Julie Gillies - Prayers for a Womans Soul

For years I have diligently prayed for my husband and my children. Somehow, I just missed praying prayers for me! Prayers for a Womans Soul is my answer to prayerdaily direction in praying for myself so I can become the woman God has created me to be!

Lynn Cowell, Proverbs 31 speaker and author of His Revolutionary Love and Devotions for a Revolutionary Year

As a busy wife, mother, volunteer, and employee, I know in my head the importance of praying for myself. But most days, Im at the bottom of my prayer list, unless of course theres a problem. But Julie Gillies has inspired me to prioritize praying for myself every day, and in Prayers for a Womans Soul shes made it so easy to do! Its biblical, its inspiring, and its practical! Its an invitation to the Source of all peace and joy. I highly recommend this book for any woman needing some inner refreshment.

Glynnis Whitwer, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Editor of P31 Woman and author of I Used to Be So Organized

Prayers for a Womans Soul is like a soothing spa for the harried womans heart. Julie Gillies bares her own heart in this easy-to-read but meaningful book. Filled with practical Scripture and pointed prayers, each chapter provides refreshment, wisdom, and encouragement for women to reconnect with the Life-Giver so that were better equipped to give life to others.

Jody Hedlund, bestselling author of The Preachers Bride

With the honesty of a dear friend, Julie Gillies lovingly shares heart stories, painstakingly revealing every womans deepest need: learning to pray for herself. With 52 topics covering issues from peace to perseverance, Julie invites us to live openly before God, admitting our shortcomings and trusting Him to transform our lives through an intimate prayer relationship.

Kelly Hancock, founder of FaithfulProvisions.com and author of Saving Savvy: Smart and Easy Ways to Cut Your Spending in Half and Raise Your Standard of Livingand Giving!

Prayers for a Womans Soul is an inspiring, rejuvenating devotional that teaches women not only how to pray for themselves, but how to allow the power of God to speak to their hearts through prayer. Each week, whether using this guide in a group or individually, Julie takes us through prayer topics such as praying for our minds, countenance, and even the distractions that we women face. This book brought clarity to areas in my life that I needed to work on and pray through. Youll find this journey of prayer refreshing to the soul.

Sandy Coughlin, author of The Reluctant Entertainer

Julie Gillies has a written a book every woman needs! My heart was fed with encouragement from start to finish. Prayers for a Womans Soul is the perfect blend of personal stories, powerful prayers, and topic-specific Scriptures to reflect on, helping us draw strength from the Father so we can live from the fullness of all He has for us as women, wives, moms, and friends. Im going to use it as my personal devotion book this year and get a copy for several friends!

Renee Swope, bestselling author of A Confident Heart , Proverbs 31 Ministries radio co-host and speaker

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations as well as personalized Scripture (Gods Word for Me) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Verses marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Cover photo iStockphoto / Thinkstock

Back cover author photo by Beth McCaa

PRAYERS FOR A WOMANS SOUL

Copyright 2013 by Julie K. Gillies

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-4781-7 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4782-4 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

For a dream comes with much business and painful effort.

Ecclesiastes 5:3 AMP

To my husband, Keith, for believing in me and not allowing me to quit, eating cold cereal for dinner without complaint, and for buying me an author nameplate before my first article sold. Youre the best encourager ever.

To my precious daughter, Emily, for leaving my office doors closed (most mornings) so I could meet my daily word quota and for predicting years ago, through a hand-colored page, that mom would publish a book. I love you to pieces.

To Angela Jimenez, Courtney Moore, Diane Lafler, Rhoda Wilhoit, Bethany Hostetler, Krista King, Kathy Mast, Deborah Gallicchio, and Noelle Yoder, for reading my first three chapters, offering honest feedback, and praying. You helped shape this book. Thanks for walking out the beginning of the dream with me.

To the precious women who prayed for me as I wroteyou know who you are. Thank you, thank you. May Gods reward officially rock your world.

And to the Lord, who unearths buried dreams, brushes them off, and hands them back to us. Your power truly works best in weakness.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12

I settled into seat 10-A, flipped open a magazine, and unwrapped a piece of chocolate. My annual October flight from Florida to Michigan started out like any other. In a few hours I would arrive at my sisters house in a charming small town and our indulgent girlfriend weekend would begin. Facials, mani-pedis, high tea, and afternoon naps beckoned.

This time, however, as the flight attendant began speaking, I felt the God-nudge. You know, the one that compels you to stop what youre doing and pay attention. I looked up from the article Id been skimming and listened intently to the woman in the navy blazer.

In the event of the loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend. The petite brunette stood at the front of our cabin, demonstrating how to attach a small, yellow, Tupperware-type bowl over her nose and mouth with an elastic band. Place the mask on yourself first, and then help those around you.

I shook my head. Hmmm. I would have automatically slapped those masks on my kids first .

Suddenly, God spoke. You need to begin to pray for yourself. Regularly .

I shook my head. Really?

As the plane ascended over Tampa, I thought about all of the people and situations for which I regularly prayed: my husband, children, and grandchildren, daughter-in-law, friends, our neighborhood situations, church issues, the military, world eventsthe list went on. But when I thought about it, I realized there was no time set apart for me to just pray for me . It actually never occurred to me to pray for myself on a regular basis. I was in the habit of placing the oxygen mask on those around me first, and in so doing, neglecting my own lifeline.