My sweet friend Julie Gillies is here to share with us the story behind her new and beautiful devotional book “Prayers for a Woman’s Soul.” It’s resting on my bedside table and God’s using Julie to remind me how important it is to pamper my soul with prayers. Julie and our wonderful friends at Harvest House Publishers are giving away two copies of her book here today.
I didn’t start praying for myself because I was holy or wise. I started because I was desperate.
My marriage often felt like an emotional torture chamber. Negative and critical thoughts consistently bombarded my mind. And my emotions felt as shattered as a water goblet dropped on a cement driveway.
The hardest part was I felt stuck. It seemed like nothing was ever going to change, and I felt myself longing to give up on the inside. And that is when I sensed God nudging me to start praying for myself—regularly. Daily. I sensed that if I didn’t heed that holy nudge, I wasn’t going to make it.
So I began to pray for myself.
Initially the only uninterrupted time I could find to pray for myself was in the shower, so I prayed while I scrubbed, emerging to face each day with clean skin and an equipped heart.
That was the beginning of my soul-transforming prayer journey.
The truth is there are a lot of women facing incredibly hard circumstances right now. There are women enduring miserable marriages, women whose hearts still reverberate with pain from the past, and women who are in stressful situations that make them want to give up. Maybe you’re one of them.
Or maybe you simply have a sagging plate and a really long prayer list. Perhaps life is good for you, but both your to-do list and your prayer list are as long as your arm.
Or maybe, like most women I know, you’re a nurturer and a caretaker, a front-burner prayer woman who prays for whatever is boiling over at the moment—and there is always something boiling over—but you neglect to pray for yourself.
It’s counter-intuitive, praying for ourselves. I mean, we’re hard wired to help others—and that’s good. But God never intended for us to help others to our own detriment. He never intended for us to pray for our spouses, our kids, sick pets, our friends, and world events but not to take time to pray for ourselves.
Amazing things happen when we pray. I started praying out of sheer desperation, and God moved. He not only transformed my mind and healed my emotions, He transformed my marriage. I truly believe in the message of Prayers For a Woman’s Soul: that praying—for ourselves—is absolutely essential. Without it, we will languish. Equipped through prayer, we can soar through our days. As we take time to pray for ourselves, we partner with God and can watch in amazement as He moves and brings hope, healing, and transformation to our lives.
Enter to Win: Click on the words “Share Your Thoughts” below this post – to enter. All you need to do is practice what Julie’s preaching and leave a little prayer for yourself. I know that won’t be easy or natural for us girls, but we need this :). I’ll go first. You can find my prayer below when you leave yours. {If you’re reading this via email, click on the post title and hop over to my blog to leave a comment.}
Prayers For a Woman’s Soul is a holy invitation for busy, overwhelmed women with long prayer lists to take time to pray—for themselves. It’s a 52-week devotional that gives you one week to pray about a specific topic—like your emotions, your mind, or the guilt you’re hauling around. These short devotions contain personal stories, powerful biblical teaching, and specific prayer. And bonus: there are 365 topic-relevant, personalized scripture verses. One for every day of the year. So you can infuse your heart with God’s word while you pray.
Julie Gillies is the author of Prayers for a Woman’s Soul (Harvest House Publishers/January 2013). Healed from a traumatic childhood and awed that God saved her seriously troubled marriage, her message helps women pray with boldness, confidence, and the certainty that God hears. Julie is the Critique Groups Director for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and serves on the editorial team of P31 Woman magazine. She’s the wife of Keith, mom of two soldiers and one civilian, and grammy of four. Connect with Julie at: www.JulieGillies.com
Last week’s winners are: For the Husband Project – Jill, Patrice and Erin. For the Purpose Driven Mom Gift pan – Lana. Congratulations friends!
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Dear Lord, I have been so very blessed by you and yet I still feel envy. Like Paul, I know what I need to do and yet so often find myself not doing it and feeling disgusted with myself for not reaching out more to those in need. I find myself telling lies to avoid doing those things that I would feel out of my comfort zone doing, and I know that to deny help and support to those less fortunate than me is the same as turning a blind eye to the very mission you began here on earth to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”. Then I berate myself for not helping at the local shelter, not volunteering at the soup kitchen, not taking my turn to serve you when approached. Forgive me for this, dear Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen
Dear Lord,
You know everything about me. I tend to forget that. I know you know what is best for me. Remind me to trust you in everything in life. Remind me that when I feel alone that you are right there. Help me in everything I do from being a mom, a daughter, an aunt, a sister-in-law, a friend, a co-worker and a member of society. Have your way in my life, Lord. I love you and I am sorry for the times that I have let you down and disappointed you, please forgive me. Amen.
Lord, this is not easy but I pray for strength, guidance and wisdom to help me be the woman you created me to be as a wife, mom, daughter, friend, and leader. Father, I am so thankful where you have brought me so far. I pray you continue to help me step out on faith. In Jesus Name…
Lord, help me pray for myself every day!
wow this is so true what we do as mothers
and wife just as women we need to remember
are self God wants to help us to. am going to do that for myself
Oh, Heavenly Father, only you know all the burdens of my heart. I don’t have to list them for you. I thank you for sending this devotion my way and for reminding me that first and foremost I need to come to you for my own spiritual healing. You have never left me nor forsaken me. You are always with me, waiting for me to talk to you about my needs. Today I ask that you restore the JOY of my salvation. Help me to stop letting the fast pace of my world interfere with taking the time to see you in every moment of my day. Remove that tendancy to be short, negative or critical when I begin to feel stressed or overwhelmed. Give me a loving spirit toward others. I want to be a living witness of that JOY, not for my own glory but that others will truly see you in me. Today is a new beginning. Guide me in every step I take and every word I utter. I come to you in the name of your presious son, Jesus Christ. Amen
Poppa, You know the difficulties right now. Help me to rest in your lap and wait patiently for you to save.- Amen.
Lord, thank you for all the Christian women you have placed in my life. They help me see the person that you created me to be and not to believe the lies that satan plants in my head. Please help me to be more open with my emotions. I struggle with this in all aspects of my life being I never really learned how to express them. I love my daughter Kayla who is struggling with a drug problem and need you to help me be the mom you created me to be. I know I was not a good mom when she was younger and I want to do all I can now to restore a relationship with her before it is to late. Thank you for the strength and wisdom you give to me to push on everyday. I love you Lord. Amen
Dear Sweet Jesus, I need Your guidance each and every moment. Show me where to go with this idea of praying for myself without becoming self-centered or out of Your will. Thank You for the encouragement You bring through your precious servant Reneé and others at Proverbs 31. Continue to bless them as they bless others.
Lord, You know that I desire to draw ever closer to you. Like the man in the Bible, I cry daily, “I believe. Help my unbelief!” You know how I struggle to live out my confirmation verse, “All things are possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23) You know all of my struggles and how difficult it is for me to grasp the idea that I need to just let go and allow You to do as You have promised you will. Forgive me, Holy Father, for my unbelief, for wanting to be in control even while understanding on a surface level that I am NOT in control. Lord, I need Your wisdom, I need to hear clearly what You would have me do, and I need the heavenly energy to carry through. Take away my reluctance, my doubts, and most of all my fears. O, how I desire to live a life that points others to You, to “live my life in glory to You Lord” (Faithful to Me by Kathy Troccoli). I pray all this in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thank you for encouraging us to pray for ourselves. I have so many folks for whom I pray daily that I do forget to pray for me OR I end up feeling guilty because I do (that little voice inside tells me I’m being selfish).
Precious Lord, You always meet my needs and answer even my unspoken prayers
Thank you once again for hearing my silent cry of desperation … my cry to let go of
the hurts of the past so I can continue to serve others and raise the beautiful children
that you miraculously placed in my care… Thank you for loving me even when I feel
alone and unlovable…
I can’t even read this post without weeping. My life has fallen apart in the last 6 years. Not sure if it will ever be put back together. Don’t know how to pray for myself except to ask forgiveness for everything because surely something is wrong. In saner times, I think God is polishing me–at least that is my hope. And I pray I come out stronger.
I know so many women who have trouble praying for myself. I want to pray right now.
Abba,
You are good. You are light. You are Holy, You are Love, You are our huband. When I’m not sure, You are sure, when I can’t remember, You’ve never forgotten. When I’m wondering, You know. Please forgive me for my sins right now. Cleanse me of them because I want You. I’m Yours and You are mine. Thank You for the break through in my life right now. THank You for what You are doing in all our lives. In Jesus name thank YOu for the grace to continue. I’m asking for intimacy with You for all the women in Jesus name.
Thank You for what You are going to do. In jesus name. I love You
Lord help me to rest trusting that you will heal dad of cancer. Help me to trust that you watch over him, and mom, and that they are okay when I can’t be with them. Help me to quiet my anxious thoughts. Help me believe in ROM 8:28 & JER 29:11 now more than ever. IJN
Thank you Jesus for walking this journey with me. I couldn’t have gone through the last few months without you.
Please help me overcome the warzone of negativity in my mind and learn to keep my eyes fixed firmly upon you.
Remind me constantly that my husbands issues have nothing to do with me, I am good enough! I am loved! Help me to truly believe that as I begin to heal. Thank you that you are ever present in my life, even when I don’t feel you there. I love you Jesus
Dear Heavenly Father,
Teach me how to be a prayerful woman. I need Your truth and guidance to remember that I am your child. I am Your adored daughter. Please speak to me today.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
What an encouragement to my heart this was today as i very seldom pray for myself, i always feel selfish when i do. I would love to win a copy of your book.
Please Dear Lord, my heavenly Father i desperately need help to like/love me. If i were as mean to others as i am to myself Lord i wouldn’t have any friends at all. Please Father help me to get out of this self-destructive rut so i can be the person you want me to be. Give me an unquenchable desire for your word and time with you in prayer. I love you Lord and i am making this verse my personal prayer…Oh Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Thank you Father for loving me and not giving up on me. In Jesus precious name, amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
My prayer FATHER is that my healing will take place as it did for
the woman with the issue of blood, being like her LORD I stand on your promises
I have faith to believe that I will be free of this and that all glory and honor
go to you. Until that day and if it doesn’t happen, I am staying
faithful, and I will continue to serve you.
You are my strength, my strong tower, my healer and friend, I love
you LORD, JESUS name amen.
Thank you, many blessings,
Tina
Thank you so much for posting…this is exactly what I needed to hear today. I’ve been having doubts for no reason ab my relationship for no reason and I’m definitely going to start praying for myself for God to give me peace of mind. I would love to read your book. I love devotionals.
Lord, thank you for answering my prayers and transforming my husband and our marriage. Please help me heal from the wounds I am carrying and to live for You and show love to my husband everyday. Bless me and show me favor for following your commands during the most difficult months of my life. Continue working in my husband to turn him into the Godly leader and husband you desire — and I desire him to be. Give me wisdom, strength and grace to deal with al of those who have attacked me and my marriage. Keep us away from temptation and give us the knowledge to combat the enemy every day. In your name, Amen.