Doubling Down on Prayer Circles

Have you ever started something thinking it would end up one way and it ended up another?

I’m sure you have. Because life.

I started this Lent season with the goal to keep it simple, so I created straightforward, no-homework, no-stress plan and shared it HERE on the blog. Thus far, I’ve mainly been engaging with new and old friends reading with me over on Instagram. However on day eight, Jesus stopped me saying, HOLD UP, BRUH. (Or something like that.) He was about to simplify Lent even more than I’d planned.

Let’s circle back a bit…

A couple years ago, I read Mark Batterson’s The Circle Maker. Since, I try to make a habit of “circling” specific things in prayer. This is Batterson’s fancy name for praying over something until the prayer is answered. The book is incredible and has completely changed how I pray, think about praying, and believe in the power of prayer. It’s not just about praying to get what you want, but more about praying to get what He wants. I literally circled promises of God in my Bible and then began praying circles around them and tying them to my personal life.

In 2016, I circled our family’s move and new town in prayer … literally. I circled the new town in my car and walked around the house we were selling while speaking His promises back to Him. That same year, I circled our finances and a prominent literary agent in prayer and not long after I landed both my current job and a contract with that exact agent.

Lots of circling has happened over the past few years, so I know it works. In fact, everything I circle in prayer has turned out better than I imagined it would.

Circling back to the present…

While reading through this Lent outline, I’m also reading Batterson’s 40 Day Prayer Challenge, a companion to The Circle Maker. To be frank (and slightly bold), I’m prayerfully anticipating answers by my up-coming 35th birthday for a few things I’m currently circling.

Well, Jesus doesn’t play when He wants to make a point, so OF COURSE day eight of Lent (Matthew 17-18) lined up with Batterson’s devotional on Matthew 17:21:

However, this kind does not go out except by prayer AND fasting. (emphasis mine)

What’s funny is Matthew 17:21 is NOT LISTED in my ESV Bible. But don’t you worry, Jesus made sure I read Batterson’s devotional on the SAME DAY I was reading chapter 17 in my plan, so I would not miss His point. In fact, it drove it home even more.

Okay, okay … so He wants me to fast. And I got the overwhelming feeling I should do it through the date that I am asking for answers on. But from what?

I asked Him this and again I almost felt His eyes rolling as He said, “BRUH.”

(Okay, not really. I  didn’t hear him say that, but I’d like to think Jesus speaks like that to some of us. 😉 )

But I could almost see him rolling his eyes.

Because I already knew what I needed to give up.

Instagram.

Since my Facebook fast last year, I’ve gained a handle on the amount of time I share and scroll there, but Instagram has become a new form of procrastination for me. I don’t believe I abuse IG or even think I need to leave it completely, but I do recognize it sometimes keeps me from doing what I know He wants me to do.

I argued for a few days and said no way. If nothing else, Instagram is how I’m keeping up with everyone while we read through the gospels together. I also tried to justify my use of it because of work, my writing, and so on.

But nope. He wants all or nothing.

So, because Jesus means business, I want Him to know I do too.

I want Him to know I crave Him and His will more than I crave any type of social media. I want Him to know I trust Him to handle the details I try to use as justification.

So I am breaking up with Instagram until my birthday.

I will still be connecting here on the blog and with my OFs via email. (I’ve included a form below if you’re interested in joining me and my OFs). I’m also creating a FB group for OFs I’ll be checking in on regularly.

Come over to Facebook with me HERE.

I’m praying this double circle of mine – both prayer and fasting – will take me further and faster into the presence of God. I’m taking it literally and personally because I know He answers prayer.

When I get back to IG, I’m planning a big 35th birthday giveaway over there to celebrate a successful fast and answered prayers. 🙂

Have you ever circled something in prayer? What promises of God are you most interested in circling in prayer?

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