Prayer? but that's so old school

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT

This one reminds me of a shirt I have entitled "never stop praying", it's a shirt I bought for $20 in 2002 from my college pastor at church. His friend made them up. I slept ok last night, I'm going to see to getting my daughter a big girl bed today, since she has out grown the crib, she's too big to share mommy and daddy's bed so daddy is now on the couch while they sleep in the bed. The only thing that is noticing this is my back. Sip some coffee, I read and think. I find myself not understanding the power of prayer a lot. It's very easy to do, yet seems like an old fashioned task.  Yet when you need it, and someone prays, you feel it. Then you get the missionary letters asking for prayer and money. I consider prayer my secret weapon a lot.  This video I've been working on since the summer and now into the fall, I've been praying all the time for. I don't want to screw it up. Whenever I go to a camera op, I pray that everything goes right. Before the doors open to the ballroom, I'm praying that I don't screw this up. I'm not paranoid, I just don't want to be over confident. I've been over confident and then learned my lesson. A lot of time's I don't feel my prayers count for the government. I read and think, I'm reminded of the many moments when people have come to mind and I didn't know why. I couldn't figure it out, and then I just assumed I needed to pray. I asked them later what was going on and sure enough, they needed prayer. I was amazed of how all over the place my thoughts were towards them during those moments. I'd have angry thoughts, confusion, just the weirdest things. Why is this person on my mind, yet as soon as I prayed, they went away. Then I wonder why do I need to ask God to help them, does he need a push? Hits me, God puts people in our lives, some we get along great with, other's we regret meeting, but, He loves them all. Since he's desiring to make us like Him, He puts people in our lives to grow us in Him and show us how to see them through His eyes and not ours. I'm reminded of many Petra song's "Get on your knees and fight like a man" and "Secret Weapon", etc.  These two songs (and there are many others) are so powerful yet I have trouble praying in public or praying in general at times, it's like I have somethings telling me, the prayers won't work on this person. I hear God telling me, I need to pray in faith that He can do anything even if the circumstances seem impossible. I'm amazed of how many times I pray to find my phone or the keys, yet those matter to God too, and it just show's me how much He loves me. Pray silently, pray out loud, just yell "HELP" he hears them all, He knows my heart, I don't have to give a nice speech. He wants my honesty, not a show, He wants me, not me mimicking what I've heard. I'm reminded of Sister Act 2 when the kids are about to go on stage, and there teacher says "take off your robes, you need to be yourselves out there".  I'm also reminded of Cool Runnings when they learn they need to be proud of where they're from,  not try to be like everyone else. I think of Soul Surfer, when Bethany didn't think she could be anybody without both arms, but her youth pastor showed her how she could, and what a different life she could live. I'm reminded of an incident in 5th grade when my teacher told us that her dad was sick and if we could just think about him for a minute, I immediately blurted out "we can pray for him", and she said that would be nice". Then a few days later she sat me down to explain why I couldn't share my thoughts like that in public schools. Then my grandma Stuber told me yesterday she prays for me and my family on a daily basis, dang, nothings better than a grandmas prayers, God's listens to grandmas. There's something about a Grandmas prayers. Too many times I find myself being stuck and only believing I can go so far, when God's really wants me to pursue Him and He'll show me what He is working out and what He has planned for me.