For the First Pastor’s Blog of 2014 (ever) I would like to start by using a blog post from a friend of mine, Pastor Spencer DeBurg of Racine Bible Church.
After reading this last week, I have been personally trying to be brave enough to pray these little prayers.
Are you brave enough to pray these this year?
Ten short prayers for the new year:

1. Lord, place me in uncomfortable situations that will squeeze the lazy, self-centeredness out of me.
2. Open doors for the gospel while giving me boldness and compassion to move through them.
3. You have told me that a mind set on the flesh is death but a mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Don’t let my mind ever forget that today.
4. God, hedge my way up with thorns so that I might not follow vanity.
5. Send someone my way today. Let them speak your truth to me. Give me ears to hear and receive encouragement and exhortation from them.
6. Send someone my way today. Let me speak your truth to them. Give me courage and clarity to speak a word of exhortation to them.
7. Lord, next time I fail pull me to the cross quicker.
8. Lord, next time I succeed pull me to the cross quicker.
9. God don’t let me have that which I think I want but which you know would be wrong for me.
10.Give me a tender heart along with open ears. Remove my pride and stubbornness far from me.