Maidens of the Master - Issue 9: Prayer

Sister in Christ,
I’m glad you’ve taken a moment to read this magazine. Whether you’re enjoying the crisp au- tumn weather or longing for the chill of winter, I pray this issue will be a refreshment and a bless- ing to you. Prayer is a never-ending topic, so I know you’ll nd the articles of this issue interesting and insightful.
As usual, I’m grateful for all the writers and contrib- utors, especially Mrs. Rebecca M, the mom-author for this issue. Many thanks to my mom for proof- reading the magazine, and to my brother for doing a beautiful job with the design. And of course, I thank my Lord Jesus Christ for His sustaining hand and help. All glory and praise to Him!
May this issue of Maidens of the Master inspire and challenge you!
Love in Christ,
M a i d e n s of t h e M a s t e r -Bethany
Contents for this Issue
Prayer-Soul’s Blood, page 3 A Portrait of Prayer, page 5 Scripture Gallery, page 6 Words of Wisdom, page 7 What a Friend, page 8 Blessed are You, page 10
A Mother’s Insights: Our Priceless Treasure, page 11
Recipes, page 13
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If I had to choose a single fa- vorite poet, it would be the seven- teenth century priest-poet George Herbert. His volume The Temple is going with me to the proverbial desert island!
George Herbert is one of the most famous of the metaphysical poets, British lyrists so called for their use of metaphysical conceits. {Conceit meant ‘fanciful or witty notion.’}
Their sophisticated manipulation of images is meant to surprise the reader into a better understanding of the object of comparison. We see the ordinary afresh, with wonder and interest.
Herbert may have been a country parson, but he was a great expert at turning phrases, and used this skill to throw sudden, bright light on the beauties of God and the paradoxes of the Christian faith. We are jolted from religious complacency to a renewed delight in the God of the unexpected.
“For God hath chosen the fool- ish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to con- found the things which are might; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath
God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no esh should glo- ry in his presence.” {I Corinthians 1:26-29}
And what could be more un- expected than prayer?—that the supreme and holy Creator of all things would give creatures of dust ‘boldness and access with con - dence’?—that he would receive our paltry praise and our continual groans with joy?—that he should grant us any say in the workings of the universe?
Prayer is nourish- ment, and not merely
a grudging suste- nance but the rich and delightful abun- dance of a royal occa- sion.
And so Herbert’s literary tropes seem especially suited to a Chris- tian practice that should be ordi- nary and yet always extraordinary. In his well-loved sonnet ‘Prayer [I]’
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he presents a rhapsodic cascade of images for Christian prayer, some of them startling; human language is overwhelmed by divine pleni- tude.
Prayer the church’s banquet, an- gel’s age,
God’s breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth,
Engine against th’Almighty, sin- ner’s tow’r,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side- piercing spear,
The six-days world transposing in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,
The milky way, the bird of Para- dise,
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But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God...


Samantha L. is twenty-two years old and lives in the state of Florida with her par- ents, two sisters and four brothers. She enjoys reading poetry, writing essays, re- searching health topics, and teaching children. If you have a word to share with this quiet listener, follow the sound of Baroque music played too loudly, or visit her blog at h p://walfamily.net/Larkrise.
Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,
The land of spices; something understood.
The rapid issue of metaphors is almost a spiritual hyperventilation, as the poet is overwhelmed by the experience of speaking with God.
And yet there is also a certain reticence. There is no verb in the poem; Herbert never tells us what prayer is but perhaps what it might be like.
Malcolm Guite calls the poem ‘a scattering of many seeds broad- cast. For each of these images is in its own way a little poem, or the seed of a poem, ready to grow and unfold in the reader’s mind.’
Here are fragmentary re ections
on just three of the twenty-seven ‘seeds,’ or images. Every time I read the poem, I am struck by a di er- ent line, but these are the ones that strike me today.
‘Prayer the church’s banquet’— Prayer is nourishment, and not merely a grudging sustenance but the rich and delightful abundance of a royal occasion.
‘Christian plummet sounding heaven and earth’—A plummet is a plumb line for measuring depth. The ear of Heaven is as near as whispered words.
‘Engine against th’Almighty, sin- ner’s tow’r’—These are a cannon and a siege tower, ancient weapons of warfare against God. Herbert’s friend and fellow metaphysical poet John Donne preached in a ser- mon:
‘Prayer hath the nature of vio- lence; in the public prayers of the congregation we besiege God... and God is glad to be straitened [reduced, compelled] by us in that siege.’ Does this seem irreverent to you? God was humble enough.
And all this is only a beginning.
May you be blessed by a re- newed vision of prayer: When you kneel you ascend to Heaven. When you fold your hands you wield a powerful weapon. When you whis- per a few broken words you have shaken the universe with thunder.
LORD, what is man that that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man that makest account of him!—Psalm 144:3
It is a wonder too great to speak.
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Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and nd grace to help in time of need.
Prayer: what does that mean, in essence, and what does that look like lived out?
As I think about the ways that God has worked in me over the last few months, I realize that so much of it—the ultimate point of it all—was centered on drawing me to Christ. Every insight given into His Word, every conversation with friends, every di cult situation, ev- ery joy—small or signi cant—has been used to bring me before Him more often and in a more broken, rejoicing, and humble manner.
God’s ultimate goal is indeed to draw us to Himself. He has placed a yearning in our hearts that only He can ll. How does that knowledge in uence the way we approach Him?
We must realize that prayer is not based on human desire, human plans, or human initiation; rather, prayer is a direct response to God’s work in us.
Drawing near happens as a re- alization of undeserved pursuit. Therefore, knowing God truly is the foundation for everything else.
Knowing His character gives us a basis for the words we use to plead. Knowing our identity in Jesus enables us to approach the throne con dently. Knowing the battles God wants to ght on our behalf drives us to press in. We will naturally turn to prayer when this knowledge becomes rooted in us.
[God] has placed a yearning in our
hearts that only He can ll.
David, the anointed shepherd boy, was able to have con dence as he approached life and challenges because He knew with assurance that God was on his side. In the same way, we can have con dence in prayer when we know our Lord and His heart revealed through His Word.
When I think of a relationship with God lived out through prayer,
three di erent forms come to mind.
Sel ess prayer requires the real- ization that prayer is both the most e cient and the most under-appre- ciated way to love people. Battling on the behalf of others is a privilege that should not be taken lightly.
Communing prayer is answering the call on our hearts to respond to God’s love. It is resting in awe of His goodness while seeking His heart on life.
Instant prayer is responding to unexpected situations by immedi- ately turning to Christ. It is realiz- ing that we need Him in every mo- ment.
Our desire should be to see all three forms develop in our lives. God has been impressing on me to not view prayer as merely an op- tion, or as something on the to-do list, but as something that is a re- sult of His work in my life!
Don’t think of prayer as another spiritual activity that “might be a good idea to work on.” Prayer is more of a response to recognizing God’s goodness than another direc- tive we must strive to accomplish.
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Stephanie H. is a twenty-year-old recent college graduate who is currently serving two ministries while living in Indianapolis, IN. She enjoys si ing at the feet of her Savior, spending time with her amazing siblings, and taking every opportunity she can get to sip co ee and write.
How beautiful is the access we have to God through Jesus Christ! How amazing the privilege of watching Him increase in our lives while our selves decrease.
The power is not in prayer, but in the amazing God who chooses to
hear and answer us. We must have expectation: not in the approach, or in the words themselves, but in the One we approach and speak to. We must have faith: not in a for- mula, but in Jesus alone. Only then will prayer be a natural out ow of God’s grace at work in us.
Ephesians 6:17-18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there- unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Romans 12:10-12 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; pa- tient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
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“Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacri ce to God, and a scourge for Satan.”
-John Bunyan
“It is because of the hasty and super cial conversation with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and ee from sin as you should.”
-A.W. Tozer
“The neglect of prayer is a grand hindrance to holiness.”
-John Wesley “Prayerlessness is a sin.”
-Corrie Ten Boom
“Whole days and weeks have I spent prostrate on the ground in silent or vocal prayer.”
-George Whit eld
“Bear up the hands that hang down, by faith and prayer; support the tottering knees. Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and perse- vere therein, and mercy will come down.”
-John Wesley
“Shall I give you yet another rea- son why you should pray? I have preached my very heart out. I could not say any more than I have said. Will not your prayers accomplish that which my preaching fails to do? Is it not likely that the Church
has been putting forth its preach- ing hand but not its praying hand? Oh dear friends! Let us agonize in prayer.”
-Charles H. Spurgeon
“It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray cor- rectly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patient- ly, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer...
“...Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer un- til the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing.
“Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all
their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors.
“Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and e orts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but in God alone; and they should with all earnestness seek the bless- ing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer.
“Here is the great secret of suc- cess, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all dili- gence, with all patience, with all perseverance.
“Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed.”
-George Müller
“Prayer - secret, fervent, believ- ing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness.”
-William Carey
“Do not have your concert rst, and then tune your instrument af- terwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get rst of all into harmony with Him.”
-Hudson Taylor
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Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplica- tion with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Have you had a great conversa- tion with a friend lately? Perhaps it was encouraging and motivat- ing, or cheerful and lighthearted with plenty of laughs. Maybe it was deep and impactful, or it may have been sorrowful as you each shared from your heart and comforted one another.
Some of our closest friends we may rarely see in person, while others may live in our own homes; regardless, if we rarely communi- cate, whether by correspondence, phone, social media or real-life conversation, we cannot be close friends.
Those friends who are near and dear to us are always in our heart and mind, and our greatest joys, sorrows and fears we share with them.
If we so lovingly trust and con- de our thoughts to our earthly friends, how much more should we share our hearts with our Lord and Savior?
Jesus is the ultimate friend; He’s always with us and lives within us. We don’t have to have a “long-dis- tance” friendship, because He will never leave us or forsake us. Al-
though we cannot see Him, we love Him and believe in Him.
Whether we are in our own house or away from home, soaring inajetorstuckinatra cjam,on top of a mountain or at the bottom of the sea (physically or emotion- ally), there is nothing that can sep- arate us from His love.
So what does all this have to do with prayer? The classic hymn by Joseph M. Scriven says it best:
Our relationship with Christ must not
be without frequent prayer.
“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”
Just as our earthly friendships cannot survive long periods of time without communication, so our re- lationship with Christ must not be without frequent prayer.
You’ve probably witnessed a broken relationship before, where two individuals rarely talk unless it’s necessary.
Sadly, we can often fall into that same pattern with our relationship with the Lord.
We “have to” pray before each meal because that’s what Chris- tians do. We close our eyes and lis- ten when others pray, and we feel compelled to pray each day during our devotions because we’ve been told that’s an important thing to do. We may pray in the evenings or mornings as a family, but those instances may be the only prayer times we experience for days or weeks at a time.
Imagine if a husband and a wife only spoke ve times a day - “Good morning.” - “Thanks for breakfast.” “You’re welcome.” - “Thanks for lunch.” “You’re welcome.” - and so on. What kind of a relationship would they have? Certainly not a very close one!
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Bethany X. is fteen years old and lives the state of Florida as a daughter and a sis- ter of two brothers. She loves reading, writing, singing, sewing, playing piano and violin, rearranging hymns, memorizing Scripture, and editing Maidens of the Master.
Yet, this is sometimes the type of vocal relationship we have with our Savior. Every four or ve hours we stop to pray, “Lord, thank you for this food. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Really?
Instead, our lives should be of constant prayer. We wake up, we pray. We brush our teeth, we pray. We ride or drive in a car, we pray. We walk from here to there, we pray.
And our prayers shouldn’t just be, “God, help me with this next thing on my to-do list,” or, “Give
me wisdom for this and that.” The “Lord, help me” prayer, though it should be used to some extent (for we are dependent upon Him for all things), is often prioritized above all others.
Prayer should also include wor- ship, praise, confession of sin, ex- pressions of gratitude, love and trust, intercession on behalf of oth- ers, plea for greater godliness, and asking for God to be glori ed.
Keeping Christ at the forefront of our mind at all times can also be a discipline. If you have a close
friend, chances are you’ll be think- ing about that friend often. Ev- erything you do will remind you in some way of that friend. So it should be with our relationship with Christ. As we live our daily lives, He should be our rst thought and primary focus.
Let us make Jesus our nearest and dearest Friend, our Precious Savior and Refuge, a faithful Friend Who will all our sorrows share, Who knows our every weakness... let us take it to the Lord in prayer!
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Hannah Marie is seventeen years old, living in Miami, FL with her parents and six sib- lings. She enjoys playing and composing on the piano, writing, singing (too much opera at times), shing, diving, just about anything in the ocean, and hanging out with her siblings and friends.
“Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Creator and King of the Universe!”
In Judaism, prayer always begins with a blessing. It’s not a blessing upon one’s household or family or self – but a blessing to G-d. Before they beseech heaven for earthly gifts or ask for the giving of spiritu- al strengths, they stop. They shove aside all troubles and worries and cry, “Blessed are You!”
G-d created the heavens and the earth. He overlooks earth with all its wonders and troubles. He heals the hurt, runs to the lame. He smiles upon the good, He loves all as if they are one. Is He not worthy of our adulations?
He blesses the righteous, He blesses His Children, He blesses all life. Is He not worthy of blessing?
A blessing from a meager human being may not seem like much, but when G-d looks down upon one of
His children, crying, “Blessed are You!” It is similar to the feeling a parent feels when they are blessed by their children. After all the years of watching after them, caring for them, feeding, nurturing, loving them – one act of blessing from their children is worth all that.
Prayer is a time to give G-d all the
blessings of glory and honor He de- serves.
When we begin our prayers praising G-d, blessing Him, we have opened His heart to us. His doors are open to receive.
G-d has a heart. He wants to be acknowledged as a friend – not an
impersonal blessing machine. As the scholar Ben Sira said, “Look upon the rainbow and bless its Mak- er!” He wants us to walk through His nature and see His wonders. He wants us to see His love re ected in every ocean and see His mercy shine in every sunbeam. He wants us to see His beautiful face and cry, “Blessed are You, Lord!”
While everyone is fascinated with Matthew 21:22,“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith,” we must also ac- knowledge prayer as much more than a time to seek out blessings – Itisatimetogiveourown!Itisa time to give G-d all the blessings of glory and honor He deserves.
“I will extol you, my G-d, O king; and I will bless your name for ever and ever.” Psalm 145:1
So, on that note... Baruch ata Adonai! Blessed are You, Lord!
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Prayer - how can one begin to explore this priceless treasure? It is what wraps up all our hopes and dreams for our future and waits in joyful anticipation as each one is unwrapped and comes to life. It follows us as we venture into unknown ter- ritory. It bathes us with refreshing rain when the ery trials of life would threaten to consume us. It helps stormed tossed souls pick up the pieces and steadies them
to go on again. It breathes life back into lives su ocated by sin. It cries out, pleading for God to draw more souls to Himself. It brings the assurance of things hoped for by a sin stained world.
This is what prayer does, but what is it? First of all, prayer is not mere words. It is an open invitation from the creator and sustainer of all that exists to come into His presence and commune with Him. Wow! How could this be possible? We were created by God because He wanted to have a relationship with us. However, way back in the Garden of Eden, this connec- tion to God was ruined by sin. It took Jesus’ great love and sacri ce, which was His death on the cross, to rescue us from eternal separation from God. It is as if, while still clinging to God’s hand, He reached out and rescued us from the mire of sin and gave us a direct connection to God again. What a great love that is! In gratitude and wonder we respond by clinging to Jesus and praying.
How should we use this gift of prayer? We should use it to the fullest (Acts 6:4; Phil. 4:6; I Thess. 5:17-18). The Bible tells us to pray continually, in all things, and at all times. First of all, start each day with praise and thanksgiving to God for giving you life (Ps. 118:29). Next, ask God to examine your heart to see if there is any wayward way in you, confessing it and ask- ing for forgiveness (I John 1;9).Then cover each one close to you with a prayer of su ciency for the day, whatever the need (II Thess. 2:13-16; James 5:13-16). Continue with prayers for those who are in authority (I Tim. 2:1-3), those who minister to your soul (II Thess. 3:11), those who are persecuted for righteousness sake (Heb. 13:3), and those you will come into contact with that day (I Pet. 3:15). Then go forth in an attitude of silent communion with the Lord Jesus to accomplish His purposes for you that day.
My own mother was a great woman of prayer. I felt her daily prayers for my family and I. Each time I called her I cherished the words, “I’m praying for you” or “I’m praying for them.” I knew it was true. Her last words to us, uttered in weakness just days before she died, were, “I will be praying for you.” When she went to be with the Lord, I felt a great void in my life. I
Mrs. Rebecca M. is a homeschooling mother living in the state of Florida. She and her hus- band are the parents of eight children, one daughter-in-law, and one grand-daughter, and she enjoys keeping busy by meeting the needs of her husband and children and seeking to create an atmosphere of learning and creativity in her home.
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longed to hear those words from her one more time. But, I know that the Lord Jesus is with us and He will never leave us.
God longs for us to cling to Him at all times. Our prayers are as sweet smelling incense to Him (Rev. 5:8; 8:3). Oh, dear child do not let this privilege go to waste. It will grieve the Lord Jesus and it will also rob you of power to serve Him. Take hold of this priceless treasure and tap into the power that God has provided for you.
Mrs. Rebecca M. with her two daughters
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Cinnamon Bun Muffins
This recipe is from Elana’s Pantry. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and sugar-free. Basically, it’s Paleo friendly but still tastes amazing. It is a great autumn-y treat that you won’t feel guilty about! So have it for breakfast, dessert, or whenever you want. The only issue you might have is that they tend to disappear rather quickly, so a secret hiding place may be in order. I hope you all enjoy it! Makes 9 mu ns.
Spoon topping onto mu ns. Bake mu ns for 8-12 minutes at 350°.Cool mu ns for 2 hours then frost with Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting.
2 tsp. sea salt (when using low sodium broth)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting:
3/4 cup cashew cream (recipe to fol- low)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tbsp. agave nectar(or honey)
3 tbsp. heavy cream
Instructions
Cinnamon Topping Ingredients
To make frosting combine cream cheese and agave in a medium bowl until well blended . Whip in heavy cream until frosting is nice and thick. Spread over Cinnamon Bun Mu ns and serve.
Submitted by Alyssa D.
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
This dish is delicious, and you can’t even tell it’s vegan! I HIGHLY recom- mend it! Warning: You may be tempt- ed to eat enormous portions of it!
Saute the mushrooms, shallot and gar- lic over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Pour in the cooking wine, then bring to a boil and wait until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth, salt, pep- per, and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the cashew cream.
Use an immersion blender and pulse a few times to incorporate the ca- shew cream. If you like your soup less chunky, continue blending until the mushrooms are smooth.
Alternatively, add the soup to a blend- er and blend until desired consistency. Be careful when blending hot liquids. It has the tendency to splatter.
Serve with a little drizzle of tru e oil and fresh thyme. Enjoy!
2 tablespoon agave nectar (or honey) 1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or melted butter or margarine)
To make cinnamon topping, combine agave, cinnamon and oil in a small bowl. Set mixture aside.
Mu n Mixture Ingredients
1 cup blanched almond our 2 tbsp. coconut our
2 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. celtic sea salt
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 cup grapeseed oil (or melted but- ter/margarine if you choose)
4 cup agave nectar(or honey)
3 eggs
2 tbsp. salted butter, olive oil, or soy- free butter replacement
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, chopped
To Make the Cashew Cream
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/8 cup sherry cooking wine (omit for SCD)
3 cups
vegetable
broth
Soak 1 cup of raw cashews in 3 cups boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain the cashews, but reserve the soaking water. Place the cashews in a blender with 3/4 cup of the soaking water and
Instructions
blend until smooth. It should be a similar thickness of a greek
Combine almond our, coconut our, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl blend together oil, agave, eggs and vanilla. Blend dry ingredients into wet and scoop a scant 4 cup at a time into lined mu n cups.
yogurt. If it’s too thick, add a little water at a time to get
your desired consistency.
Submitted by Hannah Marie
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