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Limitless Spirit
For the seekers of a greater purpose in life, opportunities to serve in missions and personal growth in Christ with host Helen Todd.
Limitless Spirit
Limitless Spirit Podcast: Discover adventure in prayer
Discover how to make prayer as natural as breathing with our special guest, Sherry Harney! Sherry, the author of "Organic Prayer," joins host Helen Todd to share her wisdom on cultivating a continuous prayer life inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Together, they address the challenges of maintaining a consistent prayer routine and explore how prayer can organically deepen our connection with Christ and His mission.
You will hear practical strategies for integrating prayer into our daily lives and hear personal stories of impactful and faith-centered encounters that highlight the adventurous nature of a prayerful life.
Learn more about Organic Outreach: https://www.organicoutreach.org/
Buy Organic Prayer: https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Prayer-Discover-Presence-Everyday/dp/0310161509
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Welcome to Limitless Spirit, a weekly podcast with host Helen Todd, where she interviews guests about pursuing spiritual growth, discovering life's purpose through serving others and developing a deeper faith in Christ.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Limitless Spirit. I'm your host, helen Todd. Today's episode takes a dive into the basics of a healthy and rich prayer life. If you ever wrestle with distractions while you pray, or perhaps you don't quite understand the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5.17, where Apostle Paul tells us to pray without ceasing, this conversation with Sherry Harney is eye-opening. As Sherry and I talk about her latest book, organic Prayer, we discover the reason why establishing a healthy prayer life can be so challenging. We also talk about making our faith an organic lifestyle that can point others to Christ. Hello, sherry, welcome to the Limitless Spirit. How are you.
Speaker 3:I'm doing great. Thank you, helen, and I'm so happy to be with you today.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm excited to talk to you about your book, organic Prayer, but as we chatted a little bit before the interview, I have discovered your wonderful ministry, organic Outreach International. So organic prayer is just a little nugget of a much bigger picture. That's what I've learned and I want our listeners to learn more about it, and it's about living your life authentically in a way that draws people to Christ. I love it. This is right at very close to my heart. But let's start with the book. I think the subject of prayer is super important and something that is personally important to me, because I always feel like that's one area many, I guess in my personal walk with Christ where I have definitely room to grow. So what is organic prayer? What is the book about?
Speaker 3:Yeah, organic prayer is really trying to help people get a clear sense of the gift and the privilege that we have to walk and talk with God at any time, anywhere, in any circumstance. In 1 Thessalonians 5.17, it says to pray continually. That's a call for all of us. And what does that look like? And I used to kind of struggle with that verse, because how can you attain that? I mean, how can you pray continually? Attain that, I mean, how can you pray continually? And so the Lord, in a moment of Holy Spirit clarity, spoke to my heart and said it's not that you have to pray continually, it's that you get to that. We always have that opportunity to pray at any time and anywhere, and so I want people to really understand that prayer can become as natural, organic as breathing. You know it's our lifeline to God. Prayer brings God and that's what we want.
Speaker 3:When I was growing up, I loved the hymn in the garden and the chorus went like this and I actually have it. I have a plaque that I always keep on my desk and the chorus goes like this and he walks with me and he walks with me and he talks with me. It's talking about Jesus and he tells me I am his own, and the joy we share as we travel there none other has ever known, and even as a little girl I accepted Christ at five years old. But I loved that chorus, this picture of just walking and talking with Jesus, and that when you do that you get his love, his heart, and you also get his mission and, like you said, that's where your heart is too. And so this organic prayer is just living a life that naturally prays, because we understand who we walk with.
Speaker 2:As you reminded me of that hymn. You know I was thinking. That hymn really describes Adam and God walking in the Garden of Eden, which is our primal state. That's how God intended it to be, so we were designed to walk and talk with him at all times, but unfortunately we were kicked out of that garden and so now it's not natural to us. Well, when you think of prayer, the most natural prayer is when we're in trouble or a desperate need, and that's when prayer comes out very naturally. You know we run to our father saying help, help, that only you can help me there. So that one is natural through our fallen human state. So how do you transition? Well, another one is natural when, I don't know, when I see a gorgeous sunrise or sunset or the mountains, you know, and it helps you recognize how enormously beautiful and wonderful God is, and very naturally I say wow, god, please you for your glory and your kingdom. And also that's kind of natural. But that state of continual prayer and continual talking, how do you actually attain that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, one of the things that I talk about in my book is posture, and we sometimes think, when we think about praying, we think about closing our eyes. And when I was raising our boys we have three boys, they're in their 30s now but when they were little, one of the things I wanted them to fully understand is that they could pray at any moment, anytime, if they're on the playground, that they can pray with God. So when they were little, I taught them how to pray with their eyes closed, because it helps them to focus on God. But I also wanted them to begin, as a very young child, to realize that if I'm in the playground, I don't have to get to a place where I can close my eyes to pray, which I think some people still kind of believe that there's more power when the posture is eyes closed. And so I actually did a full Bible study, like I read through all scriptures Old Testament, new Testament I wanted to figure out does it ever say we have to close our eyes, or are there even passages where people close their eyes to close our eyes, or are there even passages where people close their eyes? I could not find one which was so interesting to me Then why have we limited prayer to be a certain posture of mostly closing our eyes when we prayed?
Speaker 3:And story after story, like Nehemiah, when he was talking to the king and asking permission to leave to rebuild Jerusalem's wall, it was in the middle of a conversation.
Speaker 3:It's in the passage Nehemiah 2, and he's talking to the king and then it says, as he's talking to the king, he prays. And so we know that that was done in the middle of a conversation, just asking the Lord's help while he's talking to somebody, and so just over and over in Jesus, his posture. If you want to find out how Jesus mostly prayed in terms of posture, it was with eyes open, looking up to heaven. And so this idea that you can pray anytime, anywhere, in any circumstance, in the middle of a conversation, and it just broadens that concept of, wow, I can pray anytime while I'm driving. And here's the thing the more you pray, the more real he becomes, and that is what he wants for us. He wants that. It's like you said, that was the original intent in the garden, walking and talking with God. And you know, thankfully, when the curtain was torn from top to bottom, Jesus made that way that we can do that.
Speaker 2:So let's talk about the practicality of it. You know we are so distracted at any given moment. At any given moment, the moment that we open our eyes, there's so much happening that is competing for our attention. So I'm sure as everything, it's training, discipline and habit, making it a habit that helps you, helps it to become natural. But what are some of the practical steps, maybe, that you recommend in the book, to carve those moments into all the other things that are happening in life with your eyes?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, number one. I want to first say that, for me, how this began to change in me was a very like half a minute, a minute prayer that I do when I wake up. So one of the things that I realized is that I needed God's help to even pray more throughout the day, and so I have done this every single day. When I wake up, the first thing I do is I get on my knees and I like the practice of obviously, you know, at times after surgeries I can't do it, but as long as I physically can, I get on my knees, and for me that's a state of humility before God. And then I ask God, and one of the things I just say Lord, thank you for the gift of this day. And now I'm asking you keep my eyes open today to opportunities to share your love, to connect with you, so that I connect with others who don't know you yet and live this life of praying continually, and I pray for God to help me to do that. I think that that's one of the things we have to do and give us those opportunities, and so, first and foremost, ask for God's help to do that and then just start doing things like.
Speaker 3:One of the things practically that I like to do is I like to pair my prayer life with something. So Kevin, my husband Kevin, who's a pastor as well, one of the things we do is whenever we're driving and we pass a church while we're driving, we always pray for that church. We pray that they would honor Jesus and the gospel message and so start to pair prayers. I have a friend who walks her dog every night and she uses that opportunity. While she's walking her dog she prays with her eyes open for her neighbors, and so she's pairing something she does every day that she wouldn't normally have thought to be praying during that time, and using the opportunity to pray and so you start doing it.
Speaker 3:Another way practically that you can do this is you know, even to start just with Christian friends and you're in the middle of a conversation and you know someone shares that you know maybe a child is going through a hard time and then you, just in the middle, you say you know what. We don't even need to close our eyes. God is listening to this. Lord, would you help my friend's son during this?
Speaker 3:You know hard time and you start kind of weaving it in to your conversations, even with other Christians. My husband and I do it all the time now, but we had to get good at that. I mean it was a little awkward at first, but now every day. It's interesting because we worked really hard to have a prayer time together every day and it seemed like it never happened unless we were really working on it. And then we realized why don't we just weave prayer in our conversations? And so now throughout each day we probably pray a dozen times when we're talking to one another, because we just naturally move into prayer, because God is hearing the conversation, he cares about the things we're talking about, and so those are just a few ways to start practically enlarging your prayer life with others and also just as you're alone.
Speaker 2:So do you think there's such thing as over praying? Like you know, sometimes there are people that say oh, I don't do anything without asking the Lord. I ask the Lord what color shirt I should wear today and whether I should turn right or left, you know. And so do you think there's such thing as too much?
Speaker 3:You know what? That is a great question. Each person has to answer that for themselves. For me, that does not bring me closer to the Lord. You know, I have an understanding that for me, god gives me that freedom to pick the shirt I want to wear today. But I have met I actually remember this conversation I had with a very godly gentleman. He loved the Lord and he did that. He prayed about everything and I remember thinking I don't think I would pray that way, but I looked at him and his relationship with the Lord was amazing, and so I think that that is a person. You know, an individual person's choice to figure out how much you pray in those kind of settings.
Speaker 2:Well, I think that's a great answer because it goes right along with. You know the fact that if a certain food offends a person in your company, then don't eat that food, or if you find it offensive to you, then you have the liberty to do that. It doesn't mean that it's sin or it's bad, it's just we do enjoy certain freedoms in the Lord. You know, it's interesting. When you first started talking about posture, before you explained what you were talking about, I my mind went into like spiritual posture and the word humility. You know, I thought that's the route that you're taking. You were talking about the actual physical posture, but wouldn't you agree that humility is essential to healthy prayer life, because that's where it all begins, right?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. And when you think about your reference to the fall, it was pride. Exactly that cost right, and that is such a great point to bring up, because what is prayer about? It's about dependence on God. That's what prayer is. That's all prayer is.
Speaker 3:Dallas Willard has this amazing quote, too, that I love so much. This is what he says learning to pray in the power of God is the primary place we learn to live with the power that God gives to you, and what I think he's saying here is that as much as you pray, that's how much power God's going to give you, because if you get power from him and you're not praying, it can lead to pride and thinking that, wow, look at what I've done. But when you're praying for God's power and you realize that that power came from you praying, then the honor and the glory goes back to God and that's where it should always go. And so I I love that concept and it has stirred me that God will give you as much power for his work and as you pray for I think that's a great tip to remedy your prayer life.
Speaker 2:You know, if you, if a person feels like they're struggling with that, maybe that's the time to examine yourself and ask a question Am I being too self-sufficient, am I leaning too much on myself and not so much on God? And, of course, god has beautiful ways of bringing us back to ground zero.
Speaker 3:Our lives are to glorify God first and foremost, and so he is concerned about that. And so, yeah, that's a great point to bring up, helen.
Speaker 2:So we touched on this in the beginning of the interview, that organic prayer. And, by the way, for those of our listeners who are intrigued by your book and the concept, I will post the link in the show notes to your website or Amazon where they can pick up the book. I think it's a very, very important read. The book is just a part of a bigger picture and you and your husband, kevin, we lead the ministry called Organic Outreach International. Kevin, we lead the ministry called Organic Outreach International, so share a little bit with our listeners. What is this ministry all about?
Speaker 3:Sure, it really is about helping people, and we have kind of a fun way we say it to share Jesus with people in a way that doesn't freak them out or you out, and it's just about living the kind of life that naturally draws people to Jesus. It's all about sharing our faith and the message of Jesus, the gospel of the message, in action and in word, in a way that feels authentic, real to the people around us, wherever God places us. Our organization does exist to train and mobilize Christians organizations, churches, denominations and we do minister globally and to help every believer be able to share the gospel in a way that feels authentic and real and natural.
Speaker 2:And so, yeah, yeah, I am very curious to hear more about it because, you know, my husband and I lead a missions organization.
Speaker 2:We work in 34 countries and the other side of that organization is to involve the body of Christ in Great Commission hands-on, not just by praying for or supporting financially, but by going and sharing the gospel. It is incredible to see how many people feel that stirring because I mean, it was given to all of us with no exception, you know, and so the people respond to. That is incredible. But then, when it comes to when they discover, coming with us on a mission trip, that they're not going to be painting buildings, they're not going to be working with their hands, that they are expected to share the gospel, it's astounding how few Christians are equipped and know what it looks like. So let's talk about and I love the concept of training people to do it in a way that is authentic to them, because we're all unique and you know, and it's a gift from God, that you and I are not the same person and we have these individual personalities and talents and weaknesses that are just part of God's handiwork. So what is the authentic way to share the gospel?
Speaker 3:Right and one of the things that we teach. We teach, obviously, the gospel, the message of Jesus on the cross, and we teach people how to share that gospel message. But we also tell people that you have hundreds of testimonies. You have hundreds of stories in your life where God has shown up, he's been present in your life, he's made a difference, where God has shown up in power and then also just in day-to-day life opportunities, which we try to let people know, that you, as you're talking with friends and helping them through their hard times those that don't know Jesus is you you can just share a way that God has helped you in a similar situation and you can actually have a testimony of God's power and presence in your own life. And hopefully what they'll say is well, if you had help and that made a difference in you, maybe I can also have help, and we have so many testimonies.
Speaker 3:I just told the story to somebody about how I went into physical therapy one day and it was my first physical therapy appointment and so I just prayed on the way there. I said, Lord, if there's someone that works in the office or I know I'm going to be there for a few weeks that I can share the love of Jesus with. Please help me. Well, the first person I came into contact was with the lady that runs the office and we soon became friends because I was coming pretty regularly and she had to work on me a little bit. And when we would work she would talk to me about being a single mom with a daughter and she would start sharing things about raising her daughter.
Speaker 3:All I would do would say at appropriate times, because the friendship was established, and I would just say you know, when I was raising our sons, when we were raising our sons, honestly I couldn't do it without God's help and I would go to him for wisdom. The Bible tells us we can ask. Well, it was those conversations that she shares with people. Now that said to her I think I need to go to church and learn more about the God that Sherry's talking about. So she started coming to our church and she accepted Jesus and her daughter accepted Jesus and now her daughter is older and out and sharing stories of God's provision in their life with everybody she meets. And so this idea that you have to learn that there are wonderful ways that, as you are interacting with people, that you can be authentic about your own life and share those testimonies, and it's our hope and prayer that people will look on and say, wow, I want to learn more about that.
Speaker 2:This is beautiful, because this is exactly what we tell the people who come on the mission field with us is all you have to do is tell your story. That's all you're required to do, whatever story that Jesus has done and, like you said, we have. Each one of us has so many of these stories. But you know, speaking of testimony and jumping back to the book, organic Prayer, so do you have some testimonies that in your personal life and walk with Christ, after having this revelation about praying with your eyes open, that you feel enriched, you your faith, or maybe your relationship with people?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Well, I'll just tell you one story that happened to me as I started to pray in the morning and asking God for me to be outward centered, not just think about myself, and be open. I actually had to fly to a friend's funeral, actually, and when I got on the plane and I was very excited it was Southwest air, where you don't get assigned a seat, but according to what place in the line it determines how good your seat is actually and I was at the front. And so, as I'm walking in, trying to find the best seat I could find, the Holy Spirit just whispered to me, reminded me of my prayer and like, oh, is this what your life is about? All about your comfort? And so, just as I was walking down, I just said to Lord, I don't know what you're doing, god, but I'm going to, on purpose, not pick the best seat I was going to pick, and he didn't tell me where to sit. But I sat in a different seat, not a great seat, sat in the window instead of the aisle, and I just prayed. I said, god, if you're up to something, I want to keep learning and growing.
Speaker 3:And so the young gentleman about 30 years old sat next to me. Well, he didn't talk to me at all, but in the middle of the flight there was a bit of turbulence that was so bad that it created conversation between us, and a bit of turbulence that was so bad that it created conversation between us. And then we started talking and he began to talk a little about his life, his job, and all I did was listen. This is part of organic outreach. We care for people where they're at, but praying during the whole time and just, lord, if this, if you're up to something, I want to. I want to make sure that I can give hope to somebody. Well, at one point he began to share about his mom passing and that it really really was so hard for him and he was investigating Buddhism, he told me. And so I was like, okay, well, tell me what have you learned about Buddhism? And just listen. I listened to him for about an hour and then, when he was done, you know, I kind of just sharing and things I said, hey, I said you talked about that you're trying to find peace. Would you mind if I shared with you how I find peace in my life? And so I just began to share about Jesus, and he was very attentive and so I was able to share.
Speaker 3:And at one point, as we were landing, and he said that he was really blessed by what I was sharing, I actually said to him and I did my whole thing about prayer. I said I would love to pray for you, but we're on a plane, and I said we don't need to close our eyes, and God is here, he's listening. We're kind of talking quietly and I even told him. I said I'm not even going to grab your hand. You know, sometimes we have these certain ways that we think we have to pray, and so we just prayed that he'd meet Jesus, and so it was really sweet.
Speaker 3:At the end of the prayer he actually grabbed my hand and kind of squeezed it and so I got off the plane. But I got his contact information and we went back and forth and he thanked me. I sent him some books and he said that the time was uplifting and has really given him a lot to think about and he had taken the next step of faith. And so it was such a beautiful story for me because it really, for me, encouraged me. I need to pray more about how I keep my focus on others and not on myself. It's usually in moments of sharing and being kind and giving that people are most open to hear what you have to share.
Speaker 2:That's a beautiful story and so relatable to me and those who are listening who travel and go on the mission trips. You know even the seat. Maybe we should ask God each time we get on the airplane and have an option to choose a seat. Maybe we should ask shall I sit in 22B Lord?
Speaker 3:Helen, the interesting thing is, because I don't fly Southwest a lot, I fly United, but you get your seat assigned. So I've started a new thing and I have stories. I could tell you probably six stories where I just say to the Lord, lord, my seat is assigned. But if you have something, if you want me to sit by somebody else and you change it, I could go on for an hour right now and tell you six different stories. I got changed because of weight distribution. You know.
Speaker 3:I got changed one time and I, when I was watching it happen, I was like and I'm human, I'm like, oh, here it goes, god's answering my prayer. So this family had some teenagers and they wanted to all set with their parents and and they had some small children. And so I heard my name get called up and I had to give up a good seat. But I ended up sitting next to the dad alone and he had once known faith and was not following Jesus. But the fact that I was willing to let his family sit together and it was me and him behind them, I was able to share with him about really thinking about his roots and that he was raising kids without instructing them on the ways of the Lord. So I mean, once you start doing this, helen, and you know this- oh, I do.
Speaker 2:This is a very relatable conversation to me because my flights are like 13 hours, so when I'm asking God to rearrange my seat, I'm committing.
Speaker 3:And here's the thing I got moved up to first class once, but I sat next to a guy once we started talking who told me he was an atheist and we had a two and a half hour conversation. I shared the gospel with his permission, but I got moved to first class for that one the gospel, with his permission, but I got moved to first class for that one.
Speaker 2:Wow, that was so God, so beautiful. And you know, it made me think. These stories made me think that when we are not living that prayerful life, how much we're missing out on, you know, not only receiving something from God like blessings and possessions and stuff, but we're missing out on a meaningful life, more meaningful, more impactful life. You know, and who would want that?
Speaker 3:right. Yes, and Helen, I always, I always say prayer is the great adventure because it just connects. It connects us with God's work and his mission and if we're truly for Jesus, we have an excitement to be used of him. And that's why this is why, helen, I start my day every day on my knees, because I need a reminder. And I get tender even talking about it, because I'm selfish in nature. I want comfort, you know, and. But God says that that's not, that's not what I called you to. He said I would die, I would carry a cross every day. You know I would die to self, but the beautiful thing is, when you die to self and you release that to God, it's a great adventure. So it's a wonderful adventure. Yeah, so prayer is the great adventure.
Speaker 2:It really is, because it's like a portal that connects us to this supernatural lifestyle and so not relying on our own abilities, which are very limited, but allowing God to enter our lives. Oh my goodness, so many, so many benefits of that. I know that our listeners are totally going to benefit from reading this book, and we will also post a link to Organic Outreach International in the show notes, and you mentioned that there are a lot of free resources there. I think it's a big blessing. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you, Helen. Great time with you.
Speaker 2:Likewise, I'm always so excited to meet like-minded people like Sherry Harney, who center their lives around winning souls to Christ. There's hardly anything more meaningful and lasting we can accomplish in this life. I invite you to follow the link in the show notes and pick up Sherry's book. Explore Her Website. If you are in pursuit of your greater purpose in life, consider fulfilling the Great Commission. Pray and seek which part of the world, far or near, jesus is sending you to make disciples. And then visit our website, rfwmaorg. There you will find, each month, an opportunity to share the gospel through short-term missions in different parts of the world. If Jesus transformed your life, you are equipped to help others experience the same Again. Check out our website, rfwmaorg. Until next time, I'm Helen Todd.
Speaker 1:Limitless Spirit Podcast is produced by World Missions Alliance. We believe that changed lives change lives. If your life was transformed by Christ, you are equipped to help others experience this transformation. Christ called his followers to make disciples across the world. World Missions Alliance gives you an opportunity to do this through short-term missions in over 32 countries across the globe. If you want to help those who are hurting and hopeless and discover your greater purpose in serving, check out our website, rfwmaorg, and find out how to get involved.