Greetings!
iPray eVotionals exhorts those who pray. It's the glass of water held out around each month's turn for the runners who can use a quick and easy quench in order to finish strong.
iNeed a Reminder
2 Corinthians 11:30
"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Forgetfulness tends to be one of mine...
(Approximate reading time: 5 Minutes)
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| iForget names |
No matter how much I try it seems that I have to meet a person 3 or more times before I remember that person's name. I know this about me so I try to let them know right away by throwing out a disclaimer. "Please do not be offended when I need to ask you your name. It's not because I don't care to remember, I'm just a forgetful person when it comes to names."
I try all kinds of tricks as I meet someone for the first time. Let's say I meet a Melissa I'll think, "My sister's name is Melissa." Sometimes I just grasp to anything I can think of, "Nikki is a cute name and she is a cute lady... Matthew, well the first gospel is Matthew, Pam, P-A-M, Pretty Amazing Mom... George is curious like Curious George... Mrs. "Stern" is not very "stern"... Vicky starts with Vicks..." I hate to admit it, even with all of this inner dialog going on I still forget! Now I'm not only trying to remember a name but also trying to remember the trick I thought of to remind me of the name.
Forgetting names shows my weakness, if I could just remember names!
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| iForget faces and places |
There are times when l look at a person's face and it seems that I may know them. It's usually the look in their eye that tells me I should be greeting them because we might be old pals... but from where, when and why... who knows? Because I don't!
Last week I was with my sister at church and she saw a woman who takes the Pilates class that she teaches. We were introduced and as far as I'm concerned that was the last time I had ever seen her...that is until my sister informed me that this woman told her we ran into each other later that day. I was shocked! We did? I don't remember running into her, maybe she said 'hi' to me and I just casually said 'hi' back without knowing who she was.
Forgetting faces and places shows my weakness, if I could just remember faces and places!
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iForget my manners
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For as long as I can remember I have had a recurring theme pop up with those I care about. Unknowingly I lose my cordial manners when my mind is busy in thought. It might be a performer/writer's curse; trained to focus and ignore the camera as well as all the people that are watching. Those who are brave enough will recognize the stark difference between my more common cheerful demeanor and will let me know that I ignored them and/or made them feel unimportant at some point. Each time it's like a dagger in my heart! Never do I intentionally disregard others. My husband probably understands me the most in this area and never takes it personally. If he needs to he grabs my focus so that I can give him the proper response. Others might take my zone-outs personally.
Forgetting my manners shows my weakness, if I could just remember my manners!
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| iForget appointments |
It seems that I need to be a million different places in a week's span. If my iPhone calendar does not have a reminder set up for a particular appointment then I will most likely forget it! My dog had an appointment to get a much needed hair cut last week. My iPhone somehow separated from my side and I didn't hear the reminder. Did I remember on my own? Of course not, I completely forgot about the appointment until 3 hours later when my husband casually said, "Why is Yoshi still here, didn't he have an appointment to get his hair cut?" Grrrrr! I called the groomer and apologized.
Forgetting appointments shows my weakness, if I could just remember appointments!
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| iForget in my dreams |
Well at lease I can get a break from being reminded of my weakness when I lie down to rest. Or do I? My forgetful nature seems to haunt me even in my sleep. To this day I dream about forgetting to do a class assignment, showing up to a class without my homework or there is a test that I forgot to study for. What? I'm not even in school anymore! Sometimes my dream has me days before graduation and there is one class that I forgot to show up to all semester and I can't get my degree. Although these things have never happened in real life the fact that I dream about forgetting says it all. I can't escape!
Forgetting in my dreams shows my weakness, if I could just remember in my dreams!
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| iForget to keep resolutions |
That's why I don't make new years resolutions. I always forget to set up a routine that will help me keep them. I forget why the resolution seemed so important to make in the first place.
Two years ago I thought it would be fun to read the Bible in chronilogical order rather than book order. I started a reading plan on YouVersion that would bring me through the Bible chronological in one year. I'm about half way through the plan.
Forgetting to keep resolutions shows my weakness, if I could just remember how to keep resolutions!
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| iForget to pray |
It's true, I do forget to pray. We, the human race, are a forgetful people and love to blame others for it.
What parent hasn't heard these words, "He started it!"
Adam started it when he bit into the forbidden fruit. He talked to Eve and not to God. The Israelites were told to REMEMBER more times than any of us can count. Praying to idols seemed more appealing to them time and again. Peter forgot how passionately he claimed he would never deny Jesus until that rooster crowed. I'm not alone in living out such absent mindedness. Maybe Adam started it, but I'm guilty of continuing it.
My weakness shouts out when I make excuses and forget to pray. I lead a prayer group for goodness sakes! I've continually served on church prayer ministries throughout the years, this is the last area in my life that should show my weakness. I'm an Area Coordinator for Moms in Prayer International not to mention I write this iPray eVotional on PRAYER every month. Oh, but like Peter when I seem to have it all under control with cocky righteousness, passionately claiming my own ability to stand strong, is when it all falls apart!
All it takes is a little bit of annoyance with a certain person and God whispers in my ear, "Pray first!" Ouch! What about a problem that arises and my first reaction is to go to the idol named Google for the solution? Yikes! I can't count how many times I've talked about a concern to a friend for over an hour without even thinking about inviting God into the conversation. Hello Adam?
Forgetting to pray shows my weakness, if I could just remember to pray!
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| iNeed a reminder |
Word recognitions and iPhone reminders may aid in my remembering names and appointments, and I can set up all kinds of routines to help me remember to exercise and even to pray. All of that is good, but as a Christian the gift of the Holy Spirit is my personal, reliable and most accurate reminder. Listening and responding to the Spirit's prompting sharpens my spiritual awareness. On my own I can't remember a person's name, but with God's Spirit I can name God's truth. Faces and places may not come easy but when God prompts me to pray for someone I can't get them out of my head. My day-to-day zone-outs are replaced by keen awareness when I'm on my knees. I may forget appointments that I make but God-appointments are never missed when I'm in prayerful-tune. Dreaming about forgetting important work is one thing, but when I pray without ceasing I wouldn't dream of forgetting who I am working for! My new resolutions are forgotten. God's living Words become sanctifying. God's spirit in this here forgetful girl is the reminder iNeed!
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| iPray |
Dear Lord, Its so easy for us to get down on ourselves because of our weaknesses.
iPray... for Your supernatural touch on our lives that transforms our iniquities.
iPray... that we will seek first Your Kingdom and Righteousness.
iPray... that we will lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge You.
iPray... that our prayer lives with you will not just be a lot of talk and wishful thinking.
iPray... that by your strength and because of Your Spirit in us we will remember to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks for this is Your will for us in Christ Jesus!
iPray... for Your forgiveness for our forgetfulness; open our ears, eyes and heart to deep meaningful communication with You!
This year may our prayer lives become more intimate, real and consistent with an awareness that is not our own. May we not boast about our own wisdom, might or riches but rather in the things that show our weaknesses. Why? Because it's in our weakness that Your perfect strength rests upon us! We have Your Holy Spirit as our reminder; may we do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
In Jesus Name, amen!
All for HIM,
Michelle Fozounmayeh |
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Michelle Fozounmayeh
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Michelle Fozounmayeh
A joy filled wife and mom that enjoys writing, praying, speaking at women events and being an Area Coordinator with the ministry Moms In Prayer International. |
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