Casandra Martin

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut. I seem to pray about the same cycle of needs and wants and end up feeling like there is a little bit of déjà vu in my talks with God. Here are ten ideas of things to pray for today to help spark some new conversation in your time with the Lord.

1. Pray through the ABCs. Use each letter as a point of praise. For example, God is Able, God is Big, God is Creator. Pause after thinking of each word, thanking and praising Him for who He is and how He works in your life.

2. Pray for eyes to see Him clearly in every part of your day.

3. Pray for tenderness.

4. Pray for courage and boldness.

5. Pray for a moment of simple joy, and the heart to recognize it when it comes your way.

6. Pray for three friends off your FaceBook page, out of your cell phone contacts, or from your address book that are not regularly included in your daily prayer time. Pray for each friend by name.

7. Pray while counting your blessings. Talk to God about twenty-five things for which you are thankful.

8. Pray for an opportunity to talk to someone about Jesus.

9. Pray for more faith, deeper love, and a stronger desire to be like Christ.

10. Pray that Jesus will come back soon.

My Jesus Resolution today is to cherish the time I spend with God in prayer. Every conversation draws me onto holy ground. Every moment in His presence holds the possibility of transformation. Every word opens my heart in surrender to the power of His love. No moment spent in prayer is wasted. He will fill each one with His grace and glory.

Perspective is an amazing thing. In reality, a fresh perspective does not change your circumstances or alter the people around you. It doesn’t change the clouds in the sky or the balance in your checking account. Your house won’t be cleaner or the stack of work on your desk any smaller. Perspective speaks to the way we see our lives. It doesn’t change the people around us, but it does impact how we interact with them. It won’t clean the house, but it will help us see the blessings piled among the dirty dishes and stinky socks. This is what God offers us – a new perspective. A chance to see His hand in the ordinary moments of our day. An opportunity to hear Him speaking to us through the checkbook and the emails. Sometimes God’s answer to our prayers isn’t to change our circumstances. Sometimes what He offers is a fresh way to look at them. To discover that He has been working on our behalf all along.

My Jesus Resolution today is to embrace the fresh perspective offered by the cross. Old shadows melt away in His light. Darkness scatters before His glory. Weakness is lifted up by His strength. I can see myself and others differently because of His love. The circumstances of my day may not change, but I can take on a Christ-like perspective and see my world through His eyes. And that will make all the difference…about everything.

I love flowers. It really doesn’t matter what kind – just flowers. Fields of them. Bouquets of them. Gardens brimming with them. Pots overflowing with them. I love flowers. I delight in the myriad of colors and the variety of shapes. I enjoy the aromas and the delicate details. They are touches of exquisite beauty that God created for our joy and wonder. This past weekend, someone gave me a packet of flower seeds. “Plant these right now,“ she said. “It’s the right time.” The picture on the envelope looks great. I know – the seeds are still sitting on my desk.

I love flowers; I don’t want to plant the seeds. It’s too much work. It takes too much time. Not to mention that pesky dirt messing up my manicure. How many opportunities for beauty do I miss because I don’t plant the seeds?

My Jesus Resolution today is to plant some seeds – seeds of kindness, encouragement, friendship, and joy. I am going to invest myself in cultivating peace, quietness, and praise in the garden of my soul. I want to plant some gratitude and laughter in my family. I am going to find a friend and express appreciation. Planting seeds is a matter of being deliberate about beauty. Seeds take time to grow, but the results will take your breath away.