Stress Center Peer Support

How about just praying the Lord's Prayer as a starter or Psalms 23, or Psalms 91... And slow it down a bit by just focusing on a phrase and thinking on it and talk to the Lord about what comes to mind...

For example:

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ..... Lord you are my Shepherd and I thank you... I am your little sheep, I am your lamb... and I know you take good care of me... I love you... and I thank you...

Psalm 23: 2a He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Lord I thank you, I truly believe that you just want me to rest and relax and calm down. Please help me to calm down and just talk to you in the quiet time. Thank you for this program that helps me cope and face my fears. I know this is your plan. Please fully deliver me from all my fears just as you did for Lucinda Bassett and all the rest... I am here Lord and I know you love me...

All you need is your bible, your heart and a secret place... God will meet you there.

God Bless,

One thing that helps to know during times that prayer is difficult, the Holy Spirit utters prayers over us. So when we can't pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. Also, prayer is talking to God, so we can talk to Him just as we would to our very closest of friends. It's not really about our prayer anyway - it's about the God we are praying to. So if we don't do it perfectly, or we can't find the words, God understands our infirmities. Just trying and then trusting is all He asks. BTW, God may not necessarily take away your anxiety (I've prayed for that too!), but instead require you to work through it. If you are basing your worth on your performance, then you are trusting in the wrong things, and God wants you to trust HIM. Taking it away instantly would be nice, but may not bring about the trust in Him that will bless your life. (I'm have been and am going through this myself. I begged for it, but now I see that working through it actually has helped to also put my priorities in place.) One thing I read the other day that to me opened my eyes (cause I've been performance-based too). Salvation does not go from man to God (down to up), but from God to man (up to down.) For some reason, that was imagery that helped me to let go of my performance. It's not my effort, but instead, it's the performance of the God that I worship.

Now for practical advice, reading my favorite Psalms has really helped. Repeating any scripture, and just worshiping and thanking Him helps me to calm down and get my focus off me.

I feel that we need stop talking to God as though we are leaving a message on an answering machine.... really fast, then hanging up. We need to tell of our fears, our concerns, and our thoughts, and don't forget to mention what you're thankful for, too. Yes... I know he knows us better than we know ourselves, so some would wonder why we should pray in the first place, but I feel that in the process of doing this, we sort out our thoughts better than if we just keep them to ourselves. Also... what parent would not want to hear from their child? We also need to be still and listen. Listen for those thoughts, feelings, and promptings that come afterwards. We can't expect God to help us if we just leave a message and walk away. Are we really being quiet and listening to him, or do we let the noise and chaos around us stop us from really hearing answers? God doesn't shout at us (normally).
I feel that God answers our prayers through people, too. He can send us exactly who we need to have in our lives at the time, to help us learn from them, grow due to trials we overcome, or be our best because of our association with someone. It's up to us to listen or not.

Those are my feelings about prayer. Hope that helps someone.

Hi all,

I would like to share a little and then give a testimony to the power of prayer.

I have studied and practiced many teachings about effective prayer from some of the most well known writers on the subject, but what I have found out is; that the more personal the prayer, the more meaningful.

I personally witnessed miracles occur because of God answering prayers. In one case, I was with my uncle in October of 1994, after his doctor pretty much wrote him off, and left us to wonder what else could be done. I immediately reminded my uncle that he had a friend that could and would help him in that situation. I suggested a prayer, and from his death bed, this was his prayer:

Jesus, please help and save me.

I immediately said Amen! From that very moment, God released His mighty healing power, and restored my uncle's liver and kidneys, and when they released him from the hospital, everyone in the hospital knew they were witnessing a walking, talking, breathing miracle of God.

It takes faith to obtain answers to prayer. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6, that without faith; it is impossible to please God. Diligently seek God, and He will reward you.

Praise the Lord while you live and while you any being: Ps. 146:1-2 and at verse 3 it says put not your trust in the princes, nor the sons of man, in whom there is no help.

At Psalm 22:2, it states that the Lord inhabits, indeed is enthroned in the praises of His people. His people ceased praising Him and followed other gods, contrary to His first commandment, and He left them to follow in their own ways.

God gives you choice to follow in His ways or your own ways. He loves you enough to let you make a mess of your life, living on your own terms, yet His is ready to bless you with His compassion mercy and love. He desires every good thing for you, as every loving parent has for their child, and just like any parent longing to hear from or have their children visit, He patiently waits for you.

Please click here to obtain all Bible citations: http://www.biblegateway.com/pa....%2022:2&version=KJV

Good night and God's blessings to all.

Wow...I love this conversation!!! I loved reading throughout each and every single posting here tonight!!!

God does not expect for us to have some fancy drawn out prayer!!! He wants us to be ourselves and to pour out our hearts before HIM!!!

He just wants us to make our requests known to HIM, to thank HIM, and to trust in HIM to answer our prayers in HIS own way, and in HIS timing!!!

What pleases God is a broken heart and a contrite spirit!!! We need to come to HIM as humble as a little child and make our requests known unto HIM, and we will hear from the throne of Grace!!!

I think God loves it when we just open 100% up to HIM, like we would to our "earthly father" or someone whom we trust with all of our hearts!!!

May God richly bless each of you is my prayer tonight and always!!!