A New Way To Pray - Part 1

Happy New Year! I pray you and your family had a wonderful holiday season. I am so excited about 2013! In just a week or two the new blog will be rolling out with giveaways, online bible studies and more. I will be focusing on my One Word: Consistency. I can't wait to see what God does in all of our lives this year. Have you settled on One Word for 2013? 

I've been thinking about a new way to pray. For a long time I've used the A.C.T.S. Prayer. Are you familiar with it? It is basically an acronym outlining a guide for personal prayer. 

A - ADORATION - I begin my personal time with God by praising and worshiping Him. This is a time to recognize His might, greatness and power. If I am honest? I find this step most difficult. It's hard to use words like Almighty, Father in Heaven, glorious, hallowed...and feel like I am connecting with Him. Maybe I get overwhelmed by the greatness of His might that it's hard to fathom His personal, intimate love of a sinner like me? At any rate, at times when I am unsure of how to do this I simply read or sing songs of worship. For example, I love Chris Tomlin's Indescribable:

Indescribable, uncontainable

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable

Awstruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

C - CONFESSION - This important piece to prayer brings us back to God's side by revealing our repentent heart. Be open and honest in confessing your sin, ask for forgiveness and know it is God's blessing upon us that wipes our slate clean. 

T - THANKSGIVING - Here we thank God for the many blessings in our lives including our health, water, shelter, safety, country, leadership, family and friends. And we thank Him for our salvation - the precious gift of life eternal offered to us through the blood of Christ. Oh how He loves you and me!

S - SUPPLICATION - Finally. This is also known as Intercession. I'll admit, I used to start my prayers with this. It's easy to do. In supplication we ask God for needs, either for ourselves or others. If you are like me, this list is long. Some days? Overwhelmingly long. 

That's why I am starting a new way to pray in 2013. I wanted a way to focus on my prayers and get to the heart of what I wanted to say in Supplication without skimping on adoration, confession, and thanksgiving. Tune in tomorrow for the scoop on how I am using A.C.T.S. and giving it a new twist!

Blessings, Michelle