I’ve been hinting about a new book for a few months now, and the time has finally come to share the cover and title with you…well…in a few days 😉

@homewiththeboys and I will be announcing it officially on the @millionprayingmoms podcast July 6th (with cheers and party hats and everything!) so mark your calendar and plan to tune in to that episode. We’ll also be announcing all of the bonuses for pre-ordering the book that day, and they’re different than what you might expect. I REALLY hope you’ll be blessed by them!

I thought it might be fun to share some of the behind-the-scenes leading up to the big announcement, so for the next 11 days, starting today, I’m going to give you a sneak peak into things like:

•Why it’s been 4 years since I released a new book.

•Some of my common fears about launching a new book (this is book #5, so they’re common at this point)!

•My writing process.

•The #1 hardest thing about writing a book.

•Why I decided to gather a prayer team instead of a launch team.

•And other writing related things as I think about them (if you have questions you’d like me to answer, write them in the comments)!

Today, I thought I’d share one of my fears when writing this new book. Ready for it? I was afraid I no longer had what it took to write a whole book.

I’ll tell you why it’s been 4 years since I released a new book another day, but along with that comes the fact that I haven’t WRITTEN a book in about 5 years. Sure, I’ve still been writing. I never stopped. But writing a BOOK is very different from writing an article, or a prayer journal, or even a social media post. I just wasn’t sure I could still do it. Just being honest.

And then, of course, I realized that I’ve never really written a book by myself before. Early in my writing career the Lord made it very clear to me that my mission was NOT to make MY name great. My mission is to make HIS Name great. And as it turns out, God is very invested in His own Name. He’s never let me down, and He didn’t let me down in the writing of this new book.

So help me feel better…what’s something God asks you to do that requires Him to show up every single time? ...

Faith is not the means to get exactly what we want. It’s the way we access the power GOD has to accomplish what HE wants.

(Sometimes I wish God hadn’t called me to be the girl who says, “wait, that’s not 100% what the Bible says,” and had called me to be the happy encourager of all that’s good and positive instead. I’d rather be the girl who tells you, “God WILL move this mountain!” whatever it is, but I don’t think that’s what the Bible teaches. Anyway…that’s my tension, so here goes).

Having faith is good.
Belief is good.
Praying for what we need is good.

Good, right, and true.

But our faith, our belief, and our prayers aren’t what move mountains (they aren’t magical) and we don’t get to choose the mountains that get moved.

Our faith, our belief, and our prayers partner with the GOD Who made the mountain and can make it move if He so chooses. And sometimes He doesn’t.

Sometimes He asks us to walk around it.

Sometimes He asks us to hike over it.

Sometimes He asks us to tunnel through it.

Sometimes He asks us to just sit with it for a while so we can learn to be a comfort to others dealing with the same mountain.

Sometimes we never get rid of it, because it’s what God is using to keep us desperate for Him.

I don’t always understand that. I don’t know why different people get different paths…around, over, through…and I wish I could figure out a rhythm or pattern or something to make it all fit. I wish my faith was where the power comes from but it isn’t. The power comes from the God of my faith, and He chooses what to do with my mountains (and yours).

It isn’t necessarily a happy message, but it’s a true one. And knowing the truth changes our experience of the love and goodness of God. This means everything.

#truthquotes #christianquotes #truthseeker #truthbomb #truths #shesharestruth #gospeltruth #biblicaltruth #truthistruth #truthseekers #seekthetruth #bibletruth #wordsoftruth #truthtalk #truthteller #shereadstruth #speakthetruth #gospelaffirmations #thegospel #gospeltalk #gospelyourself #gospellife #millionprayingmoms ...

Y’all. I just took him to his first job.

At #calfeepark. He’ll be working concessions this summer at the home events. He turned 16 Saturday, and now he’s working at the ball field.

BEST FIRST JOB EVER!! Well, for a #baseball loving boy anyways. I’ll count it a successful night if he doesn’t spill popcorn all over the fans. I keep my expectations real!

Big summer here, guys. Big summer. Someone pray for his mama 💚⚾️ #goriverturtles @pulaskiriverturtles.

#baseball #baseballmom #baseballlife⚾️ #baseballism #baseballboys mobsociety #boymom #boymoms ...

All truth is God’s truth.

I believe that.

If something really is TRUE, it belongs to God, Who is the Creator of all truth.

But we often think our truth is truer than God’s, and, well, this just isn’t true.

That’s why my very best advice for getting through this life is to take time to know God’s truth as it’s found in Scripture. If we don’t, we’ll act out of what we can see, taste, touch, smell, or feel…and there’s simply more to reality than our limited senses can provide.

Lord, may my truth be subsumed by Yours. Help me see beyond my limits as I seek to know You more. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

(Note: I’m sharing a piece of truth in today #prayertip on the @millionprayingmoms podcast. There’s a link in my bio if you’d like to tune in to this 10-minute, right to the point episode).

#truthquotes #christianquotes #truthseeker #truthbomb #truths #shesharestruth #gospeltruth #biblicaltruth #truthistruth #truthseekers #seekthetruth #bibletruth #wordsoftruth #truthtalk #truthteller #shereadstruth #speakthetruth #gospelaffirmations #thegospel #gospeltalk #gospelyourself #gospellife #millionprayingmoms ...

Happy Father’s Day to my personal super hero! I’ve been blessed with one of the best! I’m so grateful for all he does to serve our family and his community. ...

Sad, but true 😩😩🤓 ...

“WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.”    

That’s the whisper I’ve heard for the last six months as I’ve asked God to show me how to get my new book into the hands of people He designed it for. 4 years. That’s how long it’s been since I wrote & released a new book & a lot has happened in that time. The world turned upside down & is only just starting to right itself, & from the first concepts of this book I’ve just known that my call is to do it differently.

So here we go. Different thing #1.

There won’t be a traditional launch team.

We’re going to have a prayer team instead.

Any time the gospel message moves into the world with intention, there will be a defense mounted by the enemy against it. Ask ANY Christian writer, pastor, ministry leader, servant. ANYONE set on sharing Jesus will attest to it. So I’m asking you, if you feel so led, to help me mount an offensive game plan through 60 days of fervent prayer. You’ll pray for me, my family, the readers of the book, and for God to take the book where it needs to go. It’s that simple.

There won’t be posts or graphics to share. I’m not leading you through a study of the book. It’s just a prayer team to ask for the favor of the Lord.

Will you learn things about prayer? I’m sure, although that’s more of a benefit than by design.

Is it going to be a great way to learn how to launch a book? The jury’s out on that one 😉 God answers prayer many ways, and sometimes, no is an answer. I’m under no delusions that a prayer team will automatically catapult this one to the top. It’s just what I feel led to do.

And maybe most important, will you get a free book?

I have a limited supply, so while the answer is yes, I’ll pick the people who join. Just click the prayer team link in my bio and follow the directions. You only need to be a mature praying Christian to apply.

You’ll also be 1st to know what the book is 😉

Pray: offer devout petition, praise, or thanks, to God.

Launch: start or set in motion. Throw forward. Propel with force, or thrust. Make ready for use.

Team: People doing something together for a common purpose.

Let’s do it (differently)! ...

One strikeout shy of pitching a perfect game in his Rec ⚾️ game last night. We almost didn’t play Rec this year. So glad we did! Tons of fun with his classmates. #playrecball

#baseball #baseballmom #baseballlife⚾️ #baseballism #baseballboys mobsociety #boymom #boymoms ...

There are so many. Lord, make a way for each one. Smile on them today, Lord. In some noticeable, undeniable way, make Yourself known as their Friend.

Amen.

#prayerwarrior #prayerispowerful #prayerworks #prayerlife #prayerjournal #dailyprayer #morningprayer #powerinprayer #prayertime #powerofprayer #prayingwomen #prayingmom #prayingmoms #prayingwoman #praywithoutceasing #prayerful #prayerchangesthings #alwayspray #prayedup #prayersup #christianmom #christianliving #christianlife #millionprayingmoms #godcan ...

Just in case you needed the reminder. David always pulls through for us, doesn’t he?

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me” (Psalm 56:8-9).

💚

(Thanks for the reminder @_ginalsmith_). ...

I doubt this makes for good IG clickbait, but that’s ok. Much of what the Bible says isn’t pretty, or catchy. It doesn’t always feel good, and I doubt we’d find this sentence on a best-selling Christian t-shirt…but it’s no less true.

I read The Insanity of God a few years ago, by @nikripken, and was absolutely bowled over by the idea that Western Christianity runs from persecution. Heck, we run from anything even remotely painful. And when I say “we” I mean “me.”

When I was growing up in church, there were many times we prayed for the persecuted Church, and I’m in no way insinuating that’s wrong. But most of the time we prayed for release from their suffering. I don’t ever remember praying for them to have strength to endure it so they could make God’s Name great through it.

The Bible tells us we WILL have trouble (John 16:33). We’re told that we WILL be persecuted because of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12). It’s not if. If we’re following Jesus, it’s when.

And we’re told to count it all joy (James 1:2).

Not run away from it. Endure through it.

Because sufferings, trials, challenges, persecution…it all has a purpose. There’s MEANING there even if we can’t see, taste, touch, smell, hear, or understand it right now. There IS. It’s a matter of faith to believe it.

So if you’re suffering today because of the Name of Jesus, and you’ve been praying to get out of it, add to your prayers a request for strength to endure through it, and the ability to be changed by it so that God can use it for your good and His glory.

I’ll be joining in with you. Be encouraged, friend, there’s purpose in this, too 💚

#prayerwarrior #prayerispowerful #prayerworks #prayerlife #prayerjournal #dailyprayer #morningprayer #powerinprayer #prayertime #powerofprayer #prayingwomen #prayingmom #prayingmoms #prayingwoman #praywithoutceasing #prayerful #prayerchangesthings #alwayspray #prayedup #prayersup #christianmom #christianliving #christianlife #millionprayingmoms #godcan ...

I didn’t write this (don’t know who did) but YEEEEESSSSSS, sisters, yeeeesssssss. So many big amens.

This is where I’m digging in my heels. It’s the hill I’ll die on. The battle I’ll pick.

I don’t have the strength, wisdom, maturity, or willpower to do all God has called me to do in this life. But HE has it all (praise God), and He generously gives it to me liberally when I ask.

So I ask. A lot.

God can. GOD CAN. I believe it.

#prayerwarrior #prayerispowerful #prayerworks #prayerlife #prayerjournal #dailyprayer #morningprayer #powerinprayer #prayertime #powerofprayer #prayingwomen #prayingmom #prayingmoms #prayingwoman #praywithoutceasing #prayerful #prayerchangesthings #alwayspray #prayedup #prayersup #christianmom #christianliving #christianlife #millionprayingmoms #godcan ...

We start tomorrow.

Ask yourself this question: what could happen if your prayer life got uncommon?

Would you see God move more clearly?

Would you learn to trust Him more?

Would your heart become more sensitive to His Holy Spirit and your journey on this earth mean more?

I think the answer is a resounding yes.

Join me tomorrow at 4:12PM right here on my IG account to get started. I’ve picked five of my favorite verses for moms to pray over their kids, and each day this week (at 4:12PM EST) I’ll go live to tell you why and pray it over you and your family.

If you’d like to make sure you get a written copy of the prayers this week, sign up at the #pray412 link in my profile!

See you tomorrow!

#sheprays #prayingmoms #christianmom #christianmoms #prayingmom #christianmom #prayingmom #prayingwoman #prayingwomen #christianliving #christianmoms #christianlife #mothering #realmotherhood #mymotherhood #momtruth #momtruths ...

I’ve been a #prayingmom for 16 years…a mom who prays scripture over her kids. Soon, I’ll tell you the story of how that started (hint, the story is inside my new book). It includes the process I’ve developed over the years that helps me decide what to pray and how to pray.

I’ve probably prayed thousands of scripture prayers for my children in 16 years, and during that time, several have risen to the top.

They’re the ones I pray most.
They’re the ones I come back to over and over again.
They’re the ones I have printed out so I can have visual reminders of what I’m asking God to do in the heart of my children.
They’re my favorites.

All next week I’m sharing these, “Top Five” with you right here on IG. Save this post so you can refer back to it as we go, or start looking over them yourself before we get started. I’ll go live at 4:12PM EST Monday through Friday (6/7 - 6/11) and do a little Bible teaching and a little praying. Live praying sessions. I’m looking forward to it.

Here’s why you need to be there:

• The #1 thing that helped develop my prayer life was praying scripture.
• The #2 thing that helped develop my prayer life was hearing other people pray.

This challenge is a combination of both. As I pray out loud you’ll learn what it looks like, and I’m going to be specific about how and why I chose the verses we’ll pray + give you a detailed look at how I take a verse and turn it into a prayer. We hear from moms at @millionprayingmoms all the time who tell us they don’t know what, how, or when to pray.

Let’s fix that!

Show up here at 4:12PM EST Monday through Friday to see the live versions. I’ll save each day to my highlights as well, so if you can’t be there live you can still access them. Also, you can visit the #pray412 link in my bio and sign up to have the prayers from the week sent to you after it’s over. We’ll transcribe them and have them to you ASAP after the challenge is done!

Who’s coming??

#sheprays #prayingmoms #christianmom #christianmoms #prayingmom #christianmom #prayingwoman #prayingwomen #christianliving #christianmoms #christianlife #mothering #realmotherhood #mymotherhood #momtruth #millionprayingmoms ...

What could happen if we were uncommon in the way we approached prayer?

When I was a younger Christian, most of my prayers focused on my immediate needs, or those of my loved ones. My prayer life was common. Not wrong, just common.

“Lord, please help me pass this exam.”
“Father, please heal my uncle.”
“Lord, please don’t let me get a ticket.” (Truth…I prayed that a lot!).

As I’ve matured in my understanding of prayer, & in my experience of prayer, I’ve added to the list. It’s not that I never pray short, “common” prayers…I do. It’s just that I see prayer very differently now.

It’s not just me asking my Father in heaven to meet my (sometimes selfish) needs. It IS that, but it’s also so much MORE than that. It’s constant connection to, dependence on, & communication with the God who sees my past, present, & future (& that of my loved ones) & Who is using us to build His Kingdom.

I can depend on Him to lead me, & prayer is one of the ways He does it.

The early church got this right. In Acts 2:42-43 we read, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching & the fellowship, to the breaking of bread & the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, & many wonders & signs were being done through the apostles.”

What could God do if we devoted ourselves to prayer like them? Would we see God move more? Would we have a deeper relationship with Him?
 
Why don't we try it & see. 

Beginning Monday 6/7/21 I’ll be hosting a prayer challenge for moms here on my IG called #pray412. It’s based on Hebrews 4:12....“For the word of God is living & active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discerning the thoughts & intentions of the heart.”

I believe praying God’s Word is the most “uncommon” thing we can do for our children. It’s alive. Has power. It can be our entire game plan for parenting.

6/7 - 6/11 I’ll go live at 4:12PM EST to live pray 5 verses I believe all moms should pray. I’ll announce those specific verses tomorrow. For now, follow the #pray412 link in my bio & get signed up to receive all of the prayers. We’ll send them soon after the challenge is over!

#milliionprayingmoms ...