Here is a bit of the story of how this aim for our lives came about.
You can also check on the label "Well Worn" for more future posts.
Prayers for A Well Worn Life
To present my whole life, all my days, relationships, dreams, work, talents, skills and finances to the Lord in such a way as to be the most worthy offering I can give Him- all by Christ’s grace. These are our prayers, from which our lives very often fall very short, but towards which we are pressing in Christ’s grace, for His praise.
Colossians 1:10-12
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power
according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you
to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life;
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to see him in his temple.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life;
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to see him in his temple.
I John 2:28
“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears
we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”
1) To submit myself to the Lord, by submitting my day and my soul in prayer and my mind and heart to the Living Word. My life is not my own, I have been bought with a price. To dwell on holy thoughts {thankfulness, worship, intercession} so as to tune myself to Him who alone is worthy of my all. To avail myself of means of grace for my soul's nourishment, just like I eat nutritiously and sleep adequately to be healthy in my body. The Word, Prayer, the Body of Christ, Communion, Worship, Creation, Quietness... May my whole life be an offering of worship to Him.
2) To pray like Jesus: regularly, intimately, publicly, scripturally, kingdom-aimed prayers. I want to have much in the way of his kingdom and not be ashamed that I asked for too little. James 4:2. Lord, may prayer expose idols of my priorities and of my own comfort. Lead me to labor well in prayer.
3) To be worn well serving with joy, laughing at the days to come, gladhearted for the past, present and future joy, salvation!, we have abundantly because of Christ. I want the grace that abounds for the humble who are empty of their own strength, the humble who serve the “least of these,” with patience and true compassion.
4) To seek beauty, goodness, mystery... to marvel and to WORSHIP God for it all. My Father created all these and so much more. I have cause for worship, delight, praise every moment, everywhere I turn. Help me Lord to be attentive to you beyond, behind, within the details I feel responsible for.... help me to abide in you, my Vine, through every moment.
5) To fast regularly, to be humbled and made more aware of my every day actual NEED of the Lord.... it’s only my awareness that is dim, the need is always there, always great.
5) To fast regularly, to be humbled and made more aware of my every day actual NEED of the Lord.... it’s only my awareness that is dim, the need is always there, always great.
6) To embrace hardships in my life as that which He will use for his glory, to beautify my soul, transform me more into his image, soften my rough, hard edges of pride, self-reliance, self-ambition, and ready me for beholding more of his glory.
7) To dwell deeply in gratitude, to pray and proclaim, to sing aloud grateful words with a grateful heart, daily... as means to fuel gladness, dwell in worship, and kill sin.
8) To pursue the glory of God in my life- my character in the dark- with my kids, my husband, the culturally different neighbors around me, friends and family near and far away. To daily strive towards, yearn for the refining work of God's love and grace, his forever good plans, in my life. To hate my own sin, to regularly confess it and receive, remember, rejoice in God's forgiveness towards me through Christ. To not allow or tolerate unChristlikeness, or defend it with any human, cultural, hormonal, female, dumb excuses.
8) To pursue the glory of God in my life- my character in the dark- with my kids, my husband, the culturally different neighbors around me, friends and family near and far away. To daily strive towards, yearn for the refining work of God's love and grace, his forever good plans, in my life. To hate my own sin, to regularly confess it and receive, remember, rejoice in God's forgiveness towards me through Christ. To not allow or tolerate unChristlikeness, or defend it with any human, cultural, hormonal, female, dumb excuses.
9) To sieze every opportunity to proclaim the excellence of Christ's salvation. Without loving God or others enough to speak clearly of sin and salvation in Christ as often as he gives opportunity, even with all these other holy aims, I will at best be only a resounding gong.
10) To love God excellently with my mind... To study his word and learn about, explore and enjoy his world well to God's glory. Oh to stretch and exercise every capacity he has given me to give back to him the best offering I can and to enjoy the fullest extents of the wonders he has made! What greater pleasure could there be than knowing and pursuing Him in whose presence is fullness of joy.... and pleasures forevermore? Give us grace, Lord, to train our kids to love this glorious aim for their lives: YOU, our Glorious King.
11) To give strategically: for people's lives- health, homes, food, water, rescue and relief, jobs, education- and for Gospel endeavors among those least reached with the good news of Life in Christ. Invest in what is lasting and needful and good.
12) To work hard 6 days a week. Lord develop in me a work ethic that honors you first in all that I do.... working diligently, faithfully, for excellence, with and for my family, with and for others.
13) To rest well daily and weekly.... to embrace my own finiteness and go to sleep to be well charged for a new day. May each day begin with stillness before my King, to be guided in His Word and His way....to serve and behold and explore, proclaim and demonstrate the excellencies of God. Lord teach me to seize moments of stillness, selah, throughout the day to quiet my soul and to worship You.
14) To remember that labor for myself, for my reputation and fame, for applause from others (even from my own family) is idolatry, a broken cistern that will never satisfy me and will leave me ashamed. Labor for the world’s acclaim, or even for any person, is not worth being worn out for. Let all my work be an offering to the Lord and it will never be in vain.
15) To learn the grace of self control for my wildly emotional heart and wildly flailing tongue. Oh to set a strong guard over my tongue, to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and enjoy the fruit of "smile and nod" instead of regretting wasted, wrong words.
16) To work hard for JOY in our family. Theme nights, bike rides, water guns, reading aloud, dress-up, home theater, bubbles and balloons, cooking together, parks. To go an extra mile in planning and effort for a double return in laughter and memories.
17) To keep a spacious, gracious heart.... open handed.... realizing that my hard work doesn’t guarantee a smooth ride. Grace. Flex with whatever he fills my cup up with... He poured it in there and He will work it all for his glory and my good.
18) To dim the lights on the "super heros" who never have to sweat, learn from a mistake, or persevere through a hardship that seemed bigger than they were. To look away from the princesses whose charm is deceitful, whose beauty is vain, and whose romances are absolutely ridiculous. To inspire our kids to delight in the great truth that there is nothing anywhere in the world that compares with the splendor, magnificence, beauty or power of Jesus Christ, him crucified, and his eternal redemption secured for us! Help us also to put before our kids excellent literature: stories of valor and bravery and battles worth fighting, character, nobility and wisdom well learned, well lived. Excellent literature and outstanding biographies: oh how much there is to learn and enjoy from such living!
19) To buy less.... much less. What a freedom to not have to sort, clean, maintain, store, organize, repair, so much stuff.... How much easier than all of that is simply never buying so much stuff in the first place? I love it! What a joy to invest all that time and finances in more lasting things... I know for me, I can spend so much time even just THINKING about stuff (what I could buy, should buy, how, when, where I'll buy it and how much I could spend on it...) I want my time and my mind to be set free from the tyranny of stuff. I for sure do want to provide well for my family’s needs, but I don’t want that or any other excuse to defend a damned idolatry of possessions.
20) To let our clothes, furniture, toys, books, computer, be well worn and used up before I replace them so that I can give more generously to more lasting things- to people, to the kingdom of Christ! (And to enjoy second-hand items for the same reason!)
21) To maximize creativity and intentionality, sincere thoughtfulness, to deepen and strengthen our romance and all of our relationships and all of our work. Our God is a great creator and made us to be like him, so may we be excellently creative~ inspire us Lord!~ and diligent with all the relationships and responsibilities you've given us for your greatest glory, oh God!
22) To work harder at "cooking in" so that we can gladly give more of our finances together to greater needs in the world and build skills and memories in the kitchen and around our chipped dining table. How much a satisfying meal with family is a foretaste of heaven.... may we taste it often, well, together, and glorify the Lord in all the gifts of such a time! (I’m not crystal clear on these details, but this Vision Trust video states that it would take approx 13 billion dollars to provide food for the world’s starving people each year. And Christians in America spend that same amount on coffee.... and over 100 billion dollars each year eating out.) Whatever we eat or drink... do it all for His Name (stewardship, self-control, healthiness). All for Him.
23) To work towards expanding our comfort range of temperatures and tastes. Life, play, creation, beauty, and laughter are worth sweating or shivering for. Ceilings are no match for a blue sky and every bead of sweat and splash of mud will earn a story worth telling.
24) To enjoy and seize special moments, (especially simple moments- all the time, everywhere, everyday moments) as pleasures to be captured and cherished in my heart and to recall them together for the Lord’s glory and our joy. To wait, to linger, to savor and worship, to go slow for the sake of others, with others, and alone... with only my God.
