With Thanksgiving and Supplication Always...

We all know this verse and today during our Sunday School this verse was highlighted by the speaker -

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Be careful for nothing means "don't worry about anything."   What Paul was implying is that yes, there are some worries, but IN EVERYTHING is to be prayerful.  Pray about everything.  God is eager to hear our prayers requests, but they should also come in a thankful manner.  Praise to our Savior in everything and always.

I remember a lesson we learned early on...to pray about everything.  Do I always? I do try.  Where are my glasses??  I pray.   Where is a black sharpie??  I pray.   My husband is driving home from work. I pray.

It is the little things that we should be prayerful about and then especially in the big things.

Today after church, we made french bread pizzas.  As we all sat down, my husband started reading over a devotion (for tomorrow) and as we sat by eating our pizzas... our boys said, "Say it in Buck Denver's voice!"  (If you have seen any series of the Buck Denver's What's in the Bible- then you can picture this scene.)

Boy, was that funny.  The boys were super excited, laughing, sharing, and learning the devotion (in a fun manner).   Then came the voice of the Rev. (What's in the Bible) or some character  --I wasn't really amused until that character voice came in...I laughed so much I was crying.

A second after, I was praying and remembering the lesson of the day - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

I felt the immediate urge to pray and to be thankful and praise our Lord for my family...for my husband's salvation leading us in a Godly home environment.  I am thankful for being able to homeschool our children and having Christ as our center.

Before Christ, I was a worry wort. I used to worry constantly and was never in a contentment state of mind.  Being stressed is so overrated.  One of the first verses that hit me like a wall of bricks was;

Philippians 4:11 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

It's a daily struggle to give your all to Christ, but today I feel and have looked back on my own life and know that I have grown closer, hence the stress decreases.

Another verse that I have in my mind with discontentment arises...

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

When someone comes to me and says, "How do you do it?"  Having four boys and homeschooling, I smirk when I think of others families I know who have double and then think I have it easy, but what I  do is just smile and simple say, "Philippians 4:13"  because having my husband, other Godly friends/mentors I have learned from a lesson - just like Paul.   FOR I HAVE LEARNED.

Challenges come and go, but the one thing we do (OR should do) -- is learn from them.  We also should praise God for them as well. 

Thanks for letting me share.