Elizabeth George's Blog, page 39

How Do I Share the Gospel?

[image error]Are you getting together with family or friends during the Thanksgiving or Christmastime? Do you dread the thought of them asking about your faith? The holidays are a prime time for Christians to interact with family members and friends who many not have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Questions Have Answers

If you haven’t spoken up and shared your knowledge of Jesus’ saving grace, maybe this Thanksgiving is the time. Don’t fear the questions, but instead, welcome them. Questions are a good thing. Hopefully there will be questions! Questions are a good sign that the person might want to hear more, and that God might be working in his heart!

Witnessing for Christ is not a one-way street. And reaching out is not a monologue, but a dialogue. Evangelism is listening to other people. It’s understanding their fears and questions. And it’s seeking to give biblical answers. Christians need to do have enough compassion to find out the questions our peers have and then go to the Bible for answers.

Keys to Help

But where do you get the strength to do this? Two keys are strong faith and trust in God. 

Believers who contend for the faith are strengthened by God’s Word each day. It’s just as Jesus stated: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Being well-grounded in God’s truth helps us answer unbelievers’ questions. And we can constantly ask God for guidance in each situation.

Fortify yourself with prayer, and when you do speak, do it gently, “with meekness” (1 Pet. 3:15) and “grace” (Col. 4:6). Say your piece and let others talk. And by all means, don’t get into arguing matches (2 Tim. 2:24– 26). God will bless your heart and your love for those you share His truth with. He will also bless the words you speak and use them . . . if not at that moment, definitely later, for God’s Word does not return void (Is. 55:11).

RESPOND

Father, please give me Your love and grace as I share Your truths with those who don’t know You. Help me to be bold and speak the truth in love, leaving the convicting and convincing to You. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES[image error]

A Woman After God's Own Heart Bible— Find answers to the questions others may ask in this Bible that includes

A devotional reading for every day of the year
More than 150 biographies of women of the Bible
Introductions to every book of the Bible
Twenty-five full-page topical reflections on life's challenges
Plus four hundred brief whispers of wisdom for daily life 

REFLECT

There are only about seven basic questions to the Gospel that unbelievers ask. We’ve provided these questions and the most basic scriptures that will help you with the answers.

Have I developed the kinds of friendships with others that will make them feel comfortable asking me questions?

REMEMBER

God gives us grace upon grace when we ask.

Three Ways to Pray for Your Husband

[image error]Number one on your “To-Do List for Wives” is to pray, pray, pray! Instead of unleashing or dumping your frustrations and disappointments in your husband on him, pray! Let God know all about your concerns.

When you tell God the desires of your heart, and pray for something that you know God wants to occur in your husband’s life—like grow in Christ, you are most definitely telling the right person! And go ahead and give God the reasons you are asking for what you are praying.

Spiritual Growth—

First on that list should be your husband’s spiritual growth because that is something God wants for him. Praying in this way centers your prayers on God—not on yourself or on something that makes your life easier or better. 

Spiritual Knowledge—

You can also ask God to plant within your husband’s heart a desire to grow in the knowledge of God because that growth will make your husband a godly man and a better spiritual leader for you and any children you have. These are roles God lays out for all Christian husbands. To pray for this is not self-serving. No, this request also lines up with God’s will for husbands to lead those in the home (1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 3:5).

Spiritual Mentor—

Here’s another way you can love your husband: Pray for a spiritual mentor to take your husband under his wing. This too is a request that is biblical and pleases God. Paul had his Timothy to nurture and train. Joshua had his Moses to watch and learn from. Barnabas took his nephew John Mark and taught him everything he knew about serving God. That, dear fellow wife, is what God wants for your husband—to be mentored, and to one day mentor others.

Here is a perfect prayer to pray for your husband’s spiritual growth and maturity. And yes, I can say it’s perfect because it is right out of the Bible—God’s Word straight from His heart! I have tweaked these verses to be prayed to God as your personal prayer for your husband.

Pray these verses fervently and passionately—and often!—from your heart to God’s heart and put your beloved’s name in the blanks. Before you read on, read the passage that makes up the heart of this prayer.

My Prayer for My Husband
Based on Colossians 1:9-11

 
Father God, I do not cease to pray for __________, and to ask that __________ may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that __________ may walk worthy of You, Lord, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in his knowledge of You, God; that __________ may be strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power. Amen.

 

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

15 Verses to Pray for Your Husband by Elizabeth George—Discover key Bible passages you can use as a springboard for lifting your husband up to God. Enrich your marriage with this biblical study book. 

REFLECT

Do I pray specific prayers for my husband every day?

REMEMBER

Being a wife who prays for her husband is a unique privilege. And it's a necessity because you, dear wife, might be the only person on this entire planet who is praying for your husband!

Help to Stop Worrying

[image error]Even with the assurance of God’s presence in our lives, I’m sure you’ll agree that worry and worrying still need to be addressed—and conquered and obliterated. Because worry is an affront to God and is counterproductive to you as a person, wouldn’t you think that Christians would at least want to banish this activity in their lives forever? After all, God’s care of us is constant. And we possess a plethora of promises from Him that He will take care of every facet of our lives.

Even then, sad to say, most Christians (and that includes me) have serious and frequent bouts of worry. There are plenty of opportunities to turn on the worry machine! So how can a woman who wants “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) break the worry habit and choose not to be anxious?

God’s command—

“Be anxious for nothing.” The original Greek word used here for “anxious” describes being pulled in different directions. The way the apostle Paul used this phrase, Be Anxious for nothing” meant to stop a practice that has been going on habitually.

God’s cure—

“In everything by prayer and supplication with thanskgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” The cure to worry? Believing prayer. The apostle Paul gives specific details of how prayer is used to squelch worry.

Prayer: this speaks of adoration addressed to God as an act of worship.

Supplication: this comes from a word that means to humbly ask for ones’ personal needs.

Thanksgiving: this refers to expressing appreciation and gratitude.

Requests:  this emphasizes specific requests versus asking in generalities.


The consequence—

“The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Whew—at last! We can exhale now. Peace is ours.

As you are faithful to pray and cast your cares upon Jesus, He provides assuring peace. His peace is powerful, like a sentinel who stands guard and patrols in front of your hearts, door, keeping worry out. This peace does not mean an absence of trials in your life. But it does mean you experience a quiet confidence in your spirit regardless of whatever difficult circumstances, people, or event you are facing.

RESPOND

Dear God, please help me redeem any anxious thoughts by using them as reminders to pray. I want to honor You by trusting You always. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES[image error]

RELEASING TODAY!! Creating a Beautiful Life — Each new day presents opportunities to grow your faith, manage your work and your goals, and make good use of the time God gives you. Elizabeth George, acclaimed Bible teacher, helps you navigate the options. Order this encouraging Bible Study today!  

REFLECT

What do I most commonly worry about? Do I pray about this issue as often as I worry about it?

REMEMBER

Peace does not mean an absence of trials in your life. Peace is the presence of Christ.

Example of a Godly Mother

[image error]Hannah appears in the Bible during the last days of the judges of Israel when “there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). Even though Elkanah, Hannah’s husband, was a godly man, he followed the common practice of polygamy. Unfortunately, Hannah was barren— the ultimate curse for a married woman.

Hannah illustrates how unpleasant circumstances can produce a beautiful outcome. Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, harassed Hannah for years because she had no children. Grieved of heart, Hannah went to the house of the Lord and vowed that if God would give her a son, she would devote him to the Lord all the days of his life. God answered her prayers and she named her son Samuel, meaning “asked of the Lord.” After Samuel was weaned, Hannah took her little son to the Lord’s house and left him in the hands of Eli, the priest.

Hannah’s sadness— 1 Samuel 1:1–7

Hannah had been married to Elkanah for a number of years and had not borne him any children, while Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, had children yet constantly harassed Hannah for her barrenness.

Hannah’s supplication— 1 Samuel 1:9–18

Hannah was childless but not prayerless. Before God she wept and prayed and vowed that if God gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. Eli, the priest, assured Hannah that her prayer had been heard. With great joy, Hannah returned home with a renewed trust in God.

Hannah’s son— 1 Samuel 1:19–28

Before the next year’s trip to the house of the Lord, Hannah gave birth to a son. When the child was weaned, Hannah brought little Samuel, her only child, to the priest Eli and left him there.

Hannah’s song— 1 Samuel 2:1–10

Standing with her son before Eli, Hannah uttered a song of thanksgiving. While her earlier prayer came from bitterness, this prayer of praise came from joy and gratitude to God. The contents of her prayer form the basis of the “Magnificat” offered up by Mary, the mother of Jesus, to the same covenant-keeping God (Luke 1:46– 55).

Hannah’s sacrifice— 1 Samuel 2:11

More than anything, Hannah wanted a son, and when God gave her one, she fulfilled her vow to give Samuel back to the Lord. Her sacrifice was rewarded by God with the births of five more children. Samuel grew up to reflect his mother’s godliness and became a man of prayer and intercession for God’s people all his days.

Pray about life’s sorrows. Hannah’s suffering compelled her to turn to God in prayer. Problems do that for you too. And praying passes your burdens from your shoulders onto the strong shoulders of the Lord. Cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

Follow through on your promises. Hannah could have made many excuses for not giving up her only child. But Hannah followed through on her promise to God to dedicate Samuel to God’s service. Make good on your promises, whether they are made to God or to anyone else.

RESPOND

Lord, thank You for Hannah’s example of a mother after God’s own heart. I pray that my child will follow You for a lifetime. I want to start today to be a mom like Hannah— a mom who prays, instructs, and dedicates my children to You for Your purposes. Help Yourself to my  children’s lives! Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES[image error]

COMING NOV. 6! Creating a Beautiful Life — PRE-ORDER this book with a built-in Study Guide today and prepare to create a more beautiful and productive life. Free, limited-time GIFTS included when purchased before November 6! Pick up your copy of this helpful Bible Study today! 

A Woman After God's Own Heart Bible—Find fresh encouragement for everyday concerns and  vision for a transformed life in this Bible.

REFLECT

Does my suffering compel me to turn to God in prayer?

REMEMBER

Make good on your promises.

4 Ways to Gain Wisdom

[image error]Some years ago our family vacationed in Montana. One morning we drove over a short bridge with a sign that read “Missouri River”—which caused one of those “Wait a minute!” moments. Our family had been to St. Louis, Missouri, and we had seen the impressive width of the Missouri River just before it empties into the mighty Mississippi. This river in Montana was minute when compared to what we had witnessed in St. Louis.

So Jim backed up our camper to make certain we hadn’t misread the sign. Sure enough, it was the beginnings of the Missouri River, and we were not very far from its source.

Where Does Wisdom Come From?

As we think about the nature of God, we need to remember this one important truth: Everything has a source—except God. God is the source of all things—including wisdom.

Wisdom comes in a variety of ways—while the Missouri River has one source, it has many tributaries that add to its size and power as it flows toward its destination. The same is true with God’s wisdom.

4 Ways to Gain Wisdom

1. You gain wisdom by walking with God. The foundation of wisdom is to know and recognize that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). As you honor and esteem God, live in awe of His presence and power, make the choices He advises in His Word, and love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, His wisdom becomes your wisdom.

2. You gain wisdom from reading God’s Word. Reading the Bible can make you wise. Hold it first in your heart and mind, and obey it. As you gain wisdom from God’s Word, it will make a powerful difference in you, in your life—and in your day.

3. You gain wisdom from being with God’s people. Going to church and worshipping God starts your week with a solid focus. As you fellowship with others, you realize they have wisdom to share with you. In Proverbs 1:5 we note, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” As a key principle in Proverbs 12:15 states, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” 

4. You can also gain wisdom through having godly mentors and teachers. Watch their lives. Ask them questions and read the wise advice of others through Christian books. In both cases, you are learning and growing as you seek the wisdom of other believers.

Wisdom is available and freely given—Proverbs 1 makes it abundantly clear that God wants His people to be wise and safe (verses 2 and 33). In fact, God has made sure that wisdom is readily available to any and all. It is right in the Bible—your Bible—available to you day by day. As Proverbs 3:13 marvels, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom.”

RESPOND

Dear Lord, please give me wisdom! I need it to manage this day in a way that pleases You and bears the mark of Your wisdom on it. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

[image error]COMING NOV. 6! Creating a Beautiful Life — Each new day presents opportunities to grow your faith, manage your work and your goals, and make good use of the time God gives you. Order this book and Bible Study today to help you navigate these options with wisdom. 

Proverbs for a Woman’s Day by Elizabeth George — covers the matters closest to your heart, including how to train and enjoy your children. Don’t miss out on this uplifting Bible Study! 

REFLECT

Do I ask wise people questions and read the wise advice of others through Christian books? 

REMEMBER

God wants His people to be wise.

Raising Wise Children

[image error]Although God’s childraising instructions appear in just about every chapter of Proverbs. Chapter 2 is literally filled with solid, godly direction for parents. Every single verse contains messages, warnings, and instructions for parents to pass on to their children. This wisdom is meant to prepare each child for facing life and avoiding its pitfalls. How does Proverbs say this is done?

Speak Up

As a parent you must speak up. “Receive my words and treasure my commandments within you” and “heed instruction and be wise” (Proverbs 2:1; 8:33). I have read these words so many times that they have become embedded in my heart and thoughts. With passion and a fierce love for God and for our children, parents must speak up!

“Wisdom” is portrayed as a woman—a very verbal and vocal woman who is not ashamed or shy about speaking up. She “shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square” (1:20). There is nothing casual or halfhearted about her zeal for others to be wise. And for our children, the teaching of wisdom should be even more passionate.

Raise Up Wise Children

As a wise parent, commit to this responsibility. Own it. Dedicate yourself to be faithful to what God is calling you to do as a parent. As we are faithful to follow God’s instructions to us as mothers to teach His wisdom to our children, He will faithfully enable us to do it. Lean on Him. Talk to Him. Trust in Him. Desire to be a mom after God’s own heart—a mother who will do all God’s will, including teaching wisdom to your precious ones.

I love these words written by a devoted father to his two teenage sons. Summing up the benefits of obtaining wisdom and responding to God’s call to be wise, he writes:

[Proverbs] pronounces a blessing on those who heed her instruction, walking in her ways. It promises happiness to those who wait ardently at her gate, who keep faithful vigil at her doors. It holds out life and divine favor to those who find her, but personal loss and death to those who miss her.

Blessing. Happiness. Life and divine favor. This is what we moms want for our children—what we speak up for, what we live for…and what we would die for.

RESPOND

Lord, please help me to be on my toes today with my children. Help me to speak up and take every opportunity to share Your truths with them. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

Proverbs for a Woman’s Day by Elizabeth George — covers the matters closest to your heart, including how to train and enjoy your children. Don’t miss out on this uplifting Bible Study! 

Creating a Beautiful Life — Each new day presents opportunities to grow your faith, manage your work and your goals, and make good use of the time God gives you. Elizabeth George, acclaimed Bible teacher, helps you navigate the options. Click here to view this helpful Bible Study. 

REFLECT

Have I dedicated myself to be faithful to what God is calling you to do as a parent … to raise wise children?

REMEMBER

As we are faithful to follow God’s instructions to us as mothers to teach His wisdom to our children, He will faithfully enable us to do it.

How to Organize Your Day

[image error]The day is over, your good intentions have gone up in smoke, and you’re exhausted. Where has the time gone? Actually, time didn’t go anywhere. It’s still passing as it always does—sixty minutes an hour, 1,440 minutes a day, 168 hours a week.

To manage our lives, scheduling is a necessity. It’s a mirror of your life, a tool for improvement, and a wand for accomplishment!

Organize

When there’s no schedule, the 1,440 sparkling minutes God gives you each day can be characterized by stress, frustration, and even rage. But with a schedule for each procedure or project, you can flow through your day in a calm, orderly progression. A schedule brings discipline into your life, which helps you walk in the Spirit, produce spiritual fruit, and fulfill His purpose for your life . . . and your day.

Starting Off Right


Learn to be more effective. You can do a lot of things in your busy, fast-paced life, but are they the right things, God’s priority things (Phil. 4:8)?



Learn to eliminate. There are so many activities we do every day that are not essential. Ask yourself, What can be eliminated from my life at this time? As Solomon observed in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, life has its seasons.



Know your priorities. Manage your time to reflect God as your first priority. Our devotion to Him is to be complete and all-consuming (Matt. 6:33). Service is noble and necessary, but when it gets in the way of your relationship with Christ, it is counterproductive.



Determine to make tomorrow a better day than today. And don’t forget to ask God for His wise counsel (James 1:5)! 



Learn to delegate. Take a long-overdue look at your areas of service in the church. Which tasks could be delegated? The same applies at home. What chores can you give your children?

If your life is ordered, prioritized, and Spirit-filled, you will have love, joy, peace, and patience. In the morning, pray over your coming day. And pray through it. And pray at the end of it. How desperately we need God’s clear direction and assistance!

Without it we will spend God’s golden minutes on the foolishness of this world. And, as the Christian twist on Thoreau’s saying goes, “You cannot kill time without injuring eternity.” Dear friend, all you and I have is today!

RESPOND

Lord, I want the hours You give me to honor You. Please help me manage my time and organize my days according to wise practices. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

Creating a Beautiful Life — Each new day presents opportunities to grow your faith, manage your work and your goals, and make good use of the time God gives you. Elizabeth George, acclaimed Bible teacher, helps you navigate the options. Click here to view this helpful Bible Study. 

REFLECT

Are my areas of service getting in the way of my relationship with Christ?

Is there anything I need to delegate to others?

REMEMBER

Determine to make tomorrow a better day than today.

Being a Supportive Wife

[image error]The words “supportive wife” could never describe Job’s wife. Of all the people who surrounded Job in his hour of need, his wife should have been by his side to encourage and console him. Instead, she told Job to give up, give in, curse God, and kill himself. Instead of being a good and kind helper to her husband, Job’s wife became a discouragement to him.

Careless Words

Poor Job. He lost everything— his wealth, family, and health. Then his wife turned on him and told him to curse God and end his life. And, to top it all off, his friends continued to deepen his wounds by accusing Job of causing his own calamities due to some deep, dark, secret sin in his life (Job 19:2–3). Who needs “friends” like this?

Supportive Wife

As one of God’s women, you are called to be a helper, a teacher, and an encourager of women. That leaves no room for careless or thoughtless words. Your entire ministry of encouragement shuts down when you speak words that needlessly wound. And those words can never be taken back.

Oh, that we would be like Jesus who “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). God asks you to serve and to better the lives of others, including your family and friends. No life has ever been uplifted by thoughtless, heartless words. Instead, do as Jesus commands you: love one another.

RESPOND

Lord, as I think about the cruel things Job’s wife and friends said to him, I am humbled. I know that my speech is not without sin. I do use careless words sometimes. I ask Your forgiveness. Keep my speech limited to words that build up and do not tear down. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

Creating a Beautiful Life — PRE-ORDER this book with a built-in Study Guide today and prepare to create a more beautiful and productive life. Free, limited-time GIFTS included when purchased before November 6! Click to view this helpful Bible Study. 

 A Woman After God's Own Heart Bible — Find fresh encouragement for everyday concerns and vision for a transformed life in this Bible. 

REFLECT

Am I careless with my words, or do I weigh them before speaking? Am I a supportive wife?

REMEMBER

No life has ever been uplifted by thoughtless, heartless words.

Teen Tuesday – How to Get Started on a Goal

[image error]“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This well-known adage says a lot. For instance, you have dreams and responsibilities that make up your life. So to begin your journey of following and fulfilling your dreams and taking care of your responsibilities, you must begin with one single step—by getting up tomorrow.

Get Started

What do you want to do tomorrow? This question has to do with your goals and dreams. In my case I want to purchase a birthday gift for a special friend. My granddaughter wants to have time to sketch in her art pad. Another girl I know wants to practice her driving with her dad before he goes to work so she’ll be better prepared for passing her driver’s test. What about you? What do you strongly desire to achieve tomorrow? Write it down and note why it’s important to you.

What do you have to do tomorrow? What are your responsibilities? Schoolwork? Work? Chores? Babysitting your little brother? What’s on your must-do list? Finishing your term paper? Taking out the trash? Emptying the dishwasher? Feeding the dog next door while your neighbors are on vacation? Take a stab at creating a list. You may need to make it two columns.

Goals

Here’s a challenge that really moved my heart. I’m hoping and praying it moves yours too! It’s from the book Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper:

Most people slip by in life without a passion for God, spending their lives on trivial diversions, living for comfort and pleasure…[Don’t] get caught up in a life that counts for nothing…Learn to live for Christ, and don’t waste your life!

Life is a precious gift from God. In addition to the life He’s given you, He also has incredible plans and purposes for you. Nothing could be worse than a life that counts for nothing. You have many opportunities to live with passion, make a difference, contribute to others, and bring honor and glory to God. Why not get started today?

RESPOND

Dear Lord, please help me to purpose to get up every day, to get up, and to get going! Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

A Young Woman's Guide to Making Right Choices by Elizabeth George — takes teens through the step-by-step process of making decisions that are life-affirming, godly, and wise. This wonderful teen resource comes with a built-in study guide! 

Creating a Beautiful Life by Elizabeth George — PRE-ORDER this book with a built-in Study Guide today and prepare to create a more beautiful and productive life. Free, limited-time GIFTS included when purchased before November 6! Click to view this helpful Bible Study. 

REFLECT

Memorize Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

REMEMBER

Purpose to get up…no matter what. Don’t give in. And don’t worry about not getting enough sleep. It’s only for one morning.

Making Right Choices

[image error]Here’s the world’s greatest advice! Scribble it on your mirror and the palm of your hand. Write it down and carry it in your purse. Make it your screensaver. It will be life changing. Here it is: Make no decision without prayer. This is a motto you can use for making right choices.

It will keep you from rushing in and committing yourself to something before you consult God.

Praying before you act or make a decision will guard you against the kind of people- pleasing mentioned in Galatians 1:10: “Do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?”

Pray First

When you pray first, you rarely have to ask, “How did I get myself into this?” or “What was I thinking?” When you realize that you are juggling too many activities at once, remember the message of Ephesians 5:15–16: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time.” As a wise woman, you are to focus on knowing and doing God’s will.

Manage Your Day

When you place God’s Word and time in prayer at the center of your life, managing the minutes, hours, and days will come much easier. Why? Because you will be traveling in God’s direction, toward God’s will. Instead of struggling against God and His plans and purposes for you, you will be seeking to do His work His way.

Redeem your time with passion and purpose, and you can trade your juggling act for acts and progress toward what is truly meaningful according to God’s wisdom. As a busy woman, you want to make the wisest decisions possible, so make no decision without prayer.

RESPOND

God, how many times have I had to suffer the negative consequences of foolish, rushed choices? I know You are always available to help me, and yet I fail to seek Your wisdom in prayer. Write this concept on the tablet of my heart: Make no decision without prayer. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES

[image error]

Creating a Beautiful Life — PRE-ORDER this book with a built-in Study Guide today and prepare to create a more beautiful and productive life.

Free, limited-time GIFTS included when purchased before November 6! Click to view this helpful Bible Study.

A Woman After God's Own Heart Bible — Find fresh encouragement for everyday concerns and vision for a transformed life in this Bible. 

REFLECT

What is my first instinct when I have a choice to make: plow ahead or pray first?

REMEMBER

Make no decision without prayer.