"TRY PRAYING INSTEAD"

      "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and

        petittion, with thankgiving, present your requests to God. And the

        peace of God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus."

                                           PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

       What do you worry about? Other people's opinions of you? Your family? Money? Grades? Your safety? Whatever it is, I want to tell you something worry is a total waste of time. It accomlishes zero.

       Instead of spinning your wheels on an endless cycle of worry, try praying instead. Take your worried and shape the' into prayers for instance.say you've been worrying about an argument you had with a friend. Take that worry and pray, "Father, help me repair friendship. Show me what to do." I will. Then I'll send My peace to replace your worry. Try it! It works!

       When people face trials, they often turn to prayer only as a last resirt. I knew a man who was fighting a valiant battle with cancer. As people observed the gradual effect on his body and lifestyle, one person said, "Well they're time to begin praying."

       Another man was going through an extremely difficult time at work. It was a crisis of major proportion that had ominous implications for him and for the future of his company. He just couldn't resolve it. Finally he said, "I've tried everything I know to get through this situation and nothing has worked. It's time to start praying."

       In both of these instances, prayer was seen as a last-ditch effort to resolve the people. Only after all other options were eliminated did the person decide to pray. It was a desperate grasping at straws."

       Instead of prayer being a last resorts, it should be one of the first thing we do. The Lord anseers prayer, and He wants us to come to Him continually with all of our needs ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17). The Bible tells us to " anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer. . . let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). 

       So don't wait. It's always time to pray.

                              Any hour when helping others

                                 Or when bearing heavy care

                                  Is the time to call our Father

                                It's the proper time for prayer

Your partner in Prayer,

>God