Ep.53 Processing with God First

I need a friend who prays. 

Kimber and Meghan discuss how a growing prayer life can impact your friendships. They share things to look for in your relationships that invite prayer, and Meghan challenges us to process with God before going to our people.

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Transcript

Kimber: 0:09

hey friends. Welcome to the, your sister Kimber podcast. My name is Kimberg Gilbert, and I'm really glad you're here today. What if I told you that the most significant way you could grow in your friendships was by growing in your prayer life. Today, our series guest. Co-host Megan. Frable. And I talk about how growing in our prayer life with God. Impacts our friendships for so much. Good. The truth is that the Lord is a source of community in our lives. And so when we grow closer and deeper in relationship with him, Our friendships will feel the blessings of that. Growth comes from him in our personal relationship with the Lord. So of course, growth in our friendships comes from him too. The closer that we draw to the Lord through prayer as a primary avenue, the more that closeness will spill out into our friendships as well. This series is all about growing and how we honor God and draw closer to Jesus. And by that, how authentic community can begin to sprout in our lives. I wish we could snag a table for three and talk this out over. Um, what am I feeling today? And iced peppermint mocha. But this is the next best thing. And so glad you hear friend, let's get started. Hello friends. Welcome, welcome. We are here with, our special guest co-host for this series, Megan. Um, and I'm so excited to talk to you today, Megan, continuing in our series.

Meghan: 1:34

Yes. I'm excited. Thanks for having me back.

Kimber: 1:37

Yeah, of course last week we launched this series called Being the Friend You Need, and it's all about just how we are impacted by the kinds of people that we surround ourselves with, right? Like we, we can't deny that I feel like, of course, You know, that doesn't mean that we only get to be around people that we necessarily liked their impact, but when it comes to like choosing your very closest friends, like the people that you're allowing to pour into you that close inner circle, I think it is really wise to like ask ourselves, are these the kind of friends that I need in my life that I want in my life that are, being godly influences to me. I, so it's kind of a, a dynamic here, but I feel like we're talking about those closest people.

Meghan: 2:19

yeah. I was thinking about this like taking inventory in a way, and I don't mean that to sound like a very, like, you're making it very exclusive, like you fit in here and you don't, so you're out, but, but really like intentionally looking at the people that have, you've let into that inner circle of how are they affecting my life? Are they. Pursuing, are they pursuing holiness? Um, not perfection. Cuz obviously none of us hit that mark. But how are they, influencing me with my walk with the Lord? How are they, um, are they pouring into me as much as maybe I'm pouring out to them? And obviously there's seasons where that's gonna ebb and flow with. It's not gonna be equal all the time. Um, but just those things of Do I leave? That conversation, or do I leave that person's house feeling closer to God then before I, before I got there? You know? And so for me, that's kind of like a measurement, a bar that I kind of use for that.

Kimber: 3:14

yeah. I love that because the like. Flip side of that is, oh, well I just wanna like love everyone. You, you know, like be loving to everyone. And I think that that is, you know, there's these different levels, like we talked about last time, and we can have people in our lives that we love and then we spend time with who, we don't leave their houses with that feeling, but we know that there's like maybe a missional purpose there, or it's just someone who needs us. Right. But for these like relationships that like, we're. You know, sharing our deepest stuff with them, you know, hoping that they'll pour into our lives and bless us. Like, yeah, I think that that question is a good way to help us kind of reflect on that. And then if the answer is no for that person, how do you think we, like, what is the, our response then to that? Because it's not like we just cut'em off or something

Meghan: 4:01

no, yeah, but, but maybe, yeah, maybe it is more of that, is this more of a missional,

Kimber: 4:06

Sure.

Meghan: 4:07

you know, opportunity for me or obviously like there's areas in my life that I'm not killing it in, you know, and so, But I think as believers, our intention is to always be growing and be becoming more like Christ. So obviously there's gonna be a journey there and I might be lesser down the road than someone else or further down the road than somebody else. And so there is, but there's that like I'm pursuing that.

Kimber: 4:30

right.

Meghan: 4:31

But if there's not like this pursuit,

Kimber: 4:34

Yeah. That's where you would wanna.

Meghan: 4:36

Maybe just evaluate, consider where, where they're at. And maybe like, it's not that you don't have to be friends with them, but maybe it's, there's just gonna be some, some boundaries maybe, or just I'm not gonna go as deep and

Kimber: 4:46

right.

Meghan: 4:47

talk to'em about certain things, you know? But not a, not a cutoff. Yeah.

Kimber: 4:51

right. And so I think that that, yeah, that as we approach these conversations, I just wanna be like so clear about that because I feel like, you know, this idea of being the friend we need could come across as like being exclusive or like curating our friendships or something. Yeah. And like, oh, this person doesn't measure up because like they don't have a great prayer life or something like that. But, Really, this is talking about like the people that we allow to speak into us. And then I think the flip side of it is that if we're looking for those kind of people in our life, like we get to start by being that friend that we're looking for. And so a lot of this, I feel like is turning that around and saying, well, you know, I really want someone in my life who. You know, talks to the Lord a lot, has a rich prayer life because like obviously I see that, that would bless me spiritually. And so instead of just, you know, looking around and being like, okay, who, like, who is that? I think it's really so good to like focus in and say, okay, how can I grow in this way? Because I feel like a lot of times when we're. Seeking something in our own lives, um, like as a value or as something we wanna grow in, we're gonna be attracted to people who are also trying to grow in that area. And so, I feel like really theen, the, the me focus of like, how can I grow in this area is honestly one of the best ways that we can begin looking for these kind of people to be in our closest relationship with us, because then those are the things that we care about too.

Meghan: 6:15

yep. The iron sharpening iron, I feel like is a perfect

Kimber: 6:18

Yes,

Meghan: 6:19

example for that. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Kimber: 6:21

today we're talking about prayer and, um, I, we both shared in the first episode that we talked about, how we were excited to talk more about prayer and how that can impact our friendships. And I feel like. The thing that I think of the most is like praying with people, like, you know, praying for your friends when it comes to friendship, but I'm actually gonna like, try to force us kind of to not talk about that yet. Um, because next week we're gonna talk about intercessory prayer, which is really like the idea of praying for our friends and the people in our lives. And so today I just want us to focus in on our almost how like our prayer lives impact. Um, our, our relationships. And so it's like how does that vertical relationship almost impact our horizontal relationships? So when we were saying that like we were excited to talk about prayer, why do you feel like you were most excited about this topic? Like what was kind of firing for you there?

Meghan: 7:18

Yeah. Um, I think I've just been on kind of a journey the last couple years with prayer and, um, how it fits into my life in a way, how I communicate with God. and then yeah, how that kind of spills out to how I pray for my friends, how I pray for my family, and really knowing that it's like going to war in a battle. And, um, and, and also, You know, part of that ancestry, but also how it has just brought me closer and just a deeper love with God and my father, and that communication of a true friendship versus who I just go to for my requests and, and having that posture of that, and not just these kind of spoken words, and not that they weren't sincere, but just like a deeper, more sincere prayer life and more intentional.

Kimber: 8:07

Yeah, absolutely. I feel like for me as well, I've been wanting that to be more pervasive in my life because I feel like I have these times or moments when, a lot of times it's like surrounding a stressor in my life and it's like I feel like my prayer life amps up in response to that because I'm feeling the stress and I know that, you know, talking to the Lord about it is something that. Is beneficial.

Meghan: 8:33

Mm-hmm.

Kimber: 8:33

and so I feel like in those moments, I, I, I start to see the vision for how this can be such like a pervasive part of our lives and such a filling thing. Like you talked about like a, a, just a deeper relationship. Just like we would think about with like a best friend. Like, you know, your relationship is deeper than it is with some people. And and yet I feel like then I also am in seasons when I get busy and I forget about,

Meghan: 8:58

Yeah.

Kimber: 8:59

good that seems, um, at times. And so I feel like that's something that I'm like wrestling with now too, of like, okay, how do I like, want this and desire this and, um, intentionally pursue this even when like life is okay or you know, when it doesn't seem like I have to be,

Meghan: 9:16

Mm-hmm.

Kimber: 9:17

on my knees literally to survive. Um, what do you feel like, how has your prayer life been challenged in the past several years, would you say?

Meghan: 9:25

Yeah, well, just kinda on that same note that you were saying, um, I had someone a while ago, probably a couple years ago, say you, you know, looking at, like, we always say God is my friend and I'm God's friend, and, but If we stay surface level with our friendships, that's as far as it's gonna go. But so looking at our relationship and our prayer life with God that way, that if we are just gonna stay at this level, that's kind of where it's gonna go. But if we go deep, like I would have over a cup of coffee with a friend and going really deep with them, like that's where our relationship grows. Like, but we don't get there unless we like go. And so, for me that's just kind of like, that was just kind of like this light bulb

Kimber: 10:01

yeah.

Meghan: 10:02

oh, like I need to be really intentional. and I've started just praying like every day, like, God, give me a passion to pray. Give me the passion to go deeper with you and to have that, like, in what in my life what is that gonna look like, you know, for my personal life or my, my prayer life towards others. so, yeah, so that was just like a real big challenge for me is to not let it be these just surface words, but like, Really intentionally, like what am I specifically praying for? And being bold in my prayers and not feeling like I have to have my words perfect and or this big long prayer. Like I read something a couple weeks ago, said like, even ugh, can be a prayer like God, like, you know.

Kimber: 10:43

Yeah.

Meghan: 10:44

Like I need, you know, and so like God or just God, I don't, I don't know the words, you know, I don't have these words. Um, yeah. And so just knowing that it's a relationship and that I, God, like he wants that nearness so much and he's, he's done that, but he has work on the cross and, you know, I need to make that effort too. So,

Kimber: 11:04

Yeah, I think it's almost, for me, um, I grew up in the church and I feel like there can be this tension of like, there's a certain way you're supposed to talk to God, or like, you know, that like if like an emotion is not maybe fully like proper, we feel like to bring to him, then we struggle in those. In those prayers, I think. Um, and so it's like, I love that you said, actually going to the, the deep stuff with him. And I feel like a lot of times those things like, um, hey, I'm really, I'm really upset about the outcome of this. Like situation or whatever, and I'm, I feel hurt and like I'm angry at you, or I feel like you didn't come through like I thought you, like. Going to those places in prayers sometimes feels uncomfortable for me, at least as someone who grew up in the church. I don't know if that's everyone's experience.

Meghan: 11:51

yeah, that was for me, it felt like, it felt like you don't, you don't do that. Like you don't tell God you're mad at him.

Kimber: 11:57

Right. And I'm like, why? Like, where does that come from? I wonder.

Meghan: 12:00

I don't, I don't know. if it's just like, I don't know. I've thought about this before of like, and I don't know if this was my, how I perceived it as I have to be cleaned up and have all the words and have like processed all my stuff before taking it to God, where it's like the opposite. I need to process with God. Yeah. Like I, you know, and so I think that, yeah, that too. And, and I think also changing, you know, like I grew up in a, Church culture was a little bit more, conservative. And prayers were like, this is just part of being a Christian and these are what you do. But then changing that phrase for me of, I don't, I don't have to pray like I get to pray. And how cool is that, that I serve a God that actually communicate, that communicates with me And I get to and wants to hear me. Yeah. And so it's not that I have to, I get to, and how amazing is that?

Kimber: 12:50

I love that perspective because like if we are thinking of it like a relationship, like we would a friendship of course. Like you would assume that your friend wants to talk to you like,

Meghan: 13:01

yeah. If

Kimber: 13:02

like that would

Meghan: 13:02

talk to

Kimber: 13:03

yeah, that would be the assumption. And you know, say you talking about like processing with God, I think that is something that has. Kept popping up recently in my conversations with people. And so usually when that happens it's cuz the Lord's trying to teach me something and it's like, that would, that is such a normal thing I think especially for us as women. Like, you know, we love to process with our girlfriends, right? At least like maybe, I don't know, I don't know a percentage, but a lot of us, I feel like love that. Even me, I'm an internal processor and I still love to like talk things out. With my friends. Right. And I know, especially for external processors, that's a huge help. And so it's like, yeah. Yeah. And so, uh, one of my best friends is, we talk about this all the time cuz she's such an external processor and so yeah. It's like that is so natural for us, I think in our friendships. And I think it's just, for me at least, it's the challenge of, I mean, God doesn't literally talk back most of the time, right? Like I feel like the way that I hear from the Holy Spirit is usually through writing. Like I journal a lot. And so I feel like that is sort of a way where I feel like I can have a dialogue with God, but it's still obviously totally different than. A relationship with a friend who is sitting across from you, because I feel like I'm still filtering it or like processing his response through my own mind. And so then it becomes, it can feel untrustworthy, I think, or just like uncertain. And I'm like, did I hear it right? Is that, is that what you said? Is that like, does scripture back that up? You know, and that's a whole learning curve right there.

Meghan: 14:36

Yes. Yeah. And not a bad thing. Yeah.

Kimber: 14:39

Right. It's good, but it, it's different than like talking to a friend. So how do you feel like you process with God? Like what does that look like for you?

Meghan: 14:49

Yeah. Well, I am an external processor, so I would, I would say that this has been my biggest challenge, one of my biggest challenges. Is the practice of going to God before I go to someone else. Um, because it is, it is my natural tendency to pick up the phone and call my friend, or call my mom or call my husband and be like, you know, oh my gosh, you know,

Kimber: 15:09

need to talk this out.

Meghan: 15:10

I need talk. Um, And I, I literally have to, for a long time I had a little thing on my mirror that said, have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it? And I

Kimber: 15:21

Oh,

Meghan: 15:21

like a very like Christianese like thing

Kimber: 15:25

also sounds accurate, like to me. Yeah.

Meghan: 15:27

very icu and because for me that it would be the last thing I would do at sometimes, like

Kimber: 15:34

Eventually I would get to

Meghan: 15:35

And then I get to Jesus. Yeah. And it's like, mm. And I got real convicted about that. Um, and so it is like I've, I've got it in my mind. I mean, I, and I don't always, I mean it happens, but where I'm like, have I actually stopped and like really prayed about it and not just like, do Jesus help the situation? Okay. Dial in front, you know, but like, actually, um, yeah. So that's been my, my achilles healed in a lot of ways. Um, and definitely grow and definitely growing in that. But for me, my kids are in a older, I'm in an older season of motherhood stage, and so I'm able to have that quiet time now. And that is like where for me, I, I write, I have a prayer journal and I write out my prayers and that's like my, like really special time with the Lord every morning. And um, and then just throughout the day, like it's. And it doesn't always get to be this half an hour contending for something, but just like, God, you know, I'm walking into a meeting like, I need you to be my words, you know? Or I need you to help me with this. Or, you know, a parenting issue and I'm gonna have to walk into a room with a hormonal teenager, like, God, give me the, like, you know, it doesn't have to be this like perfect environment, but it is learning to practice his presence daily for me, you know?

Kimber: 16:49

Yeah, I feel like that's something that the season of motherhood has. Really helped me learn is the more like constant dialogue because before I had my kiddo, I really loved like a long morning, quiet time and that wasn't always possible when I was working as well. But, um, if I had my like way and I had like the day off, or it was a weekend or something, I wanted a long morning, quiet time. And when I was teaching, it became the same thing too, as it has been in motherhood I feel like. But it's like, um, I have like small moments and so it's that more like constant dialogue and I feel like neither is. Ideal by itself. I think you need both. Um,

Meghan: 17:30

both? Yeah.

Kimber: 17:31

and so learning to carve out or like just finding time to carve out a time for that, even in this stage of life has been just like a discipline I think. Um, and so I think, you know, there's grace for that if, you know, you don't have that for sure. But I do see the benefit of that longer time as well, especially at the beginning of the day. I, I started doing that, um, back in the beginning of the year. I felt challenged to do that and I was like, I can't do it. I'm such a bad mor, I'm not a morning person at all. I was like, I can't do it. I'm tired at night and I'm tired in the morning. I don't know what to do. And, um, And I started, I just like, was like, okay, I just have to try it. And I really have seen the blessings of that. And so, so I'm like, but it's still a challenge every day. But I, I am like, man, working towards both of those things being true I think is such a blessing because, you know, if we're talking about like a relationship. man, we need, like with our friends, we need those like, deep heart to heart moments. Like I just took a girl's trip recently and like, you need that kind of concentrated time with your friends. You need a girl's night here and there. Um, I think to have time to go deeper like that, but we also wouldn't say probably that like, oh, I'm going to, you know, go on a girls trip one weekend a year, and then the rest of the year I'm not gonna talk to them like,

Meghan: 18:53

exactly. Like, yeah. Yeah. You've got your like deep, intentional, and then you've got your like, you know, Hey, how's your day? Or just, you know, what's happening? Yeah. When I was in high school, I had someone, he was a, like a guest pastor, come into our youth group and he said this phrase, and honestly like, it's kind of interesting. It's the one thing I remember from high school youth group that has stayed in my brain and he said, I never pray for more than five minutes, but I never go more than five minutes without praying.

Kimber: 19:23

Interesting.

Meghan: 19:25

It was very in. Like I've thought about that of just like that. daily connection of like, that connection of I'm always having a line of communication

Kimber: 19:34

Right?

Meghan: 19:34

to God, you know? And uh, yeah, I thought that was kind of cool. And, and there's grace for our seasons because there's.

Kimber: 19:40

Yeah. There

Meghan: 19:41

You know, we're all in different stages and it's figuring out, you know, maybe it's listening to the Bible on your drive to pick up, to go to Costco, pick up kids and, or you've gotta, I used to leave my Bible in the kitchen counter when my kids were little because it would just be like, I just read like a verse and kind of munch and walk, you know, and I'm, and it was just kind of very short and sporadic. But, you know, that's how I would try to do it. And Yeah. same as you. My, I used to go to like wake up and I'd go straight to the gym. In the mornings at like 5:00 AM and, and while that's not, that's fine. I was realizing that I was coming home and I'd only have like 15, 20 minutes to read the Bible. And I was feeling, and for me, I I, I remember one morning I was sitting there and I was praying and I literally felt like the, God was like, I feel like you're giving me your leftovers.

Kimber: 20:29

Hmm.

Meghan: 20:30

Like that's kind of what for me. And so I was like, all right, so I like adjusted that. It's like, okay, so now it's quiet time and if I have time in that morning, or I'm gonna have to find another time during the day to go to the gym. Like that was a conviction for me that I

Kimber: 20:43

Yeah.

Meghan: 20:44

that priority first right now. And, and I've seen so much blessing come outta

Kimber: 20:48

Right. I think that there is like, when we like try to obey in those moments, in those ways, when we hear that prodding, um, I think that the Lord's gonna honor that for sure. This, this didn't continue, but for the first two days that I was trying to like get up early so that I could have quiet time in the morning before. The kiddo woke up. Um, he slept so much later, and, and I, I was like, I was like, okay, I can't think of this as like a magic trick, but I did feel like it was just a sweet, like, gift from the Lord that was like Hey, like th yes. Like, thank you for obeying. Like I'm gonna honor this kind of, and so that was a blessing to me. And, yeah, didn't, didn't continue, but, um, it was. It was sweet because I feel like, yeah, it's, it's such a relationship, not like a legalistic thing. And when it's a relationship, like Yeah, of course you wanna spend that time

Meghan: 21:39

Yeah. Yeah.

Kimber: 21:40

Yeah. I, uh, was thinking with this, I'm like, okay, how does, obviously we think of this idea of growing in our prayer life as. Blessing us spiritually, like personally. Um, but how do you see a strong prayer life, like a growing prayer life with the Lord as blessing our friendships? how does this growing connection in a deeper relationship with the Lord, how does that then almost seep out into our relationships around us, do you think?

Meghan: 22:09

Yeah, I think that, I know for me, when I am, get drawing near to the Lord and investing in my relationship with him, that he's gonna start molding and growing and I'm gonna start. Having more joy and more peace. And just like with anything, when you're doing this input, there's gonna be an output. And

Kimber: 22:28

Yeah.

Meghan: 22:28

is that output? And it's showing joy to others and forgiveness towards others and grace and, self-control. Like you're, you're gonna start

Kimber: 22:37

Yeah. Those fruits of the spirit.

Meghan: 22:39

the fruits of the spirit. are gonna start pouring out because you are going near to the father and he's gonna start speaking to you and. Um, is it, you know, that verse out of the heart, the mouth speaks, like that's what's gonna be coming. and there's so much beauty in that, that, you know, we, when you, get some exciting news, like you wanna share it, you know, and so it's gonna be just this, that's just the Holy Spirit in us that makes us want to show that and give that. I know that for me, I, when my relationship with the Lord. if I haven't had that time with him, or my prayer life hasn't been that great, like I really start to notice that his voice gets quieter and the enemy's voice gets louder. And that's where I start to kind of operate out of that. Like insecurity or that fear of failure or that people pleasing starts to kind of like, I start to see that shifting

Kimber: 23:28

Hmm.

Meghan: 23:29

I'm like, oh, why? Why do I feel like I'm just, oh, I'm like, oh, I haven't been

Kimber: 23:33

Yeah.

Meghan: 23:35

Like, oh yeah. I miss

Kimber: 23:37

I feel like, I feel like we think of them as separate a lot of times, like our relationships with people and our relationship with God. But like, I feel like I talk a lot around here about this idea that like, Community in our lives is like an outflow of our relationship with the Lord. And so that to me mirrors what you're saying with like the fruits of the spirit, coming out of that closer relationship because if we're, doing friendship from a place that's centered in the Lord. Then it's like an outflow of the joy and the peace and all that stuff that he's given us in our relationship with him. And so it's not so much that we get what we need from. People around us, like our needs getting met and stuff, but rather like our needs are met by the Lord relationally, and then we can pour that out into those around us. And so I love that kind of like perspective shift. I feel like that's been really helpful for me in just remembering like that when someone disappoints me in my life or like I feel like they're not being a very good friend to me at that time or whatever that. my identity doesn't rest on that. Like my ability to love them well, doesn't rest on how they love me. Like it is an outflow from my relationship with God. And so I feel like prayer I. My prayer life with him is directly affecting my friendships. Then even though it, it seems like maybe it would be different, but because it's like, what's the quality of my well, like, you know,

Meghan: 24:57

Yeah. Yeah. what's my

Kimber: 24:59

poured out essentially? Yeah. And if it's, if it's like, you know, a slow trickle, then I'm not gonna have much to pour out into loving my friends. Well. Um, and

Meghan: 25:08

yeah. I love that. That's really good. Yeah, I, I read a Priscilla Shire book once. Um, I encourage everyone to, it's called The Armor of God Bible Study, and it's so good. And she has kind of an acronym for prayer that I love. And it's, um, so it's prayer and it's prayer releases all your eternal resources. And or no? Yeah. Prayer releases. Yeah. All your eternal, Yeah.

Kimber: 25:30

em.

Meghan: 25:30

um, I was like, I make sure

Kimber: 25:32

Did I spell it right?

Meghan: 25:33

did I spell it right? Um, and so knowing that like we have, because we're believers in Christ, like we have all these resources to be able to hear from our father and be able to have the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the spirit, like those are all there. And when we pray and we ask God, like, give me more of this, or I wanna be. More like you. Like he, we have that already. And then this is just, it's like that amazing. It's the mystery of it, of how we already have it, but yet God wants us to still ask for it, you know? And

Kimber: 26:05

Mm-hmm.

Meghan: 26:05

yeah, like it's really, it's

Kimber: 26:06

like more of it to like show it, pour it out. Yeah. Hmm. I love

Meghan: 26:11

Yeah. I'm not sure how all that works, but

Kimber: 26:13

Yeah. Well that's the mystery of it that we get to talk to God about.

Meghan: 26:17

Yeah, Yep.

Kimber: 26:19

So as we're like, we're thinking of in our own lives how we can be this friend who like wants to grow in our prayer life and is pursuing a deeper connection with the Lord to impact our friendships around us. Um, with this idea that we've been talking of, like looking around in our lives for these people around us that like are showing these. Qualities that we probably wanna lean into those friendships a little bit more. What are, what do you think are like some of those evidences that we should watch for? Like how can we start to notice the people around us that are pursuing this same kind of like rich prayer life with the Lord as well?

Meghan: 26:58

Yeah, I think, um, one thing I've noticed is when people just kind of step up of like, why don't we pray for that? And there's kind of more bold in that of like, all right, because that was something that I was really good at my own. Even being a very big extrovert, like doing that out loud was really, Hard,

Kimber: 27:15

it is. Yeah.

Meghan: 27:16

talking about it too, of like, I've been praying for this, and there's just a, there's a, uh, verbal, I feel like you talk about it, like I'm praying for that, but I think seeing it has been a big

Kimber: 27:27

Whether you, you right, you can say it, but does that actually mean it's happening or, or just I think it like, It builds up the body to like hear other people pray too. Like that's why we pray corporately as well, I think. Um, because it's encouraging.

Meghan: 27:42

Yeah. But I think for me it's been noticing that the, you know, your people are expressed talking about their prayer life, but then I'm seeing it outflow into how their relationships of like, let's, let's just stop and pray. Like, let's just stop and pray and like, okay. You

Kimber: 27:57

Yeah.

Meghan: 27:57

awesome.

Kimber: 27:58

Mm-hmm. I love that. I feel like one that came to mind for me too, that same thing I feel like is something that I love it when people do that, and yet it feels hard, for sure. But, I feel like it blesses me so much that it encourages me to try to do that kind of thing too. Um, and the other thing that I. I was noticing or thinking about with this is when people just talk about what they were talking to God about, like, and, and, it's not, I feel like this is a little bit of like a you know, there's a way to do this isn't like pretentious because I feel like it could come across as like, Oh, well, when I was praying for 10 hours yesterday or whatever.

Meghan: 28:38

I had my fast and pray day.

Kimber: 28:40

Right. Um, and we know that like, you know, Jesus says to not like, uh, be arrogant or, um, like talk a lot about what we're praying and. You know, I think that's in Matthew, like seven or so where he's like, don't you know, pray on the street corner like the Pharisees do. Instead go into your room and talk to God who hears you. Right? So it's not so much that kind of talk, but I think when, you know, I'm talking especially to like a close friend and it's just like she's talking and it's just like, It's just part of what she did. So she's just telling me about it. Like, well, I was talking to God about that and this is why it came up in my mind. Like it's just part of the more natural, um, flow of your life. And I feel like those are such the special relationships when you can just flow in your conversation in and out of spiritual matters because it is just that interwoven. Into your friend's life and into your relationship even as friends. And so I feel like it encourages me when I hear someone saying that kind of thing, not in an arrogant way, but just in a like, well, that's what I do, I pray, and so I'm just telling you about what I feel like God said in relation to this other thing we're talking about or whatever. Because then it just reminds me that, like that is, that relationship is a safe place to talk about our relationship with the Lord as though as just as like we would another friendship. Right, because like if I'm talking to someone and I'm like, oh, my friend told me this the other day about this other thing that I, you know, we wouldn't think twice about that. Right. But for some reason, sometimes it can feel weird to say things like, well, when I was praying the other day, I feel like the Lord said this this thing. Like, sometimes that feels uncomfortable a little bit. And so I feel like the relationships where I can say that kind of thing, or I have friends say that kind of thing to me, just out of authenticity, um, I know that that's like, that's a special thing I think.

Meghan: 30:27

So good. Yes, I agree 100%. I love that.

Kimber: 30:30

Cool. Well, um, as we're kind of wrapping up here, um, I was thinking, I was, I asked you about this the other day, if you would be up for this. I feel like it would be really fun to end our talks this summer in this series, um, with just like a little bit of a practical challenge. So like, just to help our friends listening and me, cuz I need this too, to like put these things that we're talking about into practice. You know, this idea of. Be the friend you need. Okay. What's my next step to like, go out and try to put this into practice? So talking based on the things like we're talking about here today with this idea of prayer. what's your challenge for

Meghan: 31:06

Okay, so I have like two. That's

Kimber: 31:09

I love it. Two options or they have to do both. I'm just kidding.

Meghan: 31:12

I'd say option. Well, it could be what you want. If you wanna be a go-getter. Go do both. I think they're both good. One is, the first one's gonna be kind of like the obvious one, and that is, your challenge this week is to take it to God first.

Kimber: 31:25

Yeah. I love

Meghan: 31:26

that. when you feel that urge to. Pick up the phone or like pause and go, have I prayed about it yet? And that's not to say that you cannot externally process with someone because I think that that is so important too. So important, so good. And like, yes. And we need that because I'm hearing God's voice, even through my friends and my husband

Kimber: 31:49

Yeah.

Meghan: 31:50

too. But the first place we go is our best friend and our father. So when the next situation hits, Stop and pray and try to, yeah. process with him first. And the second one was to write it down. Like write. Sometimes writing down our prayers like that is something for me that's been really good. And it's so amazing to look back and go like, wow, this is where I was at and this is what God brought me through, or he answered that. Or this is where I am still needing to pray over the situation. Um, so writing it down, even if it's just on like a little. Post It note, you know, just something,

Kimber: 32:28

I feel like that

Meghan: 32:29

me patience with my kids

Kimber: 32:30

right. It helps like just mark it down and solidify it in our memory, I think as a prayer. Yeah. I love

Meghan: 32:37

Yeah. I couldn't

Kimber: 32:38

Oh, those are so good.

Meghan: 32:38

gonna do two challenges.

Kimber: 32:40

I think it's great. I think it's great. So Thank you for our challenges. I will be trying to do those this week. I actually have a prayer journal that I got that's like a five year prayer journal, and so you can like, so you write on the day and then each year it takes you through, like it has the five year spaces on the same day. It's by Hosanna revival. Um, and. I, I, I've used for a some, um, but I need to grow in, in my using it. There's opportunity for growth. It's currently propping my computer up so that that's an evidence that, um, there's some room to grow there. But I love the idea and so your challenge is hopefully gonna help me get back in the

Meghan: 33:21

All right.

Kimber: 33:22

So I love it. Good stuff. Well, Megan, thanks so much for chatting with us today about prayer and I'm excited to talk next week about intercession cuz that's the other side of this coin and I feel like it's one that we probably both love.

Meghan: 33:39

love.

Kimber: 33:39

So

Meghan: 33:40

Yeah,

Kimber: 33:41

cool. Well, have a great day, Megan.

Meghan: 33:42

You too.

Kimber: 33:43

Bye friends. Bye. Friends. I'm so glad you could join me and Megan on the show this week. I love talking about prayer today with you all. And this is an area I'm really wanting to grow in my life. And so talking about is a key part of that for me, maybe it is for you too, but friend, remember that we can talk about prayer all day, but until we actually start doing it with the father, we're going to just say stuck, spinning our wheels. So I hope you decide to take Megan's challenge this week and start putting these talks into practice as you seek. To grow closer to Jesus. And if you're loving this series so far, would you tell a friend about the podcast this week? Just shoot her a DM with a post from social or a text or an episode link with something like I'm so excited for this new series on the horses to Kimber podcast. And I'd love if you listened in and we can talk about it the next time we hang out. This is a great way to get those conversations going with your friends, as you all seek to grow in these areas together. And I know how busy summer can get. So make sure that you have subscribed to the podcast wherever you listen, so that it'll automatically drop into your feed and you won't miss an episode. You can also sign up to be part of my newsletter crew so that you get a weekly preview directly to your email inbox of what will be on the podcast that week. Just visit your sister kimber.com and subscribe there. Friends. Thank you so much for spending part of your day with us until next time. It's your sister Kimber.