Prayer Archives - Kristi Woods

5 Ways to Grow Your Faith Today

September 17, 2019 by Kristi 14 Comments

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Looking for ways to grow your faith? If you’re whispering, “Yes,” then you’ve landed in the right place. Read on! Here are 5 ways to help you grow in faith.

The Importance of Growing in Your Faith

Little by little, day by day, we learn to hear His voice, to trust God, and to soak in His love. But just as a toddler doesn’t enter their bed one night a youngster and rise the next morning an adult, a strong faith doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and intentionality on our part–seed-watering on God’s. According to 1 CO 3:6, it is He who causes the seed to grow. And that’s a good thing. So God, as we venture through this list together, we look to and trust You to become stronger in our faith.

Grow Your Faith Through Salvation

What Does the Bible Say about Good Works and Salvation?

According to Ephesians 2:8-9, good works don’t, well, work when it comes to salvation. No matter how many good acts we offer, it’s only the unmerited favor, that which we know as grace, of Jesus Christ that saves us.

Here are three Bible passages addressing good works or salvation:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.”
(Eph. 2:10 WEB)
“[T]hat if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.”
(Rom. 10:9-10 WEB)
“[F]or all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
(Rom. 3:23 WEB)

What Was Jesus’ Role in Salvation?

Without Jesus, there would be no salvation. He stars in that role–thank goodness! Acts 4:12 makes it clear. Salvation is found in no one else.

God sent His only Son because of love. According to John 3:16, all who believe in Jesus will have everlasting life.

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Grow Your Faith Through Prayer

What the Bible Says about Prayer

The Bible tells us to pray, or communicate with God, continually in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. God’s Word also urges prayer in place of entertaining anxious thoughts in Phil. 4:6 and sounds a call for healing in James 5:16.

How Should a Beginner Pray?

Simply talk with God—that’s how a beginner should pray. It’s a conversation with our Father, one that can be silent or spoken, short or long, eloquent or not so much.

The beautiful part about prayer is that our Father hears. According to Matthew 6:8, He knows our needs before we mention them to Him.

And if you’re still uncertain how to pray, use this passage as a guideline.

“…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13 WEB)

Bible Studies

How Do You Do a Bible Study?

A flurry of Bible study methods await us. We can simply read the Bible daily and study the verses we encounter. There are topical studies, the SOAP Method, inductive or word studies, and so many more approaches to understanding the Bible.

Bible Studies for Adults

Here are several Bible Studies I’ve enjoyed over the years or ones that come highly recommended. There’s also a new one on the list–right there at the bottom. 🙂 Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study, a downloadable study, RELEASES September 24, 2019. (Btw, it’s on sale for just $4.99 through Sept. 30. The price goes up to $6.99 come October, so grab your copy soon!)

Experiencing God Workbook: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Member Book, Updated

Uninvited, Study Guide with DVD
By Lysa TerKeurst

205876: Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely

Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely
By Lysa TerKeurst

334124: To Live Is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, Member Book

To Live Is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, Member Book
By Beth Moore

430477: It&quot;s All Under Control: A Journey of Letting Go, Hanging On, and Finding a Peace You Almost Forgot was Possible, Softcover

It’s All Under Control: A Journey of Letting Go, Hanging On, and Finding a Peace You Almost Forgot was Possible, Softcover
By Jennifer D. Lee

430519: It&quot;s All Under Control Bible Study: A 6-Week Guided Journey

It’s All Under Control Bible Study: A 6-Week Guided Journey
By Jennifer D. Lee

424573: Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God&quot;s Voice Above All Others

Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God’s Voice Above All Others
By Steven Furtick

Crash the Chatterbox DVD
By Steven Furtick

542857: Battlefield Of The Mind 2-in-1, Book and Study Guide

Battlefield Of The Mind 2-in-1, Book and Study Guide
By Joyce Meyer

365488: The Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense

The Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense
By John Bevere

558109: The Bait of Satan, Interactive Study Guide

The Bait of Satan, Interactive Study Guide
By John Bevere

Becoming His Princess Bible Study by Wholly Loved Ministries

Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study by Kristi Woods

Purple oval with white words announcing the Created to Believe Bible study — Click **here** to learn more.

Reading the Bible Daily

Do I have to Read the Bible Every Day?

The beautiful part about God is that He doesn’t force us into anything–not even reading the Bible every day. In fact, He doesn’t strong-arm us into reading it ever. But why miss the golden opportunity to commune with God and learn from Him through His written Word?

What are the Benefits of Reading the Bible Daily

Ephesians 6:17 calls the Bible a sword. It’s used offensively and defensively–but we must know what’s in the Bible in order to use it effectively. Through Scripture, we’ll know about God, how to handle relationships and disagreements, how important offering forgiveness is, and how to love others. We’ll also find encouragement for life’s rough seas and those times of calm.

As a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (PS 119:105), God’s Word helps us navigate life’s path. And the more we spend time among those beautiful words of His, the more likely we are to walk in His righteous ways. Why not read the Bible daily?

Community with Others

What Does Being Part of a Community Mean?

We weren’t created to live life alone. God offers community for our benefit. Genesis 2:18 introduces us to the first community of people: Adam and Eve. Eve was created as a “helper.” Likewise, being a part of others’ lives helps us just as we help others, too.

In the Old Testament, we find a community with the Israelites. Some of people were judges, priests, artists, kings, and so forth. They lived together and helped one another.

New Testament verses refer to us as part of a body (1 Co. 12:12-27.) Each body part has its specific gifts–for helping take care of others. Also, the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-16 lists various members of the spiritual community who were given skills and gifts to help mature God’s people.

What are the Types of Community?

Types of community today within the Christian world include:

Church
Small Groups
Sunday School Classes
Discipleship/Mentoring
Outreach
Missions
Family
It can also include friends, school, neighborhoods, and so much more.

Grow Closer to God

God helps us grow our faith and grow closer to Him. He causes us to grow–and that’s good. Very good. It all begins with Jesus and salvation.

So go ahead, grab your Bible and read it daily. Dig into Bible studies, and rely on prayer often. And don’t forget to involve yourself in a community of others–or several of them!

If you’d like to be a part of our community here at KristiWoods.net, you’re invited. Simply subscribe by clicking on the graphic below. You’ll receive access to free prayer printables, professions based on Scripture, ministry downloads, and other faith tools. You’ll find tools to help you, ones supporting these 5 Ways to Grow Your Faith Today.

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Are You Praying These Powerful Prayers Over Your Kids?

June 10, 2019 by Kristi 4 Comments

Pink Flowers with words above — *(This post contains affiliate links. Clicking on these links doesn’t cost you a dime, but when purchasing items through the links, you help support the cost of this blog. Thank you.)*

Do you offer powerful prayers over your kids? When set before the Almighty, rest assured. Prayer remains a mighty weapon in the battle against evil.

But what if we flounder? Sometimes I find myself groping in the dark for words, direction, or Scripture.

I simply don’t know what to pray.

Prayer books (books containing prayers repeatable by readers) slide in as a helpful tool. I use them. What about you? Today’s review covers two.

Read more about praying for your college student.

The good news for those of us searching for powerful prayers? Both reads focus solely on words and topics for parents to pray over kids. And the couple authoring these two? They’re gems.

“Stranger “Danger”: How My Story Intersects with These Prayer Books

Allow me to give a little backstory first.

In 2015, I attended She Speaks, a Proverbs 31 Ministry conference for Christian women writers and speakers. Attendees flooded a Facebook group, listing flight numbers, days, and times in hopes of finding cost-share “buddies” for cab travels from the airport to the venue. (Conference costs add up fast!)

Two women flying in from different parts of the country were scheduled to land at similar times as me. Enter sweet Joanna Teigen and beautiful Grace. The three of us connected and shared the fare.

(As a mother, I’d be screeching “stranger danger!” right about now. After all, we met online. But this story unfolded in a beautiful way. I found a lasting friendship in these strangers named Grace and Joanna. I thank my Father for them.)

As we conversed, Joanna humbly mentioned writing a book. No fanfare. No “ta-da.” Just the fact that she wrote something on prayer. And that was it.

Favorite Prayer Books

It took a bit to add two and two, but when I did….viola! I realized this cab buddy authored one of my all-time favorite prayer books, a tool I found due to a review just like this one.

My mouth dropped.

Beside me sat one of my favorite authors, and I hadn’t a clue!

I giggle about how goofy I reacted (even if none of it showed on the outside), because Joanna is about as humble and genuine as they come. I love this woman and the spark she has for Christ. She and her husband, Rob, create practical tools to help parents and marrieds sit at the feet of Jesus.

They walk the talk.

I share this backstory so you’ll know my “friendship status” with Joanna. A bit of bias rests here. But I assure you, I’d give these books 5 stars–even without the friendship.

Two books with "Book Review" written above

Prayer Books as Powerful Tools

Both Powerful Prayers for Your Son and Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter enable readers to petition God for every part of our their child’s life.

These two books include prayers covering areas from salvation and pride, friendships, rejection, discontentedness, addiction, dating, and purity–and many more. Rob and Joanna invite us to use them as our own. I love that they list applicable scriptures as well.

(There’s power in God’s Word!)

The topics range wide, covering even hidden heart issues and ones we, as parents, may not consider such as the need for peace or giving.

These books are not surface-level prayer tools, they dive deep into the heart of matters. Thank you, Rob and Joanna, for arming us with these powerhouse prayers and Bible verses.

But prayers and scriptures aren’t the only gems found in these tools. Check out the “Prayer Story” portions. These words from other moms and dads encourage and put a real-life face on parenting and spiritual petition needs.

Threaded throughout we also find helpful insight from Rob and Joanna.

So go ahead, grab your copy of each of these books. Give them to new moms or consider one as a “graduation” gift for the parents. They fit a range of ages. After all, we’re never too young or old for prayer.

Find Powerful Prayers for Your Son/Daughter Here:

Christianbook.com (fantastic price as of the writing of this post)

Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter: Praying for Every Part of Her Life

Powerful Prayers for Your Son: Praying for Every Part of His Life

Rob and Joanna’s site
Other places where books are sold

The publisher supplied a free copy of these books in exchange for my honest review.

When We’re in Need of a New Appetite for God

March 26, 2019 by Kristi 11 Comments

Are you in need of a new appetite for God? Friend, I am! I need one for food, too.

Folks champion chocolate. And a part of me cheers along with them.

“Choc-o-late! Choc-o-late!”

But there’s a part of me that cringes.

Here’s why.

I love chocolate. A lot.

But chocolate doesn’t love me–not really.

The headaches, racing heart, and weight gain assure.

But like a drug, I crave it.

Maybe it’s a magnesium deficiency. Low counts give rise to the question. Nonetheless, the craving lingers.

A few Christmases ago, I landed in the ER. My heart took on a mind of its own and started sprinting with a rate of 155 beats–waaay too fast for a forty-something.

Hello AFib.

Images of my own father’s battle with heart issues and their byproducts danced in my head. Visits to the cardiologist office found me surrounded by white-haired folks.

Me and my brown hair stuck out like a red poppy in a sea of white tulips. I felt certain.

A friend, who happened to be a nutritionist, came alongside and said, “Let me help.” I threw up the white flag and nodded permission.

That was the best decision I’ve ever made concerning my heart, my appetite, and my health.

We worked together for several months. I lost 43 lbs, although that wasn’t the goal. Health remained central.

I slept through the night–finally. I woke (hallelujah!) without headaches. The bags and discoloration under my eyes disappeared. Itching on my hand and foot simply exited the picture. What felt like an obstruction in my throat did too.

The pattern change in eating and supplements came because I clung to the hope of health and took intentional steps in its direction. But staying the course found me in a state in which I desired to please Suzi, my friend, more than God.

Ouch! I needed a new appetite.

Nine months after beginning the journey with Suzi, I quit. I couldn’t keep up the people-pleasing pace any longer. It stressed me out!

I loved how I looked and felt, and she was fantastic. But I stood too absorbed in pleasing her versus God.

The eating habits shifted just a bit after venturing on my own. Then more. And more. Sweets and chocolate eventually regained far too much ground in this appetite of mine.

And although I suppose there’s nothing wrong with a little chocolate here and there, maybe even a sweet or two, it creates a hurtful appetite within some of us. Trust me–I’d live off candy store goods if given opportunity.

But not everything permissible is beneficial.

Although the Bible offers this in light of sexual immorality (1 CO 6:12), it proves true with food and other areas of our lives.

Sometimes we simply need a new appetite.

Today I find myself with dark circles under the eyes and several other returning symptoms. But also today, I’ve made a declaration: I need a new appetite.

Greens and chicken, berries and nuts–they call my name. But this new appetite is not only for the eat-it-with-a-fork-and-spoon food. I also need a new appetite, a healthier one, for Jesus.

Sooo…people pleasing must go.

I’ll be eating those salads tossed with arugula and spinach. (Had some for breakfast as a matter of fact!) Raspberries and blueberries too. But I’ll also devour more intimacy with the Lord, forging a new spiritual appetite, too.

How?

Here are five ways toward a new appetite for God.

Feel free to chew on a few of these, too.

Pray this more often: “Show me what’s in my heart, Lord, that which doesn’t belong in me. Then take it. Heal me.”
Wait and watch until He points the direction–even when the flesh screams, “Go! Just do it yourself.”
Have hard conversations God ordains, even the ones that cause a girl’s stomach to churn or palms to sweat.
Transparency proves prudent. Begin to write and share more vulnerable messages–to allow God and others to see and use those stories of His glory.
Allow God to teach His definition of the word believe. Trust, listen, digest, and allow His understanding to nourish a more intimate relationship with the Almighty.

How about you? Have you been considering a new appetite, too? If so, I’d love to hear what the Lord is speaking to you, how you’re changing up the appetite. Throw those thoughts in the comments below.

A New Year, A New You

1o Tools That Will Help Boost Your Faith

What Do You Know About Bathsheba?

On occasion, iBelieve.com or Crosswalk.com affords the opportunity to incorporate writing assignments into my own Bible study. Bathsheba proved a candidate for this. If you’d like to study her story and see how it relates to yours, grab the Bible and this link at iBelieve. Often, the wisdom the Lord reveals astounds.

Have a blessed week, friend, one that defies comfort, familiarity, and habits of the past. 😉