I titled this writing from a place of faith. What is faith according to the bible? I like this translation for its simplicity and clarity: 

Hebrews 11:1Living Bible (TLB)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

This past summer was rough for me because doubts about prayer tossed me around like rough sea waves and made me very seasick. Circumstances and relationships discouraged me too. Usually my weekly Christian fellowship is a calm refueling oasis for me but there were too few opportunities this past spring and summer. 

God is good. He knew exactly what I needed to refuel me with hope and to believe in prayer again. One morning as I was silently contemplating prayer and its effectiveness, I received a devotional that I signed up for while back. It’s from Dr. Charles Stanley. His mom had a plaque in her kitchen that read, “Prayer Changes Things.” His devotional message encouraged and reminded me that our prayers do reach the attentive ears of our Heavenly Father who greatly wants to answer our prayers. Sometimes I need to hear about God’s faithfulness not from reading Hebrews 11, the heroes of faith but rather from a living person that I respect and who has been walking with the Lord a very long time. Dr. Charles Stanley has to be in his late 70’s. 

There are many, many prayers that I am waiting on God for. While waiting it is important to maintain my standing of faith by seeking regular fellowship, by renewing my mind with truth of God’s word, keep believing in God’s promises, and very importantly to keep praying. 

Another prayer that I have added is that one day I’ll be the old lady that has walked with the Lord a very long time and can encourage younger believers to keep praying and to keep walking with Jesus. Just like Dr. Charles Stanley and his mother, I will say with great conviction from my experiences that ‘prayer changes things.’ 

I’ll be praying for your faith and for you to keep pray without wavering. Please pray for me too. God bless you! – From the heart with love. 

P.S. If you are like me, the first person in your family to truly seek after Jesus and learn His ways, then sometimes we need teachers like Dr. Charles Stanley who has walked with the Lord a very long time to remind us that our prayers really do make a difference. I pray that these short articles bless you too!  

http://www.jesus.org/following-jesus/discipleship/does-prayer-make-a-difference.html

http://www.christianity.com/devotionals/in-touch-charles-stanley/in-touch-aug-31-2012.html