Welcome back to our 12-week Prayers of Rest podcast.

I'm your host, Ashrita Choochoo, and I'll be leading you in prayer using a simple guided prayer structure with the acronym Rest.

That is, recite God's goodness, express your neediness, seek his stillness, and trust his

faithfulness. Remember, Jesus invites all who are weary and heavy burdened to come to him

and to find rest for our souls. So let's begin.

John chapter 10. Jesus said again, truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and robbers,

but the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved

and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have

life and have it in abundance. Lord, where the enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy, you have come to bring life.

And life to the fullest, life in abundance.

And that is the life that you promise us amidst uncertainty, amidst the hardships, amidst the difficulties that we're facing.

We can still have life to the full because of Jesus.

Oh God, you are so good that you would not take away your promises from us because of our

own unfaithfulness, because of our own hearts wandering, but that you remain faithful and

steadfast, that you love us, that you shepherd

us, you lead us into green pastures. So friends, take a moment now. Tell God how has he shown

his goodness in your life and thank him even for answered prayers this week. Now that we have recited God's goodness, what is true about Him, we move into a time of expressing our neediness.

And Lord, we just confess that it is so easy to wander.

Like sheep, we just blindly go astray searching for green pastures elsewhere. Instead of hitting

my knees in prayer when I feel the anxiety, instead of opening your word and seeking comfort

in your truth, it's so easy to go to my phone, to go to social media, to hit the pantry.

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