The Prayer’s of Black Women

November 2

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 KJV

Ancestral prayers can last for generations. My grandmother was the prayer warrior for her family. She was a petite Black woman from Louisiana that prayed day and night. Her prayers seemed more amplified during cold months. You could hear her praying from that cold kitchen as the wood stove in the livingroom began to burn the newly made fire. She would sing songs that asked God for protection. As a recipient of one of her butt whooping, I believe sometimes those prayers even kept her from killing disobedient children. She always had a house full of kids even after most of her kids were grown and gone. She raised a few grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Her children had the opportunity to have uncles and aunts as playmates. Sadly, she only lived a few years of her life without children in tow; yet, her prayers continue to impact those she loved. Today I’m going to pray one of her favorite songs.

PRAYER:

I need Thee, O I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
O bless me now, my Savior
I come to Thee

Pass me not O my gentle Savior for I come to Thee.

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 31

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
Mark 10:25 NIV

The other day I asked my American friends how they would pray for people living in another country. I’ve selected to omit the name of the country. Well, anywho! No one answered. I guess their reply wouldn’t have gotten them noticed or favorable “likes” by a large audience. Was I disappointed? Yes. Why? Because my friends are always in church and or participating in Bible studies. So as I sat perplexed concerning praying for others God gave me something to pray about. He showed me that in parts of the world unknown to me, people don’t have clean drinking water. I can’t imagine such because the water from my tap is among the best in the world. It comes from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It’s hard! But! It is crisp clean and refreshing! And, as I see things now, clean water can be taken for granted. Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Photo by Artis A. Harrison
Rocky Mountain National Park

Good day, Lord! Thank you for putting a need on my heart and the hearts of others to pray for clean water. It shows us that people can and do take clean water for granted. And having access to it make some people feel entitled. Forgive us of our sins. Help those of us that have the ability to think outside of the box and or access to resources continue to move forwards in providing clean water to parts of the world where drinking water isn’t possible. Help us make the impossible possible, Lord. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 24

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Good morning from Denver, Colorado! It’s 5:13 in the morning. The Sun has yet to bless us with morning light in this part of the US. But! The light of day is coming!

I woke with the world on my mind and all that follows me. I thought about my public prayer as well as my private request to an unseen God. Among my thoughts is the question why do I follow a God the naked eye can’t see. The thought came after I realized why so many can’t believe in Him. Because! You can’t see Him. How do you know He’s there? Is the spirit in question a He or a She? That question right there is important to a ton of people. It’s a stumbling block for those that seek answers to believing in something greater than themselves. It’s caused folks to no longer follow Christ and or to believe there’s no God at all. But trust and believe He’s real! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Him during one of my darkest days.

My brother had died. He was the only sibling I’d connected with. Perhaps because we lived in the same house, we shared the same parents and we shared some of the same abusive experiences. Well anywho, he’d died. I was questioning God as to why He would take the only family member that loved me. I remember telling Him that I had a whole family that He could have selected from. And, yet, He takes the only one that loves me. I was puzzled by His choice, until now.

As I was praying and sobbing with tears filling my eyes and leaving me with no vision over my brother’s death, I felt a warm and very large spirit enter my home. It connected with my tiny soul. It was so big that after it joined our spirits together I felt it’s presence outside as well as inside the house. As trouble brews over my many decisions concerning my mom’s assets, I was reminded of this particular day. There’s nothing of great concern so big that God can’t help His children navigate through and enter new promise lands. Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Father, God, it’s a new day filled with opportunities no matter our current circumstances. Remove the scales off our spiritual eyes that causes us to be blind to your many blessings. Showing each individual that reads this prayer the opportunities you have for them. As you give the doer your strength and perfect plan to claim blessings and move into promises lands. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Men

October 20

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

Once again, I’m struggling to write a prayer. I’ve prayed but not in public and it was a communal prayer. Asking God to help several people that have fallen ill as they are very instrumental in helping me settle my mom’s estate. I tell you! This has been one of the most challenging task God has every given me. Really. And! Each day I’m finding just how much humankind can be selfish, selfless, understanding, lack understanding, greedy or generous. And! Oh! Don’t let me forget crafty or gullible! As my experience intensify the word of God rings truth to my current situations that there is nothing new under the Sun. I find peace in knowing trouble don’t last always. So this morning as I struggle with finding words I’m sharing a prayer of Consuello Hodges. Let’s pray!

Let us begin this Wednesday morning in prayer! Father, We’re missing the point in our times of distress…We must seek You on the authority of Your Word. We must attempt to find You and stand on Your Word that graces us through Christ Jesus. Let us diligently search like never before today. In Jesus Name. Amen.

The Prayer’s of Black Men

October 16

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
Joshua 1:6

This has been a stressful week. I had to overcome hurdles not of my own making. I had to find peace to quite the raging thoughts within. I had no prayer to share for the week and all I could do is ask God to “please help.” Today I opened my Facebook feed to something positive. A video of my friend and her husband singing in some type of Moroccan clothing. She sharing her travel experience is what the doctor ordered. Then to cap off my morning I came across a daily prayer from Consuello asking God for courage. His prayer was befitting for my week and days to come.

Pastor Consuello Hodges

Let us begin this Saturday morning in prayer! Father We come to You in prayer for courage. Courage to not only stand strong in Your Word, but to stand strong in actions. How can we be true examples if we are not displaying the courage in every word and step we choose to take. We pray for Your Strength in meekness and listening today. In Jesus Name. Amen.

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 12

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
John 17:15

Photo by TUBARONES PHOTOGRAPHY on Pexels.com

Today is a great day for an excellent day! Honestly! Everyday is a great day for an excellent day! And don’t let anyone tell you differently through words and or actions. Always celebrate life, your life. Your value is more precious than silver or gold and it should never be devalued.

I apologize for the quick prayer yesterday. I was trying to gather information for a friend concerning bed bugs, answer emails and organize workers. My plate was full and running over! But! I’m focused today. And! I’m ready to give God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit high praise! Let’s Pray!

PRAYER:

Lord thank you for asking the Heavenly Father to give us protection from the prince of this world. Your request makes me fall deeper in love with you. It showed and shows you thought about me, little ole’ me, long before I became a twinkle in my parents eyes. You knew the moment I took my first breath I would be a target and the gift of life could be unbearable at times. It’s because of your prayer and your never ending love I find peace in the midst of life’s storms. Thank you for everything. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 7

Since this is Throwback Thursday, I’ve decided to repost a prayer from Monday, September 2, 2013. Back then I gave my prayers titles. The title for this prayer was “Staying On Your Path.” Let’s pray!

Stay on the path that the Lord you God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Deuteronomy 5:33

Speak to my heart Lord. Your words have commanded me to follow a path you have divinely paved only for me. Help me Lord to stay on my path when the storms of life are raging, when I can’t see my way clear from the dust and I must walk alone. Give me your strength to journey on by giving me faith to believe in you; and hope by knowing I will live long and have a prosperous life in the land I will enter and occupy. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 6

³But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
Exodus 17:3 NIV

Yesterday, I prayed for my friend Sandy’s thirst for God’s compassion concerning her mom’s quality of life. Unlike my friend, for me, I’ve noticed it’s easy for people to pray and or expect something so drastic as death when it’s not their life ending. As to why my friend’s words of concern about her mom’s fate really bothered me.

Looking back at things, for my mom, despite her health challenges or the doctors feeling she should die by suicidial assistance because she was sickly and old, my mom wanted to live. She believed God should make the decision as to when she would die. It was my mom’s life, her desire and her faith. And as her Power of Attorney (POA), I honored all three! Especially since, I’ve learned life is a gift that so many people fail to enjoy and my mom loved her life no matter how bad things became. Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Father, God, thank you for this life I live and deeply love. It’s truly a blessing. Let me always celebrate this gift that so many people take for granted and or don’t appreciate. Let me come to you everyday and especially on my day of entry into the world with thanksgiving. I pray for the souls that can’t see how wonderful life is, yet, they have a thirst to live. I ask that you open their spiritual eyes to the blessings of life and show them how to obtain joy. For it is joy that will help them to celebrate them and the life they were given. I also pray for people that mentally, emotionally and physically imprison others, thus, taking their victims God-given right to enjoy and celebrate life freely. Lord, I once heard prayer can go where 747’s can’t land. So, please hear my request and move expeditiously in freeing bound souls. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 3

Water From the Rock

17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. ²So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”
³But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
⁴Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
⁵The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷And he called the place Massah^[a] and Meribah^[b] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Exodus 17:1-7 NIV

Life’s pursuits can be like the Israelites traveling from one place to another and not finding the desires of the heart. Some people learn to make do until they find a solution and others become impossible to deal with on all levels. And when a person or a group of individuals become despairingly they “can’t see the forest for the trees.” Therefore, they make everyone around them unhappy until they are appeased. In the meantime those that chose to live a harmonious life are forced to live through their chaos. Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Father God, can I talk and you listen? I have a heavy heart. It’s not of my own making. Yet, it’s heavy nonetheless. I once had a peaceful life. I’d learned the secret to living a stress free life a long time ago. I’m not saying I didn’t have problems but they weren’t compared to a 9.5 earthquake! And because of my peace and joy I’ve cultivated enemies. Now these individuals are in my camp. Everything I do to remove them falls through. And because of their hostile behaviors I don’t feel safe spiritually and physically. The thing(s) they hunger for and don’t get makes them dangerous and capable of killing. When Moses felt his life in danger because those under his leadership was thirsty, he was told to strike the rock at Horeb and water will come out for the people to drink. Lord, you are that rock! My strike is this prayer for peace. Bring peace to all that reads this prayer and desire it. Amen

Prayer’s of Black Women

September 27

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 ESV

Sometimes people find their thoughts and words changing when facing difficult moments. It’s during those times words can become mean and nasty. And as a result people find themselves plotting how to protect themselves from evil with evil. Let’s just say that’s not good. I remembered a Gunsmoke episode about an evil town. What led to an old man saying, “evil eats itself up” was the most important message. And! It’s true! Evil always consumes evil. So never allow anyone to goat you into doing something mean and nasty that you’ll regret later. Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Father God, ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.’ Lord please become a visible rock during turbulent times and a redeemer when thoughts and words aren’t savory. Amen