How Big Are Your Prayers?

 Do you pray regularly?
 
If your prayers from this last week were transcribed, what would they show?
 
Do you pray big, God-sized prayers? Or are your requests in line with things you can accomplish in your own power?

For most of my life, my prayers were pretty tame. I’d ask for safety or for God’s blessing or plead for Him to help me through some of life’s challenges. Nothing too bold.
 
But a few years ago, that changed. While I had been a Jesus follower for most of my adult life, I had played it pretty safe with my prayers. Maybe part of that was to protect myself from disappointment. After all, if you don’t ask God for anything huge, you don’t risk His saying “no” or “not yet.”
 
My life had been upended and I was in a new season. And I wanted to grow both emotionally and spiritually. During that time, I picked up a little 40 day devotional entitled Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson. And the truth in that little book rocked my prayer life.
 
The bottom line for me wasn’t “how big are my prayers?” It was “how big is my God?” I realized that if I really believed what I said I believed about God, then I should trust Him enough to begin praying big, hairy, audacious prayers.
 
Yes, it was a scary shift. Because asking for big things also meant trusting God enough to accept that “Father Knows Best,” and something I wanted might not be in His Sovereign plan for me or for those I love. Yes, I began praying big, bold prayers. Yet at the same time, I continued to surrender my will to God’s best.
 
And oh, has He answered.
 
He has provided amazing opportunities to share the message of Leave Nothing Unsaid through mention in others’ books, on podcasts, local and national TV and with a multi-page Personal Journey story in the Atlanta Journal.
 
He has opened incredible doors for my daughter’s public relations career in the NFL. Earning a Super Bowl ring your first year out of college? Seriously? Or most recently, being hired into a full-time position with an exceptional boss with the New England Patriots? Wow, God.
 
My biggest, boldest, craziest prayer was to experience love as God intends it in marriage. After several years of widowhood, and with a 60th birthday looming in the not-too-distant future, that seemed virtually impossible.

I even made a list of 101 qualities I would love in a future mate. Talk about praying big! Yet after many months of praying and surrendering, God answered that prayer in a miraculous way, too. Rob and I will be married in a few months. And yes, he embodies the 101 qualities on the list! Wow, God, indeed!
 

Those answers reflect God’s generosity and faithfulness. And it’s my joy to share my testimony as a way of saying “thank you” to my Lord and in hopes of spurring you on to pray big prayers, too.
 
Will He answer every request? Absolutely not.

Do I have many requests that He hasn’t answered yet or has clearly said “No”? Indeed, I do.
 
But does He tell us to continue to ask? Absolutely. (“What do you want me to do for you?” Matthew 20:32)
 
As Easter approaches, my prayer for each of you is that you will embrace the abundant life that faith in Jesus offers and that you, too, will begin to pray big, God-sized prayers.

Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. (Matthew 7:7)  Pray with open hands and continue to surrender.

 I am confident that you, too, will be saying “Wow, God.” 

I hope you’ll share your stories of answered prayers with me.