Shirlee Abbott

What’s in Your Closet? (Monday)

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

What’s in your closet?

Junk!
Treasures, happy memories
Lots of clothes, some that I actually wear

Maybe you’re due for some spring cleaning.

Is it time to clean the closet of your soul? Throw out the garbage, the useless junk, childish ideas and outgrown roles. Clear out some space, room enough for you and God.

Matthew 6:6 (AKJV)
But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.

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Out of Your Comfort Zone (Friday)

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Paul, who endured much suffering for the sake of his ministry, asked believers to pray for him.

Ephesians 6:19 (MSG)
Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all.

Note to self: he asked them to pray for his courage not his comfort.

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Out of Your Comfort Zone (Thursday)

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

This was the question: How do you feel about this church?

Round the table came the answers, each one a version of “I feel comfortable here.” Till it was my turn.

We were comparative newcomers to the congregation. Folks were nice enough to us, but truth be told, I was still an outsider. And sometimes it was uncomfortable.

I sensed God’s response: I didn’t call you here to be comfortable.

The meeting was over, the moment passed. We’ve since followed God’s call to another community, another ministry, another church. And God still says,

I didn’t call you here to be comfortable.

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Out of Your Comfort Zone (Wednesday)

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

I doubt that Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) ever heard the phrase comfort zone. He did, however, understand how to get out of it.

“Only he who can say, ‘The Lord is the strength of my life’ can say, ‘Of whom shall I be afraid?'”

It’s not about being uncomfortable. It’s being unafraid.

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Out of Your Comfort Zone (Tuesday)

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

People know that I pray. Sometimes they ask me to pray for them.

One of those times, God nudged me, Do it. Now.

I got up from my desk and walked out of my comfort zone. I put my hand on my friend’s shoulder and prayed for her. Right then, out loud.

Since then, I’ve done it many times. No one’s said, “What are you, crazy?” Usually I get a heart-felt “Thank you.”

Sometimes the boundaries of our comfort zones are flat-out ridiculous.

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Out of Your Comfort Zone (Monday)

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

What makes you uncomfortable?

Meeting new people
Praying in public
Change!

The Apostle Paul got himself into uncomfortable situations:

2 Corinthians 11:25 (NIV)
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, tree times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

That’s a man willing to be uncomfortable for God! And I keep quiet about my faith because someone might think I’m a little crazy. Really?

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Prepare the Way (Friday)

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

“Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your hands and quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends the heavens and comes down.”
R. A. Torrey (1856-1928), evangelist, educator, writer and pray-er extraordinaire!

Thy kingdom come, O Lord!

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Prepare the Way (Thursday)

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

The weather is better, but huge snow banks still obstruct the way.

Isaiah 57:14 (ESV)
. . . prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.

I think of it this way: When I pray alone, I’m preparing the way with a shovel. When I pray with one other person, we work like a snow blower. And when all God’s people pray in unity, we are tandem show plows, powerfully clearing a wide swath.

In prayer, let us prepare the way.

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Prepare the Way (Wednesday)

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

A shovel is my tool of choice to clear the path. I know how to use the snowblower, but I’d rather let someone else do it. Me, drive a snowplow? No way.

Some people pray the way I move snow. Most of their praying is a one-man (one-woman) conversation with God. On rare occasions they pray out loud with someone else. Leading an entire congregation in prayer? Not gonna happen.

We have the opportunity to prepare the way . . . for God! What an honor. Hold back nothing. Let us pray!

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Prepare the Way (Tuesday)

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Isaiah 40:3 (CEV)
Someone is shouting:
“Clear a path in the desert!
Make a straight road for the Lord our God.
Fill in the valleys; flatten every hill and mountain.
Level the rough and rugged ground.
Then the glory of the Lord will appear for all to see.
The Lord has promised this!”

I don’t live in a desert. But temperature aside, our snow-swept landscape resembles the desert. Let’s level the path, find the pavement.

We obey the call to prepare the way when we repeat the Lord’s Prayer, Thy kingdom come.

Let us pray!

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