Notes From This Episode

Background

• Having a habit of daily prayer will change your motherhood

Beginning Thoughts on Daily Prayer

• Commit to daily prayer
• It does not matter how hold a mom you are, going to God, spending time with Him, giving Him your concerns, frustrations and questions, and then listening to Him, will give you the answers and peace you seek
• God allows controversies, difficulties, sadness, and worries in our life because sometimes that is the only way to catch our attention, to feel like we need God
  • We always need God, but in our self-sufficiency and busy-ness of the day, we forget

God Knows Where We Are

• Do not forget that we were created by a God who loves us and that He would not have given us our husband, children, and home without also giving us His help
  • “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13
• God will take away the frustrations and stress that add to your feelings of overwhelm and stress, but He cannot help if you do not give it to Him first
  • God respects our freedom – He never forces His love or His spirit on us.  He offers it, and we have the opportunity to accept

Prayer is Essential to a Positive Mindset

• The most important tool to a well-run home is our mindset, and bringing God into our heart and day completely changes your mindset
• Once you begin a life of prayer, you see things you never saw in yourself or family.  You recognize that motherhood is a calling from God

How to Begin a Life of Prayer

• You must schedule it, but be reasonable in your scheduling.  Don’t schedule it during a time when you know it would probably be impossible to keep the commitment
• Give God the best time you can, but do not try to be perfect or you will quit
  • God will not be surprised if it is not perfect.  In fact, He knows!  He gave you your children and knows you are doing the best you can
• It may help to schedule your prayer for first thing in the morning
  • Set your alarm to rise before your children get up
  • If you start your day off in prayer, you will approach the rest of your day with peace and focus

New Habits Take Time

• When beginning your life of prayer, recognize that you are establishing a new habit, and it will not be easy at first, but remember your why
• Try setting a timer, and begin at 15 minutes for a week, then increase to 20 minutes, and do not end until that timer goes off
  • God frequently leaves the golden nugget until the last few minutes of our prayer, so stay for the whole time

Prayer Aids

• Bring the New Testament or a good spiritual book to help keep yourself directed and focused and a journal to write down inspirations
  • www.janetquinlan.com/spiritualbooks offers a list of all kinds of spiritual reading books that you can bring to your prayer
• Relax, put yourself in God’s presence with your mind, and imagine you are there at Jesus’ feet listening to his words.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you advice on how to proceed with a problem
• Then, listen.  You probably will not hear God’s voice like thunder – He prefers to whisper
  • Maybe the first day you will not hear anything – keep going back to Him

Final Thoughts

• You will find:
  • Interior peace
  • An outward calm
  • Patience, empathy, and kindness
  • You have the ability to handle stress and anxiety
  • You have a higher motive for the mundane in everyday life and will find self-confidence and the realization that you are not broken or alone
  • He will give you answers and insights for struggles and a deeper knowledge of the life of Jesus Christ
  • The opportunity to see your children as gifts, rather than burdens
  • Practical ways to live your Christian faith in your everyday life
  • The grace to progress in virtue and holiness and an inner joy that cannot be attained through any other means

Motherhood can make you go crazy, or make you go to God. Go to God and find the peace and joy you long for!