iRespond

May/2014

iPray eVotional 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. iRespond    Approx. reading time: 7 - 10 minutes A question, A response Last Fall... "Can you direct the school play this year?  Rehearsals run through the spring and the performance is the first week of June." After praying I responded... Of course! This past winter... "Would you like to be on the production team for this year's Spotlight musical?  Rehearsals start in Jan and the show is the first weekend in May." After praying I responded... Yes! Last week... "Is there any way you can pull a scene from your play and enter it into our school talent show on Friday?" Before praying I responded... Wait, what? It's tech week for the Spotlight musical and blocking rehearsals for the school play and now a talent show?  That's too much.  I know what God is going to say to this, No! Lord, I am completely strapped for time as it is and... Before I could tell God what His answer should be I knew in my heart that God was saying,"I want you to do it." After praying I responded... Um, ok. I can pull something together Mrs. Principal. The next day... "Can you pray?  Pray for the audience and pray for each other!" Our director stood in front of over 100 children and a production team that had worked for months.  It was the first night of tech week, the week leading up to opening night.  At the end of a long rehearsal and several director notes she asked us to pray. I got home that night, hours after what some would call bedtime and got out my computer.  I had to write a few emails securing a prop and costumes for the talent show, finish up some blocking for the school play and make a spread sheet delegating jobs for tech week with Spotlight.  I started to get nervous about constantly working off only a few hours of sleep a night.  I could get grouchy, snappy and forget my manners with little to no sleep. Then it hit me, I was asked to pray.  Should I respond now or wait until I get some of this stuff done?  I'll just shoot up a quick... "Bless it all and give me what I need." Before I could return to my physical list of things that needed to be done, Scripture entered my heart. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 God was asking me something this time... "Will you seek first how I need you to pray so I can bless the rest?" I stopped everything and responded... Yes Lord, how should I pray? After a moment I found myself opening a new tab on my computer, biblegateway.com and seeking out how God needed me to pray. How I Needed to Pray Dear Lord, You command us to keep praying... 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing" Ephesians 6:18 "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" And since your Word, the sward of Your spirit, does not return void, I lift up the Spotlight team and students according to your sanctifying Scriptures.  May it start at the top and trickle right down to every piece of the puzzle so that in some way those who see us, can see You! May we work for You... Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 1 Corinthians 3:9 "For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." May we be loving and gracious with each other... 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful" Colossians 3:14 "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." May we stay focused and make the most of our time... Matthew 24:42 "Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." May we be wise with our words and actions... Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." May we be humble... Colossians 3:12 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" May we be gentle and patient... Ephesians 4:2 "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love", May we honor and respect everyone... Romans 11:18 "Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you." May we listen to each other... Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." May we have unity... Philippians 2:2 "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." May we work as a body... Ephesians 4:16 "From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." May we trust what You are doing... Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." May we have teachable hearts... Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." May we be thankful... 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." May we be sustained by You... Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." May we move in Christ-centered confidence... Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." May we have self-control... 2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. May we not be anxious... Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Matthew 26:41 ESV / 4 helpful votes "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." May we produce good fruit... 1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." May we honor you in our thoughts... Philippians 4:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." May we pray... James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." May we pray for each other... 1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people," In Jesus' Name, amen. The Blessings of Responding Yes, it took a little bit of time to pray specifically and include Scriptures, but the results I knew would see me through.  It was like going to the gas station and getting a full tank.  I had a long week ahead of me; what's the point of going to the prayer station if I'm not going to fill up my tank completely?  I sent the prayer out to the production team so that we could agree together and many responded with an amen! For the remainder of the week I found myself praying these same words over and over again. Not just for the Spotlight team but for every part of my week.  When the stage was not cleared for the school play rehearsal I remembered the Scriptures for patience and trust.  When I had 3 back to back rehearsals in one day I remembered the Scriptures that God would sustain.  When I felt upset I remembered the Scriptures about honoring God with my thoughts. It went on and on. Each time God's spirit came in and gave me just want I needed using scriptures from that one "filling up."  Truly, I walked last week with His joy in my heart.  All those joy-stealers immediately fell away as I remembered His word and prayed. At one point a backstage crew member looked at me and said, "Well, I think you are having more fun than the kids!"  I realized that I was living out the blessings of responding! I have lived through many weeks where all I gave was a quick, "Bless it all and keep me going," as I worked on my stuff first. When that happens, a joyful attitude seems to barely fill my heart's cup and in the end all I want to say is, "I made it." Last week my heart's cup overflowed with Joy and in the end all I could say was, "Praise God!" This week I look back and can't help but continue to praise God for accomplished school play rehearsals, a cute skit in the talent show, a successful tech week and 4 performances.  Prayer covered it all, trickling right down to over 3,000 audience members, including the others God chose to touch along the way. iRespond and Pray Another week here, May Your spirit be near. "Do it," You say,  May we respond and pray. All for You Lord, May we use Your sward. After the, "Yes!" May You bless the rest! In Jesus Name iPray, Amen. ALL for Him, Michelle Fozounmayeh

In This Issue A question, A response How I Needed to Pray The Blessing of Responding iRespond and Pray Join iPray eMailing List Michelle Fozounmayeh 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. Blog: 7tothirty7.blogspot.com Website: http://7tothirty7.com/ 4 Traditions 4 New Years 4 Traditions 4 Valentines 4 Traditions 4 St. Patricks 4 Traditions 4 Easter 4 Traditions 4 Mother's Day 4 Traditions 4 Father's Day 4 Traditions 4 Fourth of July 4 Traditions 4 Summer 4 Traditions 4 Back to School 4 Traditions 4 Halloween 4 Traditions 4 Thanksgiving 4 Traditions 4 Christmas iPray Links: Dec. 2011 iPray link: iTeeter-Totter Jan. 2012 iPray link: iPray NEWness Feb. 2012 iPray link: iLove DEEP and WIDE March 2012 iPray link: iPraise April 2012 iPray link: iEmbrace May 2012 iPray link:   iSmell a Stain June 2012 iPray link: iPray 4 Purity July 2012 iPray link: iPray 4 Protection August 2012 iPray link: iReminisce September 2012 iPray: iWork Out    October 2012 iPray:  iFollow November 2012 iPray: iThank God for That December 2012 iPray: iFinish Strong   January 2013 iPray: iNeed a Reminder   February 2013 iPray iPray in One Accord March 2013 iPray: iRest April 2013 iPray: iListen May 2013 iPray: iHold On June 2013 iPray: iStretch July 2013 iPray: iDream   August 2013 iPray: iGet Dressed   September 2013 iPray: iSurrender   October 2013 iPray: iSpill November 2013 iPray: iMad Pray December 2013 iPray: iMine January 2014 iPray: iColor February 2014 iPray: iClip Show March 2014 iPray iShelve Not April 2014 iPray iKnow in Part Poem links: Time to be Free Ms. Marry McMoo Only You I Delight in You A Bat's Perspective The Ins and Outs Green Things Treasures in the Darkness To My Mom No Longer Hidden 70 Years of Marriage Saint Sadie Discovering Little One Wide Long High and Deep My Son Knowledge Hoard Short Stories: Cream of Corn Battle of the Food Face Singing the Night Away See You Later, Alligator Don't Touch Fried Nuts Annoying Brother Missy's Puppies High Dive Something Big! Stretching First Rainbow Promise