141 Walk and Pray: It Will Change Your life

Episode Summary:

I don't know about you, but at times my prayer life gets a bit stale. Sometimes, I need to do something to elevate it a little bit and bring new life into my prayers. In this episode, I talk with Janet McHenry about her book, The Complete Guide to The Prayers of Jesus. Janet shares how when she began to walk and pray. It changed her life and it will change yours as well.

Quotables from the episode:

• I began to realize that, you know, that I wasn’t the only one who had prayer needs. I could begin to open up my eyes around me and begin to intercede for others in prayer.
• I’ve prayer walked around the school campuses, to me that’s a huge focus. I prayer walk around the city offices and our county offices, and I know of lot of those people there as well.
• You begin to become more invested in your community. I remember walking with an elderly friend of mine, her name was June. She passed away some years ago. But well into her 80’s, she was still walking. One day she said, even in my own block, she said Janet, who lives there, and I said I don’t know and that’s a shame. I will find out.
• I realized as I was reading through the Bible and marking all these various instances in regard to prayer, that really, He (Jesus) is a prayer mentor.
• Even the disciples said, Lord, teach us how to pray. They didn’t know how to pray. They believed but they still didn’t know how to pray.
• I call my life an organic prayer life because it ebbs and flows all day long.
• Instead of having, thinking like well, I need to have 5 extra minutes today to pray and then check, it’s done. I don’t think it’s done. I think God wants more of us then just 5 minutes of our day.
• I want the sense that God is glorified because of who I am, not some magic formula prayer that I do once a day. Not some good act, here or there. Not because I may fast, oh my goodness, you know. Jesus simply encouraged us to have time with our Father and to desire that. You know that can be a huge desire of our lives simply to make our life reflective of the Father we love.
• Jesus embraced the trouble He was in. He still wanted God to be glorified through Him. As hard as that is, I say that’s a really hard prayer because we want the bad stuff to go away. We just want to be blessed. Lord, favor me. Lord, bless me. That was never Jesus’ prayer. He never said that. He said glorify Yourself in my life.
• I believe that God wants us to pray big. He says, “with man, this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.” I believe that is a teaching related to prayer. He said ask and you receive.
• He called people to bigger things, so I think that we are supposed to pray big and expect God to show up. In our inadequacies He will be made known and magnified. I have what I call Prayer Walking Eyes. So, as I see needs, I just immediately pray.
• You can pray and you know that God will hear your prayer and that it is having an effect.
• You can be a partner with God in the needs for the people around you, your family, the community.

Scripture Referenced:

• Matthew 6:9-13 NIV “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’"
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
• Matthew 27:46 ESV "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
• Matthew 19:26 NIV Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Recommended Resources:

• The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus: What He Prayed and How It Will Change Your Life Today
• The “Why” Prayer
• 20 Prayers for Anxiety, Worry and Fear to Usher in God’s Peace
• The Power of Praying in the Courtroom of Heaven
• Prayer of Trust: The Secret to Emotional Peace
• How to Use Scripture to Pray through Difficult Emotions – Episode 122
• Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?
• Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip
• Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
• Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award

Social Media Links for Guest and Host

Connect with Janet McHenry:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast

About Janet McHenry:

including the best-selling PrayerWalk and her newest, The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus: What He Prayed and How It Will Change Your Life Today (Bethany House). A former journalist and educator, she now writes full time from her home in the Sierra Valley, where her husband is a rancher and where they raised their four children. She coordinates the prayer ministries at The Bridge Church in Reno, where she annually organizes a prayerwalk for the schools. Janet enjoys connecting with folks on social media and invites others to contact her through her website, www.janetmchenry.com.

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.