Audience of One

I’m close to 300 readers for this blog! But I don’t want to get caught up by numbers. I write for that audience of one because if what I write helps just one person, it’s well worth the effort.

It’s day 71 of my 100 Day Challenge. I’m still following through with firsts and this one is a doozy. I’ve been challenged by my daughter to end my posts with a prayer and a Bible verse to encourage readers.

Last week’s post on couponing was the least viewed and read of all my posts, but, my own children responded thanking me for the information. That made it all worth it! I love whenever anyone responds to what I write. Knowing that it helps someone is all that matters. So even if I only ever have an audience of one, I will continue to write, because truth be known, I’ll always have an audience of One, and that’s Jesus.

Challenge Accepted

Our new pastor has been challenging us as a staff to pray together every morning at work. How cool is that? I’m getting more comfortable praying aloud. My prayers are becoming specific instead of generalizations and I feel my morning prayer time at home is more effective and meaningful. This has also taken me outside my comfort zone and given me the courage to pray with others in situations where people are asking for prayer. –I’m growing in my prayer life. How’s your prayer life? Believe it or not, having prayer as part of your daily routine helps relieve stress and anxiety throughout your day. Asking God for help relieves the pressure to try to do everything on our own.

Do you have someone on your mind or in your heart that God wants you to speak to or pray for? Someone who needs help or an encouraging word? There are so many ways you can reach out to others. This has been a terrible 2 years and it doesn’t look like there is an end in sight. Is there something you are longing to do but maybe you feel it’s silly or out of your comfort zone? Pray about it. Just do it. I never thought about writing 10 years ago. That was not on my radar. God has this funny way of challenging us, doesn’t He? Things happen in our lives for a reason. Here’s a simple prayer to get you started:

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for this day. Today, help me to be alert to those who need to hear one word of encouragement. Let me be the one to give a smile to someone who is sad or lonely. Help me to be the light of your love to all those I come in contact with, even if it is just an audience of one. I pray that everything I do brings us all closer to you. + (I end my prayers with the Sign of the Cross.) Amen

Bible Verse

I Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.”

Feel free to copy the prayer. Pray it daily. Ask God to use you in a mighty way to help others. Change your habits and you will change your life. Put this habit in your planner/ calendar. Schedule prayer every day. Check back on the website later in the week, I’ll post a prayer worksheet on the worksheets page.

Thanks for children who challenge their parents. Thanks for the audience of One. I feel so blessed to have been given this gift of writing. Life is truly a gift.

God bless.–Barb