Last.Damn.Call

Have any skeletons in your closet? I do. Not as many I used to. I want to help you mold all those bones into one BIG scary skeleton. Now, take a tiny bone. Maybe a pinky finger. Make your peace, confess a wrong, admit a fault, apologize to someone, ask for forgiveness. Give that bone a proper burial. Say all the things you need to say. Wish it well. Say a prayer. Lay it to rest. Don’t try to bury the whole damn thing at once. That’s too much. Too overwhelming. My name is Lindsey Cox, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Through my life experiences, exploration of trauma, a boat load of excuses for my past behaviors, and lots of research, I want to help you bury all those nasty bones that haunt you on a daily basis. Maybe on an hourly basis. The intention of this blog is to help you heal from whatever Boogeyman lurks in the darkest corners of your life. From your past. From your present. Haunts your dreams. We can be grave diggers together down a dark, murky path, where there is indeed light peeking through at the other end.

lindseymariecox2024@gmail.com

Prayer For Dummies

I don’t always know how to pray or what to pray for or about. Honestly, I am probably selfish in my prayers a lot of the time if I am being honest. I’d dare say we are all guilty of this sometimes. It’s only human of us to cry out in times of need. Or to pray so very hard for a loved one in their time of need (healing, safety, direction, etc.)

I need some redirection at times, something to guide me…and lately, I have found myself needing it when it comes to prayer. Maybe this will be helpful to someone else who is reading this. I like to think I am not the only one who thinks about these (sometimes random) things.

So, here is what I came up with…Prayer is simply a conversation. It’s not like a job interview–no need to sound smart or experienced. It’s not a court appearance where you need to plead your case or prove a point or convince someone of your innocence.

Start by saying, “Thank you.” Plain and simple. By simply giving thanks first and foremost, your focus begins to shift. You are showing gratitude without even fully realizing it. This kind of resets you. Places a calmness over you (even if just momentarily). Reminding you of all the goodness in your life. Remember, we are called to give thanks in all situations and circumstances (YES, this can be super hard…but so can being bitter and filled with doubt—so choose which “hard” you can live with!)

Secondly, be truthful. Be real. God already sees you and your needs. So, lay it all out there. The good, the bad, the ugly, the doubts, the mistakes, all your questions.

Be direct. No need to dance around anything. Just ask. No matter how big or small or embarrassing or silly or weird you may think your request is–put on your big gal pants and ask. Vulnerability means putting all your fears, worries, and thoughts before Him.

Last but not least, be persistent. Keep asking. Continue to revisit those oh-so-important prayers. Remember, this is a conversation, right? So, don’t stop communicating. Keep it going. In quiet times. In traffic. When you are alone. In the middle of a crowd. Anywhere at any time.

Here’s the super basic breakdown:

  1. Give thanks-Something along the lines of “Thank you for never giving up on me. I am tired, but my trust lies in you. Thank you for this life.”
  2. Honesty- “This situation is a mess. I am so unsure of how to feel or what path to take.”
  3. Directly addressing your “stuff”-“I am really struggling with X, Y, Z and need some guidance.”
  4. Never give up- “Some days I want to give up, but I believe in the power of prayer. You always show up for me, so I will be faithful in my prayers.“

*** Prayer grows not by performance but by persistence. ***

Why is prayer important? That may sound like a silly question to some, but I really had to think beyond my surface level thought processes. And here is what I found: Prayer is how we present our needs to God, right? Duh. But dig a little deeper…

By letting our requests be known, we start to unearth some deeper needs. For example, if I am praying about a decision I need to make–what am I really doing? I am asking for guidance. I am putting my trust in God. I am strengthening my faith. In asking for guidance and in turn, trusting and strengthening my relationship with God…I am doing so much more than the obvious! I am giving my will over, I am asking to be molded, I am discovering weaknesses and shortcomings…and BAM! I am growing along spiritual lines. All from what started as a simple prayer about a decision I needed to make. See how that works?!

Think of prayer as a vessel (or vehicle). The “passengers” on this vehicle make a stop to give thanks, acknowledge all the good, drop off the things threatening to sink us, allow us to be open and welcoming to invite others along the way, points us in the right direction, and deepens the journey all the way around.

I challenge you to block out a window of time for prayer. Truly pray. Using the super basic things I outlined. Maybe it’s 5 minutes in the morning before your feet hit the floor (remember to get God into your head before you have the chance to!) Maybe it’s 10 minutes during your lunch break. Or dedicate 20 minutes when you finally rest your head on your pillow at the end of a long day. Make it a daily habit for a week and see what happens. Or whatever amount of time you see as “doable”. It may be the best time you spend all week “talking with God.”

lindseymariecox2024
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