This episode of Your Daily Prayer is sponsored by BetterHelp. 

When we consider our own preparations for Christmas, may we prepare our hearts to receive him. We can examine our thoughts and attitudes and eliminate the ones that turn our hearts toward doubt and despair. Our hardships don’t exclude God’s presence in our life. - Jessica Van Roekel

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This episode of Your Daily Prayer is sponsored by BetterHelp. 
When we consider our own preparations for Christmas, may we prepare our hearts to receive him. We can examine our thoughts and attitudes and eliminate the ones that turn our hearts toward doubt and despair. Our hardships don’t exclude God’s presence in our life. - Jessica Van Roekel
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:
The Crosswalk Devotional: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional">https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional</a>  Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse</a>

Every morning, the team of women behind iBelieve.com bring you a devotional and prayer to help you start your day in conversation with God. The Bible tells us to bring our prayers and petitions before God and He WILL give us peace! May these daily prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God today.

Want more prayers and practical spiritual tips each week? We're excited to introduce The Good Word, a new way to receive weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement right in your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ 

Every morning, the team of women behind iBelieve.com bring you a devotional and prayer to help you start your day in conversation with God. The Bible tells us to bring our prayers and petitions before God and He WILL give us peace! May these daily prayers&nbsp;help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God today.
Want more prayers and practical spiritual tips each week? We're excited to introduce The Good Word, a new way to receive weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement right in your inbox. Join our community today:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/</a>&nbsp;

Every morning, the team of women behind iBelieve.com bring you a devotional and prayer to help you start your day in conversation with God. The Bible tells us to bring our prayers and petitions before God and He WILL give us peace! May these daily...

Your Daily Prayer

Every morning, the team of women behind iBelieve.com bring you a devotional and prayer to help you start your day in conversation with God. The Bible tells us to bring our prayers and petitions before God and He WILL give us peace! May these daily prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God today.

Want more prayers and practical spiritual tips each week? We're excited to introduce The Good Word, a new way to receive weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement right in your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ 

Every morning, the team of women behind iBelieve.com bring you a devotional and prayer to help you start your day in conversation with God. The Bible tells us to bring our prayers and petitions before God and He WILL give us peace! May these daily prayers&nbsp;help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God today.
Want more prayers and practical spiritual tips each week? We're excited to introduce&nbsp;The Good Word, a new way to receive weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement right in your inbox. Join our community today:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/</a>&nbsp;

A Prayer to Prepare Our Hearts

When you are the one who shows up in the darkest moments, physically or virtually present in a time of genuine crisis, you have an opportunity to steward God's light into a story that desperately needs it. That kind of presence is both a gift and a responsibility, and knowing how to offer it well matters enormously.

Jesus models this beautifully in the moments before the resurrection of Lazarus. He already knew what was about to happen, and yet He did not rush past the grief around Him to get to the miracle. When He saw Mary weeping, He wept with her. When He encountered Martha, He met her differently — offering conviction, truth, and firm footing, reminding her of exactly who He is. The same tragedy, two very different women, two very different responses. Jesus read the person in front of Him and responded in the language of her individual spirit. Mary needed someone to cry with her. Martha needed someone to anchor her in truth. Both were acts of profound love. Romans 12:15 distills this principle to its simplest form: mourn with those who mourn. When we come alongside someone who is broken, the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives within us and is ready to guide us in exactly how to show up. We do not have to have the right words. We simply have to be willing to be used.

Today's Bible Verse

"Mourn with those who mourn."
— Romans 12:15, NIV

Ponder Today
Presence matters more than perfect words. Jesus wept before He spoke. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer someone in grief is simply our willingness to show up and stay — without an agenda, without a solution, without rushing past the pain.
Different people need different kinds of comfort. Mary needed someone to cry with her. Martha needed truth and conviction to stand on. Reading the person in front of you and responding in the language of their spirit is one of the most loving things you can do.
The Holy Spirit guides us when we do not know how to help. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in every believer. When you feel unsure of what to say or do for someone who is hurting, ask Him to use you as a vessel and trust that He will.

A Prayer for You Today

Father God, what a holy and set-apart opportunity You have entrusted to us in loving someone who is beset with grief. We ask not only for Your peace to be poured upon the person who is aching, but we implore You to use us as Your mouthpiece in this delicate situation. Let us be used in this time for Your purpose and plan, and give us the wisdom of what to say, what to do, and how to show up for the person who is hurting. We thank You that You are ever present, ever loving, and ever mindful of each of us, just as You were for Mary and Martha outside Lazarus's tomb. May we glorify You in this process and place. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.

Want More?

Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ 

When you are the one who shows up in the darkest moments, physically or virtually present in a time of genuine crisis, you have an opportunity to steward God's light into a story that desperately needs it. That kind of presence is both a gift and a responsibility, and knowing how to offer it well matters enormously.
Jesus models this beautifully in the moments before the resurrection of Lazarus. He already knew what was about to happen, and yet He did not rush past the grief around Him to get to the miracle. When He saw Mary weeping, He wept with her. When He encountered Martha, He met her differently &mdash; offering conviction, truth, and firm footing, reminding her of exactly who He is. The same tragedy, two very different women, two very different responses. Jesus read the person in front of Him and responded in the language of her individual spirit. Mary needed someone to cry with her. Martha needed someone to anchor her in truth. Both were acts of profound love. Romans 12:15 distills this principle to its simplest form: mourn with those who mourn. When we come alongside someone who is broken, the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives within us and is ready to guide us in exactly how to show up. We do not have to have the right words. We simply have to be willing to be used.
<hr>
Today's Bible Verse
"Mourn with those who mourn." &mdash; Romans 12:15, NIV
<hr>
Ponder Today
<ol dir="ltr">
<li>Presence matters more than perfect words. Jesus wept before He spoke. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer someone in grief is simply our willingness to show up and stay &mdash; without an agenda, without a solution, without rushing past the pain.</li>
<li>Different people need different kinds of comfort. Mary needed someone to cry with her. Martha needed truth and conviction to stand on. Reading the person in front of you and responding in the language of their spirit is one of the most loving things you can do.</li>
<li>The Holy Spirit guides us when we do not know how to help. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in every believer. When you feel unsure of what to say or do for someone who is hurting, ask Him to use you as a vessel and trust that He will.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
A Prayer for You Today
Father God, what a holy and set-apart opportunity You have entrusted to us in loving someone who is beset with grief. We ask not only for Your peace to be poured upon the person who is aching, but we implore You to use us as Your mouthpiece in this delicate situation. Let us be used in this time for Your purpose and plan, and give us the wisdom of what to say, what to do, and how to show up for the person who is hurting. We thank You that You are ever present, ever loving, and ever mindful of each of us, just as You were for Mary and Martha outside Lazarus's tomb. May we glorify You in this process and place. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.
Want More?
Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/</a>&nbsp;

A Prayer for Helping Someone with a Broken Heart

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/5f4db0ff-673b-4723-800b-b4b100d66709/transcript

Bible-reading funks are more common than most people admit, and they arrive for all kinds of reasons. A busy season of life, a complicated history with how Scripture was taught, the ordinary pull of a tired and distracted mind — any of these can quietly erode the habit of regular Bible reading until weeks have passed and the distance from God's Word feels both familiar and vaguely guilty. The honest acknowledgment that we are not always naturally eager to open the Bible is not a sign of weak faith. It is a sign that faith is a commitment, not just a feeling.

Psalm 1 paints a picture of someone whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on it day and night — and the result is a life that is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season and never withering. That kind of rootedness does not happen accidentally. It is the fruit of a sustained, intentional commitment to staying in the Word even when it does not feel compelling. One practical strategy that has proven remarkably effective for getting out of a Bible-reading funk is finding someone whose spiritual wellbeing matters deeply to you and committing to read Scripture with or to them once a day. It does not have to be a long passage. It does not have to be perfectly timed or beautifully executed. It simply has to happen. Accountability, even the chaotic and imperfect kind, has a way of keeping us tethered to the Word better than good intentions ever do. Stay committed not because it always feels good, but because goodness is only found when we are anchored in the truth and love of God's Word.

Today's Bible Verse

"Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."
— Psalm 1:1-3, NIV

Ponder Today
Faith is a commitment, not a feeling. If Bible reading relied on feeling eager and inspired, most of us would rarely open its pages. Discipline practiced in the absence of feeling is what produces the deep-rootedness Psalm 1 describes.
Finding someone to read Scripture with creates accountability that good intentions cannot. When someone else's spiritual well-being is connected to our commitment, the stakes shift. We show up not just for ourselves but for them.
The goal does not have to be impressive to be effective. One Psalm a day. One short passage. A specific, measurable, realistic commitment practiced consistently will do more for your Bible reading than an ambitious plan that lasts three days.
A Bible-reading funk is not a permanent state — it is a season to push through. The feelings of intimidation, boredom, or distance from God's Word are real, but they are not reliable guides for whether we should open the Bible. The Word itself is what revives those feelings over time.
Stay the course because Jesus is running it with you. The hard disciplines are the only ones truly worth pursuing and treasuring. A life rooted in Scripture bears fruit in every season — including the ones where the leaves feel like they might not make it.

A Prayer for You Today

Lord, in our sinful flesh it is so easy to shrug off Your Word, to dismiss its beauty, power, and freedom. Whether it is a busy season, a challenging circumstance, or the enemy's distractions, we too easily place Bible reading on the back burner. Please grant us the discernment to find someone we can read Your truth with, and may this commitment to Scripture revive our hearts and awaken a new desire to stay tethered to who You are through the pages of the Bible. In Your holy name we pray, Father, Amen.

 

Bible-reading funks are more common than most people admit, and they arrive for all kinds of reasons. A busy season of life, a complicated history with how Scripture was taught, the ordinary pull of a tired and distracted mind &mdash; any of these can quietly erode the habit of regular Bible reading until weeks have passed and the distance from God's Word feels both familiar and vaguely guilty. The honest acknowledgment that we are not always naturally eager to open the Bible is not a sign of weak faith. It is a sign that faith is a commitment, not just a feeling.
Psalm 1 paints a picture of someone whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on it day and night &mdash; and the result is a life that is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season and never withering. That kind of rootedness does not happen accidentally. It is the fruit of a sustained, intentional commitment to staying in the Word even when it does not feel compelling. One practical strategy that has proven remarkably effective for getting out of a Bible-reading funk is finding someone whose spiritual wellbeing matters deeply to you and committing to read Scripture with or to them once a day. It does not have to be a long passage. It does not have to be perfectly timed or beautifully executed. It simply has to happen. Accountability, even the chaotic and imperfect kind, has a way of keeping us tethered to the Word better than good intentions ever do. Stay committed not because it always feels good, but because goodness is only found when we are anchored in the truth and love of God's Word.
<hr>
Today's Bible Verse
"Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither." &mdash; Psalm 1:1-3, NIV
<hr>
Ponder Today
<ol dir="ltr">
<li>Faith is a commitment, not a feeling. If Bible reading relied on feeling eager and inspired, most of us would rarely open its pages. Discipline practiced in the absence of feeling is what produces the deep-rootedness Psalm 1 describes.</li>
<li>Finding someone to read Scripture with creates accountability that good intentions cannot. When someone else's spiritual well-being is connected to our commitment, the stakes shift. We show up not just for ourselves but for them.</li>
<li>The goal does not have to be impressive to be effective. One Psalm a day. One short passage. A specific, measurable, realistic commitment practiced consistently will do more for your Bible reading than an ambitious plan that lasts three days.</li>
<li>A Bible-reading funk is not a permanent state &mdash; it is a season to push through. The feelings of intimidation, boredom, or distance from God's Word are real, but they are not reliable guides for whether we should open the Bible. The Word itself is what revives those feelings over time.</li>
<li>Stay the course because Jesus is running it with you. The hard disciplines are the only ones truly worth pursuing and treasuring. A life rooted in Scripture bears fruit in every season &mdash; including the ones where the leaves feel like they might not make it.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
A Prayer for You Today
Lord, in our sinful flesh it is so easy to shrug off Your Word, to dismiss its beauty, power, and freedom. Whether it is a busy season, a challenging circumstance, or the enemy's distractions, we too easily place Bible reading on the back burner. Please grant us the discernment to find someone we can read Your truth with, and may this commitment to Scripture revive our hearts and awaken a new desire to stay tethered to who You are through the pages of the Bible. In Your holy name we pray, Father, Amen.
<hr>
&nbsp;

A Prayer When You’re in a Bible-Reading Funk

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/5937e563-5908-43ea-ad11-b4b100d6670a/transcript

The calendar is about to fill back up. New school schedules, new work projects, church commitments, and the steady accumulation of fall's demands are just around the corner. Autumn is an exciting season, but it also carries a real risk of losing peace of mind to stress if we enter it without intentional preparation. Right now, before the rush arrives, there is a sacred window of time available — and the wisest thing we can do with it is pull away to a quiet place.

Isaiah 26:3 connects perfect peace directly to a mind that is steadfast in trusting God. Without regular quiet time to reset that focus, the mind becomes like a fallen leaf tossed around by the wind — distracted by the present and anxious about the future. Going into a busy season with a mind in that state means being easily overwhelmed by demands that would otherwise feel manageable. Quiet time with God is not a luxury for special occasions. It is how we build the spiritual reservoir we draw from when the harder days arrive. Filling ourselves with His love and wisdom now means that when the pressure of a full fall schedule hits, we will not have to scramble for peace. It will already be there, steady and available, because the foundation beneath us is strong. Choosing to pull away to a quiet place is itself an act of trust — a declaration that we believe God will meet our needs even when we stop driving ourselves relentlessly forward.

Bible Verse

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
— Isaiah 26:3, NIV

Ponder Today
A steadfast mind is a prepared mind. When quiet time with God becomes a regular practice, the mind grows calm and focused. When it is neglected, the mind grows anxious and easily overwhelmed. The difference shows up most clearly in the busiest seasons.
Choosing rest is an act of trust. The belief that we cannot afford to stop is rooted in the fear that our life depends entirely on our own effort. Pulling away to a quiet place tells God we trust Him to hold things together while we rest in His presence.
Build the spiritual reservoir now so you can draw from it later. The peace, wisdom, and renewal you receive in quiet time with God do not disappear when you return to a busy schedule. They carry you through it.

A Prayer for You Today

Dear God, I can feel the upcoming autumn season approaching, and I already want to race ahead into the busyness of it. I confess that I often let my mind get cluttered with worries about tasks I need to complete and problems I need to solve. But right now, I am choosing to stop worrying and start trusting You more. In this quiet place, please quiet the noise inside my soul. Send me Your peace. I want to live with a steadfast mind rooted in Your truth, not a mind constantly tossed around by changing circumstances. I surrender my need for constant productivity and choose to rest in Your presence. I trust You to meet all of my needs. As the seasons change outside, let Your unchanging peace keep me steady. Thank You, God. Amen.

The calendar is about to fill back up. New school schedules, new work projects, church commitments, and the steady accumulation of fall's demands are just around the corner. Autumn is an exciting season, but it also carries a real risk of losing peace of mind to stress if we enter it without intentional preparation. Right now, before the rush arrives, there is a sacred window of time available &mdash; and the wisest thing we can do with it is pull away to a quiet place.
Isaiah 26:3 connects perfect peace directly to a mind that is steadfast in trusting God. Without regular quiet time to reset that focus, the mind becomes like a fallen leaf tossed around by the wind &mdash; distracted by the present and anxious about the future. Going into a busy season with a mind in that state means being easily overwhelmed by demands that would otherwise feel manageable. Quiet time with God is not a luxury for special occasions. It is how we build the spiritual reservoir we draw from when the harder days arrive. Filling ourselves with His love and wisdom now means that when the pressure of a full fall schedule hits, we will not have to scramble for peace. It will already be there, steady and available, because the foundation beneath us is strong. Choosing to pull away to a quiet place is itself an act of trust &mdash; a declaration that we believe God will meet our needs even when we stop driving ourselves relentlessly forward.
<hr>
Bible Verse
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." &mdash; Isaiah 26:3, NIV
<hr>
Ponder Today
<ol dir="ltr">
<li>A steadfast mind is a prepared mind. When quiet time with God becomes a regular practice, the mind grows calm and focused. When it is neglected, the mind grows anxious and easily overwhelmed. The difference shows up most clearly in the busiest seasons.</li>
<li>Choosing rest is an act of trust. The belief that we cannot afford to stop is rooted in the fear that our life depends entirely on our own effort. Pulling away to a quiet place tells God we trust Him to hold things together while we rest in His presence.</li>
<li>Build the spiritual reservoir now so you can draw from it later. The peace, wisdom, and renewal you receive in quiet time with God do not disappear when you return to a busy schedule. They carry you through it.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
A Prayer for You Today
Dear God, I can feel the upcoming autumn season approaching, and I already want to race ahead into the busyness of it. I confess that I often let my mind get cluttered with worries about tasks I need to complete and problems I need to solve. But right now, I am choosing to stop worrying and start trusting You more. In this quiet place, please quiet the noise inside my soul. Send me Your peace. I want to live with a steadfast mind rooted in Your truth, not a mind constantly tossed around by changing circumstances. I surrender my need for constant productivity and choose to rest in Your presence. I trust You to meet all of my needs. As the seasons change outside, let Your unchanging peace keep me steady. Thank You, God. Amen.

A Prayer to Pull Away to a Quiet Place Before Autumn Hits

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/4584c5a3-aa6a-48ff-81d8-b4b100d6670a/transcript

A Prayer to Prepare Our Hearts

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