Engage #9: Praying for Real

Prayer is not trying to get God to do what we want, but communicating with him about the issues and circumstances that concern us. It doesn’t happen in a prescribed period each day, but becomes a never-ending conversation where he lets us in on his insight.

Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are adding a new video every two weeks on Wednesday. Of course the most important part of this process is not the videos, but the time and focus you’ll give between them to learn the joy of letting God show you how he wants to build a relationship with you. Living loved is not a matter of embracing a different set of principles about God.

Living loved is the fruit of growing in the “knowing” of God, learning to sense his presence in our life and to cultivate an ongoing conversation with him about what’s going on in your life. As that unfolds, or if you have specific questions you’d like to ask, feel free to share using the comment section of this blog.

10 thoughts on “Engage #9: Praying for Real”

  1. Robin Williams in NCi

    Hi Wayne,

    so much has taken place in my life since I last emailed you about 8 years ago. I’ve been on the journey and although there have been huge trials and failures, I am so thankful for the relationship I’m developing with my Father. I have no better example than last evening as I was taking care of my daddy, who has cancer. There was a moment I’ve been knowing somehow was coming but I knew I couldn’t prepare for it. I broke into tears from the sheer weight of the grief I’ve been carrying in my heart. Knowing my daddy won’t be with us much longer has  helped me go to the Father and ask Him ” what is it my daddy needs other than the acts of service we do for him?” When my tears spilled over last night, my daddy pulled me down close to him ( something he’s never done) and began to cry himself.  His words of gratitude and his showing his affection for me opened my eyes not only to how much he loves me but how much the Father does as well. What I thought might be totally awkward…holding my daddy’s hand ( which is another first) became so natural. Now I know something he needs…my touch and my honest emotions. I can’t imagine a more beautiful picture of the Fathers love in my life.

  2. Once again, thanks to you, Wayne, for removing that over-layer of “relgious ought-to-do’s” and replacing it with the real thing of what a true relationship with our Father looks like.  I find myself sharing your Engage videos with a lot of people these days – they’re really hitting the mark for many!

  3. Since I have allowed myself to climb out of that box of ritual in my prayer life and started just including Jesus in my daily walk, keeping up a seemingly constant conversation with Him, my relationship with Him has deepened to an intimacy that is profound.   It has taken so many years to get to this place of freedom outside of all the rules of prayer we have been taught in buildingswith men who struggled with their own issues of knowing Father.   Thank God we have found liberty in our walks!!!  Thanks for this Wayne!!

  4. Robin Williams in NCi

    Hi Wayne,

    so much has taken place in my life since I last emailed you about 8 years ago. I’ve been on the journey and although there have been huge trials and failures, I am so thankful for the relationship I’m developing with my Father. I have no better example than last evening as I was taking care of my daddy, who has cancer. There was a moment I’ve been knowing somehow was coming but I knew I couldn’t prepare for it. I broke into tears from the sheer weight of the grief I’ve been carrying in my heart. Knowing my daddy won’t be with us much longer has  helped me go to the Father and ask Him ” what is it my daddy needs other than the acts of service we do for him?” When my tears spilled over last night, my daddy pulled me down close to him ( something he’s never done) and began to cry himself.  His words of gratitude and his showing his affection for me opened my eyes not only to how much he loves me but how much the Father does as well. What I thought might be totally awkward…holding my daddy’s hand ( which is another first) became so natural. Now I know something he needs…my touch and my honest emotions. I can’t imagine a more beautiful picture of the Fathers love in my life.

  5. Once again, thanks to you, Wayne, for removing that over-layer of “relgious ought-to-do’s” and replacing it with the real thing of what a true relationship with our Father looks like.  I find myself sharing your Engage videos with a lot of people these days – they’re really hitting the mark for many!

  6. Since I have allowed myself to climb out of that box of ritual in my prayer life and started just including Jesus in my daily walk, keeping up a seemingly constant conversation with Him, my relationship with Him has deepened to an intimacy that is profound.   It has taken so many years to get to this place of freedom outside of all the rules of prayer we have been taught in buildingswith men who struggled with their own issues of knowing Father.   Thank God we have found liberty in our walks!!!  Thanks for this Wayne!!

  7. Wayne…you may or not  be surprised at the little thing that “captured my heart” in your five minute video.(smile)

    Thank you for being authentic in stating “..talking to God about my neighbour…I’d like to wring his neck…asking God to help me love this neighbour…and I don’t know how right now”.  This had a big impact on me b/c I’m working through anger with Him right now.  I am seeing some of it being displaced without me “trying so hard”. Thank you for sharing in a way that’s authentic…I appreciate it.

  8. Wayne…you may or not  be surprised at the little thing that “captured my heart” in your five minute video.(smile)

    Thank you for being authentic in stating “..talking to God about my neighbour…I’d like to wring his neck…asking God to help me love this neighbour…and I don’t know how right now”.  This had a big impact on me b/c I’m working through anger with Him right now.  I am seeing some of it being displaced without me “trying so hard”. Thank you for sharing in a way that’s authentic…I appreciate it.

  9. Dear Wayne, I have to start by saying that I love you so much. Your journey has inspired, me and dared me to before real with God than I ever thought possible. The way you share your life has impacted me much more than I can describe and when I hear my husband and I pray for you I am filled with a deep awareness of how real the body of Christ is!

    Now my question is this : how does one pray effectually by faith without knowing what God’ll will for the outcome of a particular situation is? How can I pray that God will supply my need for my son’s school fees, who is about to be thrown out of school, if I consider what His sovereignty might mean? Perhaps He has better plans…perhaps we didn’t hear him well when we made the choice for that school and the lack is redemptive…

    i could go on, but I think you catch my drift. What does faith look like when we have chosen to be governed by the will of God. How is it exercised practically and how does it differ from hope?

    I look forward to your response

  10. Dear Wayne, I have to start by saying that I love you so much. Your journey has inspired, me and dared me to before real with God than I ever thought possible. The way you share your life has impacted me much more than I can describe and when I hear my husband and I pray for you I am filled with a deep awareness of how real the body of Christ is!

    Now my question is this : how does one pray effectually by faith without knowing what God’ll will for the outcome of a particular situation is? How can I pray that God will supply my need for my son’s school fees, who is about to be thrown out of school, if I consider what His sovereignty might mean? Perhaps He has better plans…perhaps we didn’t hear him well when we made the choice for that school and the lack is redemptive…

    i could go on, but I think you catch my drift. What does faith look like when we have chosen to be governed by the will of God. How is it exercised practically and how does it differ from hope?

    I look forward to your response

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