Starting Your Day in Tune With God

Rise and shine, my friends! A brand new day awaits, brimming with promise and potential. Now, before we hurry off to tackle that to-do list, let's pause to tune our instrument, shall we? After all, as Hudson Taylor said, “Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.”

Have you ever arrived at a concert early and been privy to the pre-concert tune-up? Honestly, it makes my eyes twitch and my head ache. Each musician is busily tuning his/her instrument, seemingly oblivious to all the other “noise” around them. There are squeaks and scrapes. In short, it’s a hideous sound. But as Taylor’s quotes remind us, it’s a necessary one.

Dana Rongione 05/06/2023 Dana Rongione 05/06/2023

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is a powerful tool that Christians have been using for centuries to connect with God. In Matthew 21:22, Jesus says, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." This shows the power of prayer and the importance of having faith in what we ask for.

James 5:16 also emphasizes the effectiveness of prayer, stating, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." This means that when we pray with sincerity and righteousness, our prayers can have a significant impact.

Dana Rongione 27/01/2023 Dana Rongione 27/01/2023

The Formula for Productive Prayers

In our Wednesday evening Bible study last night, we were looking at Psalm 62. Like many of the other psalms, I related to David’s ups and downs as he worked through this prayer song. I also recognized trends in my own prayer life that made me smile and helped me see what a productive prayer time should look like (plus or minus a few elements). Let’s walk through it together.

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. - Psalm 62:1-2

Dana Rongione 23/11/2022 Dana Rongione 23/11/2022

What’s Your Perspective on Prayer?

I’ve had a devotion on my mind this morning, which I’ve contemplated before, but honestly, I can’t remember if I’ve ever shared it with you. Either way, I feel it’s what I need to write about this morning, so here goes.

I begin each morning with my quiet time, which includes Bible study, prayer, and journaling. One of the sections in my journal is labeled “Gratitude,” and each day, I list something I’m grateful for. Some days, it’s family. On other days, I’m thankful for my beautiful home. But today, as I contemplated what I wanted to list, I noticed the music playing in the background and tuned in enough to recognize the tune of Sweet Hour of Prayer. Suddenly, I knew exactly what I wanted to write in my journal.

18/11/2022 18/11/2022

While You Were Sleeping

Have you ever fallen asleep in the middle of your prayer time? Come on, be honest. We get still, close our eyes, begin to petition the Father, and the next thing we know, we're waking up a half hour later with a crick in the neck and a guilty conscience. It happens. In fact, it happens far more often than it should. It even happened to three of Jesus' closest friends here on earth.

Dana Rongione 28/10/2022 Dana Rongione 28/10/2022

Keep Holding On

For a long time, every time I read this passage, I felt Jacob was being presumptuous. If you follow his life story, he wasn’t exactly a model believer. He lied and cheated on more than one occasion. His very name means “supplanter” or “deceiver.” Knowing that, doesn’t it seem rather bold to declare to God, “I won’t let go until you bless me”?

But, as I’ve grown in the faith, I’ve come to realize we should follow Jacob’s example. No, I don’t mean we should lie and cheat, but we should come to God boldly, determined we won’t let go until we receive that for which we came.

Dana Rongione 30/09/2022 Dana Rongione 30/09/2022

Like Father, Like Daughter

I think we’re all probably familiar with the story of Caleb in the Bible. He and Joshua were the two spies among the twelve who were confident they could take the land of Canaan despite the giants in the land. Of course, they were overruled, which led to a forty-year-long detour through the wilderness.

After all the wandering was done and the lands were divided up among the tribes, Caleb steps up to Joshua and asks for the land that was promised to him. He had been faithful and trusted the Lord, and now, at the ripe old age of 85, he wanted what was his. So, without hesitation, he strode up to Joshua and requested it.