Ep 19, Moms in the Prayer Room

3 mom share how its possible to be consistent in the prayer room as a mom or dad of kids of all ages. Such an encouraging episode!

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Welcome to the Lafayette Prayer Room Podcast. We're located in Lafayette, Louisiana. And today we're discussing what it looks like to be moms in the prayer room. So we have Katie Lasard back with us. And we also have Crystal, our good friend, here with us for the first time. So I've introduced myself before, but my name is Janie, and I've been married for 23 years. I have five kids. Three of them are now adults. And then I have a 16-year-old and a 13-year-old.

SPEAKER_03 0:32

And I am Katie Lasard. I have been married for seven years. We have one child who is two years old.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

And my name is Crystal Noel, the Lady I. I've been married for 11 years.

SPEAKER_02 0:48

I have four kids, two of more adults, an eight-year-old, and so today we wanted to discuss what it looks like and how it's possible to be consistent in a prayer room with children, even though every season tends to look different. So if we did a little poll, like which of us got to actually sleep last night? Well, did y'all sleep? No. Um, what about um any diaper problems or potty accidents? So I'm out of that too. Um who here is currently caffeinated? I'm jealous. I want caffeine. I wouldn't do it. Right. It's how we function, right? Um, so some seasons are loud, some are exhausting, some are quiet, but no season is less valuable than another. So let's talk about what actually drew you into the prayer room.

SPEAKER_03 2:03

Um, after my ministry school, right out of high school, I was just so hungry for his presence for the Lord, and I was dating Hayden, Trista's son, at the time. And so I just came to the prayer prayer group, and I've been hooked ever since. And then I ended up on leadership, and the rest is history.

unknown 2:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Well, I didn't know a prayer room actually existed until 2011, 2012 when um me and two of my first friends were out enjoying a gospel concert, and we were looking for an IHOP where we can actually eat, fellowship, and study the word like we usually do in our home base. Well, I went to Google IHOP nearest us in the International House of Prayer Pull-up. And I'm like, oh my god, the pea is not for pancakes, it's for prayer. Um so from there I went through a transition. I was still walking with the Lord, but I had been out of a physical church for a while. Um, I eventually joined TFC in 2017, but I wasn't consistent until 2019. I met Trista in 2020. Actually, she had prayed over me. It was up on all tomorrow. She prayed over me. And I actually met her again when they were rallying for a small group. That was my first time rallying with a small group. Started with y'all group, gaining Trista um Bible study on Thursday night. And eventually I was asked to uh come visit the prayer. And that was in May 2020. So June 2020, I actually started with the prayer role.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

So um for me, I was part of the prayer team like since high school, and then um backed away a little while with while Josh and I were youth pastors at the church, and then came back um very consistently when my kids were young. Um, so at the time that I came back very consistently, I guess my oldest was probably 11 or 12, and then my baby was two or one. Um, and so that's when it was for me. What about what were the age of your kids when you started coming to pray?

SPEAKER_03 4:24

We weren't even married yet.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

So kids were not even Wisdom wasn't born, but Jason was turning three. It's the starting prayer room.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

So uh Crystal, how were you able to be in the prayer room with a young son at that time?

SPEAKER_01 4:38

I had to be intentional. I had to be intentional at first. It was hard um for me because I really didn't have anyone to watch rookie um at the time. My husband was working evening shift during that time, and prayer was in the evening time. And the people that I trusted to watch my kids actually had to move out of town. I didn't really have anyone besides my middle sister, and she had other obligations too. So whenever she could, she would watch it. So there was time I took break on to the prayer room. I had to be intentional whether I had a babysitter or not, because I was truly seeking them.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Yeah, for me the same. Um, when my children were little, Josh and I would go to prayer on Mondays, that was our day, and we had a babysitter that would come um consistently. They knew they were my Monday babysitter and they'd watch the kids. And then as the kids got older, then they could start staying home by themselves. But at first, the way to be consistent was through a babysitter because I didn't bring all five to the prayer room at one time. So, how is it different now? Well, for you, Katie, it's very different because you didn't have any children at first, and now you do.

SPEAKER_03 5:47

So yeah, it's very different. I mean, there are times when I don't bring him. Majority of the time I don't, um, but when I do, it's very different.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Or for me, I have wisdom now. So she's running and getting into things. So I don't have that quiet time like I had before, even though I had Jason, but she is really active. So that's it's different for me because I don't have as much time. That first hour on Saturdays, I'm actually making sure that they're situated, they're content. Um, but after that, it's it's the same for me.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

So we're really blessed with our prayer room because our prayer room believes kids should be a part of prayer. We make space for prayer, we feel like it's healthy. Um, so we don't view children as an interruption. So when you bring your young kids, it's okay if they're playing or whatever. And I love our community because we just help each other. Definitely.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Um, there was this one incident when I was going up to pray to lead a focus and wisdom just came running to the podium, and one of the grandmothers in the room just politely picked her up and just hand her over to Shady. They were just so awesome. So I was very thankful that everyone pulls together. Um, also when our kids, like my older kid, when he's led, they'll go up to the podium, say a prayer, and then sit down.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

And I think it's wonderful. Like I love to hold a baby while a mama is praying or sit and color for a few minutes. Just if we want kids to love prayer, they have to experience prayer. So I say bring them and expose them to as much as possible. Um that's what community looks like. That's and that's a beautiful part of our community. So, how did you work out being in the prayer room consistent?

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Being intentional. Again, as I mentioned before, just being intentional. I mean, I could be like I have a lot of inconsistency in my life, and like I just want to be at least consistent with the Lord, at least being born consistently.

SPEAKER_03 7:54

Yeah, and for me, um, I just had to make that decision. You know, I took a year off after he was born. He's two now, um, because he has special needs, a bunch of medical issues. Um, so that was a whole journey in itself. But my husband Hayden also plays on a team on Saturdays in the prayer room. And so we kind of made a decision together because Abram doesn't do well majority of the time in the prayer room. He has a lot of sensory issues, um, and so it's it's pretty loud for him. And so sometimes he's cool and sometimes it's just not not happening. Um, so Hayden will take Saturdays and that's his set, and Mondays is my time. So we as a family collectively agreed to set our schedules, and that's kind of how we have been able to be consistent.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Yeah, yeah. When I started, that's how I was consistent as well. So we had a babysitter lined up on Mondays, and then Fridays, um, it was morning prayer, so my children were at school, and the youngest was in like a daycare situation for that day so that I could go, or when she wasn't, I just brought her with me and she was real easy. I'd bring her snacks and coloring books, and she would we had beanbag chairs in the prayer room at that time, and because it was also a youth all and so she would she loved to lay on the beanbag chairs and just spend the morning at prayer, it was fine. Um, so that for me was was easy. It just was part of our routine, it's what we did, so it wasn't out of the ordinary, it was just normal life for us. Um, so I think you know, just making it a place where they are welcome and they didn't, you know, none of our kids, I don't believe, feel like a burden in the prayer room. How do you keep your kids occupied in the prayer room and what boundaries have you set up for them?

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Well, I'll bring quite ones. Like coloring books, reading books, flash cord, drawing material. Um, for my oldest son, I allow him to use my phone to play approve games. But with him, I tell him you have to read at least a verse. You have to give some kind of time to the Lord. We hit the prayer room. This is why we're here. Give a little time to the Lord before you read anything else. So I'm still training him up. Um wisdom. She just being a two-year-old, she just runs around. Of course, I do tell her, hey, don't be running and yelling unless you run it and yelling for the Lord. Um, she even got to the habit of saying, I want to go worship. And I'll oh, if we end up fighting, because sometimes she gets a little out of hand and I'll go in the party with her. So when she gets a little anxious, she's like, I want to go worship, worship. And I'm like, okay, we go and she's taking off again, you know. But the fact that she's starting to understand the concept of worship, um, it's an awesome thing.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Yeah, I can remember one time we had an all-day prayer event, and so Ina was with me. She was probably 10 or 11, and she is she loves art, and she's I mean, I'm her mom, but I think she's pretty good at it. And anyway, while she sat on the side of me, depending on what the focus was, I would say, Hey, draw Ephesians 3, like draw the Lord, enlightening the eyes of your understanding, or what do you think this means? And I'd have her draw different prompts on her, she had her iPad, she likes to do digital art. And I I treasure those drawings today because like they're so um just through her eyes, what it looked like, and it's beautiful. So I think you can take what they love and try to incorporate it in. Because if the Lord gave you a love for art, you can use it for him and find him there. And so I try to do that with her. Um, of course, each kid is different, like that would not work with my 16-year-old. He's not gonna sit and draw anything, he's he's not gonna sit, so it's different, you know. Um, and also when she comes on Mondays, if I'm not leading intercession, I'll have her pray for at least two focuses, and we pray for the next generation, so I I push her into praying for that one. Because this is your we're praying for your friends, your people. And at first she's like, but I can't, I don't know what to pray. Like, no, it it doesn't matter, whatever's on your heart. And she would write down like a little one sentence, and she would pray it. Um, she'd even many times pray it on her roller skates because she used a roller skater around the prayer room for years. She would roller skate around the prayer room. I kind of miss those things, but and so she would roll up to the mob and pray them and roll away. And so that's kind of how we kept Ina occupied. Now she's older, she's 13, and she takes a little bit more ownership. She sings with her dad on Mondays and um every other Monday, and then she'll pray if I'm if I'm not on stage, like she'll come up with me. She won't go up by herself just yet. But so that's ways we've kind of incorporated kids into the prayer room. Um, in this season, so we've talked a little bit about past seasons, but in this season, what keeps you showing up in the prayer room?

SPEAKER_03 12:55

Oh, that's a loaded question for me, but that is, I mean, the prayer room is a lifeline for me in this season. Um, having to be a mom and a nurse, uh, all the list of other things that I have responsibilities for him. Um, there's so many weeks where like days and days will go by and I'm like depleted, and it's like I have not spent, I haven't had any mental capacity to even slow down and talk to him, you know, or it was on the go, it was in the passing. Um, and so I get depleted very quickly, and it's clearly because I'm not spending time with him, and I've been battling this as a new mom and with all the extra things of like how do I keep intimacy with you in this season? I'm still in that wrestle, and yeah, the prayer room is the lifeline for me where I get to draw away. I was talking to him a few weeks ago, and it was like a light bulb went, you know, in my head, and I was really feeling guilt of just mom guilt in general, and just the guilt of like I keep you know lashing out, or I'm so impatient with him, or because I'm we can all admit and we all say it that I'm a better mom when I spend time with him. Um, and I was just feeling all those things, and I was talking to him about it, and I just felt him say, I understand the demands of motherhood, and he just began to show me. I just saw him like before he was in ministry, before he started it at 30 years old. He was a carpenter with his dad, and like it gave me a picture of he was kind of like David in the hills of Bethlehem, of like his intimacy with the father was different than what it was when he was in full-time ministry. And so, back to the motherhood thing, like he he understands this wrestle of like it's different now. I don't have these, this beautiful, intimate season, and now people are drawing on me. I'm having to nurture, I'm having to pour out, I'm having to correct, I'm having to teach. He discipled, he he did so many amazing things, and I can imagine in human form how much mental and physical and emotional he had. I mean, he was doing miracles. I can imagine, you know how you get back from a conference and you're like on a spiritual, like like decompress, and you just feel he was probably like that all the time when he was on earth. And so I just felt so seen and known by him. And so I just began to think about he drew away with the father. Like that was his sustaining thing. Like, yes, he was here to do the will of the father, but he also said when he was tempted by Satan, I don't live by bread alone, but by the words of my father. And like, where am I getting the words of my father in the prayer room? It's not the prayer room itself, it's the tool to get me there, to wind down. No one's asking for anything, no one's pulling on me, no one's crying. I don't have to be on a timetable to give him medicine or his feet or to do physical therapy, you know, in those pockets of time, in the prayer room, like that's where I can be with him and sustain a relationship with him. Where on the go or at home, there's so many distractions, especially as mom's.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

So same question for you, Crystal. In this season, what keeps you showing up in the prayer room?

SPEAKER_01 16:33

My commitment before him. Um, the love I have for him to seek him for a couple hours without any distraction, especially like from home. At home, I have my husband that wants to spend time with me because he works all day, so he wants that time with me. I have my kids, they are getting off for school, but they want to spend time with me. So I have to still spend time with the ones that I do love, but I also want to make time for the one I love the most, who gave me my husband, who gave me my children, who gave me like Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

I mean, for me too. The thing about it, like Katie was saying, it's a lifeline, but it's not just a lifeline when your kids are little, it's a lifeline through every season. I know for me, raising teenagers was probably the most challenging thing I've personally done. And so, um, and I'm still doing. But being in the prayer room is life. It's like the disciples said, like, where else will we go? If you have the words of life, like, or I have tasted and seen that he's good, and I get to taste and see more when I'm in the prayer room. And again, it's like you said, we're not idolizing Lafayette prayer room. It's just, it is the tool that I'm so grateful God has put in our midst to where I can go and be just no distractions because I can say all I want. I'm gonna sit at the feet of Jesus for four hours in my home, and my intentions might be very good, but somebody's gonna need me or I'm gonna see something that needs to be done. So even within my time, I'm gonna be gonna go do the laundry, I'm gonna go do this. And so it's not the uninterrupted, distraction-free place that the prayer room is. It is life for my soul. That's what keeps me consistent. I love it there. Like I want to be there. That's what keeps it. It's not a oh, it's time to do my prayer room time. Like it's not a drudgery, it is it's it is life, it is a blessing to be there.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

And for me, also is um it's rejuvenating. And I want all four of my kids, even my adult kids, now they're in a habit, they know that a mom is here in prayer. They they're starting to accept that. Before it was hard because I always gave more attention to my children than I was even giving to the Lord. So now that's a whole shift, and they're respecting it. It took it in happen overnight, but it took a process because every time the phone would ring, I was picking it up, you know. But now it's like everything has to be on hold. I want to spend time with my beloved. That's where I want to be with my beloved, and I'm glad now that my family and my children, they all understand and that's because of consistency.

SPEAKER_02 19:18

I agree. So, long-term vision for your life. What is it? Because for us, prayer room and praying being with Jesus is not a means to an end. Like, we're not praying until we see breakthrough in this area, or praying until revival happens, or whatever the end result of prayer might be. Like, we're praying until Jesus comes or until I die. Like, that's the vision. I can remember one time walking up to the prayer room and seeing the trees behind me, like real quick, change season after season. And I was unlocking the door, and it was in that moment, it was like, yes, in every season, I want to give you my 30s, Jesus. I want to give you my now 40s, I want to give you my 50s, 60s until so that is the vision for the prayer room for our lives, and so that also I think keeps us consistent because it's not just when things are good or when things are hard, whatever brings you to the feet of Jesus. It's it's every season I want to be with him. And so, with that being said, how does being consistent in the prayer room impact the rest of your week at home?

SPEAKER_03 20:27

Well, because the prayer room is so scripture-based, like there's so much scripture flowing in and out. I mean, that alone just I'm I'm hearing songs throughout my week. I don't know, I just feel like the conversation keeps going throughout my week. I'm a little bit more patient, I'm a little bit more nice, you know, all the things. Um, but I think just having yeah, the the scripture flowing in me through song and the word, that that's a big part of why I love the prayer room. I mean, it literally flows throughout my days, uh days after the set or days after we had class or Bible study, whatever it may be. Um it keeps me in conversation with him throughout the week, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

I'm more productive at home with my family, more patient, and also productive at work. Um, my thought process and my response is definitely different than when I'm spending time with the Lord. Actually to think that what can be legit saying like uh in the prayer room, we are actually going there to be other people to be youngest brother to engage with, to do well with him. And there's no way you can leave from there and not smell like you, not think like you. The song rather we just imagine the scriptures out here. It's rejuvenating just and just like when you're in love with with your spouse. When you have that awesome, intimate moment with them, the time you spend, you remember those things and you're smiling. And it's the same thing with the Lord. You spend that time with the Lord, you remember those things throughout the week and you smile. So whatever things that's in front of you that doesn't seem right, it's like the Lord will take care of it. But I'm having this moment with him, which gives me more patience to deal with other things.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Yeah, the more I spend time at the feet of Jesus, the more I see him clearly, the more I see myself clearly. I'm just a better mom, a better wife, just a better person in general. And if I've seen the grace that Jesus has poured out on me, I'm I'm more I can pour it out a little bit easier on others, so I can, you know, extend grace or patience that in my own strength is almost non-existent. I wouldn't call myself a patient person naturally, and I don't know that anybody would call me patient, but but it's better with with the Lord. I'm I am better. And so it's the whole keeping the first commandment first, and not that that has to be done in a prayer room, but for me, it is the easiest on-ramp into first commandment love with Jesus because I have so much time with him and I see him and I know him, and so yeah, it it just makes me a better wife and mother.

unknown 23:21

I don't.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

How has the prayer room impacted the way you pray for your family?

SPEAKER_03 23:27

Pretty big. Um, I mean, I've I've been a part of this program since I was 19, 20. So I feel like I was brought up with scripture on how to pray for my husband and my kids and my family. I I feel like that has been a big thing. Um, like I have more strategy to pray. Whereas I really wasn't praying because I was 19, I didn't have kids, but I was, you know, about to enter marriage. So it it definitely gave me a model on how to pray and how to use scripture um strategically for my family.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

For me, I'm praying more of the scriptures over my family versus my wants and my emotions. So it made a difference, a big difference as my relationship shift with him when I'm having more time with him alone in a prayer room. I'll pray shift also.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Yeah, I know um, I don't know if y'all have experienced this, but with me with my kids, especially when they were younger, I had dreams for their life that were really my dreams for their life and not necessarily the Lord's, you know, and so now I feel like maybe I hold them a little bit with more open hands, and so I can pray the Lord's will for them because like my will would be they would live in my backyard and never leave, you know what I mean? Like they would just be right there and I'd get to see them all the time, but I can relinquish that control, I guess. I was praying very me controlled-centered prayers, and so now, like y'all, I'm praying the scripture way more, and it's his will for that, they're not mine, like he gave them to me for a little while, but they are his children, and so just praying for his will to be done in their life, whatever that that would look like, um, is a big one for me. So, another big question that we get and that we hear is that people feel like the amount of time we spend in the prayer room is self-indulgent or kind of selfish. And so, what would you say to people that feel that way? I would say for me, we have this value that we talk about often, Mary Bethany sitting at the feet of Jesus. And when Martha was busy doing all kinds of things, and she was like, Jesus, go tell Mary to help. And he was like, No, you're busy and worried about many things, but but Mary's chosen the good part, like it's not going to be taken from her, and only one thing is needed. And so I would say, I don't do it perfectly, but my priority is to choose the good part, to live at the feet of Jesus. There are so many things the world would tell me I need to do as a mother, as a grandmother, as a wife, but one thing is necessary, and that thing's gonna have much longer lasting impact on my lineage than anything I can do today for them in the physical. Like those prayers, that's what I want the legacy to be that I leave, that she, that I love the word, that I was a woman of prayer, and that they become that too. Like I want my kids to see, hey, mom said no to a lot of good things for the one thing that she felt called to in life, because I want them one day to choose the thing that God has put them to and say no to many people and many things in order to fulfill God's calling on their lives. And so I would say it's the best thing I can do for my family to sit at the feet of Jesus. It's not self-indulgent, although it is a great luxury to me and I love being there, but it's more than that. It is lasting impact for generations. Like I hope that one day, as high as I get with the Lord, that ceiling does become the floor they stand on. So I want to go far in the Lord for them.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

It says, For where your treasure is, that's where your heart is. Where I choose to invest my time is where my heart is. I choose to invest most of my time in that little life of prayer and at home, conviction, healing, forgiving, blessings, protection, restoration, guidance. The Lord knows I know a lot of guys in a different situation. Um, but most importantly, I get him. I get him, I get to enjoy him. Prayer is a lifestyle that brings us closer to the Lord. And most people think it, but they really don't understand until they truly. But it brings us closest to the Lord and it also preserves us in the times of trial until the love of us be very grateful, and that's why I said helping so thankful. So why not be thankful to the people?

SPEAKER_03 28:12

And you know, we live in a culture where self-care is such a big thing, and sure, we can do that all day long. Kind kind of like what you were saying. Like we could go have a spa day with our mom friends and relax for a few hours, but to me, I see this as like soul care. Like, I'm not looking at myself because myself is not non-good. I need my soul to be enlightened with his light and permeated with his light and his truth and his love because self is not, self ain't it. And honestly, like you could call it indulgence. Like, my soul needs we were made for this, like we were made to be in communion and to eat of his word, like that is our that's our diet. He has the words of life. Where else can I go?

SPEAKER_02 29:08

Yeah, okay. So, if you're gonna keep consistent time in the program, which is our goal, whatever it looks like in each season, what do you have to do in your household, like your scheduling, your management to accommodate those times?

SPEAKER_03 29:22

I mean, making it a priority and making it part of your schedule. Like I know we have done this many times throughout the years as a group, um, where we relook at our entire schedule of the week and then we go by days and we see how much time we really do have in our lives, and we're just wasting it and we're just throwing it away um for little silly things, but some are actual legit things. Um, but I find that if you actually take an inventory of your day-to-day of your week and look at you actually do have one hour to come to the prayer room to spend that time or the two hours, whatever you would like to do. Um, yeah, I think just evaluating your time. Time is everything.

SPEAKER_02 30:16

I mean, I know for me, I have um a schedule that you know, like a calendar that I keep all of our track of all the things that we have to get done, doctor's appointments, whatever, but I always pencil in my prayer time blocks, those go into my week first, and then like right now it's summer, so I'm not working, but during the school year, I go in and I block out my work week time, um, Bible study on Zoom time without I block in all those times, and then we fill in the rest. Like those times are really not negotiable. Now, again, there are emergencies that come up or things, but for the most part, it's it's locked in. I even in my calendar have the time when I wake up and pray. Like, because some mornings I wake up earlier depending on the day and the week. Um, not that you have to do it in the morning, but I'm better in the morning. So I'm a morning person, so and I pencil it into my schedule. Like it's my appointment, and I don't see it as religious or legalistic. I view it as I value it, yes, and therefore I'm gonna keep it. And so I know if I want to wake up at 4 30 on this morning, then the night before I need to go to bed. Um, Mondays are a long day in the prayer room, so Sunday nights I don't stay up late. Like it's it's about thinking logically through time to make it possible. Or if somebody, if a kid has a game or whatever, hey, can my mom bring them? Or you know, lining up alternatives, whatever it is, or an older sibling, like so it's just planning it out well, and when you have a lot of kids, you have to plan. It's not just gonna happen because I want it to. So it does take thought, and I I kind of do it on um Sundays. I uh write out my schedule for the next week, it's just how I do it. But so I would say pencil it in and no, don't even pencil it in, ink it in, like it has to be hard and fast, not it's a non-negotiable, just like my job is not negotiable. My calling before the Lord is not negotiable.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

For me, every season is different in my household. Well, for all of us, I believe, every season is different in um our household. So I reprioritize and I what the time I want to give to the Lord first before anything else. Because my life before was everything else, and then I didn't have time for the Lord. But now it's like I need that time for the Lord, and everything else, as you was mentioned, is canceled in. Um I was working five to six days a week. Now I'm working three days a week, and that gives me more time to be in the prayer room. Also, I look at the time that I'm watching TV, I'm scrolling on the internet, I decrease that time and just sit down, just open up my work and just read. And I'm in the prayer room or at the just open up my work and just read and we have like my sister said, we have to make time and take time. And that is so true when it comes to being with the Lord. I have to take time, I have to take it by force. I have to make that time for him so I can be restored to be with my family in a healthy way.

SPEAKER_03 33:26

And honestly, throughout the years, I feel like just this lifestyle and being committed and consistent throughout my years, it's really given me a perspective of it, really does a prayer culture, a prayer life, it really does slow me down. It's a slow-paced thing. And so I have found even just observing other people in my life or family and friends, I have found that my life is much slower with this prioritized because I am not just saying yes to everything under the sun. And so I just feel like if that's what you're craving as life, like that this is it, you know, like it really does force you to slow down. That's what prayer is. I mean, we slow down, we dial down, yeah. And I just feel like because I started so early, I'm so grateful that I have that value, and I have seen others who are on the opposite spectrum are so busy and so chaotic, and it makes their emotional state chaotic, and then everything in life is just thrown. Um, and I'm just so grateful for this lifestyle because it has shown me the difference, and I'm grateful to be able to live a slow-paced life because of it.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

And it restores it truly restores when you're slowing down and you're resting in him, it restores you. Sometimes we can be busy doing the things of the Lord. Like I like to go out and do street ministry whenever I have the opportunity, but if that was the only thing I hold as long and not have time for the Lord, I will be exhausted and not be at my full capacity to pour out the word of the Lord and I'm not sitting at his feet. We're making time for young and resting. You have to counsel and rest too.

SPEAKER_02 35:13

Yes, all of those values, which I mean it's from the Lord. Yes, like we're not living this extraordinarily um life that's so amazing. Like we're not trying to like earn any accolades or anything, we're just trying to do what the Lord said, and we found little by little, hey, his word is true. This is way better. I lived the other way. I lived as a mom of young kids before the prayer room and after the prayer room. This is better.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

And like if we take those scriptures, like in his presence there is fullness of joy at his right hand, there is pleasures forevermore. What is that? It's proximity. Can't get joy anywhere else. Though I get joy from a cup of coffee in the morning, you know, all the little joys, but like ultimately your soul really with him, and it is good to be near God. You know, we take scripture at its word and like it's true, and we have found that. So yeah, and it's been little by little.

SPEAKER_02 36:11

I didn't I didn't start at this this amount of thing. Okay, like it's little by little a yes here, a yes there. Oh, I'm gonna give that up, and then you realize you didn't give anything up compared to what was gained. And so again, you don't want to because I have a tendency sometimes when we would sit down with that um weekly schedule, I would be like, Oh, I'm gonna pencil in these ridiculous amounts, like it's not possible because you do actually have to sleep. Yeah, or you do not actually have to go to work, and sometimes you need conversation with your teenage daughter and son, like so. I could go into the other direction, like wanting to do too much, but it's finding, I don't even want to say balance. That's a I feel like that word's used too much in this world. Like, I don't want to be balanced, I want to give everything to Jesus, but the balance of loving my family the way God intended.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

It just can't so I think because I was just reading yesterday when I was reading in Matthew 23, 23, where um Jesus is calling the Pharisees hypocrites and saying how they tie their neck details and cumin. And he said, But you neglect justice, mercy, and um righteousness. You're supposed to do one and not neglect the other. And it's the same thing here. He wants us to do both, but he he wants to see justice, we want to see mercy, he wants to see righteous. We can't give them not in his presence.

SPEAKER_04 37:38

Right.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

So we need to be in his presence to be able to do that even in our family. I can't be so merciful to my kids if I don't have no time with the Lord because I'm gone off, you know, and I can't judge righteously if I'm overwhelmed with the things of the world, and I have not spent time with him. I'm a judge in my feelings and not through the Holy Spirit. So that's what came to my mind.

SPEAKER_02 38:00

Yes, that's well said. That's exactly well said. That's that's what I was was um trying to say. So that was so good. Um we also, so we've been talking about our kids in the prayer room, and we believe that kids need to be there because they watch and they learn.

SPEAKER_04 38:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 38:16

Um, like we've seen we talked about my daughter skating up and praying, or I can remember um playing worship songs and her having questions like, why does Jesus need many crowns? Why is one crown not enough? You know, or her saying one time she was so little, we're saying about the fire in Jesus' eyes, and she was like, If I had fire in my eyes, I'd be dead. So I'd have to explain to her like what that meant, like it's his love for you, and you know, it and as much as she could understand that three, because I think she was three when she told me about the fire thing. Um, and so them sitting in the prayer room, they'll start to ask questions and it draws them into conversation. Have you noticed that with Jay Sang or even wisdom?

SPEAKER_01 38:58

Wisdom, no, she's like she wants she been seeing the lady give out a little prayer course. So she's like, I want to give words of encouragement. She's trying to do so, she's mimicking what I'm doing. But I also see that she has a passion to want to go out and help people. Um, the scripture that came to mind was channel for child the way they should go and they want to court. If they see us being prayerful moms in the prayer room dedicating our life to the Lord, even if they grow up and have a point of rebellion, they will remember that. And they'll draw back to hey, my mom was at peace when she was in prayer doing this, or when she sat down before the Lord. Maybe I in this time to just sit down before the Lord and be in his presence and be at peace. So that's another thing that can be. If it wasn't for us, uh being at his feet. He wouldn't have any grace, any mercy, um, any love that's bestowed upon our household if someone wasn't at his feet interceding on our behalf. My mom did it for our um generation and now I'm doing it in my household, my household for my generation. We deal with it while while we're dealing with the guilt, we still move it forward. Just like there was an incident I was dealing with a lot at home, and I didn't want to come to the prayer room feeling burdened, having anyone feel what I feel. But as I was saying, I was gonna stay home and just deal with it at home. Here I am in my vehicle, driving straight to the prayer room, still talking to myself that I'm not going in, but I still got out of the vehicle, went in, and that was one of the best things I did that day because the Lord ministered to me through um worship with the word. So just deal with it, but keep moving. Keep moving. He will meet you in that place. You just have to get quiet, and he will minister to you the least expected way for that day was worship with the word. Everything I needed to hear from the Lord was coming throughout her mouth, and I was just in tears. I'm like, Lord, you were hearing me. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:47

Yeah, I'm still I'm still wrestling and working through this, but I mean, ultimately, like I know this is so cliche, and I could say this until the cows come home, but before I'm a mom, I'm a daughter of God, like I'm a friend of Jesus. Um, at the end of the day, like I am his. At the end of the day, I will stand before him, not with Abram next to me. It's gonna be me and the Lord and eternal, you know, like face to face. Um, and so yeah, I I could be doing a million other things, but what's gonna last? What's what's eternal impact and lasting? And I know we've said it so many times, but without being at Jesus' feet, I cannot be a mom. I cannot do it. I can't without him. Katie cannot. Um, like he literally is life and breath and sustaining. Um, and I mean, we all we say he is Lord of our life, but just have to like re-look at how much have we made our children idols, how much have we made them our gods, and we bow to them and their needs all the time, and we are not saying neglect responsibility, our friendship, our relationship. Um, but what is more important is us and the Lord. I cannot be mom without Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 43:16

Also, it's just coming to mind I can't be savior for my kids. And like sometimes if I'm putting myself in everything, fixing every situation, like I want them to know they need a savior too. You know, like I we can have this complex that if I do everything right, my kids will X, Y, Z, and that's just not the truth. They're gonna live their life, they're gonna have to make their own decisions, and at some point they have to give their life over to Jesus. So I don't want to be, I can't be and don't want to try to fit into Jesus' role in their life. And I think as moms we can do that. I know I can't, I want to control because I want them to be okay and whatever, and I I I'm not called to be that, and then that puts everything out of order, even for them. Um, and for me, another thing is when those thoughts come in, if you know that it's a lie, then the the word says take every thought captive and obedient to Christ. And so sometimes I have to voice those feelings out loud to the Lord, like I'm Lord, I'm feeling this about whatever it is, and then letting him tell me the truth and speaking the truth over it, you know. Um, I can remember one time I was washing dishes and I was praying, and it had been a hard week and my kids had gotten us into some trouble, and I was just like, I'm failing as a mom. Like, I'm I'm failing you. And the Lord spoke to me. He was like, Do you think I'm a bad father? And I was like, No, I think you're the best father. And he was like, My kids are doing all kinds of things. Like, I again, Janie, you are not savior of your kids, and so it's not all on me. I can lead them to a certain place, I can show them my walk with the Lord, and then they have to do it, and I have to trust that the Lord will bring back the things that we've instilled in them. Um, so it's maybe not putting so much pressure on myself, can't be everything. One call to, which is freeing. Yes, Lord.

SPEAKER_04 45:11

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 45:12

It is definitely rest and peace where you just let go and say, Lord, I give them to you. And no, I'm not taking them back.

SPEAKER_02 45:20

Yeah, and then we pray for them, and I believe he hears the prayers of mothers and grandmothers. Like we are joining, and then the great intercessor right now at the right hand of the Father, living to make he's praying for our kids too. You know, like we're just joining in the prayers with Jesus, and I believe in the end it it will be proven right and worthy and justified, you know, wisdom will be justified.

SPEAKER_01 45:45

It's like, you know, he's right there at the right hand, interceding for us, and sure enough, that's that's exactly what he's doing, not just for us, but for our children and the our next generation to come, you know, is so faithful at being who he is. So why not spend that time with him and trust that everything is okay? Because he's saying it, that's his promise. Those who seek the kingdom and his righteousness, everything else will be added on to you. And that includes his peace and trust in you.

SPEAKER_02 46:16

So that kind of leads into the pushback from family and friends. Have y'all had pushback from the amount of time you spend in prayer from family or friends? Yeah, I think we all have. We can all say yes.

SPEAKER_01 46:27

One of my response, um, I've been saying a lot recently is that we are all called to be in prayer to worship him, but our paths look a little different. So while some of them might be called to minister certainly in your family, they are called to be in prayer. So it's like letting them know, hey, this is this is what he called me to. Where he called you to something else differently still under one spirit, it's still under him. But before I was like, oh well, but the more I've the more I was, you know, in the Lord and just seeking him, like, how do I respond? I don't want to respond like um ugly, but I want to speak truth so they can see that hey, whether they receive it or not, but what I'm doing is not any less important than what you're doing. It all works for the kingdom if you're doing it for him.

SPEAKER_02 47:22

Say the longer I've been in prayer in um part of the prayer room, I have less of this. Because like my family, they know now, like, oh, it's Monday night, mom's gonna be at prayer, you know, Friday during the day, Saturday evenings. Like they know where I'm gonna be. So honestly, now people are just kind of accustomed to my schedule, and I don't have much pushback anymore. And to be honest, no one in my friend or family circle was every ever ugly to me about it, like, you know, nothing like that. But just there were definitely questions of well, you can't just miss one time or you know, whatever. And I'm like, no, because then that becomes a pattern. And or I had one person ask me one time, well, do you think the Lord would be disappointed? I'm like, no, not necessarily, but I would. I would be disappointed because I want to go and sit at the feet of Jesus. I need it. So it's just once you do it and you set up those boundaries, less and less do you have to defend them. We've talked quite a bit about the tyranny of the urgent, how you know, lots of things are gonna come up that we could say yes to. I bet all of us any any given day, leaving for prayer, whatever day it is that you've set aside, something will come up that you could be like, oh well, I really do need to take care of this or whatever. How'd you break away from living by that tyranny of the urgent?

SPEAKER_03 48:41

Prior to this season, right now I need it. So I'm like, get out of my way.

SPEAKER_04 48:46

I'm going.

SPEAKER_03 48:47

But uh prior to this season, I mean, it was joy, it was it was like delight, it was desire to be there. Um so I and again, I know we've talked about this, but like scheduling it out and just committing to that. We can commit to so many things where it's so easy, but this is the like fight, you know. Um, but yeah, I feel like it was just once you taste and see, it's not a um dread, it's it's a joy and a delight and a desire to be there.

SPEAKER_02 49:21

Yeah, I know for me, I can have, like I said, I like a planner, I like a calendar, and so I have my week scheduled. So if someone calls with something urgent, one of my kids or a family member, I can say, well, you know what, I can't do it. I'm on my way to prayer. However, and I can look at my week and be like, but hey, tomorrow I can help you at this time. Like, so they know I still value them, I still love them, I want to help you, I want to, I want to take my grandbaby or whatever it is. I just can't right now. And I give them other options of my time. Hey, I have I have free time on Tuesday or Wednesday, whatever, you know. And so I think that's a way to show I'm keeping my commitment, but I value you as well.

SPEAKER_01 49:59

For me, it's like I just want him. Uh at the end of the day, I just want him. Um urgency, it brings burden, interfection, mental health, only his present is rest. So if I'm not getting enough rest and being restored, and I'm being restored because something is broken. So I need to be restored and I need to um be refreshed. If I'm not getting that, I'm not good for anyone. And if I drop dead today, all the issues, the urgencies that's happening are gonna still continue, and I'm gone. Of course, I would be with the loving Lord, but I don't want any untimely debt over stress. Um, people move on. Uh, one thing I would tell my family when I early started coming to the prayer room because they weren't used to me being that consistent at first, was like, I think it's time for the Lord, and someone needs to be in prayer during that time. Because if someone is not in prayer, interceding, besides seeking the face of the Lord, at times I am praying and interceding for my family, um, and and those that I am close to and those that I don't even know. Things can be a whole lot worse if someone is not before the Lord's feet. So I just like I just want him, I just want to be at his feet, even when there's the urgency there.

SPEAKER_02 51:21

And so our hope with today's podcast would be that people can know um, you don't have to choose between being a good mom and pursuing God. You have availability to do both, it's within reach. So we're not trying to make anybody feel guilty, like we're not adding to mom guilt um for anybody. We just want to know like you can do both. Um so what would you say to moms or dads with kids wanting to spend time in the prayer room?

SPEAKER_03 51:50

Bring them or schedule the babysitter, make a plan, schedule it, and come or bring bring the kids, you know. I know we've talked a bit about that. I don't have older kids, but I mean, just ideas, coloring books, Legos, you know, like things that they can just kind of like play with. Um, and then there's like other kids too at the prayer. So, what better way to make friends at the prayer room for your children?

SPEAKER_01 52:20

I would say to mom and dad that the best way to be a good parent is to be a prayerful parent, interceding, and also make it um for the one who made us parent in the first place. And just do it like the prophets, they had spouses, they had children, yet they still need to offer the Lord, and they trained them in the Lord. Of course, it was up to the kids as they got older if they wanted to attain, but they set the example there and they did it with all their hearts, mind, soul, and shit because of the love they have for the Lord. Um, Jesus is our perfect example, He did it in the time of the urgency, yet he still found time for the Lord. So whatever.

SPEAKER_02 53:02

Yeah, and I would say don't give up your life in God until your kids are grown. Like you can have a life in God while your kids are growing. Show them an example of a mom or a dad that has the word open that's that's praying, that's prioritizing whatever it is you're called to in the Lord. If it's the prayer room, come to the prayer room, show them consistency, um, what that looks like so that as high as we go with the Lord, they can they can stand upon it. We want the next generation, Gin Z, Jin Alpha, Jin Beta, I think is the next one to stand upon that ceiling and go further than we've gone, but we want to hoist them up. So don't give up your life in God because your kids are little. That would be my um exhortation to parents of young kids. So I think that pretty much wraps up our episode. We would love to do an episode where we answer your questions. So if you could leave your questions down below in the comments, or if you know us, you can email us or text us so that we can do that in the future. And we just want to say thank you so much for choosing to spend your time with us. Until next time. Bye.