Prayer

There's a woman who works at our local grocery store that just makes my day. She is ALWAYS positive and cheerful. I know that it isn't easy working with the public and spending long hours on her feet, so today I asked her for her secret. "My secret for bagging?" she asked in surprise.

"No," I explained. "I want to know your secret for staying so positive." She just gave a big smile and explained that God is her secret. She followed by telling me that she had to be at work at 6:00 am today, so she got up at 3:30 am to spend time with Him.

Tears filled my eyes as I thought of this precious sister in the Lord rising in the dark to spend time with the Lord so that she could minister to all the people that will pass her at the cash register today. She shares her enthusiasm, energy and smile equally with each customer. She is a beautiful woman, but she doesn't have the advantage of youth that many of her co-workers have. This woman had gotten up in the middle of the night, spent time with Jesus, and worked an 8 hour shift. She said that it isn't always easy. "By the 40th hour of my work-week, I'm very tired," she said. "But He is my secret."

Our youth pastor sent out a quote this week that has followed me through my days.

"The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came...Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory." ~ R.A. Torrey

Lucia, the checker at the grocery store, is living proof of this quote. She prepares herself with prayer for the battle of each day. She's an ordinary woman just like me, but she has taken the ordinary and made it beautiful beyond measure.

I'm a "doer", and prayer does not come easily for me. I like to start attacking my checklist about the time I open my eyes in the morning. Lucia reminds me, though, of this truth that I've heard. Prayer isn't preparation for the work. It IS the work. One tool that I want to share with you that has helped me tremendously is a prayer journal. It focuses my thoughts, keeps me from distractions and gives me an awesome record of answered prayer. If you are interested in looking at the one that I use, visit my friend Tara's website. She has self-published an awesome prayer journal that has helped me to focus in on The Work!