‘Meeting with God through the Bible’ by Lynne Cole: 7 Ways to Pray blog series

What a moving post by Lynne! I love how she shares her experiment with one of the prayer exercises in 7 Ways to Pray, and the difference that it’s been making as she meets with God. Maybe you could give this practice a go?

I’m a busy mum to 5 children – the youngest of which are twins who are nearly 3 years old. As well as being a wife and mother, I am also launching my own business. Finding time to breathe let alone finding time to be with God is almost impossible. So when I saw that Amy Boucher Pye had a launch team for a book she had written about different ways to pray, it stirred something inside me. Even though I didn’t really have the time I knew I needed to read the book … and I wasn’t disappointed.

I read through the first chapter soaking up her words. Amy not only opened my mind, but she opened my eyes and my heart too. I received some wonderful ideas on how I could read through the Bible and pray at the same time. Amy writes about how we can meet God in a tangible way as we pray with the Bible.

“God always makes himself known to us, and a primary way he reveals himself is through his Word. When we pray with the Bible, God infuses the experience with his Spirit.” 

7 Ways to Pray, page 11

How I met with God

In using Amy’s suggestion of re-writing scripture, I decided to set myself a challenge. For the month of October I developed Bible based affirmations about how God saw me and what His heart was for me. My hope was to use these Bible affirmations to change a mindset I had which was doing me no good. I needed to see myself as God sees me.

One of the affirmations I wrote was on being brave. I used the Bible verse Isaiah 41:10:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Using Amy’s technique, I personalised it and re-wrote it in my own words what I believed God was saying to me:

Lynne, do not be afraid for I am by your side. I am your God and you do not need to be scared. I will provide you with the strength you need and I will be here to help you. Lynne, you will no longer feel invalidated because I am here to encourage you and lift you up. You are not alone. You are brave.

As a result of Amy’s suggestion on making the Bible verses personal to ourselves, it has really helped me to view God in a different way. Most importantly it is helping me to change my mindset on how I view myself.

Why not have a go at personalising a Bible verse and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you.

Lynne Cole is a wife and a stay-at-home mother to 5 children. She is currently setting up a business in arts and craft called Lumina Creations. She also blogs in the (very little) free time that she has. She believes that a broken past does not mean a broken future and that we are all beautiful despite what we have been through. Through her creations and her writing, her desire is to bring hope and encouragement to others and shed some light into the darkness that is experienced.

Come visit her at her blog for Beautifully Broke or Lumnia Creations and on Facebook for Beautifully Broke or Lumnia Creations.

Order 7 Ways to Pray here, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.