HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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A BOOK OF PRAYERS FOR YOUNG WOMEN

Copyright © 2013 by Stormie Omartian and Paige Omartian Published by Harvest House Publishers Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-5360-3

ISBN 978-0-7369-5361-0 (eBook) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Contents

Why We Wrote This Book Together

1. Lord, Help Me Seek You

2. Rejecting the Fear of Rejection

3. I Want to Be Beautiful

4. Trusting God in Times of Loss

5. Feeling Obsessed with Planning

6. Seeing Things from God’s Perspective

7. I Don’t Feel Good Enough

8. Surrendering My Life to the Lord

9. I Am Your Servant

10. When I Need to Forgive

11. I Just Want Love

12. Help Me Separate Myself from Sin

13. I Need Godly Friends

14. Finding My Identity in the Lord

15. I Feel Like a Failure

16. Showing Love to Others

17. Purpose in My Imperfections

18. When I Feel Anxious

19. Lord, Use Me to Change the World

20. Getting Close to God

21. Help Me Not to Compromise

22. Sometimes It’s Hard for Me to Pray

23. I Escape to You

24. When I Am Discouraged

25. Reclaim What I’ve Lost

26. I Am Created for Good Things

27. Lord, Guide My Choices

28. Speaking Words That Please God

29. Being a Woman of Integrity

30. Refusing Negative Thoughts About Myself

31. I Need a Reality Check

32. When Life Seems Overwhelming

33. You Are My Father

34. When My Heart Is Distressed

35. Storing My Treasures in Heaven

36. Taking Control of My Thoughts

37. I Feel Hopeless

38. Praising God No Matter What Happens

39. Waiting for My Husband

40. Moving into the Future God Has for Me

41. Lord, Give Me Wisdom

42. How Do I See Answers to My Prayers?

43. Forgiving Myself

44. Establishing Right Priorities

45. Lord, Reveal My Pride

46. When I Don’t Feel Good About Myself

47. Give Me Discernment

48. Living with a Grateful Heart

49. Lord, Show Me My Spiritual Gifts

50. Choosing to Walk in the Spirit

51. Respecting Myself

52. Praying for Difficult People

53. Give Me True Faith

54. Not Letting Emotions Rule My Day

55. Lord, Give Me Confidence

56. Rising Above Peer Pressure

57. Seeing Myself Through God’s Eyes

58. When My Prayers Have Not Been Answered

59. Ignite My Passion

60. Mending a Broken Heart

61. Lord, Help Me Be Pure

62. Staying Free of Envy

63. Lord, I Need Healing

64. I Don’t Want to Live in Fear

65. What Is True Love?

66. Understanding My Purpose

67. Teach Me to Make Disciples

68. Bearing Good Fruit

69. Promises in My Pain

70. Resisting Temptation

71. I Am Your Ambassador

72. Refusing to Be Desperate

73. Lord, Guard My Heart

74. Making Wise Decisions

75. Take Away My Anger

76. Staying Strong in Difficult Times

77. Keep My Eyes on You

78. I’m Concerned About My Safety

79. Help Me to Be a Listener

80. Purify My Thoughts

81. I Don’t Feel Adequate to Your Call

82. Faith to Believe for the Impossible

83. Show Me How to Use My Life

84. The Hardest Thing About Prayer

85. Purify My Mind, Mouth, and Heart

86. Refusing to Feel Worthless

87. Help Me Not to Judge Others

88. Finding God’s Will for My Life

89. I’m Here for a Reason

90. Seeing My Body as Precious

91. Lord, You Are Unchanging

92. Guide Me in the Right Direction

93. Strengthen My Heart Against Temptation

94. Choosing a New Beginning

95. Show Me My Purpose

96. Finding Freedom in the Lord

97. I Feel Alone

98. Living a Holy Life

99. Facing Troubles and Hard Times

100. Seeking True Success

101. Lord, I Long to Be Close to You

102. When I Feel Powerless

103. Save Me from My Pity Parties

104. How Can I Make a Difference?

105. Feeling Out of Place

106. When I Want to Give Up

107. Waiting on My Future

108. I Have Unfulfilled Dreams

109. Finding Your Strength in My Weakness

110. Seeing God’s Light in Dark Times

111. When I Feel Shame

112. I Want to Be a Whole Person

113. I Am Cherished

114. How Do I Honor My Parents?

115. I Feel So Restless

116. Will God Provide for Me?

117. Lord, Test My Heart

118. Finding Favor with God and Others

119. Preserve My Reputation

120. Welcoming God’s Presence

121. Consume Me with Your Fire

122. Saving Good Relationships

123. Starving for Redemption

124. When Everything Is Going Right

125. Lord, Help Me Be Real

126. Give Me a Right Heart

127. Lord, Don’t Let Me Be Lukewarm

128. Making Hope a Habit

129. God, You Really Want to Use Me?

130. Prayer That Makes a Difference

131. Teach Me to Be Gracious

132. Staying Free of Destructive Relationships

133. I Return to You

134. Identifying My Enemy

135. On the Edge of Rebellion

136. Learning to Pray First

137. I’d Rather Be with You Than Anywhere

138. Not Letting Others Define Who I Am

139. I Feel So Insecure

140. Praying with Other People

141. Lord, I’m Afraid

142. You’re All That I Need

143. Lord, Save My Loved One

144. Embracing the Moment

145. Drama with Friends

146. Praying for My Country

147. Lord, Send Me a Mentor

148. Getting Free of Addictions

149. Prayer for a Suicidal Friend

150. Help Me Understand the Bible

151. Restoration with Parents

152. Worshipping God His Way

153. I Want to Be a Light

154. Transforming My Life

Why We Wrote This Book Together

STORMIE

My teens and twenties were the most difficult years of my life. And they didn’t have to be. But I didn’t know that then. I made a lot of wrong choices and paid a heavy price for them because I didn’t know how to navigate my circumstances. I thought things just happened to me and I had no control over them. But nothing could be further from the truth.

I lived with depression, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and constant problems that I struggled to overcome or tried to hide. I now know that those early years can be inspiring, fun, and productive, and become the foundation for a life of purpose and success. That foundation is laid in a relationship with God through Jesus, His Son, and in communication with Him through prayer. I didn’t discover all that until I was 28 years old and wanted to end my life because I couldn’t live with the pain I felt any longer. But a friend took me to meet her pastor and he led me to the Lord.

Since that time I have come to understand who God is and what He wants to do in our lives. And He wants to do far more than we think. Now I want everyone to know God. I want to help people walk closely with Him by learning to pray. I want as many people as possible to understand how the amazing power of prayer affects not only their own lives, but also the lives of other people and situations.

I have written over fifty books on prayer but I have not written a prayer book specifically for young women until now. And it has long been on my heart to do so. But now I have the perfect writing partner for this book. When I first met Paige, it was before I even dreamed she would become my daughter-in-law. I was immediately impressed by how she, at such a young age, was wise beyond her years. She was nineteen at the time and had survived a traumatic near-death experience at eleven years old. In that experience God gave her a new perspective on life and the desire to help others in her generation gain that same perspective without having to go through a traumatic experience themselves. She is a great example of how God uses the difficult things in our lives for good.

Paige had recorded an album that my son, Christopher, produced. That is how he met her. She was also working on a television show for young people and through that I saw that she is an excellent communicator—very natural, passionate, and heartfelt. When I told her she should write a book about her amazing life experience she said she had already started writing it. She let me read what she had written, and I thought it was excellent and needed to be published. I recommended her to my publisher, Harvest House Publishers, and they agreed that she was writing something that must be read by young people everywhere. The result is her book Wake Up, Generation. If you have not read it, I highly recommend that you do for I know it will inspire you to great things in your life. It did that for me.

After that book came out, Harvest House Publishers asked Paige and me to cowrite this book of prayers for young women because we each have a specific perspective that we bring to it. We each have written seventy-two prayers. I have written mine from the standpoint of a mentor to you. These are prayers I wish I had known to pray when I was your age because I could have spared myself so much grief. But I can now give them to you so you will have the benefit of that knowledge and experience without having to pay the price I did for not knowing. Paige knows what the specific needs of your generation are and the situations and challenges that you uniquely and commonly face today. She applies that knowledge to her prayers along with a passionate concern for the men and women of her generation. Paige has a tremendous heart for the Lord because she has faced the enemy of death and by the power of God has won. She can help you face the challenges of your life and win too. As you read on, I know you will love and appreciate her as I do.

PAIGE

The first time I met Stormie was when she came to dinner with her son, Chris, and me at our favorite Japanese restaurant. I had heard many great things about her, but had no idea how great until I met her. Stormie’s presence and spirit instantly made me feel loved, safe, and like I had known her for years. There was hardly a pause in our conversation the whole night, except when we absolutely had to chew. One of the things that struck me that night was the way that she would humorously make light of herself, revealing a captivating humility that I adored. I couldn’t believe the way my heart felt at home.

Chris and I married on November 11, 2011, and it was truly the most profound and incredible day of my life. Not only did the Lord so graciously give me the man of my dreams whom I’ve prayed for my whole life…but He gave me an amazing family along with him! I cannot believe God’s goodness to me. Now that Stormie is my second mom, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing what a woman of God she is daily. Even when she’s finishing her latest book, preparing for a speaking event, and keeping her own household running, she still remembers an item I once mentioned I needed and calls to let me know she’s found it and it’s being delivered. There are not many people who care about others the way she does. I believe this is a huge reason why her books have been so successful and powerful. She truly cares about you.

When Stormie called me a few months ago to let me know that Harvest House Publishers would like us to write this book together, my end of the phone line went silent. To say that I was intimidated to write this book with her is an understatement. Stormie has written more books than I can count and is known for the beautiful and life-changing way that she leads people to deepen their walk with the Lord in prayer. While God has done miraculous things in my life and allowed me to have my first book published, there’s no need to explain the difference between our experience and positions. Though I had no idea what I had to offer, I felt like God was calling me to accept and journey with her in the writing of this book. I trusted that God knew my inadequacies far better than I did and would provide!

Unexpectedly, my own prayer life was attacked as I began writing. I began to question whether my prayers were truly powerful, and wondered who I was to be writing prayers that others would then pray themselves. As my husband, family, and friends prayed over me, I began to see the attack for what it was… the enemy trying to stop me. My prayers aren’t powerful because I have some special wording. They are powerful because I have faith and the Holy Spirit is in me, leading me to speak to the Father about the real things I’m facing. If Christ is in you, you have that power too.

In this book you’ll find insight from two similar but very different perspectives. Stormie understands where you are. Her story is unbelievable and she knows the battles you face in the most extreme way. She is able to zoom out with the wisdom her years have brought to not only understand the negative effects these circumstances have had on her life, but also how we each can pray in order to avoid those consequences in our lives.

I am in the midst of this “young woman-ness” with you. I know what I face and what my friends face. Before I wrote each prayer, I prayed for you first, asking that the Lord would show me the words He longs to hear from His daughters. My heart and intent with each prayer is for you to know how real you can be with God. I’ve been beautifully surprised and comforted to learn that the Lord desires a messy love relationship with us. This means that He doesn’t want your polished words—He wants the raw and real you. He desires to be closer to you than anyone else in your life. When we begin to open our hearts and be vulnerable with God, we receive more from Him than we could ever hope for, expect, or imagine. Your prayers are powerful. Believe, watch, and be amazed.

STORMIE AND PAIGE

With all that being said, we hope you will find this book a great help to you. You can start at the beginning and read it straight through—one or more prayers every day—or you can skip around to whatever prayer topics seem most important to you at the time. Whichever way you approach it, it is important to eventually read every prayer, because together they will cover your life in the way it needs to be covered—with no important aspects left out. There is no right or wrong way to do it; there is only your way as the Holy Spirit leads you. We pray that each prayer in this book will be a starting point from which you will share your own specific needs at that moment with the Lord.

One last thing we want you to know is that we love you, our dear reader and sister in the Lord, and we pray you will be greatly touched by God’s life-changing power in response to your prayers and that you will establish a strong and life-changing walk with God.

1

Lord, Help Me Seek You

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

JEREMIAH 29:13

Heavenly Father, earnestly I seek You. I put aside everything and count You as more valuable, more precious to me than anything in all creation. Lord, You are here with me always, yet You promise that as I draw near to You, You will draw nearer to me (James 4:8). Your presence is worth giving up all else. Don’t let me start my days without seeking You and submitting myself to the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.

Forgive me for all the times I haven’t sought You because somehow I thought I was better off on my own. What a tragedy not to seek You and to leave the treasures of Your goodness untouched as though they were not worth finding. If I had only understood my own condition, I would have been on my face before You constantly. Give me a heart that longs to know You and love You deeply. I need You more than the air I breathe—for You are life itself.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

2

Rejecting the Fear of Rejection

The LORD will not reject his people.

PSALM 94:14

Dear Lord, help me to not be influenced by fear that I will be rejected. I don’t want that feeling to blind me to the actual truth of my situation. I know that probably everyone is rejected by someone at one time or another. But I don’t want the fear of that to control my life. When I am rejected—or feel rejected—make me strong in my mind and heart so I will not be brought down by it. Help me to remember that I am always accepted in Your eyes. Thank You, Lord, that You have chosen me to be Your child and You will never reject me.

Where I have deep hurts because of rejection in the past, I pray You would heal those wounds. Enable me to no longer live in the pain of rejection, for You are with me to help and strengthen me (Isaiah 41:9-10). Thank You that You love me the way I am, yet You help me every day to become more like You. Teach me to accept myself the way You unconditionally accept me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

3

I Want to Be Beautiful

Your beauty…should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

1 PETER 3:3-4

Jesus, I want to be beautiful. I know this desire is of You because You long to reveal Your beauty through us. I love that You’ve placed Your gentleness, sensitive Spirit, compassion, and beauty in the heart of women. Who I am is a direct reflection of gorgeous qualities of You. I pray You would reveal Your beauty in me and that for once I would believe that it has nothing to do with my outward appearance. I’m so hung up on that, Lord.

You created my eyes not to allure, but to see evidence of You in a world in need. My ears were created to hear Your voice and the testimonies of Your people. My lips were created to proclaim You—to speak words of life and encouragement. My hands were created to touch the world and live out the purpose You’ve given me. My body was created to be the temple of Your Holy Spirit. Lord, You created beauty, so only You define it.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

4

Trusting God in Times of Loss

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

MATTHEW 5:4

Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You that no matter what I have lost in my life—whether it is a person, a relationship, a much-loved pet, finances, a valued object, an opportunity, or an ability to do something—You know the pain I feel because of it. Only by Your Holy Spirit in me—the Comforter whom You sent to uphold us—can I be made to rise above my grief. Because of You I don’t have to hurt forever and I can feel complete again.

I pray that the hole I feel in my heart because of a loss I have suffered will be filled with Your love, peace, and joy. I know that You, Lord, are good and if I walk day by day with You, this seemingly unending pain will actually fade away and I will find happiness again. I choose to walk step-by-step with You today, trusting You to help me face any loss I have experienced with renewed hope about the future. Thank You that You fill every empty place in me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

5

Feeling Obsessed with Planning

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

PROVERBS 19:21

Lord, I need to slow down. I’ve been running ahead making so many plans that my head is spinning. I always think if I can just plan “this” and have control of “that” everything will run much smoother. But I realize why this isn’t working…because I’ve left You out. Forgive me for my need to control and teach me how to let You lead. You are God, and I am not. I realize that when I try to take the reins I am basically saying, “I know better than You, God!” I repent of this and declare my trust in Your divine Plan.

Father, I come to You today and scrap my plans. Yes, there are things to do and work to be done, but I lay down my own schedule and agenda. Where are You going today, Lord? I want to follow. Who are You touching? I want to reach them. What do You desire to accomplish by the end of this day? I want to be a part. Lord, I cast aside my plans today because I’d rather follow Yours.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

6

Seeing Things from God’s Perspective

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

PSALM 119:18

Dear Lord, help me to always be able to see what is right and good about my life instead of thinking about what is wrong. Sometimes when things don’t turn out like I planned, hoped, or prayed they would, I start to have doubts about myself instead of believing that You are doing something good in the situation. I don’t want to be worrying about what has happened—or not happened—when actually I should be looking to You and thanking You that You can turn it around for good.

I believe that You are a good God and that You have the best for me. Help me to see Your good in every situation. Your Word says that everyone who takes refuge in You will be blessed (Psalm 34:8). I trust in You and in Your Word and thank You for the blessings You are pouring out on my life. Open my eyes so that I can see things from Your perspective. Help me to see the whole truth of what You are doing in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

7

I Don’t Feel Good Enough

Trust in him at all times…pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

PSALM 62:8

Father, today I just want to put a bag over my head and hide. I don’t feel pretty, put together, or worth anyone’s time. Everywhere I turn I’m plagued by the overwhelming feeling that I’m not good enough. It seems I’m either too little or too much…but not enough. Jesus, with a desperate heart I come to You needing Your arms to hold me. I’m struggling with doubt that You even want to hear my prayer, but I cling to Your Word that tells me to trust You and pour out my heart.

In Your name, I stand against the feelings of worthlessness that have stolen Your joy and peace in my life. Lift off the lies that weigh so heavily on me, and replace them with your glorious Truth. Your Word says that I am precious and honored in Your sight…and that You love me (Isaiah 43:4). You call me Your chosen one in whom You delight (Isaiah 42:1)! I claim these words knowing they have the power to transform my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

8

Surrendering My Life to the Lord

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 PETER 5:6-7 NKJV

Lord, I pray that You will rule over every area of my life. Help me to fully trust You with my whole heart and mind. Teach me to obey You in all things and not try to live life my own way and on my own terms. I surrender my life to You. I give You my work, my relationships, my activities, my interests, and my goals. I put everything in Your hands so it can be used for Your glory.

I don’t want to live according to my own desires, but instead I want to do what You want. I come humbly before You knowing that as I do You will lift me up. I give my concerns to You and thank You that You care about each one because You care about me. Thank You for Your love and the blessings that You pour out on me every day.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

9

I Am Your Servant

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

ISAIAH 6:8

Jesus, I am Your servant. I serve such a Good Master. My soul burns to be used by You as I long to fulfill the purpose You’ve given me. I cast aside fear and wholeheartedly submit my life and dreams to You, because I know Your plan is best for me. You’re the only Master whose slaves become free when they submit to You. I thirst to put a smile on Your face and be a light in this dark world.

My body is a jar of clay, yet You’ve laid treasures inside of it to show the world that this all-surpassing power is from You and not me (2 Corinthians 4:7). Use me as a vessel to pour out Your love and truth on everyone I encounter. I make myself available to You. You’ve said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Luke 10:2). I declare myself a worker for Your Kingdom, a servant to Your throne. May the cry of my heart forever be, “Here am I. Send me!”

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

10

When I Need to Forgive

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

MATTHEW 6:15

Heavenly Father, help me to forgive others the way You have commanded me in Your Word. I know that forgiving someone is a choice I must make and I choose right now to be a forgiving person. I know I must decide to forgive before I can ever feel forgiveness. I confess to You any unforgiveness I have in me and ask You to set me free from it.

Show me if there is any lack of forgiveness in me that I am not seeing. I know that forgiving someone doesn’t make them right, or justify what they have done, but it frees me from the destruction of bitterness that not forgiving someone causes. Enable me to forgive that person whether they apologize or not. Help me to forgive others so that You will forgive me. I don’t want to limit the good things You want to pour into my life all because I will not forgive. I never want anything to come between You and me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

11

I Just Want Love

I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.

HOSEA 2:19

Lord, I am feeling heartsick today…heartsick for love. My romantic thoughts have been running away with me, and I just can’t stop longing for the right guy’s affection and love. I lift my desires up to You because I know You will fulfill them in Your perfect time. You are so romantic, Lord. You are the Author of love. When I think of how You laid down Your life for me…there is nothing more You could have done to prove Your extravagant love.

In the book of Hosea, You call a faithful man to marry a prostitute just to exemplify the way that You are a reckless Lover who has been betrayed by us. Could it be that this deep desire for intimacy in my heart can only be filled by You? What lover could compare? Isaiah 54:5 says, “Your Maker is your husband,” so Lord, I am betrothed to You. You have loved me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and nothing on earth can measure up. I love You, Jesus. You captivate me. My heart is forever Yours.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

12

Help Me Separate Myself from Sin

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

1 JOHN 3:6

Dear God, I know that You hate sin (Proverbs 6:16). I hate it too. I hate it enough to completely separate myself from it. I know that any sin in my life grieves Your Holy Spirit and I don’t ever want to do that. But I need Your help. So I ask You to give me strong conviction in my soul if ever I am drawn toward any kind of action or thought that goes against Your ways. Your Word says that sin kills, but Your Spirit gives life (Romans 8:2). I choose You and Your ways. I choose life by the power of Your Spirit in me.

Make me aware whenever I am in danger of disobeying Your laws. Only You can enable me to give up all desire for something or someone that goes against Your will for me. Line up the desires of my heart with the desires of Your heart. Help me to separate myself from anything that separates me from You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

13

I Need Godly Friends

One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.

PROVERBS 22:11

Father, I come before You and ask that You would bring godly friends into my life. I have seen the influence that those I spend my time around have on me, and know that I need to be discerning. You desire for us to have close fellowship with other believers so I ask for this in faith, knowing that it’s Your will for me to receive this.

I pray that Your Holy Spirit would lead me to the right people who are also seeking to find godly friendship. You use our relationships to shape, challenge, and refine us, and I look forward to that growth. Help me, first of all, to be the kind of friend that I desire to find. Weed out any bitter roots in me that would repel others from trusting me or getting close. Make my words gracious, my ears eager to listen, my spirit discerning, and my heart open to love. I wait in earnest expectation, thanking You in advance for the treasures of godly friendship that will soon be mine.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

14

Finding My Identity in the Lord

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

MATTHEW 6:32

Heavenly Father, I thank You that I am Your daughter. Help me to live like the daughter of a King. I don’t want to fall into the pride, lure, and lust of the world that steals away the good life You have for me. I want to be full of Your Spirit and not full of myself. Show me how to be Your light in this world without being drawn into what is dark. Thank You that You know my deepest needs.

Enable me to keep my identity in You and who You made me to be. Keep me from giving in to the practices of this culture that are not pleasing to You. Help me to turn away from anything that is polluting my mind and distracting me from all You have for me. I don’t want to become accustomed to seeing or doing things that are not right in Your eyes. Thank You for knowing what I need even before I do.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

15

I Feel Like a Failure

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

HEBREWS 12:1

Heavenly Father, You know how frustrated I am at myself. I feel like a failure. I know my struggles, yet I can’t seem to fix them or make them better. Father, You are the Redeemer of all things. Please redeem what I have lost because of my failures. I surrender to You with raised hands, declaring that I am no longer going forward in my own strength. I don’t have the power to change on my own so I call upon Your Holy Spirit to transform me.

Your Word says to throw off everything that hinders, so Lord, I cast off all that’s been entangling me. Show me what I need to get rid of or stop doing so that I can start doing the things that You’ve called me to do. In Jesus’ name, please help me to overcome (specific area of weakness). Thank You that Your Word says we are more than conquerors through You who love us (Romans 8:37)! Because of You, the victory is already mine.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

16

Showing Love to Others

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

JOHN 15:12

Dear Jesus, help me to love others the way that You do. I know that You love them unconditionally, no matter how they act or what they have done. I find it hard to always do that. You have commanded us to love You and love others, but I find it far easier to love You than I do to love them. Other people fail me and You never do. Other people can be unloving and You never are. That’s why I need Your love to fill my heart every day.

Thank You that You are the God of love—You don’t just have love, You are love. I pray that Your Spirit of love in me will flow out of me to others like a river. Enable me to show love even to those who are hard to love. Teach me how to be loving to others in a consistent and unfailing way. Enable me to be the kind of person people are attracted to because of Your love in me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

17

Purpose in My Imperfections

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

EXODUS 9:16

Jesus, it’s hard not to look in the mirror and see imperfections. Too many times all that I see is all that I wish I could change. Forgive me, Lord, for I know this is not only an insult to Your perfect and special design of me, but to Your plans of using me. You have raised me up, from the hair on my head to the tips of my toes, for a specific purpose. The very things that I wish I could change are not a mistake, but Your divine plan.

Lord, You even say that my imperfections and weaknesses are my strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). If this is so, then how beautiful it is to be imperfect! Though the world around me does everything to airbrush flaws, I stand firm knowing that I have the freedom in You to throw off pretenses and be real. Thank You that You have created me to fulfill a greater story than just my own. Use me, Lord, for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

18

When I Feel Anxious

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

Lord, You have said in Your Word that we are not supposed to have anxiety about anything, but instead we are to pray about everything. Help me to do that. I get anxious about many things and I don’t want to be that way. I know I can’t live successfully if I am too often distracted by worry. Help me to tell You everything that is on my heart way before it gets out of control.

I lift up to You the things that cause me to feel anxious right now and thank You for the amazing peace You have promised in Your Word to those who pray—a peace that will guard my heart and mind. Thank You that You can help me overcome all anxiety so completely that I am no longer anxious about anything. Teach me to fully trust You in this.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

19

Lord, Use Me to Change the World

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute…defend the rights of the poor and needy.

PROVERBS 31:8-9

Lord, I have a burning desire to impact this world. Thank You that though I am small, You are not, and Your presence in me is great enough to do anything You’ve called me to do. I long to leave a legacy that touches generations to come for Your Kingdom. My life is but a mist (James 4:14), yet through Your power, the things I give myself to can have an eternal impact. I am Your vessel.

Your Word says that You have put Your Spirit on me that I might bring justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1). You have anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, to release those who’ve been imprisoned in darkness, and to give comfort for those who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-2). Father, I give my life to serve by Your side. Show me specifically who to reach, and help me to step out in faith. I’ll follow You to the ends of the earth.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

20

Getting Close to God

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

JAMES 4:8

Lord, I want to be close to You and feel Your presence in my life. But I know that cannot happen if I don’t spend time alone with You. Yet finding time alone to pray is sometimes difficult and I need Your help. Show me the things that draw me away from being with You and that are not necessary to my life. No one will ever know me as well or love me as much as You do. Only You can fill the places in me that feel empty or lonely.

Thank You, Lord, that when I draw near to You, You always draw near to me. I draw close to You right now and ask You to help me recognize the comfort of Your presence in my life. Help me to set aside time each day to be with You so that I can know You better and become more like You. I don’t want a shallow relationship with You, Lord. I want it to be deep and life-changing.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

21

Help Me Not to Compromise

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

1 JOHN 2:17

Heavenly Father, there is so much compromise around me I fear I’m blurring lines that should be straight and clear. Reel me back in so I will feel Your instant tug when I am stepping too close to the edge. Give me clarity of vision in the areas of how I dress, how I present myself, how I talk, what I listen to and watch, and what I spend my time doing. Restore to me, especially, Your definition of purity.

Lord, I repent and ask You to reclaim my heart. Show me specifically what areas I’m compromising in and raise my standard to what is truly Your standard…not everyone else’s. You have so much for me, Lord, and I don’t want to miss out on it because I’m not fully giving myself to You. What benefit do I ever reap at the time from the things I’m now ashamed of (Romans 6:21)? May I never trade in Your precious treasures for the scum of this world.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

22

Sometimes It’s Hard for Me to Pray

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.

1 PETER 3:12

Lord, help me to remember that prayer is simply communicating with You, telling You what my concerns are and how I feel about my life and the way I feel about You. It’s telling You what I want to see happen in my life and in the world around me. Often I feel like my life and thoughts are complicated and hard to express. But I know You understand me and my situation far better than I do.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to pray because I’m not sure You will hear and answer. But Your Word says that You see me and my situation and that You are always open to my prayers and the things that concern me. I pray that the things You care about will be the things I care about as well. Help me to pray when I find it difficult and don’t know what to pray. Help me believe that You always hear and answer.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

23

I Escape to You

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

MATTHEW 11:28

Lord Jesus, when You walked as a man on this earth, You often withdrew to a solitary place. After pouring Yourself out continually for others, it was in this lone getaway that You were renewed. Even as the Almighty Son of God, this is where You found Your strength. Lord, I escape to You now in this solitary place and moment, needing rest and renewal for my soul. I ask Your Spirit of peace to wash over me, rinsing away my stress, fears, and insecurity. Flood me with Your presence, that every pore in my body might exude Your glorious light.

Scripture says that when Moses came down the mountain from his private meeting with You he literally glowed. His face was so radiant that everyone knew he had just been in the midst of Your Almighty presence (Exodus 34:29-35). Lord, I humbly ask that You meet me here in this sacred moment. May Your presence leave me radiant and my heart utterly changed.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

24

When I Am Discouraged

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

GALATIANS 6:9

Lord, I thank You that You are the God of encouragement. When things happen in my life that are discouraging I know I will be encouraged whenever I read Your Word and sense Your peace and love for me. Help me to have far more faith in Your promises to me than I have in the opinions of others. Teach me to consistently reject any voice of discouragement because it is never from You. Enable me to be so familiar with Your voice to my heart that I immediately recognize a counterfeit.

Help me to not lose heart or grow weary of doing what is good and right in Your eyes. Keep me from becoming disheartened by circumstances around me and the things that happen to me. Help me instead to look forward to the good things I will reap in my life because I refused to let myself become weary while doing the right thing.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

25

Reclaim What I’ve Lost

I have loved you with an everlasting love…I will build you up again, and you…will be rebuilt.

JEREMIAH 31:3-4

Father, I come before You feeling broken in a thousand pieces. I’ve been slowly wandering away from You and I can’t do this anymore. I’ve heard You call me, but I haven’t wanted to listen. I’ve felt You whisper Truth, but I wanted You to be wrong. You knew how my decisions would end, yet I didn’t want to be stopped. So now, here I am—at the end of myself. I need You. I refuse to take another step without You. I give You everything.

Your Word says that after my suffering You will restore me, make me strong, firm, and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). You have promised to rebuild me, so Father, pour the foundation and lay the structures of my heart. When You created me, You knew the woman that You wanted me to be. Reclaim what I’ve lost and breathe Your life into my soul. Thank You, God, that as You restore me, You give me so much more than I could ever ask for or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Lord, rebuild me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

26

I Am Created for Good Things

We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

EPHESIANS 2:10

Dear Lord, I thank You for creating me and having a high purpose for my life. Help me to understand what that plan and purpose is. I don’t want to waste time on things that will lead me away from the path You have for me. But I don’t want to miss out on opportunities that will lead me toward what You want me to do. Open the doors You want me to go through. Close the doors that I should not enter. And give me the ability to tell the difference between the two.

Lord, I know that the best way for me to understand who I am is to better understand who You are. Help me to do that. Help me to read the Bible more so I can know You better. Help me to spend more time with You in prayer. Teach me to worship You every day, no matter what is happening, so I can stay on the path You have for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

27

Lord, Guide My Choices

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

ISAIAH 30:21

Lord Jesus, I come to You for direction. This is such a crucial time in my life, and I cling to Your guidance. Lord, the world offers all kinds of advice, but it’s not their voice that I look to. I seek Your plan solely. Set my feet on the path that You have for me and illuminate the way. I lift every big decision weighing on me before Your throne. Lead me clearly that I might know exactly which way to go. Your Spirit is not one of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33), so I know You will give me clarity.

I ask for a renewed sense of purpose in my smaller daily choices, knowing that how I spend each moment is how I live my life. Every choice matters. Remind me each morning as my feet touch the floor to commit my day to You. Father, I ask that Your Holy Spirit would be at my helm, guiding me through every choice, every day.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

28

Speaking Words That Please God

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

PSALM 19:14

Lord, help me to not think negative thoughts or say critical words about anyone. Forgive me for any time I have done that, for I know it does not please You. Help me to be careful about the words I speak so that I won’t say anything that hurts someone. Help me to treat others with kindness, patience, and love. Enable me to build people up and not tear them down. I know that words matter and You have said in Your Word that “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives” (Proverbs 13:3).

Teach me to think before I speak so that I say words that are honest yet caring, sensitive and not cruel. I know that dishonest, insensitive, or mean thoughts and words show I have a serious heart problem. Even if someone says negative or critical words toward me, give me strength to not retaliate. Enable me to be more like You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

29

Being a Woman of Integrity

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

PROVERBS 31:30

Heavenly Father, my culture’s definition of a “true woman” is appalling. Please undo the damage that this has caused in me. Although the world likes to pretend that they value a woman’s character, they only sell her sex appeal. I long to be a woman of integrity, for I know that is where true and unfading beauty lies. Help me to tune out the other voices screaming deception. Most of all, don’t let me look to guys for my affirmation. My value and worth are sealed in You.

You’ve told us that man looks at the outward appearance but that You look at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Pour Your character inside me and teach me to walk with integrity. You’ve described a noble woman as being one who is passionate about her work, whose arms are open to the poor, who’s clothed with strength and dignity, who speaks with wisdom and is not lazy (Proverbs 31:17-27). Lord, breathe these qualities into me as I pray. I stand in awe of You, Almighty God.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

30

Refusing Negative Thoughts About Myself

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

MATTHEW 12:34

Lord, I pray that You would fill my heart abundantly with more of Your love, so that it flows into my thoughts and words. Help me to not think judgmental thoughts or say critical words about myself. I don’t want to contradict who You say I am. You say I am valuable and have a purpose. You say You have made me to be Your daughter and You have a great future for me (Jeremiah 29:11-13). You say You will help me do what I need to do and You will bring everything You have promised to me to pass (Ephesians 1:13-14).

You say You will never leave me or forsake me. You say You will fill me with joy and hope by the power of Your Spirit (Romans 15:13). You say that if I stay focused on You, You will keep me in perfect peace. You have given me gifts, a calling, and a purpose. Enable me to speak words about myself that line up with what You say about me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

31

I Need a Reality Check

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

JAMES 4:14

Heavenly Father, open my eyes. I feel as though I’ve been sleepwalking, and I can’t afford to waste precious time. When I read Your Word I realize that I often devote myself to things that are fading away. Only what is unseen will last (2 Corinthians 4:18). Be my vision; rearrange my thoughts and priorities according to Your plan and what matters in eternity. You have given me an inheritance in heaven that will never perish, spoil, or fade (1 Peter 1:4), yet my time on earth is slipping away.

Help me to see my successes and troubles clearly, that I wouldn’t base my life upon perishable things. I cannot depend on tomorrow, for that’s not promised. I must follow You today. Lord, bind up the enemy who tries to control my thinking with the mindset of this world. What I do right now does matter and my life is precious. The reality that I see is not Your true reality. Remove the scales from my eyes. Awaken me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

32

When Life Seems Overwhelming

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

PSALM 61:2

Lord, sometimes I feel like my life is out of control and I am powerless to do anything about it. When my external circumstances and my internal emotions are more than I can handle, I feel I could explode. But I know You have the power to do anything—even change me and my circumstances. I thank You that even when what I am experiencing is too much for me, it is not too much for You. It is never beyond Your power to overcome.

Your Word says that when “the enemy pursues me…my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed” (Psalm 143:3-4). Help me to recognize the lies of the enemy when my life seems out of control so I can resist him. Teach me to keep focused on the truth of Your Word. You are the Rock that is higher than my circumstances and You are in control of my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

33

You Are My Father

I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:18

Lord, thank You for being such a loving Daddy. It’s amazing to me that You are our huge, all-powerful Creator of the Universe, yet You are also our sweet and adoring Father. I can’t begin to wrap my mind around You. Where my own father has disappointed me, I pray that You would heal my heart and help me to forgive him. Your Word tells me that I am Your precious child. You call me Your beloved daughter who is worth far more than precious jewels (1 Thessalonians 1:4; Proverbs 31:10). You only want the best for me and promise to withhold no good thing (Psalm 84:11).

Lord, You are my Father. You’re the Daddy I can count on, the strong arms that I’m safe in. At the end of the day, no earthly dad could ever compare to my perfect Heavenly Father, for there is no one higher than the King. You have crowned me as Your daughter, Your heir…Your princess. There is no greater honor than to be Your child. I love You, Father.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

34

When My Heart Is Distressed

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

ISAIAH 40:31

Lord, I come to You with a feeling of sadness in my heart and I ask You to take it away. Show me the burdens I am carrying that I should be bringing to You. I know that when I do, Your Word promises that “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). I know that because I have come to You in the midst of my trouble You will save me out of my distresses (Psalm 107:13).

Thank You, Lord, that You have the power to take away all distress and enable me to always find joy in You. Help me run the race and not grow weary from carrying a weight my shoulders were not built to carry. Show me how to rise up in Your strength and not my own. Thank You that every day You are able to fill my heart with joy (Psalm 4:7).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

35

Storing My Treasures in Heaven

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

MATTHEW 6:21

Jesus, I pray that You’d help me to not get caught up in the material things around me. Don’t let me spend so much of my time building up “stuff” rather than what will actually last. Your Word says to store up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). What do I treasure? Things of this earth or things of You? Everything I have here can and will be taken from me. Convict my spirit if I’ve allowed any idols in my life. Reveal to me anything that I’ve placed above You or that I wouldn’t give up if You asked me to.

I lift up and commit my finances to You because every cent I have isn’t mine, but Yours. How, specifically, do You desire for me to spend the money You’ve entrusted to me? Give me a heavenly perspective that I might be able to cut through the earthly “stuff” and put You in Your rightful place…as Lord.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

36

Taking Control of My Thoughts

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

ROMANS 12:2

Dear Lord, You have said in Your Word that we can “take captive every thought” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Help me do that. I don’t want to have negative or bad thoughts, or thoughts that draw me into the world’s way of thinking and away from Your ways. I want the renewed mind You have spoken of in Your Word. Help me to take charge of my thoughts and refuse to entertain those that do not please You or that lead me to be preoccupied with things that are outside of Your will for my life.

Help me to not entertain thoughts that run wild from one fear to the next or that cause anxiety in me. Enable me to reject thoughts that serve no good purpose and only take away from my life. Keep me from having thoughts that are scattered, and instead help me fill my mind with good things that bring peace and stability to my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

37

I Feel Hopeless

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

ZEPHANIAH 3:17

Lord, I’m plagued with hopelessness that’s been holding me hostage for far too long. I’ve allowed my mind to drown in circumstances and sink into the pit of despair. Forgive me, Lord, for not reaching out for You sooner. You’ve been here all along with outstretched arms. Your Word says that though I am overwhelmed from every angle, I am not crushed…I am perplexed, but not in despair, I am persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Jesus, I claim Your name as the authority over my life and ask that You remove the hopelessness that has bound me and left me immobile. Greater is Your Spirit in me than anything else that tries to bring me down (1 John 4:4). You redeem my life from the pit and crown me with love and compassion (Psalm 103:4). I reach for the hand that was pierced so that I might be saved from this darkness…Jesus, don’t let me waste this gift.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

38

Praising God No Matter What Happens

The people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

ISAIAH 43:21

Lord, I know that I was created to worship You above all else. And You want me to trust You enough to worship You in all things—not in just the good times, but no matter what is happening in my life. I know that You are always worthy to be praised. So regardless of what is going on in and around me, I will worship You, for You are greater than anything I face.

I worship You as my Creator, my heavenly Father, and the Almighty, all powerful God for whom nothing is impossible. You are my redeemer, restorer, provider, and protector, and all Your ways are good. I praise You with my whole heart and thank You for Your unfailing love toward me (Psalm 9:1). I will not allow anything to keep me from worshipping You—not circumstances and not even someone else’s bad behavior. I know when I worship You, I am doing Your perfect will and it is pleasing in Your sight.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

39

Waiting for My Husband

Take delight in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

PSALM 37:4

Lord, sometimes I get restless as I wait for my husband. It’s so hard to hold out not knowing where or who he is. The enemy tries to confuse, disappoint, and discourage me constantly…making me doubt that You really do have a man for me. But Lord, I cling to Your Word which says that You withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly with You (Psalm 84:11). You know the good desires of my heart because You’ve placed them in me. I trust in You and Your timing for their fulfillment.

People often say that my biblical standards for a man are too high, but I know that is Satan’s scheme to tempt me to compromise. I have no expectations for a man other than the ones You’ve specifically told me to hold out for. Until I meet the beloved man that You have for me, help me to steer clear from the guys who are mere distractions. Lord, use this time to mold and shape me into the woman that You’ve created me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

40

Moving into the Future God Has for Me

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:9

Dear Lord, You have said in Your Word that I cannot even imagine all You have waiting for me simply because I love You. And I know that the only way I can move into all that in the future is to walk closely with You every day. Help me to do that. I don’t want to make plans without consulting You. I don’t want to make up my own vision for my life and expect You to bless it. I want You to fulfill Your vision for my life.

I see in Your Word that the people who walked with You in their daily lives—like Abraham, Moses, and David—were the ones You blessed most and were called by You to do great things. Help me to be like that so I can do great things for You. Give me peace about my future because I have put it in Your hands.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

41

Lord, Give Me Wisdom

Wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

PROVERBS 24:14 NLT

Heavenly Father, of all the things on my heart to ask of You, I come before You solely petitioning for wisdom. Lord, You know my circumstances. You know where I have been unwise in the past. I seek to truly honor You with my character, my choices, and my life. This is why I pray for an outpouring of Your wisdom. How am I to handle anything that comes my way without Your divine guidance and wise perspective? Father, I repent of my past foolishness. Forgive me for ever thinking that I knew better than You.

Your Word says that You give generously to all who ask without finding fault (James 1:5). Lord, I long for others to be transformed by Your radiant presence in me. Your wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere (James 3:17). Your wisdom is so beautiful—who wouldn’t be drawn to that? May the wisdom You pour into me be a reflection of Your heart to those around me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

42

How Do I See Answers to My Prayers?

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

JOHN 9:31

Lord, You have said in Your Word that if we give You reverence by worshipping You and obeying Your laws, that You will hear our prayers. Help me to obey Your laws and live Your way. Where I have disobeyed You, I confess that before You and ask You to forgive me.

Lord, I worship You above all things. I reverence You for You mean more to me than anything else in my life. Help me to never think, speak, or act in any manner that is irreverent or apathetic toward You. I choose to live my life with gratitude to You without complaining, so that my worship is always pleasing in Your sight. Thank You for forgiving me when I come to You with a repentant heart. Enable me to live in a way that pleases You, so that You hear my prayers and answer them according to Your will for my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

43

Forgiving Myself

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up…I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

ISAIAH 43:18-19

Jesus, I can’t seem to let go of the mistakes that I’ve made. Every time I try to move forward, Satan throws my failures back in my face. Lord, You know that I have repented and surrendered to You with all of my heart. Your Word says that You have wiped my sins as far from me as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) and You have made my scarlet sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

Though the enemy would love to keep me in bondage, You have already lifted the chains off me—I’ve simply refused to accept Your freedom and forgive myself. Thank You, Lord, for Your incredible and unfailing mercy. I don’t deserve it, but I receive it now wholeheartedly with joy and gratefulness in my heart. Today is a new day, a fresh start. You have set me free, so I am free indeed (John 8:36)!

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

44

Establishing Right Priorities

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

MATTHEW 22:37-39

Lord, my top priority in life is to love You with all my heart. And the next is to love others. Help me to do that. Loving You is easy, but sometimes loving others is not. But I know that when I get those priorities straight, the other priorities in my life will fall into place. Help me to put You first above all else. Help me to seek You first every day in prayer, in praise, and in Your Word.

Show me what the priorities in the rest of my life should be. Help me see clearly how I should divide up my time. I don’t want to try to do so much that I don’t do anything well, yet I don’t want to neglect any part of what You want me to do either. Whatever I do, help me to honor You in it.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

45

Lord, Reveal My Pride

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3

Lord, You’ve shown us in Your Word that if there’s one sin that You hate, it’s pride. Sometimes I overlook the pride in myself because I only think of the term as blatant arrogance. But Lord, I’m reminded how the most common and disguised pride is actually insecurity—the idea that I can’t possibly reveal my problems or imperfections because I’m supposed to be perfect and everyone’s looking at me. Father, forgive me for being so self-centered as to think the whole world even cares about my bad hair days or zits.

Scripture says I ought to be humble and value others above myself, not looking to my own interest but the interests of the others (Philippians 2:4). So much of my insecurity would disappear if I would only take my eyes off myself and focus on others. Life is not about me…it’s about You, Lord. Reveal to me whatever form of pride has festered inside of me and wipe it out. Give me a humble spirit that reflects the attitude and glory of my Maker. You must become greater, and I must become less (John 3:30).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

46

When I Don’t Feel Good About Myself

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

JEREMIAH 29:11

Dear Lord, sometimes I don’t feel good about myself. I see myself with the critical eye of a judge and sentence myself to feeling inadequate. I know that is not the way You see me. You see me from the great future You have for me and not my past. I see all that You have done for me, but You see all that You are doing and will do in me.

Thank You that You see me as Your precious daughter, and every day You are making me to become more like You. When I am tempted to give in to negative thoughts about myself and my future, help me to resist the ploy of the enemy and refuse to go there. Keep me from giving in to self-focus, but rather lift my eyes to focus on You so I will praise You for everything that is good in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

47

Give Me Discernment

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

MATTHEW 10:16

Father, each year that passes the more I see my desperate need for discernment. Too many times I’ve wandered down roads that seemed well lit and promised hope, only to later discover they were dingy, dark, and not what they promised. Lord, give me a discerning spirit that I might be able to sense when something is not right or of You. Most sin doesn’t pose as evil, but rather as good. Keep my eyes wide open to this and my heart wise and shrewd. Help me to hide Your Word in my heart so that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

I am bombarded daily with so many messages from culture. I admit that at times I’ve been lazy and neglect to sort and discern each one. Don’t let me buy into what the world feeds me; let me only be sustained by Your Truth. Give me the power through Your Spirit to test everything, hold on to good, and flee every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). It’s by Your standard that I live.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

48

Living with a Grateful Heart

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.

PSALM 116:17

Dear Jesus, I never thought of being thankful to You as a sacrifice until I read it in Your Word. But I see how it is a choice we make to acknowledge You and be thankful to You for all You have done for us. I also see that not everyone makes that choice—not even all of Your children. But I do make that choice right now to honor You and live with a grateful heart toward You every day.

I am beyond thankful for all You have done for me. You have saved me from death and You have given me a high purpose. You have protected me and given me Your Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and comfort me. I worship You for Who You are and praise You for all that You are doing and will do for me. No matter what is happening in my life, I call upon Your name with love, reverence, and thanksgiving in my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

49

Lord, Show Me My Spiritual Gifts

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:27

Lord, it delights me to know that Your Word says You have placed spiritual gifts inside each of Your children. I don’t have to wander through life wondering why I’m here—You’ve given me a purpose and the tools to live it out. You’ve declared me a member in Your church, the Body of Christ, and have given me a specific part in it. Thank You that each of us has a different role, since, if we were all the same, where would the body be (1 Corinthians 12:19)?

Father, please show me the gifts that You have placed inside me. You have given me these gifts so I would use them, expand them, and freely give them. I desire to be a good steward with what You’ve entrusted to me; help me to use them as You’ve designed. How beautiful that not only do these gifts edify me and strengthen my relationship with You, but they are meant to bless others. Thank You, Lord, for gifting me with this incredible piece of Yourself.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

50

Choosing to Walk in the Spirit

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

ROMANS 8:9

Dear Jesus, thank You that because I have received You as my Savior, I have Your Holy Spirit in me. Your Spirit in me is the sign that I am Yours now and I have the power to refuse to walk according to my fleshly desires. I am no longer controlled by my sinful nature. You have made the way, and I have chosen You, yet still I must make choices each day to walk in the Spirit and not allow myself to walk in the flesh.

Help me to choose every day to serve You and to walk Your way, being led by Your Holy Spirit in me. I know that those who walk in the flesh cannot please You, so help me to stand strong and set my mind on the things of the Spirit and refuse to be brought down into the preoccupations of the flesh (Romans 8:5).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

51

Respecting Myself

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

PROVERBS 11:22

Heavenly Father, I fear I haven’t been representing the dignity that You’ve given me. You have called me to be a woman of noble character who is respected. You have instructed me to present myself with beautiful modesty and a wise spirit. Lord, forgive me for trading in Your admirable qualities for worldly trends. My culture has glamorized provocative women with loose morals. I know You have higher standards for us because You cherish us more than we can understand.

You’ve placed Your beauty inside of me, that I wouldn’t allow it to be slandered or trampled on. It breaks Your heart to see Your precious daughters throwing themselves at guys, accepting crude comments as compliments, and drawing inappropriate attention to their bodies. You created me for more than that, Lord. Remind me of my worth. Make my heart feel instantly sick the moment I present myself with less value than You’ve given me. You have crowned me as Your daughter and princess; You have inscribed Your royalty on my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

52

Praying for Difficult People

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

GALATIANS 6:2

Lord, I lift up to You the person in my life that I find most difficult to be around. I know You want me to love others the way that You love them, but I confess that in this case I find it very hard to do. I ask for a special infusion into my heart of Your love so that it overflows especially to the person who seems impossible to love. Show me what is going on in that person. Help me understand where he or she is troubled or hurt. Give me patience and understanding.

When someone becomes hard for me to deal with, enable me to remember to pray for them instead of becoming angry or resentful of them. Reveal to me anything in me that is contributing to the difficulties in this relationship. Show me a better way to relate to them that will bring good results. I pray that this challenging person will be touched by Your love and peace. Change the uncomfortable strain between us.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

53

Give Me True Faith

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

MATTHEW 17:20

Lord Jesus, I ask for a greater measure of faith. I believe that You are the Creator of the universe and are all-powerful. Rid me of any doubt in my heart that would hinder Your work in me. You ask that I have faith to truly believe You are who You said, and You’ll do what You’ve promised. I declare my trust in You.

Faith is being sure of what I hope for, and certain of what I cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). Give me a heart that is sure of Your Word and of Your Presence with me. Through prayer I am connected to the Source of Life! Lead me to ask in faith for the things that are in line with Your will, for it’s then that You promise it will be given to me (Matthew 21:22). Lord, help me to pray with wholehearted faith, that my prayers would move mountains in my life and in others’.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

54

Not Letting Emotions Rule My Day

By your patience possess your souls.

LUKE 21:19 NKJV

Lord, I know You gave me the ability to feel emotions, but I also know that You don’t want them to control or affect my life in a negative way. But sometimes when things don’t go like I want them to it can feel like the end of the world. When I feel full of emotion, give me the strength to resist the negative ones by bringing every feeling to You. I know You understand them more than I ever can.

Help me to not live by my feelings because I know I am able to feel things that are wrong. I can feel ugly, or stupid, or like You don’t care about me. But Your Word says that none of these things are true, and that I can’t always trust my feelings to tell me the truth. Give me the ability to control my emotions and recognize the ones that have no validity. Teach me to express the ones that have a purpose. I want my emotions to be in Your control and ruled by Your truth.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

55

Lord, Give Me Confidence

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

HEBREWS 10:35-36

Father, if there’s one thing I lack right now as I seek to follow Your calling, it’s confidence. I feel so inadequate for the things You’ve set before me, but I know Your Word says You’ve given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Lord, I think about Mary and how You told her the wildest news anyone could hear…she was to have Your Son. Yet her response was completely calm and sure: “May Your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).

Jesus, I ask for that same faith. I ask for confidence—not in myself, but in You. I am Your vessel, God, and I believe that anything You choose to do through me will have incredible power. I repent of the ways that I’ve held You back because of my own doubt. I cast aside my selfishness and fear and declare that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)!

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

56

Rising Above Peer Pressure

You shall have no other gods before me.

EXODUS 20:3

Heavenly Father, I come to You and seek Your strength. Sometimes I feel pressure by certain people around me to do the things they are doing, even though it is not Your best for my life. Help me not to do anything that doesn’t feel right in my soul, or that I know is wrong, or that does not glorify You. Enable me to get free of wanting to be liked by others more than wanting to please You. Help me to not feel like I have to fit in with their plans more than with Your plan. I want to look to You for approval and acceptance and not to others.

Rather than being influenced by others in a negative way, I pray that Your Spirit in me will draw others to You and influence them in a positive way. Enable me to be the influencer who leads others away from trouble. I want to live up to Your standard for my life and not someone else’s. You are my God and my allegiance is to You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

57

Seeing Myself Through God’s Eyes

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

PSALM 139:13

Lord, give me Your eyes, because mine don’t see clearly. When I look at myself, I see what I lack. When You look at me, You see Your cherished daughter for whom You’ve given everything. Father, thank You for creating me. Your Word says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Help me to see that. When I look in the mirror, direct my eyes to specific parts of me and reveal the beauty in those areas that I’ve never noticed before. Show me a glimpse of why You created each part of me, that I might see myself the way You do.

Lord, thank You that when You look at me, You see the purpose and future that You have for me. You see the daughter You’ve redeemed, whose shame You’ve traded in for honor. Father, no one sees me as more beautiful or precious than You. You proved my worth when You sent Your only Son to die in my place. Because of Your sacrifice, the value of my life is beyond measure.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

58

When My Prayers Have Not Been Answered

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

COLOSSIANS 4:2

Lord, there are prayers that I have been praying for a while and I have not seen answers yet. Help me to do as You have said in Your Word and continue praying with a grateful heart. Thank You that You do hear my prayers. Help me to trust You to answer them in Your way and Your time. I know it is my job to pray and that You will answer as You see fit. Help me to do my job and pray according to Your will.

If You are answering my prayer and I have not recognized that because it wasn’t answered the way I envisioned it, open my eyes to see the truth. If the answer is no, help me to rest in that because above all I want Your will to be done in my life. If I am to keep on praying about this, help me to press on and not lose heart while waiting for the answer You have for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

59

Ignite My Passion

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

COLOSSIANS 3:23-24

Father, You’ve given me a purpose to live out in this world. Ignite a passion in my soul for the things You’re calling me to do. Spark a fire in my heart for the specific people You’ve designed me to minister to. Let me overflow with compassion and love for them and be willing to serve them at all costs. Don’t let me succumb to the lies of this world that tell me to only worry about myself and the best way to make money. I wholeheartedly give myself to Your fulfilling and radical plan for me. Don’t let there be an apathetic bone in my body, for You’ve said that complacency will destroy (Proverbs 1:32).

Lord, I give You everything I love and everything I hate. Transform them both into passions that serve You. As Your follower, my life should be anything but dull and my heart should be nothing but passionate. May my life reveal to a dying world what an exhilarating and beautiful adventure it is to follow my Lord!

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

60

Mending a Broken Heart

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

PSALM 34:17-18

Lord, Your Word says that when I come to You with a humble heart You hear my prayers and save me from my problems. I come to You now with a heart that hurts. I feel like my heart is broken, either from things that have happened in the past or from something that is happening right now. I pray that You would mend and heal it. Take the pain away and help me to cope with the situation that has caused it.

Thank You that You promise to hear my prayers and deliver me out of trouble. You are near to those who have a broken heart, and I need the presence of Your Holy Spirit to bring comfort to my heart now. Give me a heart that is free of pain and filled with certainty of the good days You have ahead for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

61

Lord, Help Me Be Pure

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God’s holy people.

EPHESIANS 5:3

Jesus, I come to You and plead for my purity. It is so hard to be pure not only physically, but in my mind and heart. Strengthen me against the fleshly desires that war in my soul. I surrender to You and ask that You would fill me with what is right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8). It is only by Your grace that I can stand firm in the midst of temptation.

Lord, show me specifically what it means to walk out purity according to Your standards, and convict me if I’m disobeying them. Thank You, Father, that You’re not keeping me from goodness and pleasure, but rather protecting me from harm so I can fully enjoy sex as You intended. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew an unwavering spirit in me (Psalm 51:10). Wipe away all my past mistakes that I may be pure and whole in Your sight. I’m so grateful for Your grace, and I cling to Your protection.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

62

Staying Free of Envy

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

PROVERBS 14:30

Dear Lord, help me to never compare myself and my circumstances to others. I don’t want to feel envious of anyone, for I know that nothing good comes out of that. It only brings confusion and evil into my life (James 3:16). Help me to not think about what someone else has that I don’t. Help me, instead, to think about all that You have for me—Your love, Your gifts, Your help, Your power, and Your provision for me.

I know that envy only creates misery in the person who has it. So if there is ever someone who is envious of me for any reason, I pray that Your love in me would be so strong that it would overshadow any negative feelings in that person. When I recognize envy in someone toward me, remind me to pray for that person to be free of that terrible and destructive attitude. Enable me to be completely free of the rottenness of envy in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

63

Lord, I Need Healing

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

PSALM 30:2

Jesus, I come before You, knowing You are the Ultimate Healer. My body is stricken with (pain/illness) and I look to You first and foremost for restoration. You knit my body together and know every ounce of it (Psalm 139:13). There is no one who knows what’s going on inside of me better, and there is no one with greater power to heal me. Lord, in Jesus’ name, I ask that You would heal my (area of pain or disease) and restore me completely back to health. I pray that You release any hold that the enemy has over me and wash me in Your cleansing blood.

Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit on me that my body would be filled not with the weakness of flesh but with Your powerful Presence. I believe that not only are You able to heal me, but that You desire to use my life for Your amazing purpose. I trust You in all things, and know that it is by Your wounds that I have received ultimate healing (Isaiah 53:5).

In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.

—Paige

64

I Don’t Want to Live in Fear

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

1 JOHN 4:18 NKJV

Lord, I know You don’t want me to live in fear, because fear doesn’t come from You. You want me to trust You instead. When I see things that are happening in the world it makes me afraid of what could happen to me or the people close to me. Too often I am afraid of what people think, and I know that “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25 NKJV).

Thank You that Your perfect love casts out all fear. I open my heart and ask for a fresh flow of Your perfect love in me. Help me to stay close to You so I can always feel Your love flowing through me and erasing all fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Keep me protected and away from every frightening threat. I know that the closer I am to You, the farther fear is from me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

65

What Is True Love?

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:13

Father, I feel like my definition of love has been tainted. Everywhere I turn people talk about being “in love,” yet it doesn’t even come close to the love that You’ve defined. Lord, I don’t want to give away the words “I love you” loosely. I realize that they are not just some romantic feeling but actually a commitment when I say them. Your Word says that love is patient and kind. That it does not envy or boast, and it isn’t proud. It is never rude, self-seeking, or easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. You said love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Above all, love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Lord, as the Author of love, I ask that You would write this definition on my heart that its truth might lead me. Protect me from jading the purity of true love by succumbing to the world’s idea of it. I bask in Your love for me and ask that it may overflow.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

66

Understanding My Purpose

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.

PSALM 20:4 NKJV

Dear Lord, thank You that You created me for a purpose. Thank You that You have saved me and called me with a holy calling according to the purpose You have for my life (2 Timothy 2:9). I ask for the wisdom and knowledge I need to understand what my calling is (Ephesians 1:17-18). I know that I will never find true happiness and peace until I am doing what You have called me to do. Even if I don’t know all the details, enable me to sense the direction in which I should be going—as well as the direction in which I should clearly not be going.

I know that I am called to serve You and serve others, so I ask You to show me how to do that. Reveal to me the gifts and talents You have put in me so that I can serve Your purposes best. Give me a clear vision for my life. I don’t want to strive to be something that You have not created or called me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

67

Teach Me to Make Disciples

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

MATTHEW 28:19

Lord, Your Word says to make disciples of all nations, but sometimes I don’t even know where to start. Show me how to build strong relationships with people and invest in their lives. Help me to be more aware of people’s needs. Sometimes they’re obvious, but other times they’re not. I rely on Your guidance to show me who to serve and how to minister to each person. Give me gracious boldness in order to share about You with others.

Jesus, when You walked among us, You tangibly cared for people before You ministered to them. Though You knew their ultimate spiritual need, You always met their physical needs too. This proved Your truth and love to them. Father, equip me to be a compassionate leader and example. Make my heart’s desire to spend time pressing into You and Your Word. Pour into me, that I might learn from You how to pour into others.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

68

Bearing Good Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

GALATIANS 5:22-23

Heavenly Father, I know that You are the God of all creativity and fruitfulness. I ask You to plant the seeds of creativity and fruitfulness in me so that I can bear good fruit in my life. Help me to “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season” so that I can prosper in everything I do (Psalm 1:3 NKJV). Enable me to have a fruitful life that is full of good things.

Thank You that the Holy Spirit in me produces the fruit of Your Spirit. I pray that You would grow in me Your love, joy, and peace. Help me to increase in patience, kindness, and goodness. Enable me to exhibit great faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control so that I reflect Your nature. I know that I can only produce that kind of fruit in my life because Your Spirit is in me. I pray that these virtues will become visible in me as a sign to others that You are working powerfully in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

69

Promises in My Pain

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

ROMANS 8:28 NKJV

Father, I can’t see what You’re doing right now. All I see and feel is this pain that I’m going through. Open my eyes, Lord. Your Word says You are good, You’ll never leave me, and that I have every reason to trust You. Scripture says that You are the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles so we can then console others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). You not only see us through our trials, but use them to encourage and minister to others.

Your ways are not mine…they are better. Thank You that nothing I go through is wasted because You always have a purpose through my pain. What Satan planned to be my demise, You planned to showcase redemption’s story. Lord, I trust and submit to You in whatever You’re doing. Exchange my sorrow for gladness and my nearsighted eyes for eternal hope. I cling to Your promises, for they promise to bring good.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

70

Resisting Temptation

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.

2 PETER 2:9 NKJV

Lord, I know that You never lead us into temptation, but You will always lead us away from it when we ask You (James 1:13). So whenever I am tempted to get off the path You have for me, I pray that You will strike my conscience and give me strength to stand strong against it. Help me to resist anything that entices me away from Your best for my life.

I know that no one is hidden from Your sight and that You see all things (Hebrews 4:13). I want everything I do to be approved by You. Make me aware at all times of what is happening around me so that I am not taken by surprise. Keep me from being attracted to someone or something that is not good for my life. Save me from my own weaknesses. Where I have fallen into temptation already, I pray You would strengthen me to stand strong and resist that plan of the enemy for my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

71

I Am Your Ambassador

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20

Lord, thank You that You have entrusted me as Your ambassador. What an honor that You allow my name to be associated with Yours. I don’t take this lightly and I cling to You, asking for Your Spirit to lead me. I understand the seriousness of the fact that if I claim to follow You, I actually need to. There are too many hypocrites and fakes out there and I don’t want to be one of them. They leave an unbelieving world confused about You because their lives don’t show evidence of Your love, grace, and power.

Help me to be a true witness who has given my life to You and therefore can only live as You lead me. You tell us to be wise in the way that we act towards outsiders (Colossians 4:5) because we may be the only evidence of You that they’re aware of. Lord, be the difference in me that others can’t ignore. I long for unbelievers to wonder and ask what beautiful thing I have that they don’t…so I can simply say, Jesus.

In Your name I pray.

—Paige

72

Refusing to Be Desperate

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 PETER 5:8

Dear Lord, help me to be on guard against the many bad influences around me in this world. Enable me to stand strong in resisting them. I don’t want to be weak and so desperate to fit in with a certain group or a certain person that I will do something or watch something that I know is not right or good for my life. Help me to be aware and not naïve about the dangers. Teach me to recognize a situation that has the potential to be bad.

I know You have called me to purity and holiness. Keep me from ever compromising on that. Where I have already compromised and have seen, watched, or done something that is not pleasing to You, I ask You to forgive me and enable me to resist any desperation to succumb to the pressure of the ungodly. I want to be desperate only for more of You and all You have for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

73

Lord, Guard My Heart

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

PROVERBS 4:23 NLT

Heavenly Father, I feel a war raging for my heart. Everyday I’m lured and seduced by something new that seeks to steal all that You’ve given me. Jesus, I hide my heart in Your hands, knowing it’s the only safe place. Protect and preserve it so that I might not be hardened or jaded by this world. Show me how to have integrity in my relationships so that I wouldn’t tear down the walls that were meant to be boundaries.

Lord, keep the key to my heart tightly in Your hands. I look to You to decide when and to whom to give it away. Your Word says not to arouse or awaken love until it so desires (Song of Songs 2:7), and I know only You have the authority over that timing. Guard my heart so that no one would come and steal its precious inmost pieces—and most of all, help me not to carelessly give them away. Remind me of my worth. Seal me with Your love, truth, and value.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

74

Making Wise Decisions

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

JAMES 1:5

Dear Lord, I pray that You will give me wisdom so I can always make good choices. Help me to seek Your wisdom in all things and to pay attention to the advice of wise people. Lead me away from counsel that is not wise or not godly. Help me to grow in wisdom and understanding every time I read Your Word (Proverbs 4:5-6).

Thank You that wise decisions can protect me from evil (Proverbs 2:10-12), save me from danger (Proverbs 3:23), and help me to have a long life (Proverbs 3:16). I know that to fear and reverence You is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Help me to do that without fail every day. Teach me to value wisdom, for Your Word says it is greater than having riches (Proverbs 16:16). Remind me to always inquire of You before I make any decision. Help me to grow in wisdom so that I make the best decisions every day.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

75

Take Away My Anger

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

PROVERBS 15:1

Dear Jesus, I confess to You that I have anger stored up inside of me. I don’t know exactly how it got there, but I hate the way that it flames up as a hot temper. Lord, I don’t want to be that kind of person. It’s not fair to those around me, and it’s certainly not a quality that You want me to have. Your Word says to rid myself of anger, rage, malice, slander, and anything like it (Colossians 3:8). Instead, as Your dearly loved child, You’ve called me to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).

Father, I ask for a fresh outpouring of these specific qualities. In Your name, rip out the anger that has dug its roots into my heart. Show me specifically what is at the core of my temper and, if I am holding unforgiveness in my heart against someone, reveal it to me. Deliver me from this bondage that I might be able to love more freely and abundantly. Help me to seek Your peace and be a woman of patience in every situation.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

76

Staying Strong in Difficult Times

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

1 CORINTHIANS 16:13

Dear Lord, I thank You that You have given me Your Holy Spirit to be my Comforter and Helper. I am especially grateful for that in the tough times of my life. I know that hard things happen to everyone at one time or another, but You are always there for those who turn to You. I turn to You now and ask You to bring good out of the things that are happening or have happened that trouble me or bring me pain. Help me to be watchful in prayer, strong in faith, courageous, and unafraid.

Thank You that You care about the things I care about and that You understand my struggles even better than I do. Enable me to not only stay strong when I go through difficult situations, but to grow even stronger because I have put my hope in You and depend on You to bring me through it successfully. Teach me to always be watchful in prayer and growing stronger in faith.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

77

Keep My Eyes on You

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

PSALM 16:8

Lord Jesus, sometimes everything feels like such a mess around me. Yet I find that when my world is spinning, it’s only because I’ve taken my eyes off of You. Not only are You the Creator of Heaven and Earth, but in You, all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). Lord, be my center. Keep my eyes fixed and focused on You so that no matter what crashes around me, I can never fall apart.

Help me not to gaze too long at the things of this world so that my eyes wouldn’t drift from You. God, You are my Rock and my Foundation. You are the gravity that keeps my feet on the ground. When my eyes are on You, everything else comes into proper focus. It’s as though You become the glasses through which I see the world. Lord, Your ways bring me joy and Your vision brings me peace. I keep my sight ever on my Precious King.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

78

I’m Concerned About My Safety

If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.

PSALM 91:9-10

Dear Lord, the world can seem like such a dangerous place and sometimes I fear for my safety. I pray that You would protect me from the plans of evil people and keep me from danger, accidents, or diseases. I pray also for my family members and friends, that You would keep them safe and protected too.

Thank You that You have given Your angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways (Psalm 91:11). I know that I cannot do whatever I want and expect You to protect me from the consequences of those choices. So I ask You to guide me. Help me to hear the voice of Your Holy Spirit speaking to my heart at all times, telling me the way I should go and what I should do or not do. Show me how to keep the noise of my life down so I can hear You leading me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

79

Help Me to Be a Listener

When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.

PROVERBS 10:19 HCSB

Lord, I’ve been noticing for some time now that there are very few people who listen more than they talk. It’s always hurtful when I spend an hour with a friend and they hardly stop once in their sharing to ask how I am. Lord, I know that is not a characteristic of You and I pray that if there’s any glimpse of that in me You would pull it out from the roots. I long to be a good listener, Father—someone who demonstrates genuine concern for others far beyond their concern for themselves (Philippians 2:3).

Please forgive me for the times I’ve been selfish. Keep my heart in its rightful place. Help me not only to be a better listener with others, God, but with You. Too often I throw my problems at You and walk away…not patiently quieting myself to hear from You. Your Voice is all that matters, so Lord, right now I quiet my soul and come before You just to listen. Thank You for caring enough to listen to me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

80

Purify My Thoughts

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

PHILIPPIANS 4:8

Dear Lord, help me to think about things that are true, honest, and faith-filled, and not false, deceitful, or full of doubt. Teach me to have thoughts that are honorable, admirable, and superior, and never thoughts that are mean, low-minded, or dishonorable. Enable me to think about whatever is fair, right, or proper, and never unlawful, unfair, or biased.

Help me to entertain thoughts that are pure and untainted by evil, and never any that are corrupted or unholy. Enable me to have thoughts about whatever is lovely and pleasing, and refuse thoughts about anything ugly or offensive. Help me to dwell on what is positive and not negative, moral and not immoral, excellent and not low-minded. I want to think about things that are valuable, commendable, and uplifting, and not anything that is worthless, disparaging, or depressing. Help me to think thoughts that please You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

81

I Don’t Feel Adequate to Your Call

For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

ISAIAH 41:13

Lord, the things You’re calling me to do are so big that at times I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. I want to do whatever You ask, but Lord, I’m afraid. I don’t feel adequate or worthy of the opportunities You’ve set before me. I know Your Word says if anyone serves, he should do it with the strength You provide (1 Peter 4:11), so I cling to Your provision. Father, it’s only through You that I am qualified.

Pour Your peace and confidence into me that I might cast fear aside and step into the plan that You have for me. Give me vision for Your purpose so that I wouldn’t miss the point by merely thinking of myself. Lord, do Your will in my life and don’t ever let me stand in Your way. I count on You for the words, the strength, the ability, and the wisdom to do whatever You ask. I trust that if You call me to do something, it’s only because You’ll equip me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

82

Faith to Believe for the Impossible

Everything is possible for one who believes.

MARK 9:23

Dear Lord, I am grateful that You can take the smallest amount of faith and grow it into faith that can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Your Word says that You have already given us some faith (Romans 12:3), but I need Your help to step out and act on the faith I have in order for it to grow. You have said in Your Word that it is impossible to please You if we don’t have faith (Hebrews 11:6). I want to please You so I confess any doubt in me about You or Your Word as sin.

Your Word says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29). That is very scary because there are some impossible situations in my life and I don’t see how they can be overcome. And I don’t want my lack of faith to limit what You want to do in each case. But You are the God for whom nothing is impossible. I believe You can do the impossible in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

83

Show Me How to Use My Life

Wake up, sleeper…Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

EPHESIANS 5:14-16

Lord, You have said my life is but a breath and that my days are like a fleeting shadow (Psalm 144:4). I take this deeply to heart, and surrender to You my every moment. Don’t let me waste a precious second that You’ve given me. Holy Spirit, lead me clearly so that I will follow Your will. Show me the specific things that You’re calling me to pursue and raise up Your purpose in me.

Father, I know You have placed me here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The needs and darkness are great, but Your power and light are greater. I long to serve You and Your beloved people. Help me to make the most of every opportunity with everyone I encounter, that they might not walk away without experiencing You. Awaken my soul to understand why I’m here and what You’ve called me to do for the days You’ve given me. My life is Yours.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

84

The Hardest Thing About Prayer

You do not have because you do not ask.

JAMES 4:2

Dear Lord, the hardest thing about prayer is not knowing when You will answer my prayers or wondering if You will. Help me to have faith that You hear my prayers and will answer them in Your way and in Your time. Help me to recognize the answers to my prayers even when they don’t turn out like I thought they would be answered.

Sometimes it feels like there is too much to pray about and the issues are so big that I don’t even know where to start. Help me to remember that prayer is simply communicating with You about what is in my heart. And Your Word says the Holy Spirit in us helps us pray (Romans 8:26). I ask You, Holy Spirit, to help me pray. Even when I find it hard to pray out loud in front of other people, help me to focus more on You than on myself or whoever is listening. Teach me to pray in power.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

85

Purify My Mind, Mouth, and Heart

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

JAMES 1:26

Heavenly Father, purify me. My thoughts, words, and motives need a deep cleaning. Wash away any filthy language, impure thoughts, and selfish intentions that have been festering in me. Lord, don’t let any unwholesome talk come from my mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs (Ephesians 4:29). Forgive me for grieving Your Spirit when I use my words carelessly and harbor sin in my heart.

Lay a boundary line in me that I might not cross with things like gossip, dirty language, and coarse jokes. Scripture calls our tongue a fire that can corrupt the whole person (James 3:6) and says that our words have the power to bring life or death (Proverbs 18:21). Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bring life and be pleasing in Your sight (Psalm 19:14). Purify me from the inside out, that my conscience would always be clear before You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

86

Refusing to Feel Worthless

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

ROMANS 8:1

Lord, sometimes I feel a sense of worthlessness—as if I am not worthy to receive Your blessings. Sometimes I have hesitated to pray because I don’t feel I am worthy to receive answers to my prayers. Help me to remember that if I have violated Your laws or done something that is not pleasing in Your sight or glorifying to You, I must confess it before You and repent of it so that the air between us will be clear.

Help me to remember that it is because of Jesus that I am seen as righteous before You. When You look at me You see His goodness. So no matter who makes me feel badly, those feelings never come from You. Help me to recognize that only the enemy, cruel people, or my own thoughts can make me feel worthless. Enable me to refuse to live with feelings of low worth when You—and all Jesus did on the cross for me—have made me worthy.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

87

Help Me Not to Judge Others

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.

MATTHEW 7:1-2

Lord, help me not to be a judgmental person. I know the damage that this can cause and I don’t want any part of it. Your Word says there is only one Lawgiver and Judge—the one who is able to save and destroy…and that is You (James 4:12). Lord, forgive me for the times that I have looked at someone condemningly. I have no right to do that. Help me to separate my own experiences from how I think everyone else should be operating. You have laid out Truth in Scripture that lays the foundation for our lives. But Your Spirit leads each of us in a special, personal, and specific way…and Your leading will look slightly different in each of Your children.

You call us to discern and identify the fruit in a believer, but never to judge them. Help me to know the difference. Thank You so much for the unbelievable grace that You have given me. May I always pour out the mercy that You have extended to me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

88

Finding God’s Will for My Life

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

MATTHEW 7:21

Dear Lord, I know from Your Word that only those who do Your will live forever (1 John 2:17). And You don’t want me to live for just myself, but to do Your will (1 Peter 4:2). Your will is far more important to me than my own, so reveal to me Your perfect will for my life. Guide my every step until I am in the center of it.

I confess to You the things I have done that I know are not Your will for my life. Forgive me and help me to never do anything outside of Your will again. If I am doing something now that is not Your perfect will for me and I am not recognizing that, show me so I can confess it before You and correct it. “I delight to do Your will, my God; your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). I pray Your Word will guide me in everything I do.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

89

I’m Here for a Reason

The God who made the world and everything in it…is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else…God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

ACTS 17:24-27

Lord, I know You don’t need me. I know You have the power to do everything You’re calling me to do Yourself—and a million times better. The fact that You still choose to have me work alongside You and live out this purpose You’ve breathed into my soul is humbling. You knew me before I was born. You knew all of my faults and failures, yet You still chose to put me on this earth.

I know that I am here in this exact point in time for a reason, and I rest in Your purpose for my life. When I feel alone, it’s not because You’ve left me. Father, You are never far, so I seek You and reach out for Your hand.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

90

Seeing My Body as Precious

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16

Dear Lord, I know my body is precious because You created it and it is where Your Holy Spirit resides. Help me to take care of it the way You want me to. I give my body to You as a living sacrifice and ask You to help me appreciate it and treat it in a way that is pleasing to You (Romans 12:1). Help me to not be critical of it but to be thankful for all that it does and can do.

I submit to You my habits of eating and exercising. Break down any bad habits I have and set me free to do what’s right. Teach me the right way to care for my body. You have made it to function in an amazing way, so help me to stop doing anything that interferes with that process. Give me knowledge and self-control and help me to choose life in every decision I make with regard to my body, remembering always that it belongs to You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

91

Lord, You Are Unchanging

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

HEBREWS 13:8

Lord, in a world where everything is always changing, thank You for being constant. In a culture where people’s opinions change faster than the wind, thank You that Your Word remains the same. I don’t have to be tossed around from the breaking news to the latest trends. Lord, forgive me for rebelling against Your Truth just because my culture has mistaken what You call evil for “normal” and “good.” Your Word says to ask for the ancient paths, the good way, and walk in it (Jeremiah 6:16). My feet are solid only on Your timeless path.

You are the same God who parted the Red Sea and breathed the universe into existence, and yet You’re here listening to me and working with the exact same power in my life. Remind me to believe! Time is stretched out like a horizon before You with no beginning and no end. Give me eyes that see from Your eternal perspective, that I might live wisely while I walk on this ground.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

92

Guide Me in the Right Direction

Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!

PSALM 27:14 NKJV

Dear Lord, I am grateful that You speak to the hearts of those who love You and You bless all those who live Your way (Isaiah 30:18). Thank You that when I call on You, You hear my prayers and answer (Isaiah 30:19). The deep cry of my heart today is that I will always stay on the correct path. I want to be in the right place at the right time in order to move into all You have for me.

Lead me, Holy Spirit, in the way I should go every day. Help me to wait patiently on You, Lord, for direction. I don’t want to rush off on my own without any clear leading. I don’t want to delay the process of becoming who You made me to be by taking a wrong turn. I wait on You now, knowing You will strengthen my heart and my faith to stand strong in courage.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

93

Strengthen My Heart Against Temptation

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

MATTHEW 26:41

Father, too many times I’ve waited until I am in the midst of strong temptation to pray for Your help. Even though You are so good to always provide a way out and give me strength when I call on You (1 Corinthians 10:13), sometimes in the heat of the moment I’ve chosen not to listen and walked right into the sin. If I had only built myself up in prayer ahead of time against that temptation, I could have avoided it all together.

Lord, You and I know exactly where I am weakest. I lift these areas up to You right now and pray in advance that You would give me victory over temptation. Grant me discernment in all situations so that I will not walk right into a snare. Help me to listen to Your voice when it warns me, and not cast it aside. Your Spirit is so gracious to speak to my conscience and give me all of the help that I need. I put on Your armor and depend on Your shield.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

94

Choosing a New Beginning

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NKJV

Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, and no one comes to the Father except through You (John 14:6). I thank You that You laid down Your life on a cross for me and then rose from the dead to prove You are God and to save me from death and hell (Romans 10:9). I receive You as my Savior. I confess my sins and failings before You and ask You to forgive me for them all so that I can be cleansed (1 John 1:9). Thank You that I can spend eternity with You and have a better life now.

Thank You that You have made it possible for me to have a new beginning. Because I have received You, I am now a new creation. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to dwell in me (Romans 8:9). Teach me how to live like the new creation You have made me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

95

Show Me My Purpose

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

PROVERBS 29:18 KJV

Lord, I come before You humbled. You are the Creator of the universe who decides whether or not I take another breath…and yet You keep me breathing. This alone is proof that I’m here for a reason. From the beginning of time, You knew me and had a purpose for my life. You’ve said in Your Word that the greatest thing we can do with our lives is, first, to love You with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Second, You said to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). This is my purpose—what You desire my entire life to be about. Yet You’ve given me a specific, personal way to live this out…You’ve given me a mission.

Thank You, God, that the way You’ve designed me is not a mistake. Every part of my gifts and personality work together to fulfill Your calling. Unveil a clear vision in my heart for the mission You’ve given me. Brush aside all other options and set my eyes on the path that You’ve specifically laid out for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

96

Finding Freedom in the Lord

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

GALATIANS 5:1

Dear Lord, help me to separate myself from anything that keeps me from becoming all You made me to be. Liberate me from all habits of thought or feeling that are not Your best for my life. Teach me how to break free of everything that tries to control me other than You. Protect me from all plans of the enemy for my destruction so Your plan for my life will be fulfilled.

Lord, reveal any place in me where I am locked up. Help me to get free of whatever is in my life that is less than what You have for me. Thank You that even if I fail and go back to the thing from which You have set me free, You will still deliver me again (2 Corinthians 1:10). Liberate me from whatever could keep me from moving into all You have for me. Thank You that You are more powerful than anything I face.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

97

I Feel Alone

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go…I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

GENESIS 28:15

Heavenly Father, my heart is hurting from the emptiness of feeling alone. At times, I feel invisible to others. Lord, I know You’ve given me a life that is precious, and I don’t want to waste my time being focused on me. Fill my lonely emptiness with Your presence so that I won’t shrink back as others pass by. Give me a heart that reaches out to others, just as You reach out to me when I overlook You.

Thank You for being with me and protecting me wherever I go. I choose to follow You because I know wherever You’ll take me is exactly where I need to be. You will not steer me away from the good desires in my heart, but rather set me on the path to their fulfillment. You have shown me that Your plans for my life far exceed my own. The ultimate Father and Friend, You are everything I need. You’ve already promised You’d never leave my side…Lord, may I never leave Yours.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

98

Living a Holy Life

Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

2 CORINTHIANS 7:1

Dear Lord, I worship You in the beauty of Your holiness (Psalm 29:2). Only You are holy (1 Samuel 2:2). Yet You have called those who believe in You to be holy like You (Leviticus 19:2). I realize that the only way I can be holy is by following the leading of Your Holy Spirit in me. And I welcome You to help me get rid of anything in my life that is less than holy. Show me how to pursue holiness like You have said in Your Word to do (Hebrews 12:14).

Holy Spirit, crowd out anything in me that is not holy so that the beauty of Your holiness would beautify me in every possible way (2 Chronicles 20:21). You are the well from which I draw my own holiness, so help me to spend time with You every day for the fresh flow of Your Spirit in me that enables me to live a holy life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

99

Facing Troubles and Hard Times

Therefore we do not lose heart…For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-17

Lord, I run to You for shelter in the midst of these hard times. I know that Your Word says not to be surprised when I suffer trials as though something strange and unexpected were happening (1 Peter 4:12). You told us that there would be troubles on this earth, but to take heart because You have overcome the world (John 16:33). You promise not only to comfort and carry us in the midst of our pain but to refine and complete us if we let You (James 1:3-4).

Lord, You call my trials light and momentary…which means You know something that I don’t. You know the good that You will bring about and that my pain will only last for a moment in the grand scheme of things. Most of all, You know there is hope. Help me to see my circumstances from Your perspective and don’t let me lose heart. The world may fall around me, but I am safe in the shade of Your hand.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

100

Seeking True Success

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.

ROMANS 8:29

Dear Lord, I know that true success is not about being rich, famous, or accomplished. It’s about becoming all You created me to be and doing what You have called me to do and never violating that. Help me to walk close to You at all times so that I understand Your ways and Your heart toward me. Help me to trust that even when I go through times when I feel like I am anything but a success, that You are using that experience to help me become more like You.

Teach me not to judge the success of my life by what I see happening in the lives of others. I trust that You have called me and are preparing me to live the life of true success You have for me in Your perfect timing. I pray that everything You give me to do You will enable me to do well. I know that true success is fulfilling my purpose and glorifying You in all that I do.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

101

Lord, I Long to Be Close to You

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

PSALM 63:1

Lord Jesus, I draw near to Your Presence. Only You can fill the void in my heart, for it was created for You. I long to know You and to hear Your voice. You are so precious to reveal Yourself to us and to actually desire a close relationship with Your children. Your Word says that through Your Spirit, we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). Father, align my thoughts with Yours that I would begin to better understand Your ways. Lead me to think as You do and respond to situations with Your character.

Would You allow me into the very chambers of Your heart? It is there that I will find the most beautiful treasures that exist. Lord, You truly are my best friend. Yet I stand completely in humble awe before You. What a God of great measure. Father, let my lips be ever adorned with prayer and worship. May I be a woman who chases after Your own heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

102

When I Feel Powerless

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

ISAIAH 40:29

Lord, sometimes I feel powerless with regard to the things I want to see happen in my life. I am frustrated when I seem to have no control over my situation. But I know that it is not by my abilities but by Your power that good things happen. I don’t have the power to change my life or my circumstances, but You do. It is the power of Your Spirit working in and through me that can transform my life.

I often feel pressured by outside circumstances, and sometimes I feel like I am stuck in one place and can’t seem to move beyond it. So I ask that by the power of Your Spirit in me You would bring breakthrough in my life. I know when I walk with You I am never standing still. Thank You that even when I can’t see it, You are always working in my life. I am grateful to You for doing more in me than I can even imagine.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

103

Save Me from My Pity Parties

When I consider your heavens…the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

PSALM 8:3-4

Father, I’m ashamed to admit how I’ve been acting lately. I’ve been grumbling around, throwing a childish fit over what “isn’t fair” in my life. I’ve jealously compared myself to others and sulked over what I thought they have that I don’t. The problem with this mindset is that every thought has the word me in it. What about You? What about others? Lord, forgive me. If I took the focus off of myself for a second, I would see how blessed I really am.

Help me to worship You the next time I am overwhelmed with feeling sorry for myself. I choose to dwell on Your goodness and the bigger picture of life. Father, open my eyes to the immense needs around me, that my own difficulties would be put into proper perspective. I refuse to take for granted the precious gifts You’ve given me. Who am I that You should even care for me? Yet You sent Your Son to die…in my place.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

104

How Can I Make a Difference?

The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

2 CHRONICLES 16:9 NKJV

Lord, I want to make a difference in the world. Equip me to accomplish something great for Your Kingdom that will help people come to know You and have a better life. I know I can’t make that happen on my own, so I ask You to make me ready to do what You have called me to do. Enable me to rise above my own limitations and learn to depend on the power of Your Spirit to accomplish all that You have for me to do.

Thank You that You will not stop working in me until my heart is fully Yours and I am inspired, ignited, and led by Your Holy Spirit in all I do. I don’t want to be like the people in Your Word who limited what You wanted to do through them because they did not remember Your power (Psalm 78:41-42). I want to live every day by the power of Your Spirit.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

105

Feeling Out of Place

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

JEREMIAH 1:5

Father, sometimes I feel like I don’t belong. Throughout different times in my life I’ve felt unwanted, awkward, or just out of place. I pray that You’d heal my heart and help me not to dwell on those times or feel that way any longer. You have shown me through Your love, grace, and forgiveness that the place where I belong is with You. Scripture talks about how Christians are strangers and aliens here on earth, because our true home is in Your Kingdom yet to come. Our soul longs for where You’ve created us to be.

You set me apart before I was even born for a specific purpose, and have called me to be separate from the things of this world. Yet You have placed me here with a mission to be a light that reaches deep into the desperate darkness. Show me the place that You have given me here on earth and how to spend my time. I follow You, Lord, because You are my home. Wherever You are is where I belong.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

106

When I Want to Give Up

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with perseverance.

ROMANS 8:25 NKJV

Lord, I have been hoping and praying for things that I still do not see happening in my life and I ask that You would give me the strength to persevere. Your Word says that “tribulation produces perseverance” (Romans 5:3). So help me to persevere by standing strong when hard things happen.

Your Word also says that self-control leads to perseverance which leads to godliness (2 Peter 1:6). Help me to be strong in my faith and take control of my fear that the things I hope for will never happen. And if what I am hoping for right now is out of Your will for my life, show me how to line up my will with Yours. I want to live in godliness and not the corruption that is in the world. Holy Spirit, lead me away from any desire to give up. Help me walk with You, be solid in Your Word, and be determined to never stop praying.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

107

Waiting on My Future

Be still, and know that I am God.

PSALM 46:10

Father, You know all of the dreams that are stored up in my heart. Help me to be patient and wait on Your timing for their fulfillment. Thank You for the way You’re weaving every detail in my life together and bringing deep desires You’ve placed in me to fruition. Help me not to grow restless where I am, for I know every moment is part of Your divine plan.

You are God over my past, present, and future, and You’ve been writing my life’s story all along. I take comfort in knowing that Your Word says You will fight for me…I only need to be still (Exodus 14:14). Father, I rest in You, trusting that You will fight for my dreams, my hope, and my future. In my stillness, I look to You to show me how I can prepare for the things You’re going to bring about in my life. I know this is not a time to sit back and do nothing, but rather in faith to prepare for what’s ahead! Open my eyes to what You are doing in my life at this very moment.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

108

I Have Unfulfilled Dreams

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

PSALM 145:19

Dear Lord, I am so thankful that You care about the dreams I have in my heart because You have put some of them there. I have dreams in my heart that I long to see fulfilled, but I surrender them to You because I want my dreams to line up with Your plans for my life. I don’t want to follow a dream of my own making that You will not bless because it is outside of Your will. I want to follow You and see the fulfillment of the dreams that You put in my heart.

If there is any dream in my heart that is not Your will for my life, help me to see and understand that. Show me clearly what it is and give me assurance and peace about it as You replace it with one that is far better. I need to know that the dreams in my heart are from You and that You will bless and fulfill them in Your way and Your time.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

109

Finding Your Strength in My Weakness

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

Lord Jesus, I come before You surrendering my weaknesses. I lay down my physical, emotional, and even aptitude deficiencies. I praise You for being bigger than all of them! God, You have fashioned me from the inside out exactly how You want me to be. You have given me my gifts and abilities, and You also have allowed my weaknesses. Though at times out of pride I would rather hide and bury them all, You have revealed that they are key in displaying Your power.

In physical pain, You are my strength. In emotional battles, You are my victory. And Lord, in the abilities where I’m weak, You are my power! I will not be ashamed of my weaknesses, because You’ve declared them the way that You work most powerfully through me! Thank You, Father, that I can boast in my difficulties, because they bring about the most beautiful opportunities to experience You. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

110

Seeing God’s Light in Dark Times

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

JOHN 8:12

Dear Lord, I am grateful that You are the light of the world and the light of my life. No matter what plan of darkness encroaches on me, Your light in me never dims. Regardless of what dark things happen in my life, Your light in me always shines brightly, illuminating my life. You are the true Light which gives light to everyone who seeks You (John 1:9). Thank You that You are light and in You there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

Help me to not be attracted to, or lured by, the many other lights in the world, for they all fail. Your light is constant because You are constant and never change. When I enter what seems to be a dark time in my life, help me to remember that I have Your light in me and Your light can never be put out.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

111

When I Feel Shame

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

PSALM 34:5

Heavenly Father, there is a sick guilt that’s settled over my soul. I feel stained by the wrong that I’ve done and I know only You can wipe that away. Lord, I don’t hold back, but I confess to You everything that I know I’ve done against You. Forgive me also for hidden sins that I’m unaware of (Psalm 19:12). Through Your strength, I walk in a new direction and I won’t ever look back.

Thank You that Your Word clearly says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Though Satan tries to accuse me day and night before you (Revelation 12:10), You have washed my sins away and by Your blood I stand blameless in Your sight. When You died for my sins You also died for my shame. You have set my heart free and bestowed a crown of beauty on my head instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:3). I can’t imagine why You would do this for me, but Lord…I am so grateful! I stand as a new woman by Your mercy and grace.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

112

I Want to Be a Whole Person

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

PROVERBS 15:13 NKJV

Lord, I ask You to restore all that is broken in me. I know that life doesn’t work when any part of me is broken, so I pray that the only brokenness in me is where You are breaking down any resistance I have to doing things Your way. Where my spirit is broken because of sin in my life, I confess it to You and ask You to forgive me and restore me to a right relationship with You. Help me to forgive myself if not living Your way has broken my spirit.

Where someone else has been abusive in my life and broken my spirit, help me to forgive them. Mend my heart and restore me completely as only You can do. Touch me with Your healing power and cause my will not to hurt anymore. Restore my inner self to the wholeness You created me to enjoy in Your presence. Bring the wholeness I need to fully become the person You have made me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

113

I Am Cherished

Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give…nations in exchange for your life.

ISAIAH 43:4

Heavenly Father, Your love is the strongest that I’ve ever experienced. It’s the most pursuing, yet patient love I have ever felt. I can’t believe that Your Word says You’ve numbered the hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30). You care about every little detail about me. Scripture says Your love is so great that I need Your power to even grasp how wide, long, high, and deep it is (Ephesians 3:17-18). Your love fills out a dimension that my mind can’t even fathom.

Scripture says You have chosen me to be Your treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6). This leaves me speechless. I stand in awe of the awesome Creator, Father, Savior, Lord, and Friend that You are. Thank You for loving me and cherishing me as Your Word and Life proves that You do. You have set a seal of ownership on me and placed a deposit in my heart, Your Holy Spirit, guaranteeing that I am Yours (2 Corinthians 1:22). I love, because You first loved me (1 John 4:19).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

114

How Do I Honor My Parents?

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

EPHESIANS 6:2-3

Dear Lord, I pray that You will help me to honor my father and mother. Whether they are alive or dead, whether they are with me or not, I know it is your command to give them honor. Teach me to recognize their good qualities and to forget their mistakes. Where I have been mistreated or abandoned in any way by them, help me to forgive them. Enable me not to hold against them the ways in which they are imperfect.

I don’t want to shorten my life and bring misery upon myself because I have rebelled against Your only commandment that carries with it a promise of a long and good life. Help me to honor my parents by speaking about them and to them with great respect. I confess as sin any time I have not done that and I ask You to forgive me. Cleanse my heart of everything that is unloving and disrespectful.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

115

I Feel So Restless

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6

Lord, I’m struggling with where I am right now. I feel perpetually stuck and stranded, longing for where I’d really like to be and what I’d love to be doing. If there is anything holding me back that I’ve done or allowed, please remove it completely. If there’s a step You’ve asked me to take that I haven’t, please show me and help me move forward. However, if I’m exactly where You want me to be, give me a clear peace about it and contentment while I wait.

Open my eyes to the current blessings that I have around me. You’ve said it’s Your will for me to be joyful and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), so I ask that You’d forgive me if I’ve had a complaining spirit lately. Thank You, Lord, that You’re not about to leave me where I am, but You have plans to prosper me and to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). My heart is thrilled to know that Your plans for me far exceed my own.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

116

Will God Provide for Me?

My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:19

Lord, I praise You and thank You that You are my provider and You never forsake Your people or fail to provide for those who look to You. I ask You to bless the finances I have, or will have. Help me to always have good work and enable me to find favor with the people I work for. I pray that You will teach me to gain finances according to Your will, for Your Word says that Your financial blessings do not bring sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).

Give me wisdom to handle money wisely and not do anything foolish. Help me to give to You and to others as You require, because I know I will never lack when I do (Proverbs 28:27). I pray that there will be no financial disasters in my future. You have said to seek You first and the things we need will be provided for us (Luke 12:29-31). I seek You for everything and I am thankful that “those who seek You shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10 NKJV).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

117

Lord, Test My Heart

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

PSALM 139:23

Lord, You know me. You know the words in my mouth before I even say them (Psalm 139:4). I come before You raw and exposed, laying myself down before Your throne. Often I try to hide my flaws and failures, foolishly thinking that I can somehow distract You from seeing they’re there. But Jesus, You’ve engraved me on the palms of Your hands (Isaiah 49:16). I am ever before You.

Father, I don’t want anything in me that shouldn’t be there. I want to be pure before You. Test my heart and see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:24). Your Word says You search our hearts and examine our minds and reward us according to what You find (Jeremiah 17:10). Teach me Your way so I will walk in truth, and give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name (Psalm 86:11). Thank You, Lord, for cleansing me from head to toe. May my heart be blameless in Your sight.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

118

Finding Favor with God and Others

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

PROVERBS 3:3-4

Lord, I want to find favor in Your sight and in the sight of others as well. Enable me to do what is right and to live my life with Your mercy and truth in my heart. Help me never to forget what You teach me, so that it becomes visible on the outside as well as deep within me. Finding favor with You is more important to me than anything else.

Whenever I am with anyone, I pray that they will see the beauty of Your Spirit in me, even if they cannot yet identify what it is. May Your love in my heart not only affect the way I act at all times, but also the way I think and speak to people. I pray that when I am with others, Your presence in me will become real and apparent to them.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

119

Preserve My Reputation

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

PROVERBS 22:1

Lord, I’m feeling attacked as others are trying to bring me down. I know Your Word says that we should expect to be persecuted when we follow in Your steps (1 Peter 2:21). Even still, You said that we should live such good lives among unbelievers that, though they try to accuse us, they are ashamed because they cannot find any fault (Titus 2:8). Lord, people tease me because of my high standards and desire to please You. They try to get me to slip up and go against Your will for me. Keep me strong and bold, but gracious and able to withstand the devil’s tactics. I am Your daughter, set apart for a higher purpose, and I will not betray You. Protect my reputation, Lord.

Give me integrity, that my daily life might be pure and upright. Preserve the good name You’ve given me that I might be a worthy ambassador for You. In Jesus’ name I proclaim that there is no slander, no lies, no scheme that can come against me, because I am covered by Your precious blood.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

120

Welcoming God’s Presence

If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

EXODUS 33:15

Dear Lord, I welcome Your presence in my life. I long to always live in Your presence, because I know it is the only true place of safety and blessing. Just like Moses said, I don’t want to be where Your presence is not. I know You are everywhere but the fullness and power of Your presence is only found with those who have a passion to know and love You. Help me to maintain that passion at all times.

Thank You, Jesus, that You are Immanuel—God who is with us. Because of Your Holy Spirit in me, I am never alone. I have Your presence within me always, and whenever I turn to You in prayer, in worship, or in Your Word, I can hear You speak to my heart. Keep me from anything or anyone who denies, rejects, minimizes, or disregards Your existence. Enable me to separate myself from whoever or whatever tries to undermine Your powerful presence in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

121

Consume Me with Your Fire

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us…so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

HEBREWS 12:28-29

Lord Jesus, light a fire in my soul that cannot be quenched. Let Your Spirit in me burn away everything that is not of You until only You remain. Scripture says that Your children shine like the stars in the universe as we hold out the Word of Life (Philippians 2:15-16). You reveal evidence of Yourself through us so that a dark and dying world might see our light and run to it. You’ve lit this spark in me so that it might catch on and ignite everyone and everything I touch.

The only way that I won’t burn out is by continually surrendering myself to You, depending on the fire of Your Holy Spirit to sustain me. You are the anchor for my soul—holding me firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19). I am unwavering because I know my hope and future cannot be shaken. Lord, consume me with Your fire.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

122

Saving Good Relationships

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.

ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10

Lord, help me to value my relationships with good friends, for I know that godly friends contribute to each other’s lives. Teach me to be a friend who is encouraging and uplifting. Help me to never be critical, judgmental, or opinionated with others, but to always speak the truth in love. Help my friends and me to never speak badly of one another to anyone.

Enable me to be slow to respond in any selfish way and quick to forgive. When my friend does or says something that upsets me, keep me from throwing away a good relationship just because there are mistakes or misunderstandings. Be in charge of all my relationships so that the enemy cannot come between us to cause friction or separation. Help me to recognize the relationships that are worth the time and effort it takes to keep them strong. Teach me to be a friend who “loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

123

Starving for Redemption

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

ISAIAH 43:1

Lord Jesus, thank You that no matter what I’ve done, the Power of Your forgiveness is always strong enough to wipe it away. Your Word says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13), so I cry out to You and declare my faith in Your name. Though we have all fallen short of Your glory, we are justified freely through the redemption that You gave us through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-24).

Thank You that while I was still a sinner, You died for me (Romans 5:8). You’ve traded in my filthy rags and clothed me with Your beautiful robes of righteousness. Your unfailing love is as high as the heavens and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds (Psalm 57:10). Father, You have been pursuing me and fighting for my heart in ways that I can’t even fathom. You hold the victory of this battle as You’ve delivered me from the hand of the enemy. You have redeemed me and I am Yours.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

124

When Everything Is Going Right

Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.

2 TIMOTHY 3:14

Dear Lord, over and over in Your Word there are stories of people who turned to You in times of trouble and You saved them and brought them to a good place. Yet when things were going well they forgot You and didn’t turn to You until the next disaster came along. Help me not to be like that. When everything is going well in my life, help me to be especially careful to be in Your Word and to pray just as much if not more.

Your Word says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV). I don’t want to think that just because I am standing strong one day that I am invincible and won’t fall. Help me to never forget for a moment how I must always depend on You. Enable me to seek You in the time of blessing as well as in times of need.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

125

Lord, Help Me Be Real

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.

1 CHRONICLES 29:17

Heavenly Father, remove the walls I’ve built around myself that shouldn’t be there. Help me to be real and genuine that others may see Your light and work in me. Forgive me for putting up fronts and pretending to be something I’m not just to impress others. Take off and throw out each mask that I’ve hidden under, and give me the courage to show the raw and real woman You’ve created. You’ve forgiven me, You’ve redeemed me, and You’ve approved me…what more do I need?

Scripture says whoever walks with integrity walks securely (Proverbs 10:9). Father, I know that having integrity means really being who I say I am. Give me a pure and honest heart, that others would be refreshed by the genuine evidence of You in me. Help me to be real so that others might feel the freedom to come out from hiding and reveal their true selves. You’ve given me a story and You’ve been too good for me to keep it to myself. With Your hand I step out and dare to live free.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

126

Give Me a Right Heart

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

PSALM 51:10

Dear Lord, I pray that You would purify my heart. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Take away any thoughts, feelings, or obsessions from me that are not glorifying to You. I know that when my heart is pure and right it pleases You, and I want to please You more than anything. I also know that a pure heart is pleasant to others, because out of it come words and actions that are uplifting.

There is no way I can have a right heart without You making it clean (Proverbs 20:9). I ask You to fill me afresh with Your love so that it crowds out anything in me that is unloving. Show me the condition of my heart as I read Your Word, which reveals “the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). Help me to keep a close watch over my heart because I know it cannot be trusted (Proverbs 4:23).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

127

Lord, Don’t Let Me Be Lukewarm

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

JAMES 1:22

Lord, don’t let my love for You be mild. Your heart must break as You love Your children with all You have, and too often watch it returned with stale, empty words. Jesus, You deserve so much more. You asked Your disciple Peter three times if he truly loved You with an unconditional, agape love…and he could only say he loved You with brotherly, phileo love. Yet again You told him, “Follow Me” (John 21:15-19).

Father, I refuse to slander Your name by saying I’m a Christian and not actually following You. Your Word says You’d rather us either be hot or cold with our faith, but if we are lukewarm, You’ll spit us out of Your mouth (Revelation 3:15-16)! Set my heart ablaze with passionate and limitless love for You. Every day, may I fall more and more in love with my God. Forgive me for ever loving You less than You deserve. You said to choose this day whom I will serve (Joshua 24:15)…I choose You, with all of my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

128

Making Hope a Habit

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

ROMANS 15:13

Lord, I thank You that You are the God of hope and that because of Your Holy Spirit in me, I can be filled with Your hope at all times (Romans 5:5). Thank You that no matter what is happening to me or around me I always have a reason to put my hope in You. Let Your hope in me crowd out any hopelessness I may have about anything.

I commit to reading Your Word often because I know it was written for my comfort and hope (Romans 15:4). “I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:81). Prepare me to “give a defense to everyone who asks…a reason for the hope that is in” me (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV). Give me such joy because of Your hope in me that it overflows to others who see it and are attracted to it enough to find out why (Psalm 146:5).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

129

God, You Really Want to Use Me?

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

ISAIAH 42:1

Lord, is it true? You really want to use me? Speak to my heart, Father, and remind me of exactly why You’ve placed me here. It’s so hard to imagine that after all the ways I’ve fallen short, You still haven’t given up on me. Thank You that Your desire to use me has nothing to do with what I have to offer. Whatever gifts and abilities I have come from You. You’re amazing.

I pray that for every door that has shut in my life, You would open two more. You are the Lord of my future, the Bearer of my hope. Your Spirit inside of me builds and equips me daily to do more than I could ever imagine. I give You the only thing that You actually need to use me: a willing and trusting heart. Thank You that when rejection slams in my face, Your words to me are…“Yes, I have chosen you.”

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

130

Prayer That Makes a Difference

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

JAMES 5:16

Dear Lord, I want my prayers to make a positive difference in my life and in the lives of others. Your Word says that prayer is effective when a righteous person prays with great concern, energy, and heartfelt care. Lord Jesus, I know that You alone have made me righteous, and because You have sent Your Holy Spirit to live in me I am being perfected from the inside out. Help me not to do anything that would interfere with that process.

Because Your Word says that any sin in my life interferes with my prayers getting answered, I confess all my sin to You. Where I am not seeing it, reveal it to me. I don’t want any sin in my heart to cause You to hold off answering my prayer until it is cleared up between us (Psalm 66:18). Teach me to pray with passion and guide me in every prayer so that I can pray with life-changing power.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

131

Teach Me to Be Gracious

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

COLOSSIANS 4:6

Father, I repent to You because I have had an attitude lately. I don’t know why, but everything has been rubbing me the wrong way. Forgive me for grumbling under my breath and lashing out at others, especially You. You are never rough with me. Though You are firm, You are always so gentle and kind. I know I don’t deserve Your beautiful compassion. How much more should I be gracious to those who could never offend me as much as I have offended You?

Lord, change my heart. Rid me of my negative thoughts, biting words, and poisonous attitudes. Fill me with Your thoughts that are pure, Your words that are lovely, and Your countenance that is admirable (Philippians 4:8). Help me to be gracious toward everyone I encounter. Give me extra grace for those I am closest to who tend to push my buttons. I long to be a blessing to them, especially. I give You my heart and ask that You transform it from bitterness into an overflowing well of Your gorgeous compassion.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

132

Staying Free of Destructive Relationships

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

PROVERBS 22:24-25

Lord, Your Word says that a good friend is not so changeable that You never know how they are going to act from day to day. Help me to never be like that, and to not continue in a relationship with someone who is like that. Enable me to recognize right away when a person is often angry, negative, and destructive toward me so that I won’t continue on with them as a friend. Help me to be rid of any relationships in my life that are negative in an ongoing way.

Although I can’t control how another person treats me, with Your help I can refuse to allow them to continue to treat me badly. Show me if I have any destructive relationship in my life and enable me to separate myself from that person. Help me to recognize that when a person continually makes me feel badly about myself and my life, they are not part of Your plan for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

133

I Return to You

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

ISAIAH 44:22

Father, I don’t know where I’ve been lately…but it hasn’t been with You. I know You haven’t left me; I’m the one who’s walked away. Lord Jesus, I return to You. I declare that there is no one else and nothing for me on this earth besides You. Thank You that, unlike anyone else, I don’t even have to explain myself to You, because You know. You welcome me back with open arms and I run to them.

Your Word says that nothing in all creation can separate me from Your love (Romans 8:39). I don’t have to work my way to gain Your approval because I could never earn Your love; You freely gave it to me through Jesus Christ. I stand in awe of You and what You’ve done for me. Keep me close by Your side and chasing Your heart. After far too many days of wandering, I return to You, my home.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

134

Identifying My Enemy

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

EPHESIANS 6:11-12

Dear Lord, help me to always recognize that my real enemy is Your enemy, and Your enemy is mine. Teach me how to put on the “full armor of God” so that I can always successfully withstand the enemy’s plans for my demise. Help me to take up the sword of the Spirit—which is Your Word—and the shield of faith in order to stop the darts of the wicked one. Make me strong and watchful in prayer because the enemy never rests.

Lord, help me to not see other people as my enemy. It’s not the mean girl, or my boss, or a difficult family member, or any other person or group of people, but it is the evil one. Teach me to resist the devil with worship, Your Word, and prayer, knowing he will flee from me (James 4:7).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

135

On the Edge of Rebellion

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 TIMOTHY 2:22

Lord, I’m just going to be honest because You know my heart anyway. I feel like I’m on the brink of walking away from You and doing things that I know You wouldn’t be pleased with. I feel restless and rebellious right now and I’m starting to desire things of this world more than You. Forgive me. Change my heart before I foolishly cross the line. Remind me of how beautiful and wonderful Your ways are and how nothing but pain awaits me anywhere else.

Draw me back to You and renew my perspective to see how Your promises and blessings are poured out on those who follow You. You’ve said that we will eat the fruit of our ways (Proverbs 1:31), and I fear where I’ll end up if I don’t turn my back on these rebellious desires and walk away. Your Word says no eye has seen and no ear has heard what You have prepared for those who love You (1 Corinthians 2:9). I choose You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

136

Learning to Pray First

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

MATTHEW 6:33

Lord, You know the things I have need of before I even do, but You still want me to come before You and ask (Matthew 6:8). Help me remember to pray first, before I try to meet my own needs in my own way. Teach me to seek Your Kingdom in my life before I seek other things. Thank You that when I do that, You will give me all I need.

Help me to not worry about my life and my future. Teach me to remember that You have promised to respond to my prayers when I seek You before all else. I don’t want to be so preoccupied with material things that I forget to turn to You every day and in all situations. When a need appears in my life, help me to turn to You in prayer before I let worry overtake me. Thank You that You will always supply everything I need when I ask it of You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

137

I’d Rather Be with You Than Anywhere

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

PSALM 73:25

My dearest Jesus, it’s such a joy to escape to You. Thank You for always being with me and lighting my way. I can find peace in any situation, perspective for every trial, and joy for any pain because of You. When I spend time with You all of my fears and worries melt away. It’s only in Your presence that I feel truly safe, accepted, and whole. For once my heart feels fully alive and understood. You remind me of who I truly am…more importantly, Whose I am.

Lord, better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). I can come to You messy and empty and You fill me in the most lovely and delicate way. You know just how to speak to my heart and captivate my soul. This world has nothing for me—I desire You above all. You are precious to me, Lord. I love You with all of my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

138

Not Letting Others Define Who I Am

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5

Dear Lord, thank You that You accept me the way I am, but You are always growing and changing me to become more like You every day. I don’t ever want my need for acceptance from others to cause me to make bad decisions. Help me to not let others define who I am or determine who I am to become. Only You know who You made me to be. Enable me to live true to who You say I am.

Help me to avoid the problems that arise when I try to live up to other people’s standards for my life instead of Yours. As I seek You every day, fortify me with strength and a clear mind. Help me to reject anything any person has said about me that doesn’t line up with what You say about me. Teach me to pray for others who clearly do not know Your ways and seek to undermine Your purpose for my life. Enable me to not let my weakness define who I am, but rather Your strength.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

139

I Feel So Insecure

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 NKJV

Lord, my heart is weak. I’m so afraid someone will pull back the curtain and expose all that I’ve tried to hide. You know what I’ve been through that has brought me to this point…You know every moment of hurt and shame. I stand before You bare and vulnerable, but nothing surprises You because You know it already. When You look at me, You see Your beloved daughter. You see a bold and secure woman of God who is able to do anything You ask.

Your Word says that I am not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but one who believes and is saved (Hebrews 10:39). Since, through You, I have died to the principles of this world, why do I still act as though I belong to it and submit to its rules (Colossians 2:20)? I claim Your Power over my life and ask that You would wash away any part of me that is still bound by the standards of this world. Remind me of who I am and what I’m worth.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

140

Praying with Other People

If two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

MATTHEW 18:19

Lord Jesus, You have said that where two or three people are gathered together in Your name, You are there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). More than anything I desire Your presence in my life, especially when people pray together. You have said that if just two people agree in prayer, whatever we ask will be done by You, Lord. Help me to find one or more prayer partners with whom I can pray often. The promise of Your presence and the power of those prayers make the possibilities of doing so irresistible.

Give me the confidence that comes from knowing You and being led by Your Spirit to be able to suggest praying with someone else. There is so much to pray about and I don’t want to hesitate to ask someone to pray with me because I am afraid. Give me the boldness to do this because I recognize that all things are possible when people pray together.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

141

Lord, I’m Afraid

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

ISAIAH 41:10

Father, there are certain fears that perpetually haunt me. Some are paralyzing, while others keep me continually distracted with stress. Lord, Your Word says over and over again, “Do not fear.” I know this is not Your will for me. In Jesus’ name, bind up the enemy who tries to take me captive and make me afraid of (specific fear). I know that Satan only has the power over me that I give him. Lord, You are stronger than anything I could ever be afraid of. With You on my side, whom shall I fear (Psalm 27:1)?

Jesus, when Your disciple Peter walked on water, he only started to sink when the wind kicked up and he began to fear. Father, don’t let me give in to the fear which keeps me from walking out my destiny and causes me to sink into the sea of despair. When I go to sleep, calm my mind and fill me with thoughts that are lovely and full of the hope that You have for me. I depend on You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

142

You’re All That I Need

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

2 PETER 1:3

Dear Lord, I am forever grateful that You have not only given me life with You for eternity, but that You have given me everything I need in this life as well. Help me to remember this in the times when I doubt that You will provide for me. Teach me to cling to the truth that You have given me “exceedingly great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4) and through these I can become more like You and see the power of Your Spirit at work on my behalf.

Forgive me for any time I doubt that Your promises are for me. Increase my faith to believe You and not fear for my future. Help me to dwell on Your Word and not on my own needs. Enable me to trust completely that You are all I need. Because I have You, You will provide everything for me to live the good life of power and purpose You have for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

143

Lord, Save My Loved One

God our Savior…wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 TIMOTHY 2:3-4

Father, You are so good. Thank You that though we are a sinful and rebellious people, You still desire with all Your heart that we accept Your salvation. Jesus, I am burdened as I think of how (name of person) doesn’t know You as his/her Lord and Savior. Scripture says that You don’t want anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I lift up those words to You and ask that You would spare my loved one. Forgive their rebellion and draw them to Yourself through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

I ask in Jesus’ name that Your Presence would meet them right now and stir in their heart. Pursue them in such a way that they cannot ignore. Your Word says that Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers so they cannot see the Truth of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). Lord, unveil their eyes and pierce the darkness with Your light. Demolish the stronghold that the enemy has over them and radically transform their life. I entrust them to Your loving hands.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

144

Embracing the Moment

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17-18 NKJV

Dear Lord, whenever I am tempted to become afraid or uncertain about the future, help me to remember that You are with me (Philippians 4:13). When I feel panicked about a situation that is happening in my life, or may possibly happen in my life, enable me to embrace the moment I am in by embracing You in it. Teach me to not look at what is seen and temporary, but rather to focus on the unseen things which are eternal.

Help me to remember—even when my life is especially hard—that You will provide everything I need for the moment I am in. When things don’t happen the way I hoped or planned, open my eyes to the blessings that are right in front of me (Proverbs 20:13).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

145

Drama with Friends

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

ROMANS 12:18

Father, I lift up my friendship with (name of person) to You right now. I care about her/him deeply, but we’ve been having some problems lately. I ask that You would open my eyes to understand their position, what they are going through, and what they need most at this moment. Give me insight by Your Spirit as to how I can bless them. Reveal any ways that I have wronged them and help me to humbly ask for their forgiveness. Your Word says that I must reconcile myself to them first before I enter into Your Presence to worship (Matthew 5:23-24).

Lord, please remove any bitter seeds that have grown up in me because of hurtful things my friend has said or done. Scripture reminds me that I shouldn’t be so sensitive to people’s words, for I know how many times I have carelessly said unpleasant things about others (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22). Help me not to be a person who drops people when I’m offended and burns bridges quickly. Allow me to love and embrace others, just as You do for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

146

Praying for My Country

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray…then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 CHRONICLES 7:14

Lord, I pray that You will bless my nation. Raise up wise and godly leaders who have the welfare of the people as their priority and concern, and who do the right thing so that we can lead the kind of peaceful lives you have promised in Your Word (1 Timothy 2:1-2). There is so much in the world and in my country that makes me anxious and afraid, but You have said to pray about everything that concerns me instead of worrying, and if I do, Your peace will guard my heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7). Show me how I should pray in specific ways.

I ask that You would pour out Your Spirit on every part of this country and especially on the town where I live. Expose evil and remove it from among us. Take corrupt leaders out of power. Protect us from the enemy’s plans to harm us. Keep danger, disaster, and violence far from us.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

147

Lord, Send Me a Mentor

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

PROVERBS 27:17

Lord, there is so much going on in my life that I desire to share with someone who’s older and wiser than me. Your Word is the foundation for my life, yet my heart craves fellowship with a godly woman who has already walked the path that I’m on. I would love someone to sit with who would share her story with me in order to bring perspective to my own.

Scripture is always saying that a wise person accepts instruction and seeks noble advice (Proverbs 19:20). Your Word also confirms that our plans fail if we lack counsel, but with many advisers they will succeed (Proverbs 15:22). Father, would You bring a godly mentor into my life? Would You connect me with a woman who is willing to invest in me, challenge me, and believe in me? Most of all, I ask for a mentor whose heart is directly in line with Yours. I pray that I could be just as much a blessing to her as she is to me. Thank You in advance for Your handpicked provision.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

148

Getting Free of Addictions

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:12 NKJV

Lord, where there is something in my life that has the potential to become an addiction, I pray You would enable me to be free of it. Help me to never play around with anything that has the potential to harm me. I don’t want to follow the crowd or the voice of the enemy, nor do I want to take any kind of harmful substance to make myself feel better instead of relying on You to fulfill my life. I know that taking something to alter my mood can lure me into a trap of delusion that will keep me from all You have for me.

Take away any tendency in me to have an addictive personality, including any unhealthy relationship or eating disorder. I don’t want food to fill an emptiness in me that can only be filled with more of You. Help me to resist even things that may not be bad in and of themselves but are not good for me personally.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

149

Prayer for a Suicidal Friend

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

REVELATION 21:6

Lord, I submit my friend (name of friend) to You right now. My heart is desperately burdened and troubled on their behalf. The enemy is heavily upon them, gripping them with depression and the temptation of suicide. In Jesus’ name, I ask that You would deliver my friend from Satan’s scheme to destroy them. Send Your angels to fight for and protect them in this battle for their very soul and life. Your Word says that everyone who lives has hope (Ecclesiastes 9:4)! I proclaim life, hope, and a future over my friend right now.

You are close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). Jesus, You have died and overcome the grave so that we can live! You have given all who believe a hope that cannot be cut off (Proverbs 23:18): a beautiful relationship with You on earth and an eternity in heaven with the Father. Breathe this very life and hope into my friend at this moment. Holy Spirit, rescue them!

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

150

Help Me Understand the Bible

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

PSALM 119:105

Lord, I know that Your Word is food for my soul and I need it like I need food for my body. But sometimes the Bible is hard to understand. Help me to read it every day and truly comprehend what You are desiring to teach me. My heart is open to all You have to show me and I don’t want to miss anything that I should know. Make the words come alive to me with their true meaning.

I don’t want to just read Your Word; I want to do what it says. But I know I can’t do it perfectly without Your help. Enable me to respond to it with an obedient heart. Thank You that Your Word is “living and powerful…and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Show me in Your Word how to be who You made me to be. Thank You that anyone who trusts in You and obeys Your Word will find a good and happy life (Proverbs 16:20). I want that for my future.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

151

Restoration with Parents

You who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.

1 PETER 5:5

Heavenly Father, I bring before Your throne my relationship with my mother and father. You know every detail of my life—all of the ways that they have wronged me and I have wronged them. I release my pain and anger to You, asking for Your Spirit to give me the strength to forgive. Scripture says that it’s to my glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11), so I turn my eyes upon You instead of how I’ve been hurt. Give me a heart to treat both of my parents with overwhelming compassion and help me to honor them as I know Your Word says that is the first commandment with a promise (Ephesians 6:1-3).

Lord, I ask that You would bind up any wounds that my mother or father has and restore them to Yourself in every way. Please speak to their soul about the issues between us that need to be resolved. Soften and convict each of us so that we can come together and be beautifully reconciled. Father, hear the cry of my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

152

Worshipping God His Way

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

ROMANS 1:21 NKJV

Lord, there are countless reasons to praise You and I don’t want to neglect any of them. I want to worship You for all that You are. I praise You because You are my Heavenly Father and You love me unconditionally. I worship You as the Creator and Lord of all. There is no other God but You. I worship You as the God of love, joy, peace, mercy, and truth. I praise You because Your Word is unfailing and You are the same today as You were yesterday and will be tomorrow. I thank You that You and Your Word are unchanging and I can always depend on that.

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for me so I can be forgiven and spend eternity with You. Thank You that You, Jesus, are my healer, deliverer, and provider. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to dwell in me and be my comforter and guide. Thank You that You will never leave or forsake me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie

153

I Want to Be a Light

You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

MATTHEW 5:14-16

Lord, You have placed Your light in me to shine in this dark world. You have not called me to hide my light from others—Your Word says no one would light a lamp and put it under a bowl (Matthew 5:15). Rather, You have given me this light that I might let it shine and take it into the darkest of places.

Scripture says that You are the light of the world and whoever follows You will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Thank You that because I am Yours, I will never be overtaken by darkness. I can boldly walk in the midst of it, but I will never be overshadowed. The light inside of me is Your Presence itself, and nothing can stand against its power. Illuminate Your salvation, love, and truth through me, that the world would be blinded to all else…and only see You.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Paige

154

Transforming My Life

The Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:17

Lord, I am so very grateful that You are constant and unchanging. Thank You that Your Spirit in me is constant and unchanging too. Thank You that where Your Spirit is, there is liberty. Whenever I look to You, I am being transformed by Your Spirit into Your image—from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Help me to always reflect Your beauty. Keep me from looking at anything that would take away from Your glory in me.

Help me to value Your presence in my life more than I value anything else. I don’t ever want to do anything to hinder the transforming work You want to do in me. When I look in the mirror I want to see You reflected back. When other people look at me I want them to see Your radiance too. Thank You that You have the power to set me free from anything in my life that would keep me from all You have for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

—Stormie