Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love

Make Your Request Known

At the close of 2021, my family and I created a short list of prayer requests to God. We titled it 2022 Love Family Prayer Requests. When determining what to place on the list, we agreed to spend time searching within for those things that truly mattered to us and those things we knew we needed God to do – make a way out of no way. Once our hearts were on one accord, we typed a short list and were intentional to match the name with the request. We called out each request before God in prayer, pleading the blood of Jesus over each listing and proclaiming we trust God to do it. And do it, He did!

As the year 2024 began, I was led (by God) to search for our 2022 Prayer Request list on my phone. I was excited to find it. As I read the words of the brief opening prayer and traveled down the screen to the prayer requests of each of our children, then my husband, and finally me, my heart leaped. God answered most of our requests within two years! He did it with power and grace. Nobody but God could do what we asked Him to do. His doing wasn’t always instant, but certainly it was on time.

Seeing what our hearts longed for in that season, organized on a list, reminded me of each instance when God blessed us. At the time of each blessing, we praised God for His love and might. In difficult moments, we shared the list as a reminder of what we believed God for. Taking another look at what God had done during that time in my family’s life caused tears to rush down my face and a “Thank you, Lord” to rush out my mouth. My heart was overcome recounting the ways and means God chose to alert us to what mattered as we continued to journey our paths. 

My family made a new list of prayer requests to God. It’s titled 2024 Love Family Prayer Requests. Our prayer over this list included thanksgiving and a plea, “Do it again, God. We trust You”. And we do.

As new years begin, some make vision boards, some proclaim resolutions, and others throw caution to the wind and profess to live life how they want to. I implore those that don’t, to consider spending isolated time with God to learn from Him what truly matters concerning you. Spend time with your Creator, learning His voice and His comforting touch. Then make your request known to Him. Specifically, make known requests that honor God, not requests that center on glory directed to yourself.

The world is looking for answers in all the wrong places. Our lives are spared, for such a time as this. We must practice pointing to the source of our blessings, our overcoming, our breakthroughs, and our accomplishments. Take a breath and step back. Take another look at what God has done in your life. Shift your talk and your walk. Make your heart’s request known to God. He’s been waiting.

“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.” – Philippians 4:6

The photo featured in this writing shows my excitement after receiving the Yellow Fever vaccine shot for an upcoming life-changing trip I listed as a prayer request in 2021.

Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love · 2 Comments

Maybe God is Trying to Tell You Something

My 50th year of life has been a mammoth rollercoaster ride of sudden turns, deep dives, and exhilarating highs. As soon as I think I have a handle on things, here comes something else. At one leg of this year’s journey, I felt defeated with thoughts that I was stuck in a position of feeling like I was catching up more than I was in sync with the anticipation of promising possibilities presented in each new day. I found myself with my head down, caught up in my work – so much so that I began experiencing pain in my neck and back. Then suddenly, God exposed a blessing in plain sight for me to acknowledge. As the scales fell from my eyes, I was reborn in those moments of uncertainty and revived to live in the truth of my gifts and callings. Still, I felt there was something else lingering. I became finally convinced – maybe God was trying to tell me something.

I realized this epiphany during a session with my therapist. God revealed, “Tammi, you’re stronger than you think you are.” The course of this year and my life have been routines of action, jumping in to do whatever was necessary to accomplish a goal, overcome a hardship, encourage, or listen. Responding in times of need was my natural reflex. However, assuming my strength on the rollercoaster was not an adjective I allowed for myself. It wasn’t until I shared with my therapist the events of my life in the last three years that the notion of strength rang in my spirit. “Tammi, you’re stronger than you think you are.”

Closing out this calendar year, and preparing for another birthday in the new year, God is sounding alarms within my heart. God is directing me to my innermost parts. God is speaking to the work He began in me, to remind me that my strength comes from Him. God is reminding me that as I begin a new year I’ve never experienced before, there are seven key truths concerning me to hold close to my heart:

  1. When I’m weak, God is strong.
  2. The battle is not mine; it’s God’s.
  3. Trust God, even when it hurts.
  4. Everybody can’t travel where God is taking me.
  5. Finish what I’ve started.
  6. My obedient works will not return to me void.
  7. I, and everyone connected to me, win.

I’m stronger than I think I am. 

Just as God is trying to tell me something, He’s also trying to tell you something. I encourage you to find out what that something is. We don’t have the time we think we do. Ignoring God and His pleas to follow Him will provoke God to get our attention with sudden turns and frightening dives along our journeys. God doesn’t want us to wander any longer. Be still and hear His voice. No more chasing mirages. God is our living water.

“You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.” – 2 Timothy 4:3-5