Word of the Day - Pray / Prayer

Today was a day of eventfulness.  After two weeks of being off of work and successfully staying away from work that entire time school started back.  Ethan and I had a surprisingly good day.  Ethan said that his day was good and he was in a good mood when he came over to my school.  I had a good day, although incredibly busy.  Up until a year or so ago Ethan and I would say a prayer together every day before school.  There is no real reason that we stopped, but we did.  Sometimes the prayers were long and sometimes they were as short as "Thank you Jesus for this day.  Amen"  Although we stopped saying a prayer that ends with amen we have always said "Jesus bless you" to each other, no matter how blah our morning was.  It is something that we have always done and it is something that we will always do.  It is something special that Ethan and I do and it has brought us closer together and had built a bond and memories between us that we will never forget.  I know that some people will disagree with me, but others won't when I say that in my opinion, "Jesus bless you" is just as much of a prayer as anything else.  When we say that to each other we are praying for each other and truly praying that Jesus does bless the other.

Did you know that the word pray is used in the NIV translation of the Bible 367 times?  The word pray in the Webster Dictionary means "to enter into spiritual communion with God or an object of worship through prayer."  The following are some of the verses that really stuck out to me when I read them.

**Job 22:27 - You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. 

**Psalm 4:1 - [ Psalm 4 ] [ For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. ] Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 

**Matthew 26:41 - “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

**Luke 3:21 - [ The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus ] When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 

**Luke 11:2 - He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 

**1 Timothy 2:1 - [ Instructions on Worship ] I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people

Heavenly Father I pray that you would continue to bless and keep Ethan and me as we continue down the road that you have set before us.  I pray that you would allow angels to surround us and protect us.  Please watch over Ethan as he continues to grow in you.  Help me raise him in your image.  Please watch over those that I love and even those that I don't know.  May your peace fill our lives and may we live for you.  Amen

As you go about your night, your day tomorrow, and the days ahead I hope that you remember to stop and pray and give thanks for what you have.  I pray that you remember the power of prayer in hard times and in good times.

Peace and Blessings,
Scarlet