How Prayer opens our eyes to see deeper.

For the next few weeks my friend, Lori Schumaker and I are standing in agreement in prayer for an event we will be hosting in Arizona for #ChristianWriters. As we are quickly approaching the Prayer and Worship event, ‘A Night to Revive’ , we saw it fitting to start a Prayer Series.

Our desire for the Prayer Series, if for us; Lori and I to be deep in our word and to gain a better understanding of how prayer takes us to a deep intimacy with God.

Prayer is the most vital tool you can use to build your relationship with God and for allowing the Holy Spirit to be your guidance. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is our truth and gives us words to speak (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is also acknowledged as our Freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). As #Christianwriters, these are all things we should desire to be equipped with.

To walk in truth, to have our words given by the spirit, not by self motives, and to walk free in the calling He has given to us.

I truly hope you are blessed as you join us on this prayer series. If you are in Arizona and can attend ‘A Night to Revive’, comment below or email me. I would love to know if you can make it out! It would be a joy and honor to meet a fellow blogger/writer.

Guest Post at

Lori Schumaker

Recently I began to read a book that my husband recommended. He knows I have been digging deep into how to build a prayer life in an intimate way. His helpful advice was to learn about disciples who loved prayer and spoke about prayer. He offered a book titled: The Fight of Faith. Studies in the Pastoral Letters of Paul: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.

The author; Ray C Stedman opens Chapter 6, ‘The First thing: Prayer’ with this:

A church elder once had a disagreement with his pastor. He went around to various people and complained about the pastor. Finally, word reached the pastor that this elder was spreading gossip about him.

So, the pastor went to the elder and said, “Would you please tell me my faults to my face? This way, I can profit by your candor, and you can help me correct my faults.”

The elder was caught off guard. He hadn’t expected his complaints to reach the pastor’s ears. “Well, yes,” he said. “Let’s talk.”

So they went to the pastors office. The pastor said, “Before we begin, would you kneel with me and pray? I especially need you to pray for me that my eyes would be open to see my faults as you tell them to me. Please pray that God will enable me to correct those errors in my life.”

The two men prayed together. Then the pastor said, “Now, I’m ready to hear any complaint you have for me.”

The elder shook his head. “Pastor,” he said, “please forgive me. After praying with you, I can see that my complaints were not worth talking about. By gossiping to others, I’ve been serving satan’s cause, not the Lord’s. Thank you for praying with me. It was the prayer I needed all along.”

I open with this story for two reasons:

I found this story as something I believe most of us have either partaken in or at least witnessed in the church. Even amongst our brothers and sisters in Christ, conflict arises, but through prayer and the Spirit; much is accomplished and this is a focus we ought to see.
This story is also fitting for the point I am hoping to bring forth to you in this post. Which is that prayer not only brings intimacy with God, but it also opens our eyes spiritually. It exposes and recovers us in areas we probably wouldn’t have been able to see without building ourselves spiritually through prayer.

In this specific story, the pastor brought forth wisdom to approach a congregant in a peaceful manner. Through the trusting of God and the attitude of grace, the man was corrected in love and truth through the leading of the Holy Spirit in prayer. Not by man but by the Spirit. This part is vital to understanding the totality of this story.