but I've made a prayer list. This gives each of you the discretion to pray about what you feel most inclined to pray for!
Heather Faith's Prayer Requests to HEAL her:
I have a daily devotional I am starting TODAY called Jesus Today by Sarah Young. She's awesome awesome awesome! Then, I always want to begin to pray to God praising Him first, asking forgiveness second, praying for Thomas, and then Heather. As I wanted to pray for Heather this morning, I came to a stump of WHAT exactly to pray for.........because there's a lot. To decloud my mind, I wrote it all down not only for me, but for all of you amazing prayer warriors out there that constantly follow our Heather Faith and ask how YOU can pray for her. So, it's lengthy, but I've made a prayer list. This gives each of you the discretion to pray about what you feel most inclined to pray for!
Heather Faith's Prayer Requests to HEAL her:
- To develop some cognitive learning ability
- Strengthened brain neurons to be able to communicate to other parts of her body
- Enhanced tracking with her eyes
- Enhanded focus looking down
- Head Control
- Balanced Extensors & Flexors in her neck and spine
- Ability to reach her arms to her head
- Ability to relax her joints in her shoulderns, wrists, ankles, and hips
- Encouraged growth and weight gain
- Ability to see clearly
- Ability to hear
- Prayer for decision making on cleft palate repair
- Prayer for, (if needed), successful cleft palate surgery
- Help with managing nasal & salivary secretions better
- Learn to have the ability to swallow
- Praise for closing her heart PDA at 5 weeks old
- Prayers for continued closure of her heart ASD & VSD
- Prayer to NEVER need open heart surgery
- Strengthened Big BUFF lungs to one day be without oxygen
- Prayer for less & less people to smoke cigarettes in our world & in our personal life to give Heather her best chances to breathe on her own
- Prayer for thankfulness that Heather's Morgagni Hernia has not caused any complications
- Prayer for a one day successful Hernia repair surgery
- Thankfulness for her "1 1/2" kidneys
- Continued Prayer for Heather's left kidney to operate with all of God's mighty strength
- Prayer for Heather's right kidney to funcion properly
- Requests for Heather's Grade 3-4 kidney reflux to evaporate (Grade 5 is the highest)
- Prayer that her constant medications will not harm her internal systems
- To STOP her retching!!!
- Hope that Gtube & nissen will never require an additional surgery & will continue to operate well.
- Her rectal vaginal fistula & imperfiated anus will continue to function well on their own & will be able to avoid surgery for a colostomy or rectal pull through.
- Prayers for a successful rectal sugery (if needed)
- Success & continued success in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, & Speech Therapy & that they will enhance her physical, mental, verbal, and cognitive learning abilities to the fullest of HER potential.
- For Heather to show her own way of dancing to me!
- For Heather to overcome her ulnar deviation, flexed hips & ankles, and tightened shoulders
- For Heather's spinal tethered cord & to prevent the nerves from ever causing any nerve damage issues
- For Heather to one day be able to sit up, maybe crawl or stand, and maybe even walk!
- Prayers for all her doctors to learn through Heather to better know how to help other future Complete Trisomy 22 babies
- For continued strength, hope, faith, and trust in God for Thomas and me
- Prayers for future healthy pregnancies if God is willing
- For thankfulness to a loving and miraculous God
- Thankfulness for amazing family, friends, and strangers that all pray for Heather
- Thankfulness for an irreplacable Hospital Team
- Prayers for all Heather's Medical Professionals in allowing God to use HIS healing power through their hands: Opthalmology, Cleft Palate Team, ENT, Audiology, Genetics, Cardiology, Respiratory Therapists, PT, OT, Speech, Urology, Surgery, Neuro Surgery, Ortho, GI, and Home Nursing Care.
- Prayers for only good, positive, and uplifting people to come in our lives to support our family
- Prayers for NEVER needing to call 911
- Prayers for not needing to constantly jump out of bed to see if Heather is breathing
- For successful consolidated feeds so she does not need to be on continuous feeds 24 hours a day
- For minimal surgeries
- To one day try eating by mouth
- Prayers of praise for ME being able to produce milk for my daughter's health & to continue to be able to produce for a very long time.
- For Thomas & me to have warrior strong immune systems to always stay healthy for Heather
- Praise for Thomas' job being so supportive
- For all Heather's at home medical equipment to always work properly
- For Heather to be able to communicate to us in some way through sign language, few words, actions, or clearly in her own artistic way
- For Heather to be able to hear music, see our world, see Daddy's planes, Mommy dance, and taste something incredible....like chocolate!
- For Heather to know God, Mommy, and Daddy well
- For Heather to one day be able be outside whenever she wants, go to the grocery store on a whim, and be around multiple people at once
- Prayer for Heather's immune system to always strengthen
- Most of all, prayers for Heather to have the best, most fulfilled, happy, & spiritual life!
As I started jotting down just a few requests, this is what I came up with! So, prayer warriors, that's quite a list, but our God is mighty & strong!
Our God says in Luke 11:9:
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
