The study our small group has been doing and Mike’s sermon on Sunday have really been messing with me on the subject of prayer. I have been to church almost every Sunday of my life and I have been a Christ follower for 22 years and prayer is something that I had never understood clearly. Why would we need to beg God to do something when He already knows what we need and what He is going to do about it. Are we trying to change God’s mind? Are we trying to be like a little kid in the toy isle at Target “please, please, please” until we get what we want or leave screaming our head off because we didn’t. I am coming to see that prayer is for US – not for God. He doesn’t need us to beg Him or change His mind. Mark Batterson said that prayer is like out spiritual antennae. When we pray our radar is up, we are looking for the ways God is going to answer our prayers, put people in our path, and give us strength for each day. Without our antennae up there are so many miracles we miss every day, so many opportunities we pass right by. It’s like when you buy a new car and as soon as you pull off the lot you see a ton of cars just like yours. Until then, you had never noticed it before. Prayer makes us aware of what God is doing around us. Mike challenged our congregation to pray every morning before starting our day. I have done it all three mornings. It has made a difference. I see opportunities I might have missed, I have more joy being with my kids because I see what a blessing they are. It doesn’t make your life perfect. I still had an argument with my husband, spilled milk all over me, have laundry coming out my ears, and tons of other challenges but I know who is in control – and it ain’t me.