to prepare my distracted heart

Be devoted to prayer. . .
Last week in my chilly livingroom, over coffee-
Kate and I talked about prayer.
in the afternoons when little Aaron naps, she opens her Bible-and her prayer journal, anticipating time with God, "I have this amount of time before my boy wakes up. . ."
and her prayer time, her worship can seem mechanical.
hmmm, I hear her . . . plastic prayer, and I'm not anticipating the stirrings of a sweet one year old, a little boy machine!
we talked about using the Psalms to quicken our hearts to God- even if the interlude may be short or interrupted.
And that afternoon, I opened my Bible to a marker in Psalm 86- God warmed my distracted heart for worship:
Lord, you are good and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness.
You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger. .
for You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.

As I read and prayed Psalm 86, I yearned for verses 11-12 to be true for me,
Teach me your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
. . . for me and for my daughters and daughters in law-so I prayed for Rachel, Naomi, Abigail, Mercy, Gabrielle, Jamey, Lindsey
and for each dear woman in my life. . .

Lord teach them to walk in your truth, give them undivided hearts to love You. . . to be devoted to prayer.