Doug Munton

Prayer is simple, really.  We are the ones who over-complicate it.  We assume that we have to get it just right, or that God is more concerned about our vocabulary than He is our heart.

Prayer can be words spoken–but they might just be thoughts that are formed and directed at God.

My prayer life was changed when I finally came to realize that God, in His infinite mercy, cared more about my attitude in prayer than He did the action of prayer.  Let me explain. Spending a set amount of time in prayer on a daily schedule develops discipline, to be sure–but having an attitude of prayer all throughout the day fosters devotion.

My husband and I started dating when we were seniors in high school.  We had been dating only 6 months when he went away to college–four hours away. 

This is a confession.

Seems I’ve been doing this a lot lately, and the truth is, it is freeing.

I know that I am not alone on this one because I see it all over the internet and even on people’s faces.

Fear.

The eclipse.  Hurricanes of historic proportions.  The wildfires in the west. The earthquake in Mexico, and major earthquakes predicted for the United States.

People prophesying about the end times are using these events to point to an imminent conclusion of the world as we know it. Not just crazy, modern-day doomsday prophets, but conservative Christian leaders that are willing to publicly confess that they believe we are living in the “last days”. Prophecies that contend that it will happen very soon–even narrowing it down to months and weeks.

“Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone.”…

“My people, hear my instruction;
listen to the words from my mouth. I will declare wise sayings;
I will speak mysteries from the past— things we have heard and known
and that our fathers have passed down to us.
We will not hide them from their children,
but will tell a future generation
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
his might, and the wondrous works
he has performed.”  Psalm 78:1-4

Thirty five years ago my life took a dramatic turn.

I married a man who loved the Lord and who had committed his life to serving Him in full-time in ministry.  Just days after we married, we left our home state of Illinois and moved to our first home, sight-unseen, to an apartment within walking distance of the seminary. Low paying jobs and full-time schooling meant that our time in Texas was difficult, but sweet.

And…