Prayer

Looking at myself I have chosen this Lenten season to focus my energy on prayer.  I am working on adding additional time to my day to pray.  Finding ways to slow down the fast pace of my life, and take the time to enjoy all of the blessings that I have around me.

I am praying for so many things, but the focus is the strength to continue to work out and change my life.  This is a change that is much needed and very hard to do.  While the basic end result will be losing weight and getting to a weight that I am comfortable with, I am also looking to focus on something more.  I am using this focus on helping me be able to push though all of the difficult parts and times in my life, and use the power of prayer to focus on the strength that I need to achieve any goals that I have that will be difficult.

I have seen that when you are going through a tough time and turn away from God it makes everything more difficult.  I have taken a different approach, and that is to do something completely different and that is to focus on prayer and turning to God when things are starting to become more difficult in my life.  I have found when I take the time to focus and allow God to be there with me and help guide me something amazing happens, I find that I feel stronger and that I can make it through.

Prayer is an amazing part of my life and I have recently seen all of the most difficult tasks, when I pray become more bearable.  That does not mean that they become easier, they are just more bearable for me to deal with.  I have figured out for me that opening up myself, not setting expectations, and realizing that God will be there and help you, when you open up your life to prayer.  This was the most difficult lesson that I had to learn!

I am taking the time to find the different ways to open my heart, mind and soul to prayer.  Finding different times during the day to stop and pray.  Not only during the wonderful times, but also the difficult times.  I am finding ways to thank God for the wonderful gifts around me and ask God for help when the situation gets tough.  Recently I am also praying for his guidance and to allow the Holy Spirit to come and help bless me with the wonderful gift of Patience.  This is one gift that I need the most help with.

I have found in my life, opening up my life to prayer is one of the most difficult and yet the single most rewarding experience that I have ever had.