“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” ~Corrie Ten Boom
Has that old friend… I mean, enemy… the one called Worry… woken you up at night, too, reader?
I worry when there’s too much to do.
I worry when I don’t do enough… and disappoint someone.
I worry when the computer won’t work.
I worry when there’s a clerical error with our bills.
I worried when she was a little lonelier than I thought she’d be.
I worried when his return to work wasn’t quite as quick as it should’ve been.
I worried when she asked me the hard question.
I worried when they held on too long… or not long enough. I worried when they climbed too high and I worried when they sat on the sidelines.
In short, I worry every time Reality and Expectation are not inseparable friends as I’d like them to be, but distant relatives.
Someone has said that in a time of war, it is wise to know your foe. So… who is this Foe? What is Worry?
Worry is the opposite of Trust.
Worry wears me down.
Worry blurs my vision.
Worry aches at my heart and makes my feet heavy.
Too heavy to walk, too heavy to run, too heavy to dash into the arms of my Savior…
The Savior who said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1).
The same One who said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
The One who is my Shepherd and Who’s good enough to provide me with rest.
He doesn’t just lead me to the water… He leads me to still water (Psalm 23:2).
And I am in awe as I lay my heavy burdens down and look up at my Savior. And wonder…
What if all those times Reality punched Expectation in the throat… were chances to trust Him?
What if all the fears and failures… are lessons in my own weakness?
What if all the aches and pains… are opportunities to remember how He ached? How He endured pain? For us?
What if all the worry… is an invitation to draw near to His strength? To come to Him? To PRAY?
We mommas need all the reminders to pray we can find on our helter-skelter days. We need felt reminders, spoken reminders, written reminders.
We need reminders… but we don’t like to think that there could be a method to our prayers. Yes, prayer is just talking to God, opening up and being honest with Him, simple as that. There’s no wrong way to pray. And yet… in any battle, it makes sense to have a strategy. A plan. And that’s why I’m glad my friend Heidi St John has written her newest book: Prayers for the Battlefield. It’s more than just a reminder to pray… it’s a strategic reminder. Heidi doesn’t just take the lid off of topics that many modern-day Christians deem too heavy to discuss; she teaches us how to pray through them. With Scripture. After all, as Heidi has said, we were born on a battlefield.
And if you wonder if this author is the real deal? I can tell you, because I’m lucky enough to be homeschooling in community alongside the St Johns, and I’ve seen how Heidi pours herself out for our local families. I’ve seen how she injects hope into every woman she meets. I’ve seen her kids’ faces light up when they talk about their mom. Yes, they are a family, and this is a community, that’s been blessed by the power of prayer, and by the love and protection of a God who hears us.
Here’s a pile of copies of Heidi’s new book at our Resource Center. (Look at all that purple and gold! Isn’t it pretty?)
I love it so much that I’m giving away a copy, here, on the blog. To enter to win, simply leave a comment below, letting me know why you’d like to read this book! A winner will be chosen at random Monday morning.
You may also preorder here! Officially releasing on September 18th. And we’ll lift up our families to the best Father who ever was, we’ll praise Him and pray to Him, and our whispered offerings will be sweeter than the sweetest purple, more fragrant than the loveliest rose…
Be blessed, friends, and join me in laying our burdens at the feet of the One who always cares…
Join me in turning every worry into prayer.
Clinging to Him,
Laura
This has been a heavy week of worries & it is draining my heart and soul. My prayers help in the moment but I awake every couple of hours. I would love help on this battlefield.
Just sent my twin boys to college after homeschooling for 12 years and my daughter is starting her freshman year of high school at home…. it’s easy to struggle with worry and fear but trusting the Lord! Prayers for the Battlefield would be a wonderful resource for me in this season! Love Heidi St John!
I’m excited to read this new book by Heidi St. John. I just love her heart. Enter me in your giveaway!
I would love to read this book because more often than not, I feel at a loss of the words to say when I pray. I would love the guidance.
Love Heidi! Listen To her blog and do her bible studies. I want to be mom strong! I love how she breathes life and truth even if it’s not the popular thing…she does the right thing and for that I am thankful!
I want to read this book because I want to prepared in my journey of motherhood.
Oh I didn’t love this! My moms group at church is finishing up Becoming Momstrong and this would be perfect to have. I’m a classic worrier about everything and would love this to enhance my prayer life
I’m always looking for ways to grow my prayer life and would love to read Heidi’s thoughts and encouragements!
Super excited about this new book! I love Heidi she has been a huge source of encouragement to me in homeschooling my kiddos and motherhood in general!!
I would love to win this book. A friend recommended Heidi’s podcasts to me about a month ago, and I’ve been downloading and listening them as often as I can, ever since then. Her podcasts are very timely and encouraging. They inspire me. Thanks for the opportunity
“What if all those times Reality punched Expectation in the throat… were chances to trust Him?”
Thank you, friend💗 It’s a challenging season right now. Being broken of “my” to receive “His”. Bless you as you keep choosing love and trust over comfort and control.
I read her book becoming MomStrong and just LOVED every insight and encouragement she had! This book would be great in directing me in how to specifically pray for my girls in this crazy world. Prayer is something that has always been very important to my life and can’t wait to see this book aid in that aspect of life!
I love Heidi St. John’s daily reading plans and her encouraging words on social media!!! She flows so much from the spirit and I’m so excited for her.book. her focus on raising godly children and encouraging mom’s is inspiring.
More armor for the battle is a good thing! Can’t wait to read this!
Worry has been something that I struggle with, something I want to change… I need to learn to trust more and turn to God first. I loved reading Becoming Mom Strong and I would love to read this book as well!
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Heidi’s new book. I love all the encouragement I can get for raising our 9 arrows in the battlefield.
I would love a copy as I need to learn how to pray better for my children and entrust them in God’s care more. I also have Heidi’s momstrong books and am a part of her community, so this would be a welcome addition to have in my hands.
I’ve never thought about prayer as strategic…makes total sense though. The times I’ve felt closest to God have been the times I relied on prayer and His strength. The times I’ve felt farthest are also the times when my prayer life was last on my priority list. Thank you for this reminder!
I’m such a worrier even though I know there is no reason. I’ve just become an empty nester and I’m trying to figure out my new role in life.
I’d love to read this book….knew deep in the chaos of homeschooling 5 kids (well one is a baby) who are having attitude and anger and not listening and feeling pretty defeated over here lately. I could use the encouragement!
I am so excited about this book! My husband is the Family Life Pastor at our church and I am currently finishing up Becoming MomStrong with a moms group there and was so glad to hear she is launching another book! Her books make me feel like I’m receiving encouragement with a friend over coffee 💕
Pick me !:)
I am a homeschool momma to 5 and we also foster and I need a lot of pray time !:)
I would love this book! I am on a battlefield and I am struggling to stay afloat. I think this book would be such a blessing to help me get back on the offensive and start being strategic about what I need to do.
I’d love to read this! My kids are 1,3,5,7 and I know it would be such a useful tool in raising these little ones!
I know every one is in one season or another but I am in one of those seasons where it’s do-or-die. I’d like this book for the help in prayer aspect. I’m a mom to 3 beautiful beings and I have to do everything I possible can.
I would love to read this book as God has been reminding me lately to get back in the battle with prayer, stand in the gap and see what He can do through my partnership with Him! I so need those reminders though and help to know what to pray as I am constantly running to and fro with three boys under 7 and not much quiet time!
I would love to have a copy of this book. I know that worry is like a rocking chair, it is something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere. Basically it’s a waste of time. I met Heidi at the FL homeschool convention & look forward to continuing to learn from her wisdom, in this new book😊📖💗
I love how Heidi encourages us to look at everything through a Biblical worldview. I know that this book will help me in that & honestly I sometimes need a bit of help, in many situations, with my prayer life. I want to be effective in my prayer life & not mediocre.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to read through God’s amazing words of hope, encouragement, truth and ……LIFE!
I’m starting a ladies bible study on prayer where we live (missionaries to malawi) and I’ve been a fan of Heidi for years! Would love this. Unfortunately we live far and not sure how to get one over here !
I am a Mother’s of 4 home school kiddos and I could really use this book I have been a bit discouraged and stress this school year.I could use something uplifting to read.
I need daily encouragement and guidance for prayer for my mom/wife life
I could definitely use this book. Tend to worry about little things. Love Heidi St. John. Thank you for offering this giveaway.
I would love to read Heidi’s book because I constantly struggle with worry. God deliver me from the overwhelming stress, fear and anxiety that I used to face daily but I constantly have to seek God’s word to keep me on that path and I think Heidi’s book would be a really encouraging reminder to have around the house. 🙂 Thank you so much for the giveaway Laura and thank you so much for being my reminder today!!
My heart is deeply broken. My first born and only daughter has committed to a lifestyle that grieves God’s heart and mine. I’m hungry for anything spiritually healthy for my mind and my heart. Heidi spoke on her podcast about a specific section of this book that would be helpful for a mom with a prodigal child.
As a wife, mom, homeschool mom, full time job mom…worrying has dominated my thoughts. If its not the job…competing a task and working to the best of my ability, its weather or not I am giving my kids the best education, or just trying to keep my house clean!!! I take life day by day and I’m thankful, yet I WORRY so much!! I have been following Heidi in Instagram for a while, and this title has my interest! Turning to God is something I need to remind myself daily to do. Trust in Him!!!
The battlefield is real and the battle is brutal. A strategy would be most helpful.
This looks like such a good book…and so needed in the time we live in right now. I would love his book because our lives are a battlefield, and I want to know how to better pray for my kids and family!
I recently found Heidi St John and am oving her podcast! Any good prayer resources are always welcomed! 💜
I know that my prayer life could be, should be, more robust. So I’d love to read this book to encourage my prayer life!
Thank you all for sharing, friends! I’ve read through all your comments… lifting up our worries to the One who knows us best 🙂 Motherhood can be such a struggle… may it bring us ever closer to Him!! Our (randomly-chosen by a number system and my eight-year-old) winner is Alysha. Alysha, I’ll email you so you can send me your mailing address! Thank you!