Post #100! Woohoo & Thank You!
First of all, I want to thank you for joining me on this journey that started as an idea, turned into a dream, & was nudged & helped along by God’s working things out—my Blog.
Today marks my 100th post! I never thought I could EVER be consistent in something that didn’t have any real, solid deadline, a paycheck resting on it, or a boss checking in on me… But through MANY prayers for God’s help on the days I just wanted to forget it & do what I wanted, no matter how lazy on that day, & through your encouragement & support to keep going, GOD HAS SEEN ME THROUGH IT!
Praise God! I am amazed at how strongly He has been a part of every step as I turned it over to Him in times of my self-focused, lazy, “wanna quit” days. He is Good.
Only By & Through Him
This celebration of reaching blog post #100 is a GREAT Segway into our topic this week- “Why Pray When God Already Knows?” because it was only through leaning into God for help & motivation & wisdom that got me to this point where I can celebrate!
It is a celebration of His faithfulness & strength in the face of my own humanity.
Anyone Else?
I am by no means an expert on prayer. I oftentimes am HORRIBLE at even REMEMBERING to pray.
I seem to like to try & fail until I am ready to quit before I reach out to Him.
I seem to like to try my own wisdom before asking for His.
I seem to wait until I am overwhelmed & full of anxiety before I realize I can reach out to Him for help.
I also seem to think sometimes that because I am a Christian, it is the same as praying & I should just succeed because of that… before realizing He still asks me to ask Him when I need something (otherwise I am too tempted to credit my own “righteousness” or works as the reason He helped). Anyone else guilty of this??
I mean, there are countless Bible verses that discuss the urge/command/need for prayer & for ASKING God, versus just expecting Him to do it because we want it.
The How to & the When to Are Also Important, But a Subject for Another Day
HOW TO pray, in being humble & coming to God with the sense of “You are God & I am not, please help me,” could be a whole separate topic.
WHEN TO pray is also its own topic—beyond the simplified command of “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) to focus on what that could encompass of areas of our lives we tend to forget to pray most often.
but today’s focus is on the WHY.
Why Pray?
WHY pray? Why pray when God already knows what you’re thinking at every moment, even more clearly & distinctly than you can even perceive, with even all of the traumas & fears & insecurities that can influence exactly what you are thinking at every moment.
He knows your prayers before you even speak them, so why do it?
He Wants to Hear from YOU
First, I would like to share a simple illustration to help us get started with the first reason I want to highlight: He wants a strong RELATIONSHIP with us, which requires communication.
Imagine having a child where every day, before they come home from school, their teacher writes you to share every single thing the child did or faced or accomplished that day… but when your child gets home & you ask about their day, they share nothing. Was it enough to already know? Or would you long for your child to see how much you CARE about their day & to share it TOGETHER?
God may know it all, but He wants to hear it from YOU. He wants you to know HOW MUCH He cares about you. He wants to be a part of the little things. He wants to be a part of your life, supporting, encouraging, growing, strengthening, comforting, & helping you along the way.
Abba Father
One of the names given for God in the Bible is Father. And He is the BEST Father that WILL EVER exist. He loves you SOOOOOOO much & He wants to hear all about your day & be a part of every moment that matters to you (whether crushing or wonderful) & everything in between.
So, talk to Him! About everything. He is listening.
Stronger Than Superman, by FAR & He Wants to Help You in Life & to Live for Him
Other than wanting a relationship with us, He wants to help.
When we talk to Him & share our woes, we can ask Him for comfort & strength & wisdom.
When He asks something of us or tells us to do something for our good, He wants us to ask Him to help us do it, versus us relying on sheer willpower.
There are so many things that we miss out on regularly simply because we fail to even rely on Him & ask Him for it!
How Often Do We Miss Out on All He Offers Us in Life?
He offers peace, wisdom, guidance, strength, joy, hope, growth, resources, & power to accomplish what He asks of us—it seems almost stupid not to ask, but I can’t even count how many times I forget!
He goes before us & sees the entire timeline of humanity. He already knows what will happen, is not caught off guard, & already has a plan in place if we but ask Him.
So, (& I am also talking to myself here, too), remember to ask Him for all things & talk to Him about your life & your thoughts & concerns & doubts & worries & insecurities & fears & hopes & dreams & cares.
He is waiting to hear from you.
Shine HOPE by building your relationship with God our Father & by leaning into Him through prayer in your tasks, worries, etc. He is able & willing, so lean into Him in all things. (Even if things don’t work out the way you wish, trust Him to work His plan out in an even better way than you can dream up. He’s got it covered & wants to let you work alongside Him in His plan.)
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week!
A Note from Michelle:
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!
Weekly Special Spotlight:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Chelsie Necklace
(One of my personal FAVORITES!-MH)
This curved bar necklace features gold and rose gold tones. Hanging from a gold colored chain, this piece was named after one of our co-founders because of her golden & modern style, along with her passion for using sustainable business to end poverty.
Artisan Information:
The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, & receive education & healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!
Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!
SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
