Tag: Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

It’s mind-boggling what can happen in 40 days.

When I embarked on this prayer journey that is (April 30,2020) based on Mark Batterson’s book, Draw the Circle, A 40 Day Prayer Challenge, it was for the leaders and my fellow residents here in Ohio. It was to pray for our Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Director of Health to get rid of their fear, draw close to God through a relationship with Jesus, and to have the Holy Spirit work mightily and powerfully in their lives as they work to jump start Ohio’s economy.

All was going well. I would get up early to read my devotion, write notes in my spiral notebook, and write a prayer for reopening based on that day’s devotion.

Then George Floyd was murdered.

The protests began and turned into riots and looting.

Now I pray not only for excellent leadership in regards to the reopening but also leadership regarding controlling and eliminating the riots and looting.

This prayer challenge has had the greatest impact on me of all the ones I’ve done because it has caused me to think and ponder the most. Praying for leaders who are using fear to control and destroy people’s lives and businesses is not easy. Although I will admit Ohio could be like New York, Washington, or California and still be shut down. At least we have been slowly opening up our economy during my prayer challenge.

A lot of sentences jumped out at me this time that never did before. Here are just a few:

• When we pray, we are building a monument to God, a memorial to Him. And those prayers never go unanswered. (Day 19; pg 109
• Goliath held an entire army captive through fear. (Day 14; pg 84)
• Going back to places of spiritual significance should be part of our spiritual rhythm. Day 38, pg 210
• Love isn’t repetitive; love is creative. Day 29; pg 161

May you ponder one of more of these today.

While doing this challenge I got a 5 Subject spiral notebook and took notes while reading the devotions. The I wrote out my prayers for our Governor, Lt. Governor and Health Director based on that day’s devotion. I also got creative with using highlighter, watercolor pens, and stickers both in my notebook and in my book because that’s just who I am.

A new Draw the Circle book is necessary as I have marked this copy up so much, I am not sure anything new would jump out at me if I use it again.

And use it again I will because I will be praying through this book starting on Thursday, September 24th, 2020 – 40 days before the November 3rd election. An election that will determine the fate of this country. An election between keeping this country as founded or rioting and looting the Constitution and become more of what you see now – government control of our lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I will be praying for this country in the meantime but will use this book as a guide for my prayers starting in September. I will pray circles around this country because it is exceptional and pray it is God’s will to keep it that way.

Because…

Prayer is the difference between you fighting for God and God fighting for you.

Mark Batterson
Draw the Circle, The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
pg 89

And we need Him fighting for us.

Will you join me starting September 24th?

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to encourage widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s used those skills while managing call center teams, co-facilitating a grief support group, and helping small businesses with various writing and administrative assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com