A Word a Day to Pray

I love learning new words. Terri and I enjoy hearing a new word and learning what it means. Words are funny. Sometimes we think we know what they mean, but when we look it up we discover it means something else.

Recently, we were streaming the comedic detective series Good Cop, Bad Cop (Amazon Prime) and we chuckled at the word rodi-ho in reference to promiscuous fans of rodeo cowboys.

To help grow my word knowledge, I rely on a couple of apps: Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Vocabulary.

I spend a chunk of my day writing, researching, and thinking. While this hasn’t proven to be financially lucrative, it is rewarding in its own right.

In my thoughts, I often find myself praying short prayers. Does this ever happen to you?

Oswald Chambers

Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God.

Currently, I am utilizing Guideposts’ Pray a Word a Day as a prayer guide. Complied by the Editors of Guideposts, Pray a Word a Day is a year long series of words featuring short devotionals. Every devo is paired with a prayerful thought focusing on that day’s word.

This week’s serving of words included the following:

• Goodness
• Change
• Together
• Enlarge
• Creativity
• Persistence

I found myself working through each of these words throughout the week as they came to mind. Collectively, these words paint a picture of my life as I navigate through a season of recovery and recalibration.

I reminded myself of God’s goodness throughout the week. God has been more gracious and merciful to me than I deserve. I’m thankful for the Lord’s continual goodness in my life and in the life of those I love.

Change is a pivotal word for me during this season of overcoming grief and battling my post-traumatic stress disorder.

Together came to mind earlier this week as I sat down with a friend to discuss a number of things, including exploring ways we might possibly work together.

I found myself fascinated with the word enlarge, especially as I tried to consider it from a God’s Kingdom perspective. And then, as God would have it, fellow blogger Rene Heartsong led me to the Prayer of Jabez, which appears in 1 Chronicles 4:10, encourages believers to approach God with confidence, knowing that He desires to bless and help us, transforming our challenges into opportunities for growth and faith. In other words, I believe, Jabez’s prayer speaks to enlarging our faith, our witness, and ultimately, God’s Kingdom.

Naturally, having discovered my inherent artistic nature, creativity is a word that resonates with me deeply. A friend who texted me for my birthday shared that it brought them joy to “see me in my element.” Another friend shared how much they loved my art and how deeply it resonated with them. Terri shared that our primary care doctor was joyfully surprised to learn about my artwork. As I explore my next steps, creativity seems to be a major cornerstone of any future endeavors. If I’m being honest, this scares me a little.

Finally, today’s word is persistence. One way Merriam Webster’s Dictionary app defines persistence is continuing to endure. The Greek word hypomonē, often translated as endurance, communicates the idea of unwavering and sustained effort under pressure marked by a very resolute commitment to keep moving forward, even when every part of you wants to quit. During this season of transition, persistence is a very intriguing word to me.

How about you, my friend?

• What words occupy your mind today?
• Have you ever prayed a word a day?
• What words describe your current season?

I am a lover of words. I thank my Mom for instilling that gift in me early on. As an immigrant, I am also a lover of language. So praying a word a day is an activity that I highly enjoy and one that I hope draws me nearer to God and a clearer picture of myself.

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Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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