The Most Intimate Time of Prayer Ever

So beore I get anyone's hopes up too high, I have to admit that the I prayed for the title of this blog, for my prayer time to be 'the most intimate time of prayer ever', but I don't know if it actually was. I finished reading "Crazy Love" last week, and Francis Chan said in the last chapter that he often prays this, and to be honest, I thought it was a little 'over the top', 'romanticized', etc. But he explains further that our relationship with God will not become any deeper if we A- do nothing, or B- expect the same things we always have, and do the same things we always do. I hope that if I pray this more, and actually yearn for it, I will be able to report each prayer time being the most intimate yet! I have seen lots of good fruit from these Tuesdays of prayer and fasting, but it may already be a little bit of a 'habit' in the sense that I am doing something out of devotion- (which is important!), but not expecting to be changed. Our church is doing a series with many other partner churches in our city, to Connect, Serve, and Invite (CSI- no relation to the show). Connect with God, connect with others, serve in small and large ways, Invite them into our lives, homes, churches. So I thought about these two concepts this morning preparing for a play date with a neighbor. Did I expect that our relationship would stay the same after today, or would I intentially try to learn more about her, care more about her and her family, develop a deeper relationship, look for some way I could serve her?

The Word: "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also." John 12:26

I love the joining of (at least) three ideas here, that in service- to God and others, we are following what he commands, which brings us closer to Him- here on earth now, and in eternity.

Prayer: Praise God for the ways relationships have blessed us and opened up opportunities for us to bless others, and prayer for intentionally seeking deeper relationships to produce closeness with God and opportunity to connect with and serve others.

Food Story: Same story as the last play date with this friend, she planned a super fun food craft, that we would then eat for lunch- how could I say no! I will not have any more snacks this afternoon, but I am also choosing to fast from taking a nap (which I was really feeling would be nice in the sun-shiny February day), desiring instead to pray, journal, read, strive for closeness in relationships!