Which brings me back to why I wanted to write this book.

With all my heart, I know the power of praying dangerous prayers. And I'm continually sick of my safe prayers. I can't stand another day of my self-centered Christianity. So this message burns within me. But I'm worried that I won't be able to get the idea from my heart onto the page. What if

Meditate on his character. Consider that God is the Creator of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19). Seripture calls him God of glory (Ps, 29:3), the greatIAM (Ex. 3:14), and righteous Father (John 17:25). God is our fortress of salvation (Ps. 28:8) and the eternal King (Jer. 10:10). He is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 13), the God of all grace (1 Peter

True brokenness before God isn't a one-time event; it's a daily decision. Paul said, "I die daily" (1 Cor. 15:31 NKJV). What does that True brokenness before mean? Every day, he chose to crucify his own desires so he could live fully for God's.

We are each called to die daily. To be broken and poured out. To become dependent on God's Spirit. To rely

At first, doing something daily that takes faith may seem daunting or even overwhelming. But once you start, not only will you enjoy it, but you may even sense God transforming you from someone with a self-centered faith to someone with a self-sacrificing, God-glorifying, other-centered faith. Your faith acts don't have to be big, intimidating, or

Prayer is sacred communication, the language of longing, a divine dialogue between you and your heavenly Father, your Abba, your Daddy. When you pray, the God of the universe listens. And not only does he listen, but he also cares. About what you have to say. About all the things you carry around in your heart that no one else knows about. Maybe

SEARCH ME.

BREAK ME.

SEND ME.

When we're seeking to communicate with God in real, vulnerable, and intimate prayer, he's not wrapping us in a bubble of spiritual safety. Instead he bursts our what's-in-itfor-me bubble and invites us to trust him when we don't know what he will do next. Some days we feel blessed. Other days we face challenges,

Later in his life, Isaiah would add color to God's grace by quoting the one who forgave him, Writing, "I, even L, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more" (Isa, 43:25). When you cry out to God for forgiveness, he doesn't remember your sins. They are gone. Forgiven. Washed away. And forgotten.

Gary reminded me that God loved me. He always has my best interests in mind. But for me to be wholly useful to him, I'd have to be empty of myself. God would have to break me of pride, of self-confidence, of self sufficiency. And God would also have to break me of things that didn't even know needed to be removed from my life.

If I wanted to be used

That simple challenge changed the way I lived. Instead of existing passively, I started living aggressively, watching for opportunities to exhibit faith. When I met a guy that seemed discouraged on a flight, I talked to him and did my best to lift his spirits. Then I felt prompted by God to do more than just talk. I wrote him a note and included