I have continued to read The Circle Maker this month and this is the question I found myself returning to …
What if reading became a form of praying and praying became a form of reading? (page 96)
Interesting question for sure. Very thought provoking. And Mark Batterson continues to explain …
The paradigm shift happens when you realize that the Bible wasn’t meant to be read through; the Bible was meant to be prayed through. (page 96)
I sat recalling seasons of intense prayer which usually included holding onto a promise from Scripture and praying God would bring it to pass in my life. I thought of those times, when desperate for God to change a situation or bring healing where I reminded Him of His Word. I reached for my Bible and began flipping through the pages, looking at my very own handwriting in the columns. I found dates recorded, dates connected to verses and prayers and circumstances. And as I continued flipping, all I could see was the faithfulness of God, my God, to me and to His Word …
- In 1984, when going through an intense situation, I was often reminded: “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines, even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren, even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle bars are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! ”            (Habakkuk 3:17-18, NLT)
- Often over the years, when praying for the way in which my husband would always love me: “This one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman’, because she was taken from ‘man’. (Genesis 2:23, NLT)
- July 13, 2007, when I heard my daughter was pregnant with my first grandchild: “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” (Psalm 103:17-18)
- March 4, 2008, the day of Sophia’s birth as I realized she was a part of my thousand generations: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” (Deuteronomy 7:9, NIV)
- So many times I had prayed this one for the lives of my own two children: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”     (Isaiah 44:3, NIV)
- On May 27, 2009 as the Chrysler dealership was lost and income was greatly impacted: “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
- Then there was when it was thought my husband had heart issues and would require a pacemaker: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Proverbs 21:1, NIV)
- When my son was discovered to need speech therapy, God assured me: “The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.” (Isaiah 32:4,NIV)
- When someone close faced issues with a family will: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” (Psalm 27:10, NIV)
- On February 11, 2010, when Dad had skin lymphoma, God assured with: “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” (Psalm 112:7, NIV)
- On August 10, 2012, on the day mom had her stents: “The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life.” (Psalm 121:7,NIV)
- On June 6, 2008, as a loved one feared traumatic hair loss: “Yet not one of them {sparrows} will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-30, NIV)
- I prayed for myself and my influence in the lives of my grandchildren and felt assurance: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5, NIV)
- On April 27, 2010, as we made a decision to leave a church after many years, I feared being without a “shepherd” and God assured me: “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to spring of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)
- As I faced leading a Bible Study for the very first time on my own, God brought assurance as I prayed this verse many times throughout that study year: “Let my words fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.” (Deuteronomy 32:2, NIV)
And I could share so many more. As I took this trip down “Memory Lane”, 
I came to realize Mark Batterson is so right when he wrote:
Reading is the way you get through the Bible; prayer is the way you get the Bible through you. (page 96)
This is Day 27 of 31 Days Of Going In Circles. You can find the entire series here .
Today I am joining … Playdates With God and Unforced Rhythms and Salt & Light and Monday Musings and Blessed but Stressed and Create With Joy and Making Your Home Sing and Good Morning Mondays and Motivation Mon. .
Thank you for such a wonderful thought provoking post and thank you for sharing it at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
It was good to be there 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
Love this: “Reading is the way you get through the Bible; prayer is the way you get the Bible through you.” Want that one to sink in deeply!
That is a Mark Batterson quote, Kathryn, which really struck me too 🙂
It always amazes me how He used words written down centuries before to encourage and inspire me. And some people say the Bible isn’t relevant in our modern world? Huh.
Jen, there may have been “dry” spells in my life but I have to say, overall, He has spoken through His Word in a much relevant way to me. I am continually amazed.
What an encouraging list! Thank you so much for sharing. That inspires me to write my own list with verses.
You may end up being very surprised at just how faithful God has been to you! I certainly was. Blessings!
This is just beautiful, Joanne! I love how your Bible has become a testament to God’s involvement and guiding in your life. And I love the idea of praying through the Bible rather than just reading it.
Anita, my Bible is my prized possession because it is His Word just for me 🙂 It has become so personal to me. Glad to join you this morning 🙂
I will try to keep this idea in mind as I read through Scripture today and pray the words, too.
As we do this, I think we will see a difference in our prayers & lives. So glad you stopped here!
How lovely! Thank you for sharing all the tender moments in your life and how the word of God reassured you. I found you through the 31 dayers Facebook link up.
It is amazing all the encouragement being passed around through the FB link. What are we all going to do come Nov. 1st 🙂
This is truly awesome! Printing it.
Grateful it encouraged you!
I love these Word prayers and promises. I have several scriptures printed out that I pray through often.
It is such a comfort to turn to familiar words, isn’t it, Elizabeth? His Words spoken to us.
I loved the book and I loved your examples. Yes, yes, yes! That’s how God works in and through us. We so need to read prayerfully the Bible. Thanks, Joanne. May God continue to bless you and keep you!
So glad you also loved the book. May we keep reading & praying Scriptures in the days ahead!
OH MY GOODNESS! I love this! I love that you write in the margins of your Bible like I do (because, of course!) And that Quote? Gah… another book I have known I need to get but kept putting off… until now… I’m gonna grab it this week and dig in as a reward of finishing #write31days!
Karrilea, my Bible has become so personal & written in. It is my dearest possession. So glad you are going to reward yourself! I never thought to do that but hey, sounds like a great idea so I must think of somethig 🙂
How neat! I haven’t written down prayers/answers to prayers but I think it would be neat to do, to see how God always answers it the right way — His way. Thanks for sharing!
Erin
http://www.itallmattersmom.com
And when you go back at other times, it is faith building and assuring to remember. So glad you stopped here!
Very interesting post. Have a great week!
May you have a great week as well!
Thank you for recording how God used his Word to encourage you in your specific prayers…your series is giving me a renewed desire to pray and read the Bible from this perspective!
Kel, you have so encouraged me this whole journey. I am so thankful for each time you share. Doing this series has been wonderful to push me to pray more diligently each & every day. Blessings!
This is beautiful – I have been doing more praying through the Bible and praying verses over my family lately and it’s led to more meaningful talks with God. For this challenge, I’ve even been writing some verses into prayer poems… LOVE this list of verses you give – they are more on the “unique” side for these various topics, which I love to see!
I like that you found the verses unique. It made me realize even more so, God will make His word specific to us & to our situations as we are all so different. May we continue to pray His Word for our families. So grateful you stopped here!
The Bible was meant to be prayed through…. Oh, yes. I love that thought. Immediately makes me think, “the Bible was meant to be *communed* through.” Its purpose is to facilitate intimacy. Thanks for provoking some thought this morning, Joanne… <3
Dana – I love how you put it – The Bible was meant to be ocmmuned through. God speaking to us, specifically to our lives & situations, resulting in deeper intimacy. Grateful you shared!
Wow, this is such an amazing and inspiring post. Thank you for sharing so many pieces of scripture with us. A great reminder to hide God’s word in our hearts for times when we really need it. Mine is 1 Samuel 1:27 “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.” when we were unsure if we would be allowed to adopt our son, who at the time was our foster son. We spent many fearful days and nights. We were allowed to adopt him and then this verse became one we could say with rejoicing over him! (He’s now 10 years old and you can see pictures of him on my blog: http://www.saraborgstede.com. God is good.)
Sara, How beautifully God’s Word brought you hope in your adoption process! Loved reading this testimony of God’s faithfulness to you & to your son!
Joanne, this was so rich and beautiful! I loved all the verses you shared and how alive God’s word is to you. So personal. We have some of the same verses underlined–I need to pray through them daily. Love Mark’s quote about the Bible being prayed through rather than read through. I went out last week and bought his book. You are amazing at how much you accomplish and yet how deep your thoughts are.
Blessings, Janis
You are going to be blessed in reading the book. May we be amazed at God’s Word all of our days as He speaks to us personally & to our situations. Blessings!