May 31, 2023
My guest this week is the incredible Jodie Berndt. She is a wife, mother, speaker and author of the best-selling Praying the Scriptures book series, which teaches to use God's word to enhance your prayer life. Her newest book, Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage, is available now.
She and her husband Robbie have four children, and they live in Virginia Beach. Jodie has such a deep well of wisdom, and I loved this conversation all around marriage.
2:56 – Jodie 101
- She has been married to her husband for nearly 38 years. They both went to University of Virginia.
- Things Jodie planned to do with her life didn’t usually work out. She has enjoyed the unexpected nature of where life has taken her.
- Jodie met a woman whose husband was an author. Jodie began writing for him.
7:11 – How her series was born
- Jodie’s first book was about miracles.
- She loved using the Bible to help her pray for her family and herself. That led to her book series about Praying the Scriptures
12:20 – Work vs. personal life
- People often introduce Jodie as a prayer expert or warrior. But she doesn’t feel comfortable with those titles. She is just someone who’s aware of her own need for God’s help.
- Jodie asks God to help her, even when it’s hard to obey Him.
15:34 – Clogging the prayer lines?
- Some people tell Jodie they feel bad about praying for simple things, like a child’s field hockey team or wanting a new refrigerator. They see it as “clogging the prayer lines” when there are more important things happening in the world.
- When you pray about the little things, it lets you live with a greater sense of gratitude.
23:12 – Getting to know God
- Prayer isn’t so much about getting things from God as it is about getting God and getting to know Him better.
25:08 – Prayer and marriage
- People kept asking Jodie for a book about prayer and marriage, but she didn’t think the world needed any more. She already had a lot of books on her shelf about marriage.
- Her passion for the project developed as she worked on it.
40:18 – Praying together
- Praying with your spouse can be awkward, especially if you have different styles of prayer.
- You can download a 31-day prayer calendar that has suggestions for topics, like generosity.
53:20 – Favorite thing to do with her husband
- Jodie loves being grandparents together and going boating.
FEATURED QUOTES
I kind of fell backwards into writing, but it’s been a fun journey.
People will often introduce me as a prayer expert or prayer warrior. I’m just like, “Whoa, whoa! I don’t consider myself an expert or a warrior. I consider myself who’s really aware of her own need for God for his help.”
I think, “God, help me obey you, even when it’s really hard.”
The best stuff comes out of the wrestle.
When you pray about the little things, it lets you live with a greater sense of gratitude.
Prayer isn’t so much about getting things from God as it is about getting God and getting to know Him better.