Monday, January 26, 2009

Footprints...and Prayer

Early last week I was walking out to the mailbox in front of our house. I had to smile because I noticed so many different footprints in the frontyard snow. The footprints of our neighbor's cat, the unmistakable prints of a bunny rabbit, birds, squirrels, more than likely a racoon and a possum or two... prints all over the place. Some left during the day - squirrels playing and foraging for those nuts they buried in the fall. Birds nibbling on seed scattered on the ground, and the cat scurrying across the yard a dinnertime! I thought about those prints because many of them were made while I was not looking. I was totally unaware of those night-time critters making their way through my yard, the only evidence being their tiny footprints in the snow. I thought about the footprints I might leave in someone's life, on someone's heart. Footprints I might not be aware I am leaving for someone else to reflect on... are those footprints I leave making someone smile, or do they make them cry. Have I left a mark of joy or hurtfulness? As I am walking this walk of faith... I want to be conscious of the footprints I leave. I want them to be prints of a faithful follower of Christ.

You my blogging friends have left footprints on my life. You bring me great joy and I am so thankful that God has provided an outlet for Christians all over to gather together and share His grace and mercy!

My time posting in blogland might be sporadic over the next 6 weeks. I pray I will have time to visit all of you often, but will check in when I can. I a little over a week I will begin leading our small group in Maxie Dunnam's "The Workbook of Living Prayer". Our church has been spending over a year focusing and emphasizing prayer. This study is going to require a lot of time, not only as a facilitator, but as a fellow sojourner as we study, pray and grow. I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I begin to facilitate another study.

One thing I would like to do over the next 6 weeks is this: On Monday's I will put out a blog post. I will ask for you to post any specific prayer requests you would like our group, our church etc to pray for. We have a prayer wall in place in the narthex, as well as a literal prayer chain. Each one of us will be using strips of paper to write prayer requests on, they will be prayed over, and then linked together. These chains will be hung throughout the sanctuary as a visual image of how many requests are being prayed over. I will not use names, unless you specifically ask for your name to be mentioned. I will simply write down the request. You may also post anonymously if that would make you feel more comfortable. I am excited that prayers will be said for you, your family, friends, or anyone that you know needs prayer. You will be prayed for by people in our congregation you have never met! How awesome is God!

Finally, I ask that you pray for my Church, and all the members participating, as well as those not participating in this small group study on prayer. May this study and our prayers leave footprints on the hearts of many!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~ Phillipians 4:6-7

11 comments:

Cindy said...

What a blessing to have your church group pray for others like this. For myself, please pray that the Lord will provide more work for the company my husband works for. Specifically, that they would get the Mary's Pastries contract. This is a business that burned down a year or so ago and they are going to rebuild. It would mean work for the winter and into spring, which means my husband (the office manager) and everyone else will stay employed.

Blessings to you!

Becky said...

Kristen, how wonderful of you to do this. For myself and my family, I ask for healing prayers. Most particularly I ask for help for my family in dealing with my illness. I particularly worry about the girls and how this effects them.

Thank you.

On Purpose said...

Oh Kristen...this just has my heart dancing with excitement. I love this prayer focus...for I know when Gods people talk to Him...He answers!!! Woo-hoo. I am praying for you, your group, Your church and for the readers of this blog to come and leave prayer requests...knowing they are in good hands...who will take the them to the Creators hands!

I love this!!!

Unknown said...

Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comment...and the gift you are offering now is the gift of prayer! Thank you!!!

I pray that I will not miss ANYTHING that God is wanting to teach me through my own personal time of trials...

You are blessed to be in a church that prays...and they are blessed to have you!

Donna's Book Nook said...

I love your thoughts on footprints! It is so great that you are including us in your prayers. I have an ongoing request for my son. He is 34, was diagnosed with paranoid schizephrenia in 2002; he lives on his own, but recently has been in and out of jail for stealing. I'm beginning to think he is addicted or at least it is a compulsive behavior. I've been praying for a miracle. His heart has been soft toward the Lord recently. I believe he accepted the Lord when he was a teen-ager but has been away from the Lord. I'm praying for a miracle. His name is Tim.
Sorry this is so long. You can condense it. Donna

Sarah said...

Kristen, what a great and amazing thing your church is doing (and you too!). I will be praying for you as you begin this study; that God will be at work through everyone involved and that there will be answer after answer to the many prayers being lifted up.
You are a faithful friend and the footprints you have left in my life are joyous and beautiful ones!

Yolanda said...

I am so thankful for the prints you are leaving on me!

Lovingly,
Yolanda

Christy said...

Kristen,

One word that comes to my mind when I think of you is prayer. Even though I have not had the privilege of meeting you personally yet, you have stood with me in prayer over different circumstances since I first began my blog. Thank you. This is so exciting what you and your church are doing. It is what we are all called to do and you are setting a wonderful encouragement of that. I will be looking forward to hearing how God is answering prayer! From reading my post from yesterday, you know how you can be praying for me. Jessica also got her YWAM application in the mail this week (hooray!) so we are anxiously awaiting the response.

Don't you worry, come this Spring you will be sitting on my sofa sipping on tea! By then it will be time for iced tea:) Talk to you soon friend!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I was so glad to hear that you are doing Maxie's book. He's a very close, personal friend of mine and Billy's. I worked for him while he was president of Asbury Theological Seminary, and he was foundational in mine and Billy's marrying. He's also my "champion" for seeing me get published some day. I just love him. If you ever want to contact him regarding anything in his book or just to send him a note, let me know. I'm not a name dropper, but Maxie is the real deal. I just love him, and I know that you will be blessed in doing his book.

And boy, can that man preach!!!!

I miss seeing you at my blog. No pressure, but it's been nearly a year now, and you were one of my earliest connections in blog land. Don't think I have forgotten you one bit and all the encouragement you've given me in the past 12 months. I know how exhausting blog hopping can be; I just wanted you to know how much I value you!!!

peace~elaine

Anonymous said...

Oh, Kristen I love this. What a beautiful gift to have the focus of prayer. You my friend have indeed left footprints on my life and they are all blessings. I will be remembering you on this journey in prayer. Blessings Friend...

Anonymous said...

Kristen,
I loved reading about your new prayer study...and I wish there was a church here that was doing that same study! Please pray for me to find the right church in our new home town. I am lonely and really need to find a church family. I also would like to ask for prayers for my immune system to grow stronger so that I can take care of my family the way I want to! Please do use my name.
I know I am asking for a lot, but I do believe in what you are doing, and I would be so blessed to have your prayers. xoxo Joanie

PS- You have left such special footprints in my life. :)