1. How would you paraphrase Philippians 4:6-7 into a formula for anxiety?
"Be anxious about everything, and in everything, complain grumble and groan, to anyone who will listen. And then your anxiousness will fill your heart and mind, causing all manner of illness and disease. No doctor will be able to heal you, no medicine will help you - you might as well go eat some worms."
Now for those of you reading this that do not know what Philippians 4:6-7 really says, here it is for real:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
2. What is the difference between superficial and "meaty" prayer lives?
Superficial prayers tend to just skim the surface. They never get down into the things that really matter, and superficial prayers do not cause change to occur. "Meaty" prayers go deep, deeper than we can express with words, "meaty prayers change lives and move mountains.
3. Why is prayer a key to peace?
Peace only comes from knowing God, and how can we truly know Him, if we never talk with Him or listen when He speaks to our hearts.
4. How has prayer brought peace to you in a time of great stress?
In December 2008, at 14 weeks, we found out that I had miscarried at 11 weeks. Only my circumstances were unusual in the fact, that my body didn't recognize that there was an issue and so I never physically miscarried. So we scheduled a D&C, I remember waking up in recovery, after the anesthesia wore off, alone and heart broken. I do not know if it was audible or if it was just in my thoughts, but I cried (with very real tears) out to God in my pain, and just laid there on the gurney, with tears pouring out and God's love and peace pouring in. I do not know how I would have made it through without the peace that comes from casting all our cares on Him.
