As we draw closer to the Lifeway Women Simulcast on April 29, I want to encourage you with some ways you can prepare your heart and mind to receive and participate in what God has in store for this special day. Here are three things you can do (the 3 Ps): Prepare, Pray, and Pause.
Prepare.
The Lifeway event team, event speakers, and hundreds of church and small group hosts around the world prepare for this Simulcast. Rest assured, these individuals are working around the clock doing all kinds of tasks, big and small, to make this event a success. We know at Lifeway that God is at the center of this event, and He is the One who will determine if it is a success or not. One of the most important ways we can participate with God in preparing for the Lifeway Women Simulcast is through prayer.
Pray.
Why pray? The answer is quite simple: Jesus tells us to pray. A verse in the Bible tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)! God’s Word directs us to pray about everything, and that surely would include a global women’s event.
Prayer also connects our hearts with Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit, we can pray His will be done through this Simulcast. How exciting that we get to participate in what Jesus is doing on this earth and in this season of time.
Everyone can pray as the Lord leads her/him, but if you need some ideas of what to pray about, here are several suggestions:
- Pray for speakers/teachers and worship leaders at the Lifeway Women Simulcast (see a detailed list on lifeway.com). Pray that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray for their physical, mental, and spiritual health.
- Pray for all the Simulcast hosts and their volunteer teams. Pray that they would find joy in serving those that attend their events without missing out on what God has prepared for them.
- Pray for all the individuals that will be watching alone in their homes. Pray God’s will be done for them also.
- Pray for yourself to have an open heart to receive any word the Lord has for you on the day of your event.
- Pray for a spirit of repentance.
- Pray for an obedient heart to follow God’s Word.
- Pray for the salvation of those who are not believers in Jesus Christ yet.
I hope these requests help get you started on your own prayer journey. Feel free to add your own prayers to this list and keep praying until the day of the event (and beyond). One last challenge is to take some “pause” breaks now and then as you approach the Simulcast.
Pause.
Pausing and slowing down to “stop and smell the roses” is something I am not very accustomed to doing. I keep going from task to task and can feel overwhelmed and overstressed at times. God wants His children to make rest a regular part of our lives. When we think of rest, we often think of cessation of work or even going to sleep. Both of those things are good and will definitely help our bodies and souls, but I am talking about a different kind of rest. I want to encourage you to take some “pause” breaks as we approach Simulcast day. These breaks are moments you will pause (stop) and spend time alone with God. We have been praying, but pausing is something a bit different. Below are some ideas of what you can do during this quiet time.
- Pause and reflect on God’s character (His goodness, faithfulness, purity, holiness, loving-kindness, and the list goes on).
- Praise Him in a way that reflects how God created you (journaling, singing, writing, serving, and so forth).
- Read and pray through Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (NIV). This is a great time to ask God to reveal to you any areas of your life that you may be in disobedience. Ask Him to show you any “secret sins” of your heart and for you to have a spirit of repentance and surrender.
- Write a gratitude list and add to it daily. Keep track of ways you see God working specifically as you prepare for the Simulcast.
- Meditate on Scripture.
Simulcast Day will be here soon and by preparing, praying, and pausing, you can cultivate your heart to receive what God has in store for you. These practices will help your “spiritual” eyes open to see what God is doing in and through this event. May God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit guide you as you prepare your heart for this special day.
Kim Uden lives in Tampa, Florida, after living in Illinois for eighteen years. She is a native Floridian and is glad to be back in her sunny home state. She has been married to her husband for over twenty-eight years, and they have three adult sons. Kim and her husband are almost empty nesters, as their youngest still lives at home. She retired from teaching preschool (fifteen years) when she moved back to Florida and is looking forward to seeing where the Lord will lead her in this new season of life. She loves coffee with lots of creamer, a good book, and The Bible Recap (with Tara-Leigh Cobble). One of the things that bring her the most joy is connecting women first to Jesus and then to each other.
