Prayer for 2011

2010 was a crazy year for me. God took our family on some pretty crazy emotional and spiritual rollercoaster rides. I'm grateful for all that he did and taught me this past year. And I'm excited for this New Year ahead.

Since 2005, I've been reading the One Year Bible. This allows me to read the entire Bible in the course of the year. I also prayerfully consider how I want God to speak to me in while I read the Bible. I come up with a short sentence prayer that I then pray each time before I start my reading. I've been amazed at how each of those prayers have played out in my life as I spend time with God in his word.

The emotional ride of last year makes total sense when you realize that my prayer during 2010 was "Break my heart for what breaks yours". I don't think I've cried in 10 years as much as I have this passed year!

I'm preparing a six week preaching series based on the book The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel.... and already God is really speaking to my heart on this topic. Our first weekend will be called "I Believe in God but I Don't Really Know Him" and one of the verses I'm using is Psalm 63:1-4
God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
This is how I want to experience God each and every day this year! I want to draw closer and closer to God throughout this year (and every year!).

So for 2011 I'll be starting my One Year Bible reading with this simple prayer:
"God, I want more of you in each and every area of my life!"

Looking forward to this year's adventure!!

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