Stay In Love with God - Journal and Pray with this Free download

 

I turned 50 this month.

50.

It seems insane to be that old and yet even when I say it, I have people tell me I'm still a "youngster."

If only.

That little dash between the day I was born and the day I will die is getting shorter. My late wife was two years older than me so I have now outlived her. The valley of suck still resonates in cruel ways for sure. But as I reflect on the turning of the page, I realize there are things I've learned and things that used to impact me, don't have the importance.  

One of the big things is that I am an optimist. No, I haven't joined the organization (though maybe I should) but my whole life, I have been fighting for the most positive view of things. Even when bad things happen, when people are critical, and when relationships and situations sour, I want to look for the lessons and the good to come around the corner.

I want that for others too.

This has had me really thinking about what I can do and what I offer. I've written a couple of blog posts about some of that this year already. You see, it really bugs me when people start treating pastors like we should be carbon copies of other pastors - how does that work in any other profession after all? It doesn't. How can any of us be someone else after all anyway? Isn't that part of the beauty of the world and people - we aren't all alike and we don't all see things the same?

And this was always part of my issue with prayer and how it gets taught and written about - that there is only one way to do it! Prayer Simply Breathe, is a book, in part, about this very struggle I had and it seems, many others have had as well. And whether you pray breath prayers or any prayer, the bigger issue is, are you talking with God?

Well...are you?

And that is where I am and what is on my heart and what I am working on in me in my ministry - how can I help people grow in their faith for everyday? How can what I do and teach, help you and your neighbor and your friend and a stranger grow in faith?

Prayer is taking a time-out from playing God and letting God be God.  I wish God would put me in time-out more often but that isn't God's way. You have to do it and I have to do it - that is, make time-out.

So, I want to help you make time-out with God, even if just 5 minutes. I have been using the PARTs of prayer for many years and created this sheet years ago to help me make time-out with God.  PARTs stand so for:

Praise - Admit - Request - Thanks 

It is a simple outline of the content of the Lord's Prayer and help - not a hard and fast rule.

Click here to view and print:

PARTS of Prayer Journal Page   (Seriously, this is FREE, use a three-hole punch and notebook)

I'd like to think, my little additions have improved it but ultimately, this is JUST a GUIDE!! No rules here - Just me trying to share from my journey of faith what has helped.  I have some more journals coming up I'm working on to help too.

So what will you do this week to stay in love with God?

Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God! This is the Way.

Jedi Pastor Kent