Prayer Warriors

Today was my absolute favorite workout of the week, Kenpo!!! I love the high energy and intensity of this cardio workout. The fact the I love a cardio workout is just amazing, because usually cardio is my least favorite thing to do. I would much rather do strength training then run. But P90x has at least one cardio workout I love! I really enjoy kickboxing and my favorite part is the blocks, punches and elbows! I feel so great after I do Kenpo. I know I burned a lot of calories during my workout today. I have now successfully completed 2 weeks of P90x. I have to say that I am so glad I am doing this program. I have so much more energy and I can already start to see changes in my body, so I can only imagine what I'll look like in 11 more weeks! I have even stopped drinking soda, which if you know me, you know that is HUGE!!!!! I find now that it just doesn't taste as good when you don't drink it everyday. I've always liked water, but now I love water and I drink about 72 oz of water a day. I start week #3 on Monday. I'll be taking my 30 day pictures on September 7th and I can't wait to compare my before pictures to those! It's going to be awesome! :)

For my devotional thought today, I wanted to talk a little bit about prayer and share some of my favorite scriptures on it. Did you know that the word prayer (pray, prayed, praying) is mentioned 512 times in the Bible. I find that to be pretty amazing. Prayer is such a powerful tool and yet often times we don't use it. Prayer is how we communicate with God. I like to think of it as having a conversation with God, telling Him about things going on in my life. Yes, He already knows all those things, but He wants us to commune with Him and talk with Him.

Have you ever prayed for something and either you didn't get the answer you were looking for or it took awhile for it to be answered. I love this quote by Martin Luther, "Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have always received more than I asked for. God may delay, but He always comes." God may not always answer our prayers when we think He should or want Him to, but He always answers them in His perfect timing. The answers also may or may not be the answer we want, but we have to trust that God knows what's best for us and He can see our future whereas we cannot. That's where our faith really kicks in, we have to completely trust that the answers God gives are given to us for reasons we may not be able to see or understand at the time. I know this is something I have encountered in my own life. But as I am able to look back on those times, I can see God's hand at work and I see that His answer and timing were perfect. Prayer is such an intimate time we can share with God. I don't know about you, but I want to have that deep, intimate relationship with God. Prayer is just one way of growing our intimacy with Him. How's your prayer life?

Something to think about...


1 John 5:14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him."

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Matthew 6:5-8 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place."

Colossians 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."