Latest / Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast / How to Have Honest Conversations with God When You Don’t Know What to Say

Transcript

How to Have Honest Conversations with God When You Don’t Know What to Say · Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

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  Speaker 1: Life audio.
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  Speaker 2: In the chaos of life, when the bills pilau, fear
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  Speaker 2: creeps in, or even when joy overflows, sometimes the words
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  Speaker 2: just don't come. That's where prayer steps in, grounding us
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  Speaker 2: in God's presence and reminding us we're never alone. On
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  Speaker 2: this episode of your Hope Filled Perspective, in honor of
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  Speaker 2: the National Day of Prayer, I'm talking with my friend
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  Speaker 2: Tamma Fortner. She's the best selling author of over sixty books,
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  Speaker 2: and her news book Prayers for Each Moment has released.
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  Speaker 2: This is a powerful book that offers heartfelt conversations with
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  Speaker 2: God for real life situations, helping us to move beyond
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  Speaker 2: scripted words into authentic, soul deep connection. Whether you're struggling
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  Speaker 2: to pray or simply longing for a deeper rhythm of
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  Speaker 2: communication with God, these conversations will meet you right where
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  Speaker 2: you are. Welcome back to your hope fielled Prespective was
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  Speaker 2: doctor Michelle bankson where our goal is to restore hope,
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  Speaker 2: renew minds, and empower listeners to live in your God
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  Speaker 2: given identity. I'm delighted you've chosen to spend a few
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  Speaker 2: minutes of your week with us today. We're going to
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  Speaker 2: be talking about how to have honest conversations with God
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  Speaker 2: when you don't know what to say. We'll dive into
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  Speaker 2: this right after a brief word from our sponsor. Prayer
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  Speaker 2: is one of the greatest gifts God has given us
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  Speaker 2: yet for being honest. For many of us, it can
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  Speaker 2: also feel like one of the hardest disciplines to practice consistently.
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  Speaker 2: Do we have the right words, are we doing it enough?
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  Speaker 2: And how do we bring our real struggles in everyday
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  Speaker 2: moments before a holy God. Today's guest Tamma Fortner's award
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  Speaker 2: winning and best selling author of Prayers for Each Moment,
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  Speaker 2: one hundred Conversations with God about real life and real stuff.
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  Speaker 2: She joins us to remind us that prayer isn't about performance,
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  Speaker 2: It's about relationship. Together, we'll explore how prayer can both
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  Speaker 2: be an invitation and a lifeline, and how it connects
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  Speaker 2: our everyday lives to God's extraordinary love.
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  Speaker 1: Friends.
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  Speaker 2: This reminded me of a passage from Psalm one sixteen,
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  Speaker 2: verse two that says, because he turned his ear to me,
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  Speaker 2: I will call on him as long as I live.
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  Speaker 2: Tama is an ECPA Award winning and best selling author
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  Speaker 2: with more than sixty books to her credit, including Everyday
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  Speaker 2: Joy's Devotional and Simply Christmas. You might remember because she's
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  Speaker 2: been on the podcast before. In fact, I think it
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  Speaker 2: was to talk about Simply Christmas. She's corroborated with some
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  Speaker 2: of the biggest names in Christian publishing to create inspirational
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  Speaker 2: books for all ages. But her greatest accomplishments happen in
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  Speaker 2: a happy little home on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee,
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  Speaker 2: where she lives with her family and two feisty, cute
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  Speaker 2: little pups who are convinced that they're people. To welcome
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  Speaker 2: back to the program, Tama.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me.
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  Speaker 2: Damn it. Frequently our ministries, our resources, our books come
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  Speaker 2: out of our own needs, and I wonder how this
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  Speaker 2: has been true for you.
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  Speaker 1: So it's this wonderful spiral. I guess. The closer I
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  Speaker 1: get to God in my study, in my life, as
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  Speaker 1: I get a few more birthdays under my belt, the
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  Speaker 1: more I realize that I need more and more of God,
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  Speaker 1: and that that relationship is something that I need not
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  Speaker 1: just on Sunday mornings or formal prayer times, but it's
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  Speaker 1: a relationship that I need in every moment. Of my life.
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  Speaker 1: And then there's this joyous realization that God actually wants
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  Speaker 1: to have that relationship with me and hear from me
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  Speaker 1: and speak to me.
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  Speaker 2: And wow, amazing that our creator longs for that.
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  Speaker 1: You know, I just came back from a trip to
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  Speaker 1: the ocean and I look at that and I see
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  Speaker 1: this massive thing that God created, filled with creatures of ever,
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  Speaker 1: and he wants to talk to me. He wants to
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  Speaker 1: hear what I think and say and need, and oh wow,
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  Speaker 1: it's just amazing.
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  Speaker 2: What a privilege is Prayer a spiritual discipline that you've
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  Speaker 2: ever struggled with in your faith journey, because I know
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  Speaker 2: it's one of those things that seems elusive to many.
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  Speaker 1: I think it's something that we all struggle with at times.
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  Speaker 1: Oddly enough, one of the greatest times of struggle that
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  Speaker 1: I had with prayer was in the editing process of
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  Speaker 1: this book. The prayers themselves spilled out pretty easily, but
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  Speaker 1: then there's the whole publishing and editing process, and I
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  Speaker 1: think that's because our enemy attacks where we're working. And
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  Speaker 1: I struggled to pray. And I'll tell you the solution
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  Speaker 1: I found was just to pray the scriptures, particular the
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  Speaker 1: Lord's prayer until my heart got back into a place
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  Speaker 1: where I could pray my own prayers in addition to
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  Speaker 1: his words.
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  Speaker 2: And what a valuable recommendation for all of us when
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  Speaker 2: we are lacking in the words is to pray back
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  Speaker 2: the words that God has already given us. When we
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  Speaker 2: wonder if we're praying in accordance with His will, that
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  Speaker 2: question just dissipates when we pray back the scripture because
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  Speaker 2: we know the scripture is in His will. But you're
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  Speaker 2: absolutely right. The enemy has attacked me in the area
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  Speaker 2: that I've written about with every single book, and I
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  Speaker 2: think in part it's almost as if he's taunting us
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  Speaker 2: to say, do you really believe what you're writing? But
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  Speaker 2: on the flip side of that, I think the Lord
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  Speaker 2: offers us the opportunity to live out what we're writing.
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  Speaker 2: It's cemented in our own hearts and minds, so we
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  Speaker 2: really shouldn't be surprised when that happens. But man, it
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  Speaker 2: can take us to our knees. So many christ followers
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  Speaker 2: go through times when prayer seems to be a struggle
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  Speaker 2: in their walk with the Lord. What do you think
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  Speaker 2: are the most common contributors to that?
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  Speaker 1: I think at least in my own life, but I've
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  Speaker 1: also seen it play out in the lives of others.
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  Speaker 1: And some of the comments and feedback that I've gotten
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  Speaker 1: is an uncomfortableness with prayer. We hear these beautiful public
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  Speaker 1: prayers in our churches in different venues, and they're wonderful
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  Speaker 1: and they're beautiful and necessary and needed, but they can
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  Speaker 1: also be a little bit intimidating. We get this notion
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  Speaker 1: that we have to have the right setting, the right words,
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  Speaker 1: that it has to be a certain structure, a certain
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  Speaker 1: time of day, and it doesn't. It doesn't. It just
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  Speaker 1: has to have a heart that's turned to God. I
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  Speaker 1: think that gets in our way a lot. And then
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  Speaker 1: I think the busyness of the world so oh, and
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  Speaker 1: I fall victim to this even now, and I have
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  Speaker 1: to say, no, no, Tama, We're not going to fall
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  Speaker 1: to that, that notion that I'm just going to get
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  Speaker 1: this one thing done and then I'm going to stop
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  Speaker 1: them pray right, or I'm just gonna if I get
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  Speaker 1: this off my plate, I'll have time. And that's an
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  Speaker 1: illusion and a lie to myself, and I have to
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  Speaker 1: call myself on that. But those two things I think
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  Speaker 1: are the greatest, the uncomfortableness with prayer and the distractions,
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  Speaker 1: And that's something that I hope we can overcome. And
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  Speaker 1: that's part of what I hoped this book would do
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  Speaker 1: for folks.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's a matter of reclaiming intentionality.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: I remember when I had a forty five to sixty
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  Speaker 2: minute drive each way to work and I would have
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  Speaker 2: the Christian music playing and it was my prayer time
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  Speaker 2: every day. Well, I don't have that commute anymore, and
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  Speaker 2: so for me, it requires being intentional and finding another time,
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  Speaker 2: committing to another time instead of letting time just get
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  Speaker 2: neaaten up with a doom scroll or videos on YouTube.
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  Speaker 2: How do you see prayer as both a gift and
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  Speaker 2: an invitation from God?
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  Speaker 3: Oh?
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  Speaker 1: The gift? We get to talk to God, the God
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  Speaker 1: who created us, who knows us inside and out, who
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  Speaker 1: scattered the stars with his We get to talk to him.
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  Speaker 1: What a gift and the greater gift He listens, he answers.
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  Speaker 1: Can can I ever get over that? I never want
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  Speaker 1: to get over the awe of that? What a gift
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  Speaker 1: that He gives to us as his children, and not
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  Speaker 1: just listens to us in mass, but individually. Because this
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  Speaker 1: is the God who knows the hairs on her head right,
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  Speaker 1: and if you're like me, that's changing by the moment.
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  Speaker 1: But also an invitation. I a few years ago discovered Hebrews. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: I wrote it down so I would remember Hebrews four sixteen,
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  Speaker 1: which is that God invites us to boldly that word
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  Speaker 1: I think it's the NLT translation, maybe the boldly come
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  Speaker 1: into his throne room because we're his children. He invites us.
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  Speaker 2: In Damma, how do you see prayer as both a
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  Speaker 2: gift and an invitation from God? And what are the
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  Speaker 2: joys and the benefits of accepting that?
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  Speaker 1: Oh, the gift we get to talk to God? Just wow.
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  Speaker 1: He invites us to pour out our hearts to him.
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  Speaker 1: Hebrews four sixteen invites us to bolsely come to him
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  Speaker 1: to his throne room to pour out our hearts. And then,
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  Speaker 1: and you referenced it earlier Psalm one sixty, he bends
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  Speaker 1: down to listen. Yeah, he answers our prayers. And the
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  Speaker 1: peace that comes from just knowing that He wants to
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  Speaker 1: hear from me and answer me and speak into my
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  Speaker 1: life is immeasurable. And the joy that comes from knowing
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  Speaker 1: that I don't face anything alone it may be hard,
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  Speaker 1: it will still be difficult at times. Yeah, but I'm
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  Speaker 1: not on my own because the God of the universe
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  Speaker 1: hasn't invited me into this relationship where he's going to
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  Speaker 1: listen and speak and act in my life. And just wow,
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  Speaker 1: I never want to get over the awe and wonder
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  Speaker 1: of that.
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  Speaker 2: You know. I think about it in terms of our
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  Speaker 2: earthly relationships, and when I invite someone into my home,
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  Speaker 2: the last thing I'm going to do is ignore them.
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  Speaker 2: I'm going to sit, I'm going to listen. I want
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  Speaker 2: to hear their heart. I want to share my heart
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  Speaker 2: with them. And that's how I picture us coming boldly
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  Speaker 2: before the throne of like he's invited us in, but
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  Speaker 2: it's up to us whether or not we'll accept the invitation. Friends,
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  Speaker 2: we're going to take a real short break for a
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  Speaker 2: word from our sponsor, but I want you to stick
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  Speaker 2: with us to hear Tama share more about how to
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  Speaker 2: have honest conversations with God when you don't know what
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  Speaker 2: to say. We'll be right back. Welcome back to your
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: Hope Build perspective, where today we're having a conversation with
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  Speaker 2: Tama Fordner, author of Prayers for Each Moment, we're talking
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  Speaker 2: about how do we have honest conversations with God, especially
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  Speaker 2: during those times in life when we don't know what
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  Speaker 2: to say. Tamil, why do you think that we are
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  Speaker 2: called to pray without ceasing? And what does that look like?
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  Speaker 1: I think the answer to why we are called to
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  Speaker 1: do that is a really simple one. It's because there's
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  Speaker 1: not a moment of my life that I don't need God.
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  Speaker 1: Realizing that maybe took me a little longer than it
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  Speaker 1: should have, but I need God in every moment of
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  Speaker 1: my life. The prayer without ceasing. Something that I've come
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  Speaker 1: to realize reading some books like Brother Lawrence and then
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  Speaker 1: just some life experiences, is that prayer may not always
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  Speaker 1: look like what we think it will look like, maybe
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  Speaker 1: what we've been led or toads or grown up seeing it.
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  Speaker 1: It's not always head about and eyes closed in stillness.
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes it's going for a walk. Sometimes it's a really
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  Speaker 1: quick prayer while you're on the run. But most of all,
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  Speaker 1: whether we use words or not in our prayers, it
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  Speaker 1: is a heart that's turned toward God, ready to listen,
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  Speaker 1: ready to be led.
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  Speaker 2: What helped you the most in establishing your per life.
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  Speaker 1: Reading the Bible, the more I read through the Bible,
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  Speaker 1: I realize how much God wants relationship with his people,
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  Speaker 1: and not just in mass, but individually. The last few years,
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  Speaker 1: I've used a chronological guide to read through the Bible,
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  Speaker 1: which I had not done chronologically before, and seeing that
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  Speaker 1: story unfold, of how God is constantly chasing after his people,
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  Speaker 1: giving us chance after chance, and even in the Old
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  Speaker 1: Testament the things that we see as harsh our judgment,
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  Speaker 1: and how much love and grace and chasing after us
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  Speaker 1: are in those moments. All of that convinced me that
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  Speaker 1: God really does want this relationship with me, and not
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  Speaker 1: just with me, but with you, with each and every
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  Speaker 1: individual person. He wants us to know his heart, which
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  Speaker 1: I think you alluded to you earlier.
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  Speaker 2: So what practical ways can we break down this grand
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  Speaker 2: idea of prayer so it doesn't feel so overwhelming?
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  Speaker 1: Prayer is a conversation, and we never want to minimize
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  Speaker 1: that we're talking to the God of all creation. We
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  Speaker 1: never want to make it an unholy space or lessen
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  Speaker 1: the holiness of his invitation. But we also don't have
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  Speaker 1: to be intimidated by it. We don't have to figure
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  Speaker 1: out exactly the right words. We don't have to have
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  Speaker 1: ourselves all cleaned up and perfected before we come to him.
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  Speaker 1: So it's a willingness to reframe prayer as that conversation.
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  Speaker 1: And so we're turning to him, maybe with half formed sentences,
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  Speaker 1: in the middle of doing something else. We're turning to
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  Speaker 1: him when the phone pops up with this particular name
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  Speaker 1: that you know is going to be a difficult conversation.
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  Speaker 1: It's a guide my words, Lord, and that's all it takes.
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  Speaker 1: It doesn't have to be a fifteen minute prayer. Those
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  Speaker 1: are beautiful, and there are times to sit quietly and
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  Speaker 1: bow before the Lord. But the ins and outs and
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  Speaker 1: day to day moments of life, it can be those
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  Speaker 1: quick prayers. You know. As I said before, it's just
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  Speaker 1: a heart turned to and surrendered to God.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think that gets back to the command
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  Speaker 2: that we pray without ceasing. Some of my most genuine
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  Speaker 2: prayers are those brief less than a minute. Thank you
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  Speaker 2: Lord that that bottle when it fell didn't crash on
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  Speaker 2: the floor. I mean, I am grateful for that. Or Lord,
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  Speaker 2: help me know what to say. Or Lord, I'm not
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  Speaker 2: feeling my best toy, Would you just give me your
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  Speaker 2: strength to get through this. They're not long, they're not eloquent,
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  Speaker 2: but they are the cries of my heart in that moment.
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  Speaker 2: And isn't it wonderful that He is bending down his
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  Speaker 2: ear to listen whenever we approach him with a heart
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  Speaker 2: of prayer. And I love that we never get a
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  Speaker 2: busy signal. You know, I'm not a big one for
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  Speaker 2: talking on the telephone, but it can be frustrating when
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  Speaker 2: you need to get hold of someone and you get
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  Speaker 2: that voicemail and you have to wait for a response.
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  Speaker 2: But we never have to wait on that response from
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  Speaker 2: God because He is always attentive to our prayers. I'm
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  Speaker 2: wondering if you have a favorite prayer, maybe either found
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  Speaker 2: in prayers for each moment or one that you use
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  Speaker 2: in your personal life.
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  Speaker 1: So there is a prayer in prayers for each moment,
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  Speaker 1: And it's when I'm so busy. It's the title of it,
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  Speaker 1: because this life, whatever season I seem to be in,
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  Speaker 1: and from what I hear in the world around me,
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  Speaker 1: I think it's kind of a universal thing. We are
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  Speaker 1: so busy. I'm not sure I'm always busy with the
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  Speaker 1: right things, both, you know, I want God to guide
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  Speaker 1: my yeses and no's but the end of this prayer
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  Speaker 1: in the book, and I'll share just these couple of sentences.
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  Speaker 1: This is what I want my heart's prayer to be,
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  Speaker 1: regardless of the day, the moment, the season, and it's
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  Speaker 1: this is help me Lord to remember that if I
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  Speaker 1: do the two most important things, love others and love You,
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  Speaker 1: then this day counts as a win, no matter what
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  Speaker 1: does or doesn't get done.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: If we can remember those two things and keep those
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  Speaker 1: two things as the filter for our entire day, and
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  Speaker 1: this is my greatest challenge, then it's a win.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that matters in the kingdom. Do you find it
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  Speaker 2: more challenging to pray in hard moments or happy moments?
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  Speaker 1: So honestly, neither the big moments, whether it's really hard
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  Speaker 1: or it's a So my libration that's where I turn
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  Speaker 1: is to God. But my struggle is in the mundane.
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  Speaker 1: It's in the prayer that I know He's working to answer,
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  Speaker 1: but I'm not seeing quite yet the signs of his answer.
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  Speaker 1: That struggle that I have to show up day after day,
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  Speaker 1: moment after moment with really the same request. That's my
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  Speaker 1: struggle and my challenge is I have to show up,
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  Speaker 1: you know, I've seen in the past that He has
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  Speaker 1: answered things that I've prayed for for years. Sometimes it
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  Speaker 1: takes years. I really wish it didn't, but sometimes it does.
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  Speaker 1: But that's where I struggle, is to show up when
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  Speaker 1: I'm not seeing the answers right away.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I would agree with you on that because
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  Speaker 2: I read scripture and I hear God's imploring that we
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  Speaker 2: pray number one without ceasing, and that we pray number
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  Speaker 2: two without doubting. And sometimes, if I'm being honest, my
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  Speaker 2: prayers are filled with a lot of doubt. Is God
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  Speaker 2: going to answer? When is he going to answer, how
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  Speaker 2: is he going to answer? Is he going to answer
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  Speaker 2: the way that I hope that he answers? And sometimes
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  Speaker 2: it's hardest for me to pray those long term prayers
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  Speaker 2: because I start to wonder if that means I don't
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  Speaker 2: have enough faith because I haven't just left it at
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  Speaker 2: his feet. And then in other times I think, no,
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  Speaker 2: it requires more faith for me to keep approaching the
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  Speaker 2: throne in the waiting. So I appreciate the honesty there
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  Speaker 2: because I do think that the mundane produces its own
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: challenge to be steadfast. Friends, We're going to take a
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: real short break for a word from our sponsor, but
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: I want you to stick with us because you know,
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: as we wrap up this episode, I'm going to ask
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: Tamma to share a hope filled perspective about how do
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: we have these honest conversations with God, especially when you
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: don't know what to say.
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  Speaker 1: We'll be right back.
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  Speaker 2: Damn. Before the break, we were talking about when you
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  Speaker 2: found it most challenging to pray. Do you have any
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  Speaker 2: examples that you're willing to share of times when you
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  Speaker 2: knew you needed to pray but just felt so much
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  Speaker 2: resistance against that.
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  Speaker 1: I think we all experienced those moments in our lives,
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  Speaker 1: and one that jumps out to me was it was
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  Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty and we all know what was
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  Speaker 1: happening then. I had, in addition to that, I had
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: lost my grandmother, My mom was struggling, I lost my dog.
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: A laugh and say, my life was sounding like a
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: country music song. And I might be from Nashville, but
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: I would really have rather had a different melody going
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: in those moments and I didn't know what to pray.
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: It felt like everything in my life was crumbling in
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: every direction, and every single bit of it was out
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: of my control, which we love so much, right when
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: we can't control any of it, and I didn't know
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: what to pray. Yeah, and I confess that to God,
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: I don't know what to pray. And I struggled, as
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: you talked about earlier, with some doubts. And but there
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: are those verses where the man brings his son to
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: Jesus seems to heal and Jesus, you know, do you believe?
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: And the man says, I believe, but help my unbelief. Yes,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: Because even when we're struggling, even when we're doubting, even
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: when we don't know what to pray, as long as
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: we are taking those struggles and doubts to God, oh
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: my goodness, his love and grace meets us in that.
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: And our prayers don't always have to have words.
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I love that. I want to just let the
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: listeners and viewers have a sneak peek into prayers for
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: each moment, because it really is for each moment. What
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: I love about this book is that it's so practical
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: in the really hard times as well as in the
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: joyful times, but especially in the mundane times. You offer
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: prayers for when waiting, when we're so busy when we're
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: trying to live a life of faith, when I need
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: God to reign over my situation in my life, when
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: I need to do a hard thing, when it's been
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: an amazing day or a celebration, when we're trapped in comparison,
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: it's so much more. These really are everyday moments, and
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: it encourages me as a reader that my heavenly Father,
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: who not only created me, but created this entire universe,
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: who knows the number of grains of sand on that
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: beach and the number of hairs on my head, invites
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: me into conversation no matter what is going on. He
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: just wants the relationship. I'm curious, what's your hope for
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: how God will use prayers for each moment in the
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: life of believers.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: My hope is that this book will deepen their relationship
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: with God, that it will encourage them to reach out
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: to Him in all the moments, to not be worried
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: about the word words I think we talked about earlier. Permission. Yes,
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: I want readers to have permission to take these prayers
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: and let them spark their own conversations, honest and real
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: and vulnerable with words that maybe are a little mixed up,
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: but with a heart that's just seeking the Father.
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: What I think is so wonderful about this book is
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: you have given a place to start when we don't
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: have the words. And I think when it comes to prayer,
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: sometimes that's the hardest aspect, is being willing to start
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: the conversation when we're not sure what to pray. So
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: I love that each of these prayers is like a
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: spark to get us going. Tamma. If a listener or
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: viewers resonating with our conversation today, what hope filled perspective
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: do you want to leave them with.
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: God wants to hear from you. God wants to speak
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: into your life. Take a moment, and I know you're busy,
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: so it doesn't even have to be a moment of stillness,
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: But take a moment and have a conversation with him.
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: And then take one more moment and let him have
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: a conversation with you.
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: Friends. I feel like I want to wrap up this
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: episode today reminding you of Romans eight, verse thirty four.
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that,
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: who indeed is interceding for us. Remember that in those
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: times when you may not have the words Jesus is
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: praying for you, but then approach the throne of grace.
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: Like Tamma has mentioned a couple of times, sometimes prayer
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: isn't words at all, it's just our presence. It's viewing
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: God in every aspect. It might be the leaves changing color,
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: spring blooms popping up, it might be in a worship song.
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: But use that and use this book as a catalyst
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: to deepen your conversations with God, because you'll never get
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: a busy signal, always waiting, and He's always bending down
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: his ear to hear.
• 24:00
  Speaker 4: YEA.
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: I wonder, since this episode is on prayers and you've
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: written the book on prayers for each moment, would you
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: pray for our audience as we close out today's episode.
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: Oh, I would love to Holy Lord, God and Father
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: are precious Abbah, thank you for this chance to just
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: talk about you. And Lord. I just pray that you
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: would open our hearts to you, our minds, our ears
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: to see you at work in this world. And most
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: of all, Lord, I pray that you would help each
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: and every person who has listened today to step into
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: conversation with you to know that they are welcomed, that
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: they are heard, and that you are speaking into and
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: working in their lives. I just thank you for Michelle, Lord,
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: I thank you for this day. I thank you for
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: your love and grace in the name of Jesus. Amen.
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: Amen, Friends, I hope that there's been something in today's
• 24:57
  Speaker 2: conversation that has encouraged you to either renew or deepen
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: your prayer life with the Lord. And if you know
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: someone who needs a little encouragement today, would you consider
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: sharing this episode with them to provide a biblically based
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: hope Field perspective. And looking forward to being with you
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: again next week for another episode of your hope Field perspective.
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: But until then, you know, it's my prayer for you
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: that you have a hope filled week.
• 25:26
  Speaker 4: Are you or your group looking for a speaker for
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: your next event or gathering? Nothing delights doctor Michelle Bankson
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: more than connecting with her audience and sharing from her
• 25:35
  Speaker 4: professional expertise in personal experience to champion others in their journey.
• 25:41
  Speaker 4: She has spoken on a wide variety of topics, including
• 25:44
  Speaker 4: hope prevails, living the abundant life Christ came to give
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: victor not victim rid yourself with a doubt, poisonous shame
• 25:53
  Speaker 4: and self defeat from your life, Walking in the truth
• 25:56
  Speaker 4: of our identity, oh for the Silent the Event, Understanding
• 26:01
  Speaker 4: depression in children and teens, and breaking anxiety script how
• 26:06
  Speaker 4: to reclaim the piece God promises. Doctor Benkson is willing
• 26:10
  Speaker 4: to tailor her message specific to your group or event.
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: Past audiences have included One Hartred Hotney, Street Life Today,
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: American Association of Christian Counselor's Gateway Church, Embassy City Church,
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: Roaring Lambs, and Fellowship of Professional Women, to name few.
• 26:30
  Speaker 4: Doctor Benkson is now accepting invitations for speaking engagements over
• 26:34
  Speaker 4: the next two years and beyond. For more information or
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: to contact doctor Benkson to speak at your next event,
• 26:42
  Speaker 4: reach out to our staff at info at Hope Prevails
• 26:46
  Speaker 4: dot org, or Hope Prevails at tex nant dot com
• 26:51
  Speaker 4: as Hope Prevails at t e x na nt dot com.
• 27:02
  Speaker 5: Thank you for joining doctor Bankson for your hope build perspective.
• 27:06
  Speaker 5: We hope you were encouraged by her authenticity, vulnerability and
• 27:10
  Speaker 5: biblical truths. If you enjoy today's conversation, when you take
• 27:14
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  Speaker 3: to share Hope with them. If you have a comment, question,
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  Speaker 3: or suggest a topic for a future show, reach out
• 27:35
  Speaker 3: to our staff at info at Hope Prevails dot org
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: for additional resources. Information about doctor Bankson's books where free downloads,
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: or to contact her to speak at your next event,
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: Please visit doctor Michelbe dot com. Until next time, May
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: you have a hope filled week.
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: I'd like to take just a second to thank the
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on
• 28:01
  Speaker 2: this podcast. If you go to life audio dot com,
• 28:04
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• 28:08
  Speaker 2: They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.