The Blogging Community: A Community of Friendship, Creativity, Support...& Prayer

Hello, my friends. Today I have a special treat for you...not of the cupcake variety. A few weeks I ago I met Carly at Texas Lovebirds. Some would say it was a chance meeting. I just "happened" to see a tweet about a blog planner that just "happened" to spark my curiosity, I clicked the link and just "happened" to stumble across this lovely blog. Stalker Outgoing person that I am, always looking to make new friends, I began looking around and found way more than just a planner (although I'm happy to say that Carly is making me a lovely planner and I can't wait to get organized around here). However, it just so "happens" that I don't believe in chance or luck. I believe that God ordains my steps and leads me where He wants me to go, and, on that day, where He wanted me to go was Carly's blog. This lady has a beautiful heart and I can't tell you how happy I am to have "met" her. I've been praying about a way to use my blog as a vehicle to share my faith and Carly has part of the answer. Here she is to tell you all about it. I hope that you take the time to read this as it has already changed my thinking and, ultimately, my life. It's all yours, Carly....

Hi, guys! My name is Carly and I blog over at Texas Lovebirds. My blog chronicles my life as a wife, a new momma, and a woman who tries to live by His grace daily. I write for therapy. I write to remember. I write to laugh. I write to relate. I write to connect. I write to inspire. I hope you will find one of those things when you visit my blog.

Today, Heather is so kindly letting me guest post on something that has become somewhat of a passion to me. I am so thankful that she sees my heart and is helping give me an avenue to share it. This post might be a little lengthy, but I hope you'll stick around and hear what I have to say.

A month or two ago, I felt God really tugging on my heart about prayer. I felt Him pushing me to be more than the person who prays before meals, more than the person who prays each night before bed. I felt Him pushing me to truly pray for others when I say I will. I felt Him pushing me to carry other's burdens through prayer.

As I began to make changes in my personal prayer life, I felt God continue to tug my prayer life in a direction I never imagined...toward blogging. I didn't know what to pray so I prayed that blogging wouldn't become an idol. I prayed that I wouldn't stress too much about it. I prayed that my little corner of the blogging world might be a light for someone, somewhere. And in the midst of this prayer, this question came to mind... 

Why can't the blogging community become a praying community?

I didn't really know what that meant or how to involve prayer in the blogging community, so I went back to praying about that question. My mind was consistently brought back to my college campus. I attended a private Christian university in Dallas and all over campus there were prayer boxes. In these boxes, anyone could leave a prayer request. You could be as specific or as vague as you wanted. You could be known or completely anonymous. Most importantly, leaving a request gave you the knowledge that someone was praying for you and your pains and struggles, your joys and triumphs. Those boxes got my wheels turning and I began to realize how helpful an online prayer box could be to many people.

After talking to a blogging friend, I decided to set up a Google Doc where people could leave these requests. The Google Doc form asks you three questions. In these questions you are able to share as much information as you wish.

The form recently launched on my page and can be found at the top of my blog under the tab titled "prayer." Once you've found the form, this is how things will work... 

1) Fill out the form with your prayer request. The information you leave is visible only to me.

2) Click "submit."

3) Know that there is someone praying for you! 

You can leave as many requests as you'd like, as often as you'd like. I just really hope that you'll head over to my blog and utilize this! I feel that it is an incredible opportunity for us to support each other. The Bible calls us to bear each other's burdens and I feel as if there is no better way to do this than through prayer. 

Please, help spread the word about this movement...the blogging community becoming a praying community. Tweet it, Facebook it, and post about it on your blog. This is starting small through prayer requests submitted to me but my mind is racing with ways to make this grow. Your support and your prayer will help this movement more than you know. 

So, let's get started...

Is there something weighing on your heart?

Is someone who is close to you really sick?

Have you just experienced a loss?

Is Satan filling your mind with toxic thoughts?

Are you struggling in a relationship?

Are you feeling hurt by someone?

Are you struggling to forgive someone?

Do you feel God tugging on you to make a change?

Are you celebrating a recent victory?

Are you thankful for all He has given you? 

I'd love to pray for you in any way that I can.

Thank you, Carly. I'm humbled by your heart.

How about you, friends? I'm so excited about this movement! I want to know that my blogging doesn't just lead people to the kitchen because, while that certainly makes people happy, it has no eternal value. I'd hate to think that I reached hundreds, or even thousands, of people with yummy recipes and beautiful cakes...and nothing more. I want people to see my heart, to know my God, to believe that there is someone out there who cares about their souls and their hurts, their fears and joys. Please utilize this tool. Share your requests with Carly. I'm planning on implementing something similar myself here and will let you know when it's up and running. Until then, know that I'm praying for you. That Carly prays for her readers. That God loves you and cares for you more than you could ever know.

Yes, this post was different than what you usually read here. I just truly believe that it's important. I want my little corner of the blogging community is a praying community. Imagine what would happen if this catches on.....

Blessings,

P.S. I'm a guest over at Ladybird Ln today so stop over and say hey!