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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My prayer is to overcome a lifetime of shame because of circumstances I did not choose. I want to have purpose and confidense in who I am in Christ.
Lord, your word says that if I lack wisdom, all I need to do is ask You and You will give it to me.
Lord, I’ve been frustrated and depressed about situations with my job & my son- I know this isn’t your will. I pray for your wisdom & guidance in my day- guide my thoughts, my words & my steps today. I ask for your peace about my job, that I am making a difference.
Lord I ask for healing of my heart about my mom- you know the situation & hurt leading up to her death last year- I have been angry & I ask forgiveness and peace about it. With my anger- have I even grieved? Please guide me thru that for I can’t do it alone.
Thank you for being my loving father that I can run to- need you in my every moment- especially your grace & guidance. Amen
Lord, thank you for loving me even when I felt so alone and didn’t feel worthy. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for your patience and not giving up on me. I come to you with all my fears, worries, and concerns because you love me and want the best for me. Please use me for your glory.
Dear Lord be with me today as I face this issue in my life. Lord I pray you will give me the words and wisdom I need to help the other party see you through this situation. In Jesus name Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You know the burdens on my heart, for our church, my friends and family and the situations of each. Please give me wisdom and discernment to handle each of these troubles with love and grace. Help me to put aside my hurts and forgive as You do, Father. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Father
I Thank You that I can approach your throne room with boldness and ask anything. Father as always your timing is perfect and you are constantly teaching me to be that child in your arms and to walk in perfect peace. I confess I often let the worries of this world overwhelm my soul and I allow chaos to creep into my life and overtake my spirit choaking out your word. I also confess that I pray for the good of others and often forget that you are here for me. Help me father to lay my burdens down spoken and unspoken for healing of matters if the heart. I confess that I am weary and feeling hopeless but am reminded that my hope is in you and i trust you will renew my spirit.
Lord –
You know me better than I know myself.. and I am grateful that you show mercy & grace everyday. I pray that your Holy Spirit would guide me in Truth and set me free to love myself as you love me, giving me the freedom to love others more like you do.
Dear Lord,
I know you know me better than I know me. Thank you for loving me, being with me always, and continuing to guide me. Help me learn to take time to pray for myself without guilt, so that I can better serve you and those around me. Thank you for continuing to teach me more & more about myself each day; for your forgiveness after a failed marriage; for your strength to raise three wonderful children you’ve blessed me with; for your mercy through a miserable relationship; and for your peace, sweet Jesus, to keep a smile on my face & in my heart because I know that having you as Lord in & over my life means all is & will be well. Amen!
Lord, Father God I come to you this morning, thankful for the blessings you pour out on your children. Be with me this day. Guide my steps and help me to live this day in honor of you. I fall short sometimes Lord, but I am so thankful that you are there to pick me up and brush me off and set me on my feet again. Thank you for your love, grace and mercy you bless me with daily God! I love you Lord! Amen
“LORD, I pray that you will give me Your wisdom in raising my 4 kids. Help me in the areas of discipline and potty training. Help me, LORD, to be more organized in our home. Thank you, precious Jesus. Amen
Lord, I pray give me faith, hope, and love.
Lord, keep my focus on you.
Lord, You know that the last couple of months have been filled with despair, hopelessness and confusion. Please help me find peace and remember that Your grace extends to me. Thank you for a loving husband that is trying to understand and give me support. Thank you for the blessings that I don’t always seem to see. Amen.
Lord, I need your guidance in my life right now. I need to know I’m going in the direction You want me to go, that I’m going down the path You want me to take, and that I’m doing as You would see fit. Help me feel at peace with the decisions I am making and help me shine Your light for all the world to see. Amen.
Father,
I need you today. I thank you that I only need to whisper help and you respond. Thank you for walking before me today. Guide, direct, protect me.
I love you~
Annie
Father I pray for healing. My desire is to serve you with all my heart and soul
May I always remember it is all about you.
Dear Lord, You know how much I love to pray for others but rarely do I pray for myself. Help me to know that it is good to pray for myself and not a selfish act. I am sure it will deepen our relationship and I ask that you show me the way. Your will be done in my life this day and every day! I love you so very much! In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen
Lord, I’m just a mess. I’m struggling as a wife, mom, co-worker, friend, sister, and daughter. I am needing your help. Please draw me near to you and seek you in everything I do. Help me to keep my eyes and heart fixed on you.
Dear Lord, only you know the haunting in my soul of past mistakes that seem to make the present day so difficult for me to get through! So many of those near to me want and need different things. Perhaps the past has brought about these difficult situations and personalities. i feel so sad and weary! Please Lord, guide me and change me to respond and react in a way that is pleasing to you. Your word has comforted me time and time again! But , am I changing and applying it as you ask! I need you Lord, please hear me! In your precious name! Amen
Oh Most Precious Heavenly Father…You know how I struggle everyday with myself, my marriage. Lord, I pray you give me the strength, wisdom to get through each and everyday in the storms of my life. Father, I ask that you give me the understanding to know my husband and love him the way You love him. I pray my heart be open to hear and know you are speaking to me Holy Spirit. I know I cannot change any situation that I face but that you can give me the grace to go through them to bring You all the glory, I am not alone in this. Father, help me to be the woman, wife and mother You would have me to be. I pray for guidance in every step I take today, Father and I ask this in the most Powerful Name above ALL Names…JESUS, Amen!