Prayers for Work

by Natalie LaValley

In the beginning, God brought order out of chaos. Genesis 1 describes God peacefully dividing the light from the dark, the land from the sea, and so on. This is a striking contrast to the mythology of the Israelites’ close neighbors, who believed that creation was formed from war and destruction among the gods. Only God creates peacefully, with order instead of destruction.

So what does this have to do with us today? As God’s servants, created in His image, every one of us has the opportunity to bring a little bit of order into the chaos we face in the world. We should start with our own personal lives. The best way we can become instruments of peace instead of chaos is through prayer. When we pray, we are inviting God, the ultimate arbiter of order, into a situation. Saying a prayer to begin and end your work or other frequent tasks you have is an excellent way to invite God to order your daily rhythm. You can keep the prayers simple and meaningful, saying them silently or aloud.

Here is an example prayer for beginning work:

Father, 

Grant me the portion of strength in body, mind, and spirit 

I need to complete my tasks with excellence.

May I work as unto Thee, and not for men.

May I treat others as bearers of Thy holy image,

Not as means or obstacles to my ends.

May I find my identity in bearing Thy likeness,

Not in achieving earthly success.

Amen.

By beginning your work with a prayer, you are dedicating it to God and renewing your own perspective. Of course, you can make your prayer shorter if that makes it easier to memorize and say. You can also download these iPhone and computer wallpapers with the prayers from this post written out. If you don’t have a regular job, you can still write a prayer for taking care of your children, for working on projects, for creating art, or even for doing the laundry.

Saying a prayer to end your work is just as important as saying a prayer to begin your work–especially in a society in which we have computers, phones, and the Internet in our homes. Technology enables you to check emails, answer phone calls, and do additional work when you should be resting or spending time with people. While this capability is not bad, you must be extra conscious of choosing to finish your work and actually dedicate a portion of your day to resting. Having a prayer to end your work every day is a way of reminding yourself, “I’m done, and my work is in God’s hands. It’s time to rest and to focus on my family and loved ones now.”

Here’s an example of a prayer for ending work:

Merciful Father, Giver of Peace, 

I leave my work in Thy hands.

I thank you for what I was able to do

And for what I was not able to do.

May the grace of Your peace rest upon my mind

So that I leave behind all worry over what I have done today

And what I must do tomorrow.

Only bring to mind that which is necessary.

May I, through Your abundant supply,

Have the strength of body, mind, and spirit to love

And to dedicate my attention to others.

Amen.

You can also write a prayer for your commute, for cooking, for making the bed, or for spending time with your family. Does this seem excessive? Don’t let it become obsessive, of course, but consider this perspective: your mind is already occupied with myriads of thoughts, many of them anxious and persistent. Your work, your chores, and your long commute already occupy “real estate” in your mind, and more likely than not, that real estate is stressful and negative. You may as well use a small portion of this space in your mind to pray for peace.

By having a prayer to begin and end your work, you can daily renew mind, remembering that you are working for the Lord, not for humans. The prayers also serve to bookmark the beginning and end of your work, which creates a “switch” for your brain to realize when to be in working mode and when to be in resting mode. “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17, NIV

Download the free wallpapers for iPhone and desktop that have the prayer from this post written on them!

Breath Prayers

by Natalie LaValley

In the beginning, God brought order out of chaos. Genesis 1 describes God peacefully dividing the light from the dark, the land from the sea, and so on. This is a striking contrast to the mythology of the Israelites’ close neighbors, who believed that creation was formed from war and destruction among the gods. Only God creates peacefully, with order instead of destruction.

So what does this have to do with us today? As God’s servants, created in His image, every one of us has the opportunity to bring a little bit of order into the chaos we face in the world. We should start with our own personal lives. The best way we can become instruments of peace instead of chaos is through prayer. When we pray, we are inviting God, the ultimate arbiter of order, into a situation. Saying a prayer to begin and end your work or other frequent tasks you have is an excellent way to invite God to order your daily rhythm. You can keep the prayers simple and meaningful, saying them silently or aloud.

Here is an example prayer for beginning work:

Father, 

Grant me the portion of strength in body, mind, and spirit 

I need to complete my tasks with excellence.

May I work as unto Thee, and not for men.

May I treat others as bearers of Thy holy image,

Not as means or obstacles to my ends.

May I find my identity in bearing Thy likeness,

Not in achieving earthly success.

Amen.

By beginning your work with a prayer, you are dedicating it to God and renewing your own perspective. Of course, you can make your prayer shorter if that makes it easier to memorize and say. You can also download these iPhone and computer wallpapers with the prayers from this post written out. If you don’t have a regular job, you can still write a prayer for taking care of your children, for working on projects, for creating art, or even for doing the laundry.

Saying a prayer to end your work is just as important as saying a prayer to begin your work–especially in a society in which we have computers, phones, and the Internet in our homes. Technology enables you to check emails, answer phone calls, and do additional work when you should be resting or spending time with people. While this capability is not bad, you must be extra conscious of choosing to finish your work and actually dedicate a portion of your day to resting. Having a prayer to end your work every day is a way of reminding yourself, “I’m done, and my work is in God’s hands. It’s time to rest and to focus on my family and loved ones now.”

Here’s an example of a prayer for ending work:

Merciful Father, Giver of Peace, 

I leave my work in Thy hands.

I thank you for what I was able to do

And for what I was not able to do.

May the grace of Your peace rest upon my mind

So that I leave behind all worry over what I have done today

And what I must do tomorrow.

Only bring to mind that which is necessary.

May I, through Your abundant supply,

Have the strength of body, mind, and spirit to love

And to dedicate my attention to others.

Amen.

You can also write a prayer for your commute, for cooking, for making the bed, or for spending time with your family. Does this seem excessive? Don’t let it become obsessive, of course, but consider this perspective: your mind is already occupied with myriads of thoughts, many of them anxious and persistent. Your work, your chores, and your long commute already occupy “real estate” in your mind, and more likely than not, that real estate is stressful and negative. You may as well use a small portion of this space in your mind to pray for peace.

By having a prayer to begin and end your work, you can daily renew mind, remembering that you are working for the Lord, not for humans. The prayers also serve to bookmark the beginning and end of your work, which creates a “switch” for your brain to realize when to be in working mode and when to be in resting mode. “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17, NIV

Download the free wallpapers for iPhone and desktop that have the prayer from this post written on them!

6 Ways to Show Love Today

By Natalie LaValley

Happy Valentine’s Day! Maybe you have an elaborate dinner date planned with your spouse, or maybe you’re single. Either way, here are a few ways to show love today that you that you might not have thought of before and that don’t require a significant other.

1. Send a Valentine to your single friend/family member.

When I was young, my brothers sent flowers to me and my sisters. I loved it! If you try something like this, make your Valentine about celebrating your friendship with that person. Don’t act like you’re “making up” for their being single!

2. Send flowers to a widow/widower.

You probably know several in your church. Being alone again after many years of marriage is hard. Let this person know that they’re still cared for and thought of. Again, focus on the person and your relationship with them, not on the absence of their spouse.

3. Write a letter.

Right now, flowers, chocolates, and balloons are everywhere. Go ahead and buy those chocolate-covered almonds for your significant other (never hurt anyone, right?), but consider also taking the time to write a letter telling that person what you love about them and what your relationship means to you. They’ll probably hang onto it forever. You can do this for a friend, too, of course!

4. Send your parents a card.

Did your parents give you chocolate for Valentine’s Day when you were a kid? Maybe you could return the favor with a card celebrating your parents’ love. Of course, many of us might have parents who divorced; if that’s the case, you can still thank your parent/s for the love they showed you. Whatever your family’s complications may be, only do what feels appropriate and don’t be guilted into anything that wouldn’t be genuine.

5. Respond to negativity with genuine care.

Around this time of year, you might see a lot of people posting sarcastic “Singles Awareness Day” memes or dealing with the heartbreak of a recent breakup or divorce. Don’t slap “Bible bandaids” on these people or send them Hallmark-sounding messages. Tell them something you genuinely love or respect about them. When you encourage someone with a specific affirmation about them, it shows that your comment was thoughtful and that you weren’t just telling them a generic message to make them feel better.

6. Give the gift of time.

This can be the hardest gift of all. It might not be possible today. Maybe you’re on a business trip right now, or your commute will take up half your evening. Either way, plan a time to just enjoy being with someone you love. Instead of planning activities, make that time about simply “hanging out.”.

Have a happy Valentine’s (and maybe hold onto some of these ideas for next year, too)!

The Daily Examen

by Natalie LaValley

When our prayer lives feel flimsy, sometimes it helps to try one of the time-honored spiritual disciplines begun by early Christians and still practiced today. This week, we’ll look at the Daily Examen. This prayerful meditation can be done in a few minutes at the end of a busy day or first thing in the morning, to reflect on the previous day. I’ve personally found it to be a powerful tool for my spiritual growth and emotional well-being. There are different approaches to the Examen, but the fundamental aim is simply to prayerfully reflect on your day’s highs and lows, concluding with confession and praise. Here are the five steps I learned for praying the Examen.

  1. Acknowledge you are in God’s presence. Take a moment to become aware that God is in the room with you. He has been with you the whole day, and therefore you can be completely honest and vulnerable before Him.
  1. Pray for discernment.Ask God to help you review your day with honesty and discernment. Invite Him to bring to mind anything important.
  1. Review your day.
  2. By tracking these moments, you will begin to notice patterns, both positive and negative. Perhaps a pattern of activities that made you feel alive and fulfilled can help reveal your spiritual gifts or calling. Perhaps you’ll also notice a pattern of behavior that you’re dissatisfied with, revealing a stronghold or unhealthy habit. For example, I may notice over a few weeks that I frequently felt best while taking a walk outside, which may indicate that I should make walking a daily habit. At the same time, I may notice that I’m most unhappy when I habitually bury resentment and don’t communicate openly. This pattern would indicate that I need to make real, tangible changes in that area.It would be overwhelming to examine every moment of the last twenty-four hours. Instead, think of when you were at your best and at your worst. When did you feel the most alive, most yourself, most fulfilled? When did you feel dead, anxious, or out of sorts? You can also think of these as moments of “consolation” and “desolation”: in what moments or activities did you seem to be abiding in Christ, and when did you seem far from Christ?
  1. Confess.Confess your failures to God. A critical part of this section is actually taking action to reconcile with someone or change your behavior (in other words, “repenting,” which means “turning back”). Ask yourself: what can I do to change? Is there someone I should apologize to? If a particular struggle is overwhelming, should I find an accountability partner or a mentor?
  1. Give thanks.Praise God for the highlights of your day and for being with you, forgiving you, and loving you even during the low points.

And that’s it. You can make this meditation as long or short as needed. You can use a journal or pray on your knees. However you do it, the Daily Examen helps you to become self-aware of your patterns, process your joys and hardships, and to remember that God has been with you through every moment of your day.

To dig deeper into the Examen and other spiritual disciplines, you can get the Christ Habits collection, which works well for Bible study groups or personal study. You can also click here or below to download this free outline of the steps in the Daily Examen to use during your devotions.

Discipleship Dangers

by Natalie LaValley

When I was sixteen, I went to a summer camp program that trained twelve to eighteen-year-olds to share the Gospel with kids around my city. The training mostly consisted of being quizzed on our ability to state the gospel in five short and simple points. The same evening we arrived, we were sent out in vans to public parks, where we offered kids popsicles in exchange for letting us tell them “a story,” followed by an invitation. When we returned, each team reported how many converts they’d gotten. One team reported over eighty saved, and the director encouraged the rest of us slackers to be like that team.

For the rest of the summer, we went into daycares, apartment complexes, and homeless shelters leading week-long programs to teach the kids Bible stories, songs, and games. Getting to interact with kids in these places was eye-opening. But like so many mission trips, I’m not certain that the benefit was greater for those kids than it was for me. While we were with each group, we tried to lay out the Gospel to them in clear, logical terms. When kids raised their hands for the invitation, we quizzed them to make sure they “got” the gospel straight and then explained the “ABC” of salvation. Then we moved on, happy to have made more converts. We left the kids with handouts with an acronym that explained how to “G.R.O.W.” in Christ with a phone number for a church somewhere in the city. By the end of the summer, we’d tallied up hundreds and hundreds of young converts. I haven’t heard from any one of those children since.

Was that really an effective way to obey the Great Commision? Yes, the Bible does say that some plant and some water (1 Cor. 3:8). But even within that metaphor, “planting” seeds indicates more care and intentionality than “scattering” seeds. Paul says, “I planted the seed” and “Apollos watered it” (3:6). This means Paul had a relationship with the person who would come after him to water what he had planted, and clearly he continued his relationship with the Corinthians even after leaving them with Apollos, because he is writing a letter to them. In other words, evangelism as modeled in the New Testament leads directly into discipleship. In the framework that Ascending Leaders uses, evangelism and discipleship are not even separate activities. Rather, salvation is considered the first of four “stages” of discipleship. This framework helps to redefine success in our mission work. The danger is that getting large numbers of people to raise their hands at invitations feels much more exciting and successful than the long, relational process of discipleship. When you are only evangelizing, you can count up the numbers and feel satisfied with them. When, however, evangelism is considered only the first step of a lifelong process of discipleship, “success” means something different–it means that people have close relationships with other believers who are discipling them, helping to meet their needs, and walking with them through the lows, the highs, and the walls of life. This kind of success is harder to quantify or broadcast to cheering audiences.

My experience at the summer camp program pointed to another problem: we, the evangelizers, weren’t being discipled. The entire program was managed by one person, who, of course, didn’t have time to talk to each person. We gathered for mandatory worship, but it didn’t get much deeper than that. Looking back, I’m not even sure that all the teenagers evangelizing were walking with God seriously or fully grasped what they were teaching. One guy told me he was a Christian because at a youth rally, all his friends went forward to be baptized, and he felt awkward being the only one to stay behind. Sometimes he and the other teenagers would teach the kids off-the-wall things about God that apparently came from their impression of Christianity but certainly not from the Bible. The camp’s sole leader wasn’t around enough to notice these problems.

Moreover, that camped marked a major low in my own walk with God. I became miserable trying to please God. I was shy and hated forcing myself on strangers, but at the same time, I felt extremely guilty if I passed a stranger without telling them the Gospel. If the camp had had more leaders involved with discipling us, one of them might have noticed that my diligence in sharing the Gospel was developing into unhealthy anxiety.

All this is not to say that evangelism is ineffective or that encouraging people to share the Gospel is bad. For all I know, God might have used even my fear-motivated efforts to impact a child. However, healthy and holistic evangelism looks at conversion not as a finish line, but as the first step in discipleship. It brings people into a relationship both with God and with other believers who can teach them more and more as they mature. After all, the Great Commision does not tell us “Go and make converts” but “Go and make disciples.”

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