So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Ezra 8:23

Prayer and fasting. Powerful stuff. Together they are Holy-Spirit inspired spiritual dynamite. Many of you joined us this past summer for a time of prayer and fasting. We thought with our presidential election hanging in the balance, what better time to revisit this powerful tool then now! It’s hard to remember a more divisive election than this one has been so far. We need intercessors who are willing to fall on their knees for our country. Will you join us? We have set aside the week of Monday, October 31, to Friday, November 4, for a time of prayer and fasting for this election and for our country. Let’s pray for our people, our leaders, and our world to wake up, repent and follow God. And let’s cover our election in prayer. You will need a Facebook account to participate. It’s always free! Follow the link to sign up and get a Facebook account if you don’t have one yet: www.facebook.com

Action Steps:

1. Click on the link below and sign up for 5 Days to Fast and Pray for the Election.
2. After you sign up, check your email and accept the invitation to join our 5 Days to Fast and Pray  Group. Be sure to check your junk mail if you don’t see it within a few minutes. On Monday, Oct. 31, you will receive a link to your 5-day guide in your email. It will arrive early in the morning.
3. Follow this link to our closed Facebook  5 Days to Fast and Pray for the Election and ask to join the group. We will then approve you.
4. Decide how you will fast (see below for more info on fasting).
5. Join us each night at 8- 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday-Thursday (not on Friday) to pray via Facebook if you can. This is optional. If you can’t join us then, you can post your prayers at any other time on the Facebook page.
6. Invite your friends to join us.

A Word About Fasting

There are many types of fasts. We are trusting that you can determine which type of fast is best for you. Some of you may want to fast from desserts for the week. Some of you may undertake a social media fast. Some may fast from one meal a day. The Holy Spirit will show you if you pray about it. The idea is to replace whatever it it you’re fasting from with a prayer time. The fast gives you a greater focus on God and His agenda, rather than your own.

Sign Up Here

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So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Ezra 8:23

Prayer and fasting. Powerful stuff. Together they are spiritual dynamite ignited by power of the Spirit. Prayer and fasting are game-changing disciplines for  desperate times.

Can anyone deny times are desperate? Everyday the news reports escalating chaos and violence—brother against brother, religion against religion, and nation against nation. God has called to be His hands, His feet, and His voice to a lost and wounded world.He has anointed us to speak the hope of the Gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation.

Will you answer? Join us August 1-5, for a week of prayer and fasting. Let’s pray for our people, our leaders, and our world to wake up, repent and follow God.

You will need a Facebook account to participate. It’s always free! Follow the link to sign up and get a Facebook account if you don’t have one yet: www.facebook.com

Action Steps:

1. Click on the link below and sign up for 5 Days to Fast and Pray.
2. After you sign up, check your email and accept the invitation to join our 5 Days to Fast and Pray Facebook Group.
3. Decide how you will fast (see below for more info on fasting).
4. Join us each night at 8:30 Eastern Time to pray via Facebook.
5. Invite your friends to join us.

A Word About Fasting

There are many types of fasts. We are trusting that you can determine which type of fast is best for you. Some of you may want to fast from desserts for the week. Some of you may undertake a social media fast. Some may fast from one meal a day. The Holy Spirit will show you if you pray about it. The idea is to replace whatever it it you’re fasting from with a prayer time. The fast gives you a greater focus on God and His agenda, rather than our own.

Sign Up Here

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Image: nuchylee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know that many of you spend time praying for America throughout the year. But on the first Thursday of every May we are privileged to have a specific day set aside to pray for our country called the National Day of Prayer.

With primaries going on and our presidential election coming up this November, I can’t think of a better time to pray for our country than during this contentious time. Looking for a local event to participate in? Click on the link in the previous sentence to see what is happening around you. If you’d like to follow the activities in Washington as they are broadcast live from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m ET on Thursday, May 5,  you belong right here.

Post Your Prayer

And at Only By Prayer, we’d love to have you join us in prayer as well. Please feel free to pray with us by posting your prayer below in the comments. Post as many prayers as you wish.

May God bless America!

Pray on!

“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.” 2 Corinthians 1:12

I like simple.

Simple pleasures, simple foods, simple days. A flower in an unexpected place.  A hearty bowl of stew on a cold wintry day, meandering down a country road or an evening with the family gathered in the living room sharing laughs and love … all of these things bring a smile to my face and peace to my soul.

Ironically simplicity requires difficult choices, an iron will, and nerves of steel. The world, your work, and even your own heart will try to sneak in and wreak havoc with a simple life.

Jesus led a simple life.  He had one goal: to do His Father’s will. How simple is that? Without a smart phone or iPad (my two mainstays), He managed to turn the world upside down. In order to live a simple life, we must simplify our priorities.

Simple Life Focus:

One command: Love the Lord with all your heart

One commission: Tell the world

One goal: Bring Him Glory

Empty your heart. Fill up with God.

It’s simple.

To learn more about the simple life, simply scroll through the Sway. Have a blessed Lent.

Here is our TalkShoe chat on Simplicity:

Have a simply blessed Lent.

copyright 2016

all rights reserved.

Would you like to approach Easter this year with a heart that is prepared for the Resurrection?

Too often it seems, Lent flies by and before we know it, Holy Week is upon us and we’re rushing to prepare home and heart for Easter. At Only By Prayer, we’re ready to help you more mindfully prepare with our 7-Week Guide, Lent: A Season of Empty to Full and accompanying Facebook page.

Ready to sign up now?

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What Is Empty to Full?

Each week  of  Lent we will identify a theme for that week and email you a multi-media bundle of posts, videos, podcasts, illustrations, and Bible studies that you can use to help prepare your heart. We’ll include a simple guide, just in case you want one, but feel free to do them in any order you choose and at your leisure. If the Spirit leads you to slow down and spend the entire week diving deep into one resource, by all means do that. We will also set up a private Facebook page for just this group to share insights, ask questions, and pray for each other. There is no cost. We simply ask that you sign up in the opt-in form below so that we may email you the resources each week.

Weekly  Topics

• Week 1: Simplicity
• Week 2: Examen
• Week 3: Prayer
• Week 4: Fasting
• Week 5: Study
• Week 6: Service
• Week 7: Celebration

Ready to get started? Simply sign up below. Be sure to reply to the email you should immediately receive  (check your spam or trash if you don’t see it within a few minutes) so that you are added to our list. Your first bundle will arrive on Ash Wednesday, February 10, the first day of Lent. Thereafter, you’ll receive a bundle every Monday. We will also add you to our private Empty to Full Facebook page so that you can participate in the forum with us if you would like to. 

We look forward to the next seven weeks! Thank you for journeying with us.

Sign up here:

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