She writes that “Prayer also trains us to hear what God has to say to us. Listening to God requires more patience and more practice than talking to Him does. But when we listen to God, He provides guidance as we seek His will.”

Prayer is an important part of our relationship with God. Praying opens our hearts and mind to God and reminds us that he is the one we should lean on for strength, love and faith and guidance!

Be sure and visit her website and leave a comment letting her know Christian Women Friends sent you!

Five Bible Verses About the Power of Prayer

Psalm 107:28-30  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.

Matthew 21:22  And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

Philippians 4:6-7  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:13-14  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Mark 9:29  And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.

Many find that it is easy to trust and believe when things are going well but the true test comes when things may not be going as we want them to and we don’t understand why. Putting our faith and trust in the LORD relieves our mind of worry and stress. It changes our attitudes and our actions. He provides wisdom, love, goodness, and righteousness and without Him we can do nothing!

Faith and love in our everyday lives is shown in many ways.  We can show kindness to one another so that we do not lose faith in humanity. We can rejoice with one another instead of being envious. We can show gratitude to our family and friends. We can seek forgiveness and offer forgiveness to those that need it.  We can pray for one another, offer hope and unconditional love. We can worship God through faith that is expressed by loving one another.

Faith is trust and a commitment with our heart and soul.  Love is patient and kind and it doesn’t envy or boast. The love of God is our gift that we should share with everyone. We must put our faith and love into action.

Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. ~ Ephesians 3:17

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” ~ Romans 1:17

Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures – Lynn is offering a free Quick and Easy Breakfast ebook to all subscribers of her site. There are eighteen quick and easy breakfast recipes for you to try out. Visit her recipe site where she has so many great recipes listed that you’ll have a hard time deciding what to make first!

Raising Homemakers – At Raising Homemakers there is a great post on dispelling the myths about homemaking. This proves the value and importance of homemaking. My favorite quote is: “Ministering to your own little ones every day matters much. Just because they can’t give you recognition, a paycheck or testify up front on Sundays as to your faithfulness does not negate your home as a ministry.”

Knee-Deep in Munchkin Land – Jenn has a funny post titled: “Yes, I have everything under control. Why do you ask?” about a trip to the grocery store with four kids! You can’t help but smile when you read it. We’ve all been there!

Between Loads of Laundry – I just love the post “becoming” where Margi talks about spending time with God in the quietness of the morning while jogging. She says; “God doesn’t say a word, but He’s there and He keeps me company as my feet dance in the fresh summer morning air.” Love that!

Danise Delights – Read “Thankfulness Redefined” for a heartfelt reminder to be thankful for what we have. It is so humbling to me when I hear of people with such struggles in their lives who gain strength in their faith and it does not waiver during hardship!

She posts delicious looking recipes, decorating ideas, beautiful photographs and photography tips, frugal DIY projects and shares stories about her family and faith. Some of my favorite reads are her Sunday Meditations posts. She is a stay-at-home-mom who is married to her childhood sweetheart and they have a son named Ridley.

She has found some really great items at yard sales. I need to learn from her because I never seemed to have much luck so I gave up going! I don’t remember the last yard sale I went to. Her post on Yard Sale Home Decor showcases many of the things she found. I really enjoy checking out all her latest finds and new projects. Gets the creative juices going!

I’m sure you’ll find lots of great ideas and come away encouraged when you visit My Blessed Life!

My friends and I were talking about why we are blessed to be Christians and that got me to thinking about the reasons I love being a follower of Christ. So I decided to make a list of the top five reasons I love being a Christian.

1. Being a Christian is a new beginning on life. Once you become a Christian all your sins are washed away and you start a new fresh life. You are cleansed of your past sins and start a new beginning. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~1 John 1:9.

2. It offers hope, forgiveness and provides a sense of purpose and direction in my life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

3. I get a sense of belonging with God and others who believe. I feel so blessed to be part of something so wonderful and I wish that everyone could experience it! There is such a close connection in sharing your faith with other believers. They understand you, your faith and your commitment to living a life of Christianity.

4. Christian faith is built on love. Jesus gave his life for us and there is no greater love then that! “But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” ~Romans 5:8.

5. The promise of eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16.

People from all walks of life become Christians. Some like me were raised in Christian homes. Others had friends that introduced them to the Church. Many find religion on their own and others marry into it and decide to join their spouse in worship. I love hearing how people found their way to God. It’s so inspiring.

I believe that Salvation is a gift from God for which we should be thankful. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). If you are a Christian God is always with you and there is no better comfort then that!

“Didn’t I tell you that if you believed
you would see glory of God?” ~ John 11:40

God is love and it’s his love that brings us hope. We can heartily seek his glory and righteousness in prayer and fellowship. God challenges us to seek Him and enter into a close relationship with Him! “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” ~ Isaiah 55:6. It is through him that we can find relief and divine intervention for what troubles us. It is through him that we can find happiness and celebration in all things good. In seeking God you will discover the love of God and his will. The Bible is your guide to God’s glory. It is through the Bible that you will find the answers.

There is a difference between claiming God and seeking him. We should all follow God’s direction and seek the Kingdom of God above all else. Live for God’s glory.  We need to allow him to lead our steps on a straight path to HIS glory. Praise him in all things and allow his grace and mercy to provide strength and encouragement.

Don’t lose heart. Take a journey instead to seek God”s glory.

As a Christian mom, it can be tough to send your children to public schools where you’re worried that they’ll be influenced by forces outside of your control. Religious intolerance can be a significant concern, especially where intelligent design is not included in scientific curricula. Public schools are also full of temptations for your children, but you’re not there to point them out or to give a cautionary word when it’s needed. You simply have to trust that guidance will be provided, but that’s not where your role in your children’s education ends. You have the opportunity to join a local group of moms like you that’s focused specifically on praying for your children, your school, and its administrators and teachers: Moms In Touch.

About MITI

Moms In Touch International is an interdenominational prayer group that was created by Fern Nichols in 1984 when her two sons entered junior high school. She was apprehensive about this change in their lives and wanted to seek comfort and guidance in group prayer, remembering that where two or more are gathered in God’s name, He is with them. Since then, the group has grown steadily and is now active in over 120 countries around the world. The goal of the group is simple: to make a positive difference in your children’s education and school experiences with prayer. Most groups meet once a week for about an hour to share developments and new concerns, lift everything up in prayer, and decide what each woman will pray about in the coming week.

Choosing a Group

This organization has 16 different types of prayer groups, so you’ll be able to find one that fits your needs with ease. If you don’t want to choose a group type based on the age of your children, the Traditional option may be best for you. This is especially effective if you have children in several different schools and/or age groups. If you’d rather join a group based on a certain age group, you can choose from Preschool, Elementary School, Junior High, High School, College, and Career. There’s a Homeschool type for moms who teach their own children, a Grandmothers version, a Working Moms type with special meeting times, and a Church-Based variation for moms who would rather operate their group from a more religious standpoint. Special group varieties include Military, Prodigal for moms whose children have left home prematurely, Special Needs, Language-Based for moms whose primary language is not English, and Prison as a ministry for moms in prison who want to pray for their schoolchildren. No matter what your specific needs are, you’ll be able to find a meaningful prayer group with women who understand your unique situation and concerns.

Find a Group Near You

To take advantage of this wonderful resource for Christian moms, use the Moms In Touch group locator and find the closest option in your local area. You can also check out the bi-monthly prayer calendar, read the MITI newsletter, and find out more about news and events on the Moms In Touch website. Don’t wait to make a profound impact on your children’s lives by giving them the powerful gift of group prayer.

Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education and performs research surrounding online degrees. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

A weekly or even monthly bible study helps to hold yourself and other members accountable for reading the bible consistently. It allows you to interact with other Christian women who may be experiencing the same daily trials you are.

It takes commitment and dedication to start and organize a weekly or monthly women’s bible study group. Managing the overall process is a big responsibility but brings great rewards.

Once you have made the commitment to lead a woman’s bible study group you will have to decide on a meeting place. You can host it at your home or have everyone take a turn at hosting a study group in rotation. You could check with your church to see if your bible study group could meet there.

Next you will need to decide who will be leading the study. Will it be the same person every week or you could have each member take a turn. This would avoid placing a burden on just one person.

You will need to decide on a your curriculum for your study group. Will you use an established bible study guide for women or have a discussion on a selected book of the bible. A Christian bookstore is a great resource for finding study material.

Seek out friends at your church to join the women’s bible group and have them invite other Christian women. Put a announcement in your church bulletin inviting women to come and don’t forget to invite your neighbors and co-workers to join.

You will be surprised at how fast word spreads and your group grows.  Enjoy your fellowship with one another!

Mankind holds a special place with God. After all we were created in his image.  We are his physical representative and the ambassador for his work.  But do we do a good job? God gave us free will so that we can decide to follow. We are not forced to believe but are left to choose to believe.  And I do believe.  I believe in the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Christ is the head of the church. The church is referred to as the body of Christ.  It is through the Church that his good deeds are done through a life of faithfulness and servitude.  How do you become a member of his church? By baptism into Christ  – Ephesians 4:4-5;  Galatians 3:27.  Mark 16:16 states: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Once you become a christian it is important to live your life accordingly.  Deuteronomy 7:9 teaches us that God is a faithful God.  “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 states: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” We live by faith. However, faith is not seen. Only the effects of our faith can be viewed.

A faithful Christian lives in harmony with God’s word and reaps the blessings that come from a life of faithfulness. Faith is not only believing what the bible says but also acting on this belief.  Are you living a life guided by faith?