When I started reading The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp, I knew what I wanted to do for my 40th birthday. In the beginning of the book, Ann is also celebrating her 40th birthday by GIVING AWAY little acts of kindnesses. Big acts, small acts, some noticeable, some not…
So, about a month ago I started my own list…I wanted to GIVE AWAY 40 blessings by the time I turned 40. Blessings the world may never know about…but in my heart, I’m the one who has gained the BIGGEST BLESSING. The more you give away, the more you realize it truly is better to give than receive.
Today is my 40th birthday. And I would like to give three of YOU a gift! If I could give you EACH a gift, believe me, I would. This little online community has blessed and encouraged my heart time and time again. God is good. I’m thankful for YOU.
3 Winners, 3 Different Prizes
So, I want to give 3 of you a few of my favorite things…
Prize 1
One winner will receive a $20 gift card to Amazon! One of my favorite places to shop for anything and everything! {This can be anyone in or out of the U.S.}
Prize 2
One winner will receive a $10 Starbucks Gift Card {anyone in or out of U.S.}
Prize 3
One winner will receive the book Women of the Word, 1 new mercies coffee mug from Lettered Life, 1 gratitude journal, a Young Living water bottle and 1 bottle of Christmas Spirit essential oil blend. {U.S. residents only}
{Sneak peek: If you’re in my closed group on facebook, we read and discuss books together. Our first book of 2017 will be Women of the Word. Grab it while you can!}
I found a shop called The Lettered Life at The Nest Fest a few months ago. Of course I fell in love with the mug she created using *my* verse. {grin}
Enter the Give Aways
Click over through this Rafflecopter to enter these give aways!
Give aways end Monday, December 12th.
Free Printable for Each of You
Just as a little “thank you” print off this reminder to pray about EVERYTHING and be anxious about NOTHING.
Click on the Pdf to print your copy!
More Free Printables from His Mercy Is New
- ACTS Prayer Sheets
- He is making you new
- Praying Psalm 23 for your children
- ALL the Write the Word resources in one place
- Scripture Journaling Page
- Free Printable Gratitude Journal
- Free Monthly Praying the Scriptures resources
- Free Gratitude Phone Wallpapers
- A Prayer for when you want to fix it all…
- 150 Days in the Psalms reading plan
- Instead of Worrying, Pray
- Summer Checklist for Kids
- Be Thou My Vision prayer card
Happy Birthday, Candace!!! I’m so happy that God led me to you, and I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve thanked Him for that. At a time where I was most stressed, I was led to your blog, and I’m so glad that I was! Since then, I’ve been in the Word every. single. day. That is a first!! (I’m not kidding.) I feel so much better about this season that I’m in, because I have been reading, praying, and spending more time with Him.
Thank you!!
I just realized that I didn’t actually answer your question!
What I find hardest when it comes to prayer is 1) remembering who I wanted to pray for, 2) feeling as though I don’t sound “right”, and 3) feeling super uncomfortable praying out loud in front of people.
Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for the great giveaway! The hardest part is I start strong and focused but then my mind drifts into other stuff (things to do etc,) also I don’t think my wording is eloquent.
Grace and peace to you! Thank you for the giveaway!
My hardest thing regarding prayer is giving it to God and not taking it back and waiting on Gods time not mine
Have a wonderful day celebrating the life God gave you!
Regarding prayer, the thing I struggle with is consistency and doubt. I fail to pray for all areas in my life everytime. Sometimes when I pray about major issues instead of giving it to God completely, I will continue to worry about it.
I need to learn to fully trust and rely on God regarding all areas of my life!
The hardest thing for me is actually finding and taking a specific time out each day to pray. Also, not having the right words to say.
The hardest thing for me is not getting distracted by thing I need to do , instead of focusing on praying.
Staying focused and finding time for concentrated, fervent prayer are my struggles. I shoot up arrow prayers all day long, but to cover those needs before they happen would be my dream.
Trusting God completely after prayer
I have trouble sometimes keeping my mind focused on what I’m praying about. My main sometimes wonders.
Mind sometimes wanders.
Prayer is my lifeline, when I awake in the middle of the night. The hardest thing for me is staying focused because my prayers ramble from one thought to another but perhaps it is the Spirit leading 🙂
Have a very happy Birthday! Thanks for the giveaway.
Happy birthday! The hardest thing for me is actually setting aside uninterrupted unrushed time to just sit with God for prayer daily.
The hardest thing for me is to take the time to sit down and focus on praying.
I have a hard time feeling comfortable praying in front of others, though I’m getting better at that. But most of all, I struggle between knowing he will answer my prayer because I’m his child, and thinking he won’t, because it’s not in his will.
Happy 40th Birthday to you Candace! The hardest part of praying for me is repetitious. Trusting God with my prayers that I do not have to keep repeating the same ones to Him. Also not feeling worthy enough for Him to hear and answer my prayers.
The hardest thing for me about prayer is to not just run down a list-similar every day to the day before. I use the ACTS method normally, but that make me feel like I am just stiff. Lately I have tried to talking and telling God what is on my mind and in my heart, in no particular order. I feel better about this way. Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday Candace!
I think the hardest thing in prayer for me is focus, but I have to admit there is a part of me that thinks He won’t answer…tho I know for sure he would for someone else, just not for me. I also feel Im not wording it right…tho I know he knows the prayers before I speak them.
The hardest thing about prayer for me, right now, is making more than 2 second requests. I’m a stay at home mom to three kiddos (including a toddler who recently discovered he can climb!!) and finding uninterrupted time to get into deep prayer has been difficult.
Remembering that the God of all is interested in what I have to say. At times I feel like I can just ramble. That is why I am so happy I found your site and learned to pray God’s Word. I did not grow up in a Christian home and did not learn to pray and it has been a real challenge for me.
Always consistency. And being focused. Always has been struggle.
And happy birthday!
Being intentional and specific with prayers can be challenging.
Happy Birthday!
The hardest for me I think is staying focused. Saying exactly what I want to say.
Happy Birthday Candace! December is a great month to celebrate birthdays! 😉
The hardest thing for me is to leave my requests with God and not rehash them out, begging and pleading. I want to consistently pray with confidence and quiet trust!
The hardest thing for me about prayer is unworthy and undeserving because I don’t always put Him first even after all He has done for me.
Happy Birthday Candace!!!
Hardest thing concerning prayer for me is that I start to feel like I am saying the exact same thing every day!
Happy birthday Candace!
The thing I find most difficult about prayer is consistency! I struggle stay as committed as I should!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I have a hard time knowing when to persist in prayer and when to trust that God has heard me. Is it trusting if I keep praying? Or maybe I am just worrying?
Happy Birthday!
I think the hardest thing for me would be consistency, and focus. I need to be more diligent about my prayer time and when I sit with Him, I need to stay focused on Him, not on the house or school or my own problems.
Sweet Candace!!!! HaPPy HaPPy Birthday to YOU!!!! You are such a blessing to us all!!!!
I always HATE to admit this, but it is a real factor for me….the hardest thing for me about prayer is staying alert, attentive, awake, and on track – man I feel such peace when I quiet my soul before the Lord – but I end up going off on rabbit trails or I get distracted or I fall asleep! Ugh!!! 🙁 *insert me with my lower lip out – super sad face
My hardest thing is just being obedient to do it. I get too busy and won’t sit still long enough.
Happy Birthday Candace. The thing I find most difficult about prayer is not taking time to Be Still before God so that I can hear him speak to me. i just recently discovered your blog and have been using your Praying the Scriptures, what a blessing this has been for me.
Happy Birthday!! The hardest thing about prayer for me is remaining consistent. I have a prayer journal and it works beautifully…if I use it daily!
Happy Birthday Candace! I wish you health and blessings of joy, peace, love , and continued successes. THANK YOU for your ministering and prayers!Enjoy your birthday!
You and yours are on my prayer list! !!
Maria
Corinth
Greece
Happy birthday! So excited about the giveaways! Great idea!
I would like to also say that sometimes looking up toward heaven and smiling to God as a gesture of thanksgiving is also considered pray!!!!!It opens our soul and we just keep on giving thanks …more and more.
The hardest part of prayer for me is that I feel like my thoughts/prayers need to be “organized” and eloquent. Once I get over MY expectations, I realize prayer is simply a matter of obedience and not a matter of perfection.
The hardest thing about prayer for me is really being attentive and concentrating on it. I’m too easily distracted by all the things! Happy birthday, and thanks for hosting the giveaway! This book is one I have been wanting to read!
Happy Birthday, 40s are awesome!! For me sometimes just the words, speaking it!
Happy birthday! What a great idea. My 40th is in February. I might just look into this book.
I have a hard time with prayer. I am scared I will forget someone, I have trouble making a consistent time each day for prayer, and I feel like I pray the same words over and over. This is one of the biggest struggles I have.
Praying consistently.
Happy birthday! Although my husband and I chose a verse together many years ago (Gal. 6:9), I love the freshness of promise in your chosen verse! We have been in ministry for many years–pastoring and chaplaincy–I find that my prayer life has changed over the years. I would like to think that it has matured, but I definitely have not arrived! LOL I find that even after all of those years that I have no problem believing that God can answer my prayers, but I struggle with will He? Is it what He wants or is it what I am “telling” Him that I want. I have to continuously check that I do not pray amiss or bring my own agenda! You have an awesome day! Enjoy your blog!
Probably going deep. My prayer time is first thing in the morning, before the family is up. I’m still healing from some huge surgeries and part of that means a very slow wakeup time. However, the Lord knows! 🙂
Happy birthday!
The hardest thing about prayer for me is submitting it all to God and giving up control.
Happy Birthday!!
Maintaining focus
My biggest problem with prayer is finding the words to say and not getting too formal because I am utilizing memorized prayers so much.
The hardest part for me is trying not to get distracted. I can easily get distracted or lose my train of thought.
Love these prizes! That mug is so pretty!
I find it hardest to quiet my thinking. To stay focused and still. I begin with praising our great God and I know the necessity of prayer, but being still and quieting the distractions. That is my challenge
Happy Birthday!!!! 🙂
I don’t actually have a problem with praying. Is that OK? 🙂
Of course! 🙂 I’m sure we could learn a LOT from you!! <3 Thanks for commenting!
The hardest thing for me concerning prayer is getting still long enough to hear my Father’s voice!
Sometimes it is finding the time other times it is remembering everyone that needs prayer.
Happy Birthday! 🎂 The hardest thing about prayer for me are the distractions. Sometimes they are external like my little ones interrupting with needs and sometimes they are internal as my thoughts go on rabbit trails. I find the shower one of my best prayer places, with the fewest distractions.
What I find hard is getting started, praying out loud, and remembering who I want to pray for.
Happy birthday and thank you for the opportunity to win! For me, the hardest thing about prayer is being consistent about it in my every day life. I always pray when something isn’t going well, at meals, and with my kids at night, but being consistent in praying for my spouse, my children, others, etc.
Happy Birthday! I find it difficult to persevere in prayer when the prolonged situation doesn’t change or even gets worse. To stay in a position of faith and not apathy. Jesus help us!
I have a hard time making prayer a natural part of my day, especially with my kids. Sometimes it seems to forced.
The hardest thing about praying is that it seems that some of my prayers are answered the complete opposite of what I asked for so I sometimes am afraid to pray for things!
The thing I struggle with when it comes to prayer would probably be completely giving my concerns to God. Ill pray and pray and pray, yet still worry. I need to trust that God is ALWAYS in control!
Happy, happy birthday friend! I’m a person of action. I like to move and DO something. Prayer reminds me of my humanity and that I must wait on Him to act. This is a challenge for me, but one that God has been so gracious to repeatedly call me to. His timing, His purpose, not mine.
One of the hardest things for me about prayer is sometimes feeling like I’m asking God too much for one thing … as though He’s forgotten my request or misunderstood my desires. Sometimes I think that if I asked a person for the same things everyday, they would likely get irritated with me. I can translate that to God and think that in my attempt to “present my requests to God”, I could sound more like I’m begging and pestering him. I know that He loves to give good gifts to His children, but I don’t want to be a pestering child. 🙂
I find it hard not to start thinking about other things while I am praying.
Happy Fabulous 40th Birthday!!! I hope and pray that your day and year is filled with more and more blessings and favor!!!
I find it hardest to pray when I am going thru a tough trial in my life, when I feel things aren’t going as planned. I am learning more and more each day that it is not my will, but His will be done, and that His thoughts are not my thoughts. As long as I am obeying God’s word, my life will go according to His plan. And that is really all that matters!!!
Many blessings to you on your birthday Candace! What a precious idea for a 40th birthday.
I have a couple of things that I struggle with while in prayer. One is keeping my focus. Sometimes I lose focus because of external distractions and other times it is the things that are floating around in my head.
I also struggle with keeping my focus on who God is and who I am. I ask and ask for help but forget that he has already provided help for me. I forget the worship. That is difficult to say out loud even if it is in a comment section. He is so good and has always been faithful to me, as he said he would. I wish my little brain would stop going into panic mode right off the bat.
Thank you Candace for sharing faith with us to help us grow our own.
Thank you for the opportunity to win one of these amazing giveaways! I would have to day the hardest part of prayer for me is trusting that God is hearing and doing something with my prayers.
Distractions and tiredness make prayer difficult. I find myself falling asleep if I sit down to pray. I try to pray in the shower and while washing dishes and cooking.
The hardest thing in prayer for me is listening, then second, distractions. I love to lift up people in prayer to God because I know He hears and not only responds but has great love for us in it.
I pray that God blesses you emmencly on this happy day. Your 40th birthday. You are such a light to those who follow this blog Ms. Candace.
I feel like a new woman through all the encouragement and direction this blog gives me. I thank God for guiding me to this blog and I thank God for you!
The hardest part for me in my prayer life is consistency! 🙁
My mind is a blur most of the time in the craziness of life. I do my best to remember to pray but sometimes the world gets in the way. Im doing a lot better now….I just hope I can keep it up!
Happy Birthday! Thank you for this giveaway
The hardest thing about prayer is staying focused. I need a prayer sheet or list to help keep my mind from wandering
The hardest thing about praying is finding the words to say in my prayer.
Oh man… the hardest thing for me is all the distractions. Its like my kids have “mom is getting some quiet” radar…. LET’S GO SEE WHAT SHE’S DOING!!! And I have pretty significant non-multitasking abilities so if I get interrupted I’m a goner. I recently cleared out a spot in a closet so literally I can lock the door! Ha!
Happy Birthday!! You are a great woman of God richly blessed! God has so much more He wants to lavish on you. Continue on!!
The most difficult part of my pray life is that I am very easily distracted. Oh, there’s a butterfly! But God has proven time and time again to be gracious and faithful enough to answer my prayers anyway! He has taght me…It’s not about me (the prayer), it is ALL about HIM, the answerer to all my prayers! PRAISE GOD,!!
Hardest for me is praying out loud.
The hardest thing would be to find that silent and still time as a mother and wife but I feel better when I pray and I know the power of prayer is powerful!
Happy Birthday! The hardest part about prayer for me is getting distracted.
Happy Birthday from another December baby. 🙂 Hope your day is extra special.
Focus would be my biggest challenge in prayer.
The hardest part about prayer is actually letting my cares and concerns go to God and STAY there!!!
Happy 40th birthday! Many blessings! Eat lotsa cake, get lotsa hugs!
Tell me what is hardest for you concerning PRAYER.
Knowing when I pray, not picking it back up and try to do it myself. Learning to leave it there, and knowing God has heard me, God has got this and God knows what’s best for me.
Happy Birthday. I love your blog. I find staying focused and just leaving it with God are hard for me.
happy birthday! what’s hardest for me with prayer is just focusing and gathering my thoughts
Happy birthday!!The hardest part of prayer for me is getting distracted and I feel like I’m way to repetitive…then just leaving what I’m praying for with God and moving on.
Happy Birthday!!!! The hardest part of praying for me is praying out loud! I lead a Bible study at my church and I struggle praying in front of them. Public speaking is not my strong suit, but when I joined this group I felt led to take over and lead it, which has been a blessing in many ways. But praying out loud still makes me nervous!! Also, this is the next book we are going to read, so I would love to be able to give this book to someone in my group!!!
Happy birthday! 40? No way! I keep thinking you’re just a few years older than me😊
The hardest thing for me when I pray is waiting on the answer/direction/ Him. I know He has a perfect plan even before I pray about it but waiting to see that revealed is HARD!
Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
I think the hardest part for me in prayer is to make sure I am staying focused on God and who He is, and not just on giving a laundry list of things I think I need or trying to figure things out for myself.
…hardest? probably the waiting. but I have learned this past year that it is in the waiting that I am drawn closer to our good, good Father. <3
The hardest thing for me is practicing stillness in prayer. I get so distracted and struggle to stay focused.
The hardest part of prayer for me is making the time and staying focused while praying. And when praying out loud with others I apparently forget all the words #stagefright
Happy Birthday! My biggest challenge in prayer is often remaining focused and taking the time. Some days there are too many distractions that get me sidetracked. Glad I found your blog, what an encouragement.
Happy Birthday! May God continue to richly bless you! Thanks for the encouraging words and the free Bible studies. May you have a great birthday! Merry Christmas!
Happy birthday Candace! Thank God for your blog and inspiration! You have blessed me with insights and ideas!
Happy birthday + thank you for this giveaway. May God bless you abundantly!
Making the time to pray a priority is challenging for me, even though I know it is important.
Hardest part of praying: Getting sidetracked by all the to-dos going on in my mind. I start drifting from my prayers to other things.
I pray continually throughout the day and I find the hardest part of prayer is organizing who I pray for, so that all my prayer requests are covered over a week.
The hardest part for me concerning prayer is making the time for an extended prayer time.
Happy birthday! The hardest thing I find with praying is keeping my mind from wandering. I have to keep refocusing so that my mind is on Christ and not what is happening around me.
Happy Birthday, Candace!
What a blessing that we can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need!!
I struggle in the “adoration” part of the A-C-T-S prayer model. Supplication and thanksgiving come naturally. Confession isn’t fun, but I understand it. Worship through prayer is something I’ve been struggling to learn, as just repeating God’s attributes to him feels awkward and lacking.
Consistency in prayer is my struggle. I know this is so important. I just find that prayer tends to be what I think of when I’m at the end of my efforts to accomplish and fix everything. The days that I cover in prayer are always the best ones. I recognize God working in small ways when I’ve taken the time to be with Him.
For me, the hardest thing about prayer is listening to know that I am praying according to God’s will.
Happy 40th birthday. I celebrated mine back in January. It’s been an interesting year, trying to wrap my brain around it. For me, the hardest thing in regards to prayer isn’t believing that God answers prayer, but rather, is what I am praying in His will? Also, remembering to turn to Him first.
My attitude can hinder me. I want to be more of a Mary and rest at the feet of Jesus instead of a Martha, checking it off my list of things to get done for the day. I do enjoy the times of quality prayer and God is good and meeting us where we are at.
Happy Birthday!!!!! Thank you for the giveaway!!! The hardest thing for prayer for me is praying about something and then LEAVING it with Jesus! I pray about it, turn it over to him, and then…within an hour it seems I have ‘taken it back’ and I am worrying about it again. Argh. Then, I just start praying again!♡
Happy birthday! I’m turning 40 in January.
The hardest thing about prayer for me is not being distracted by things in this life.
Happy birthday! Thanks for the great giveaway! 🙂
The hardest thing for me in prayer is being consistent – making the time to sit down and pray…
Happy biryhday to you! What a blessing you are!
The hardest thing about prayer for me at time is to slow my mind and just focus on that.
Happiest birthday!
The hardest thing about prayer for me is I’m tempted to wait until it’s perfect – the kids are asleep, my mood is right, it’s quiet… but perfect never comes. I’m trying to learn to press on in prayer regardless of external circumstances
Happy Birthday!
For me, the hardest part of prayer is finding time to pray without interruption.
The hardest thing for me in prayer is trying to remember all the people that I want to pray for. I’ve started just praying immediately whenever I see a prayer request or know of one, or else I’ll forget. But I still forget some, and want to figure out how to not do that.
The hardest thing for me to do is making a specific time for prayer and staying consistent with it. I tend to just pray throughout the day.
Happiest of Birthdays to You! The hardest thing that I constantly face concerning prayer is leaving the petition in God’s hands. After seeking God to place the problem in his hands I take back the problem and continue to carry it around with me. I’m still working on trusting and leaning not on my understanding.
Happy Birthday! What a great idea and blessing to others! My hardest thing with prayer is knowing what to say.
Happy Birthday! Hardest thing about prayer is having it as a mindset, not just a set time.
Happy Birthday!!!
The hardest part for me when praying is to stay focused and not to sound like a broken record. I want to be earnest in my prayer and not allow the devil to distract me.
What a wonderful giveaway.
The hardest thing I find in prayer is consistency and patience in prayer. Taking enough time to talk with him and thanking him for all things, rather than Rushing through.
Happy birthday! Finding a consistent way and time to pray is what is hard for me. Thanks!
Happy Birthday!!! My hardest thing about prayer is making time for it. I think that I’ll pray after I finish what I’m doing, and one thing leads to another, and hours later I still haven’t prayed. And my prayer seeming like just a wish list is a problem too.
My biggest struggle with praying is praying with confidence and leaving things in God’s hands.
Finding enough quiet time to focus my mind in prayer.
Happy Birthday. It was a wonderful day when I came upon your “You Tube” videos. They made my day and have been following you ever since. May God continue to bless you in your work. The hardest thing is finding time since I am taking care of my 91 year old and also my husband of 47 years, who has been sick for over a year and the doctors have not been able to figure out what the problem. If I do find a few minutes I am usually interrupted with the telephone, someone comes to the door, time to fix a meal or time to take my husband to one of his many doctor appointments. By evening I am so tired I have trouble keeping my eyes open to read my Bible and say a quick prayer to watch over us during the night.
Happy Birthday. Would love to be able to surprise my wife with something nice.
Happy birthday! Finding quiet moments without family interruptions is the most difficult thing for me related to prayer.
Happy birthday!!! For me and prayer, it’s just tough to constantly be in prayer. I think of it at times, but I need it to become more second nature and pray without ceasing!
Happy Birthday!
I love doing things for others on our birthdays, it is a great way to celebrate
My biggest struggle is trusting God in His timing. He always answers my prayers, I need to focus on that. Happy birthday, thanks for the giveaway, so sweet!!
The hardest thing for me concerning PRAYER is being consistent and taking a specific time out each day to pray, also staying focused while I am praying.
Happy Birthday!
The hardest thing about prayer for me is being consistent. I’m thankful that the Lord is merciful and doesn’t take care of me as inconsistently as I pray!
Happy birthday!
Being still is the hardest part of it for me.
Happy Birthday!! The hardest thing about prayer is being consistent and specific about each prayer.
I think not becoming distracted is the hardest part of praying. I find that the more specific I can be with the Lord the easier it is to stay focused.
With 2 kiddos at home in a tiny apartment the hardest thing about prayer is finding time and quiet to be active.
Blessings on your birthday. I love your idea of 40 blessings. I turned 50 last month and God is good.
The hardest thing for me is to be there whenever they need me (for those whom I pray for). To pray is to be Gods mercy and compassion and when the prayers are not answered its hard to meet the emotional needs of the person I am praying for. It often physically wears me out. My calling is not necessarily to pray but rather to listen in prayer as He hears my words. God gives me grace and reminds me that “the battle is His,” not easy to say this to those who ask me to pray. They often think God gives me or I should receive exclusive answers. He does often lead me to a Bible verse. Most often not the answers man wants to hear, or they interpret it to worldly pursuits when Jesus is alerting them to spiritual gifts.
Love your heart! Happy birthday! Right now the hardest part of prayer is not falling asleep. Being a sleep deprived new mom is no joke!!
For me it is being consistent in my prayer life and making sure I pray for those I committed to praying for. One of my biggest hurdles that I’m dealing with right now is praying out loud.
The hardest thing about prayer for me is accepting God’s answer to my prayers.
The hardest part for me is focus and not getting distracted.
Probably the hardest thing for me would be finding the time to get alone with my Heavenly Father….the “small, quick” prayers throughout the day are completely necessary as our Father commands us to “pray without ceasing” but really getting by myself without interruptions is my struggle! Thanks for a small break from my day reading your emails that has some much needed encouragement.
What a fun idea, 40 before 40. My biggest prayer struggle is making it a priority. Normally it’s a lasr minute quick thing at the end of the day. 🙁
Happy Birthday!
Aren’t December babies the best!
Come Saturday, I’ll only be 12 years behind you in celebrating the big 4-0!
I love the idea of celebrating by acts of kindness & giveaways-it’s a great time of year to spread the love!
Apparently I don’t read instructions very well. Your site has been a great resource as I renew my relationship with the Lord.
Currently, it’s difficult to see the ways the Lord is answering prayers…and, of course, waiting.
I’m only a few weeks into asking Jesus into my heart again after several years away, but I know the Lord is working in me even as I struggle.
Thanks so much for the ministry you you provide. It’s helped me to gain insights I hadn’t last time I walked with Jesus.
I just had a birthday, too! For me the hardest part of praying is finding the words.
Sometimes it’s finding time or remembering to pray. Other times it’s feeling over welled with so many concerns
The hardest part for me is learning not to just talk but spend time really listening.
Happy Bday!!!
My struggle is to pray for myself. Others ask me to pray for them, their family and friends. And I see the hand of God. Just not for me.
I talk to God all the time. I know I don’t have to have a certain time, certain spot and certain posture to pray. I teach a ladies Sunday Bible study. We are a very small, close group. My problem is getting too emotional when I pray aloud in our group. Most times I end up teary eyed or full blown crying. I love thanking God for the many blessings he sends our way and petitioning him when we need his help.
Staying focused. My mind wanders to all the things I still need to d o.
I struggle with praying out loud with other people and taking the time to get into deep fervent prayer. I’m usually interrupted by my kids or my to-do list. I’m very thankful for you and I hope you have a blessed birthday!
Wow, Candace!! How generous of you! May God bless you in this coming year as you grow in your faith and spread God’s love to women all over the world! “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38
Happy Birthday! I struggle with focus, I have to whisper my prayers or I drift in my thoughts. And there are still times I will find my self off in other thoughts and I’ll have to start over.
The hardest part of praying for me is feeling overwhelmed. I get so caught up in who and what to pray for and not wanting to leave anyone or anything out that I end up not praying. I also struggle with consistency, I need to work on that in the new year. 🙂
Happy Birthday! I just had a birthday on Thanksgiving day! What a way to be reminded to be thankful! I feel like I am constantly talking to the Lord during my day. Finding concentrated alone time is harder. Also, leaving my concerns in His hands is always a battle.
Keeping focus and concentrating. My mind just starts to wander!
Staying focused sometimes when I am praying, not letting my mind wonder. Thank for the chance.
Happy Birthday!!! The hardest thing about praying for me is being consistent and not letting my mind wander. I pray throughout the day, but I need to find a specific time to pray.
Happy birthday! I’ll be celebrating my 40th in just a few days.
The hardest part of prayer for me is staying focused. Sometimes, in the middle of a prayer, my mind wanders. Then I’ll get back on point, and my mind will wander again. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
What a great goal: to give gifts to others as your birthday gift!
I feel like I repeat & pray the same things over & over…I know I have more I can bring to Jesus, whether it be requests or praises. But my brain seems to shut down….?
Happy birthday! I pray you are blessed for being such a blessing to others. My birthday is also this month. Someone infinitely more important than me has His birthday celebrated the same day as mine. Our Savior, Jesus Christ. 🙂
Hardest for me is remembering to be thankful for all the blessings and not just asking for help in the problem times, and being accepting of whatever answer He gives.
The hardest thing for me about prayer is having persistence and learning to wait on God. His timing is not mine and that’s difficult.
My hardest thing about prayer is having patience, getting over the idea I am not doing it right. I turn the big 50 after Christmas so happy birthday to you too!
Happy Birthday, sweet blog writer. The hardest thing for me regarding prayer is that after 44 years I don’t pray with the expectation that God can and will do BIG things, yet He has and will! Welcome to the 40’s, may you be blessed beyond measure as you continue on your journey.
Knowing how and what to say. Sometimes I feel like I am saying the same things over and over again. I would like my prayer time to be more intentional and meaningful.
The hardest thing about prayer for me is, learning to be okay with praying for myself and not just others.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Happy 40th! My biggest struggle with prayer it remembering that God does things in His perfect time, and He sees the big picture that I cannot. I still get surprised when prayer is answered, but I should not be surprised! The God we serve is almighty and cares for us.
Happy Birthday!!! Best wishes for a birthday celebration filled with the JOY of Christ, the laughter of friends and the love of family. Thank you so much for giving on your birthday! It has been quite an inspiration for me as I follow your posts. I have only been following for a short time, however in that time I have written in my journal every day!!! I have kept a journal since I was in my teens, sometimes missing as much as 6 months at a time. Then I found YOU, you have given me the incentive I needed to journal every day. Because instead of just writing, I am now calling my journal, “Daily Letters to God”. It has become like prayer to me. To be able to talk/write to Him about the day. Thank you for sharing your love of Christ with me and so many others. I know that they are as blessed as I am.
Silly me! I was so thankful for the opportunity to thank you and wish you a Happy Birthday that I forgot to tell you what my biggest struggle in prayer is! Praying intercessory prayers for myself. I pray for others with ease, but not myself. I am in and out of a wheelchair, and I struggle with chronic pain and depression. It is not that I don’t feel like I am unworthy, I know that I am worthy because I am God’s chosen child. Specifically created and love by my Father, nothing or no one can ever take my place in His heart. I just feel selfish praying for myself.
What a nice idea. My bday is coming up on December 12th.
Happy birthday! The hardest thing for me in prayer is staying focused. I feel like I start to pray and then my mind rushes full of the thousand things I want to thank the Lord for and the thousands of things I want to pray about. I am working really hard on staying focused in prayer.
Happy Birthday!! I pray your day is filled with love and blessings from above! Thank you for all you do and for your website, it’s a great encouragement to us all!
HAppy birthday my time in prayer has been a little hard lately with losing my husband in
Feb and my only child in Juee So God and I are trying to work this out I know that I i will
not be a winner but thougth I would leave a comment anyways
I hope you have a very happy birthday. The thing that bothers me with prayer is I think I am always doing it wrong.
Hope you have a wonderful birthday!
My biggest struggle with prayer is not just repeating the same things over and over to get it “done” :/
First of all, Happy Birthday!
To me, the hardest thing about prayer is the kind that is not spontaneous.
Happy Birthday! Thank you for this giveaway. The hardest part about prayer for me is finding a block of uninterrupted time to pray for family and friends,etc. I am grateful that God is always there and hears our prayers whether spontaneous or planned 🙂
The hardest thing for me about prayer is listening. I find it easy to spill out my thoughts and feelings. But disciplining myself to stay focused on God without blabbing is tough.
I find it hard to stay focused while praying and actually remain praying.
Happy Birthday!! This giveaway may be my favorite – EVER 🙂 I love doing Jen Wilkin Studies on podcast and everything else? perfect. My biggest struggle I would say would be that line of waiting peacefully on God and yet persisting in prayer if that makes sense? Anyways have a fantastic birthday! Thanks for the giveaway.
Praying about everything in my life so God can be in control instead of me
Hardest part of prayer is staying focused and not letting my mind wander.
Prayer is hard as a whole. I think things to pray about but then get distracted.
Praying in a humble way.
Candace—thank you so very very much for the gorgeous mug, journal, book, water bottle, and oil set!! Wow! So BEAUTIFUL!! I cannot tell you how much this gift ministers to my spirit, which has of late been weary and exhausted due to several major stressful events. I am truly thankful and truly grateful. ♡♡♡ In Him, Monique B.