Remember to pray...

A few years ago my dear friend Elizabeth who lives in Illinois shared a practical tip that has stuck with me and had a deep effect on my prayer life. I thought I would share it in case it might be a blessing to anyone else.

Elizabeth shared with me that she used anything going going on in her home as a reminder to pray...
her boys were playing together nicely... "Lord, let them always be close"
her boys were fighting... "Lord, help them to learn good conflict resolution and help them to love each other"
picking up her husband's socks... "Lord, thank you for my husband and that he is able to be home in the evenings"...

Anything! (Sorry if those weren't your exact examples Elizabeth! ha!)

dishes piled up, messy floors, toys all over the house after a playdate, snuggles from a kiddo for no reason...

It has been such a blessing to me to pray this way. Life is busy and after my morning quiet time it is easy to get in survival mode and just get stuff done. But, using everyday things as prayer reminders has helped me keep my perspective on God and to see him at work in our home. It helps me to pray for things that I might not think about in a quiet house in the morning. And ultimately it keeps me in communion with God throughout the day, which is really the whole point.

Give it a try! Look around and you will find that your everyday life is full of inspiration to pray! You can even use things that you see everyday as daily prayer reminders. Every time you see your wedding ring you can thank God for your marriage. When you fill up your water cup you can pray for women on the other side of the globe who don't have easy access to clean water for their families. When you drive by your neighborhood school pray for safety in our schools and communities and for those teachers who are shining the light of Christ there. Really, the sky is the limit. Give it a try and let me know what you think!