As a part of my guest hosting other wordsmiths as I have done in the past, I present to you Patti Shene Gonzales. This is her first non-fiction writing which she was kind enough to write for my blog.

Please welcome her with open arms and stop by here website to check out what she is all about.

Inspiration That Gives Me Hope

By

Patti Shene Gonzales

I used to be a humdrum pray-er. That probably sounds terrible to most Christians, but it’s true. Prayer played a part in my life like other routine daily activities, but it became as rote as brushing my teeth twice daily.

I thanked God for my blessings, sought forgiveness for my sins, asked Him to take care of my family and those who are hurting, and prayed for His protection throughout another day.

Over the years, I have learned that prayer can be a more powerful source of inspiration than anything else in my life. I began taking prayer more seriously when I started deepening my relationship with the one I was praying to.

When I took a good hard look at myself, sinful, always messing up, seldom getting it right, I found solace in knowing that my Heavenly Father still loves me. He desires to hear from me.

When friends and family look at me askance for some silly thing I’ve done, God smiles down on me and says, “Hey, it’s okay.”

I have no doubt he even chuckles sometimes, but He always stirs my heart with the message, “You’re my precious child and I love you anyway. Let’s work on doing it better next time—together.”

My soul sings when I study the scriptures that reveal the multi-faceted nature of the all-powerful God. He created the entire universe, knows more about me than I do about myself, and can predict every single moment from now into eternity. That He bends His ear to listen to me boggles my mind and inspires me to talk to Him at every opportunity.

I wish I could pray with the eloquence and heartfelt passion that pours out of my prayer warrior friends. I haven’t honed that skill, but I am confident God listens to my sometimes-stuttering words and incomplete thoughts. He treasures them as much as He does the most famous prayers written.

Prayer inspires me to look at the world with a heightened compassion for the broken, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, and the lost. A simple word of prayer, whether spoken in the presence of the person in need or in the privacy of my home on behalf of that person, can bring comfort and peace to the most wounded heart.

Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you – 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (KJV).

Scripture has instructed me to pray without ceasing. Am I to spend my entire life on my knees? No, but I am to live in an attitude of prayer in all circumstances. This is God’s will for me, and as a child of Christ Jesus, I strive to live in His perfect will.

Prayer is no longer a checked box on my daily schedule. It is an integral part of every waking moment. Whether in praise, supplication, thanksgiving, or worship, I am inspired to seek my Heavenly Father to find the hope He promises in each new day.

Patti Shene Gonzales hosts Step Into the Light, a bi-monthly interview style podcast, where guests share their journey out of darkness or ways they lead others out of darkness. She has been blessed to meet many people who inspire her with stories of their journey from darkness, many of them with the guidance of prayer. Patti is the author of the Christmas novella Cathy Christmas Confession, available in print, on Kindle, and KU on Amazon.

Website: www.pattishene.com