Women In Black

Prayer, Purpose & Peace: Designing a Life With God at the Center

• WIB • Season 1 • Episode 10

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Prayer, Purpose & Peace — that’s the goal. In this episode, we talk about what it means to design a life with God at the center. From quick “Hey God” moments to intentional prayer routines, we share how staying connected to Him brings clarity, confidence, and calm to every season of life.

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SPEAKER_01:

Like we play all day long. All day long. And the thing about us that I do like is that we ain't on here trying to tell y'all that we holier than thou. Yeah, no. None of that. Every day. Every day. Like we're just gonna try a little harder. But we know where our our strength comes from. Yes. And we pray. And we play about God. There's no amount of money that I ever want to have and be busy.

SPEAKER_02:

Nope. And that's that's where I am, where I'm like, not happening. I need freedom. Peace. All of the things.

SPEAKER_01:

Because there is no certain type of way to pray. You don't have to say our father heaven. God accepts you how you are. All he wants to do is hear from his kids. That's it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

I think prayer is so important. I just wish you know more people understood the power of prayer.

SPEAKER_01:

And honestly, if we never needed prayer as a nation, we need it right now.

SPEAKER_00:

Woman in Black is where we put down the cake and pick up the mic, being authentically who we are, where we are, unmasked, unfiltered, and unapologetic.

SPEAKER_02:

Alright, okay, so checking in real quick. How you feeling? I am blessed by the best.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like I'm always chilling though. I'll just be chilling. Yeah, I guess. I need to ask chat. What's some other expression? How how else am I feeling besides chilling? Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Maybe because we be so comfortable down here.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's why I'm always chilling. Ask me that before while I'm in the car. Driving to Philly.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that might be a different response. Yeah. We be in our hoodies down here. We'd be relaxing. But yeah. How are you? I'm good. I am creating the life I want. There you go. Me too. Designing the life. Designing it. Yes, you're right. I saw that from Dom actually. That's what he told me to do.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, well, I'm still in it. No, for real.

SPEAKER_02:

We really are.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Because I was um I wasn't having decision fatigue because I said I was gonna write down a bunch of ideas and I was gonna pray. I told you that, like I I I have an idea of what God wants me to do, but I wasn't gonna pull the trigger this time until I really prayed through it and really felt comfortable in my spirit because I know that I'm gifted to do a lot of things, but what am I purposed to do? And so I need to be able, because that's been my job for so long, to come up with all these innovative ideas and put them into practice and into play where it makes sense for this business. And it's like, okay, Des, you gotta do what makes sense for your life.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, because you could do all like you say, yeah, you could run fast and still not get anywhere. Anywhere or get where you don't want to be.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't there's no amount of money that I ever want to have and be miserable. Nope. And that's that's where I am, where I'm like, not happening, Captain. I need freedom, peace, peace, all of the things. I need to be able to move how I want to move when I and that's that's a blessing to be able to do that, to even be able to contemplate what that look like, um to be able to kind of feel and see it and reach for it. So I know I'm blessed to be able to be in that season of my life, but I have to keep God first. And that's that's where I am is God, you take the first step, and I'll I'll just go from there with you. Yep, step in step. You take the first step, I take the next.

SPEAKER_01:

Yep. I don't know, you remember that step by step, uh-huh. Day by day. That came to mind that's crazy. That's my gift. Music, y'all don't even know that. But today we're gonna discuss praying. Sis, do you pray?

SPEAKER_02:

I pray all day every day. Why do you why do you pray? I feel like there is a scientific reason to this and a biblical reason. Okay. Um, do you know that people live longer who have trust and hope? I believe that.

SPEAKER_01:

I didn't know like that was a scientific fact. Yeah, but no, I bel I wholeheartedly believe that because the ones that don't have trust and hope, guess what they have? Stress and misery. Right. And stress leads to heart attacks, strokes, all of that. My my alarm just came on to tell me to pray. Um, yep. It must be 115. Yep. Okay, so crazy. Yeah, but no, I believe that because the people that be stressing be stroking. Yeah, I didn't even mean to laugh.

SPEAKER_02:

It's just how things come out your mouth. They do, and it's unintentional.

SPEAKER_01:

It just happens, it just they be stroking. The people that be dressing, they be stroking, or they be having breakouts, or they just be depressed. And listen, them spirits is not from God.

SPEAKER_02:

No, they're not. No, they're not, and so because the enemy, listen, the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, okay? Like you really have to be in alignment with God to make sure you're not being manipulated, deceived, and all the other things that come with him. You know what I'm saying? So, why I pray? I pray because uh I want to be healthy, I want to keep my sanity, you know. I meditate on the word, I meditate on the word, you know what I'm saying? People meditate in the world, like you could meditate on the word as well. Um, same theory there, but you just got that extra dose of God on top.

SPEAKER_01:

There you go. So I'm really just I'm creating that relationship and communication pathway with God, and prayer is different for for everybody, yeah. Because there is no certain type of way to pray. Nah, like those people that get up there, get somewhere and think that you're supposed to pray for 10 minutes for God to get what you're saying. That ain't it. Because you don't have to, you could say a simple prayer just to get to God, just to for him to understand, I'm your child, I am here. I need you, I need you, or I thank you, yes, or protect us, whatever it is, like it could be a 10-second prayer. There, there is nowhere that states you have to pray for four minutes and 17 seconds for it to reach God, right? Like, and if y'all out there preaching that, y'all need to stop. You heard I mean that. I want y'all to know everything I say on here, I mean. We know, we know, and I mean that, but no, prayer is so important, and I'm so glad that um I I'm not perfect, I haven't ever been perfect, haven't ever tried to be perfect, but growing up, prayer was instilled in me. Yeah, and I have um instilled it in my kids, not even just by telling them, um, by them, by showing them. Right every morning before we drive off, before we go anywhere, we have this one prayer that we say every single day. Jace can say it by himself, everybody can say it by themselves because this is what we do, like this is our thing. And right, I've seen my kids separately praying, just catching them off guard praying, or you know what I mean? So prayer is important, and I express that to my boys too. You don't there is no prayer, you don't have to say our father, which heaven. God accepts you how you are, all he wants to do is hear from his kids. That's it. Like you don't have to, there's no written prayer that you have to say to get to God. So if you just want to say, Hey God, that's how I start my journaling. Hey God, it's me again. Right, and that's my time of prayer too. Journaling, that's my time of prayer, and it's just so it's just so important. That connection, it's just I rather pray half the time than talk to people. Sometimes I gotta pray before I talk to people every time. Because your ministry angels before me.

SPEAKER_02:

Right. I remember when um my 10-year-old was, he probably was like three or four. I love her heart. Now she she she's gonna pray. She's gonna pray for you, herself, and everybody else. She's gonna come to the table. She said, I actually got video of this. She was like, Do Tristan know God? I said, Oh, where's this going? That's my oldest. She was like, I just wanna make sure he knows God. She was like, I've been praying for him. Okay. I say he knows God, he knows God, right? But she had me questioning stuff, so I'm going, Tristan, you know God, right?

SPEAKER_01:

If you had to run back, like, let me go make sure he didn't.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Because we would growing up, my mom was the type of mom who was gonna pray for you in your sleep and put that oil on your forehead, scare you half to death, all that. You just like, oh geez, but you get used to it. Um little trauma as you get older, like, but that would that's who my mom was. She was she was a prayer warrior. She gonna we're gonna we're gonna pray, gonna pray through everything. Um, I think with with my kids, I I do pray. I cover them. I think where I could be more intentional is like praying more out loud with them, like collectively, like they'll hear me pray. Yeah, but we're about to pass the mic, you know what I'm saying? Like something like that, because I want them to be more confident in their relationship with God. Um, because I know Tristan could be a little bit more standoffish, he views the world very differently than most people, and that's a topic that I think um spiritually, yes, cover everything. I think he tries to he wants the Bible to be as realistic and as applicable. And I have to express to him like we we're not always gonna be able to see the world the same way God sees it. There's it's infinite, there's so much in this universe that we don't know and don't understand. Right. Um, and so for you with your human mind and human brain to try to like pick this apart to the extent that you try, it is gonna disturb you more than you know, lead you and heal you. So, you know, just trying to speak to him about his relationship and understanding of the universe and what science says versus you know our lived experiences. Yeah. Um, so I think what will help in that as well is just building up his confidence and his relationship with them um by praying more out loud together. So I I want to do better there, yeah for sure.

SPEAKER_01:

I think prayer um prayer gets confused sometimes, right? We think sometimes people think because I prayed, it's done. Which it is, like, right? You ask God, it's done. But God needs us to do our part too when we pray. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like we have to do our part. He told us to have the faith of a mustard seed, you gotta have that, and you have to apply your prayer. Like you can't just say, God, I got I'm sick. I need you to heal me. Yes, we want God to heal us, but God also wants us to do what we're supposed to do. Like, if that means, and this is me, if that means you need to go start working out more and being consistent with it, can't say, God, I want to lose weight, but I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna eat these sandwiches. I pray I lose weight, God. Drink that cup of sugar, and drink my cup of sugar over here, but then don't go to the gym and walk on that treadmill or walk that track, you know what I mean, or do those squats, whatever it takes. So it takes two, like yes, any relationship, yes, yes, it takes two. So you can pray, you can pray, you can pray, but faith without works is dead, so you can have that faith that God's gonna lead you to it, but you gotta do your part too.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, a lot of people are um they pick what they want to believe out the Bible, yeah. But uh pray, believe, and I shall receive when you know two of us agree, two or three of us agree, you know, like it's done. It's another verse, another verse in the Bible that you probably should make. You probably should like go read that one too. You ain't gonna make a recipe and only like make a cake and only use three of the ingredients that's supposed to be in the recipe when there's five.

SPEAKER_01:

Or you're gonna get the cake if you don't put it in the oven. You're not, you're not like you're just picking and choosing what you want, and then you don't get the outcome you expect because you're cherry picking, yes, so I was going through for like a year and a half um in this one situation, and I was praying, but God also showed me like if you better do something else too, like you gotta do your part, right? And when I tell you this is just my testimony, everything has turned around tremendously in this situation with my son, like like the whole perspective, his whole perspective. And I I constantly let this boy know, did you pray? Do you believe in God for it? Are you applying his word? Are you doing this? And now you can't get the boy to stop saying, because mom, you can't tell me that wasn't God. I can't tell me that wasn't God, and I'm just like, Yeah, so happy that you're not in, but now he just won't stop. Thank you, God, but now everything, mom, you're gonna tell me that wasn't God. You know, I'm gonna give you an example, right? He lost his ID badge for school, so he's like, Mom, going down there, get me a new ID badge. You know, the same time I'm going down there, some lady walking up with my ID badge, my old one. You can't tell me that wasn't God. You're right, son. I love this, you're right. So I pray, I pray, I pray, I pray nonstop. I pray, I pray for not just me, not just my kids, and I pray for everything attached to me, everything that I want detached from me, everything that I don't ever want to attach itself to me. Right, I just pray. And the thing is, another part of prayer, we just can't pray for ourselves all the time. Right, don't be a selfish prayer. Like, you gotta pray for other people and other things, just don't pray for material things, you know what I mean? Like, you have to no, I'm not perfect, no, I didn't write the Bible, no, no, no. But I trust God and I believe what I'm saying is what I wholeheartedly believe. You know what I mean? So, prayer, you have to extend that prayer, you have to get a little bit more deeper, and everybody, it's it takes time to know exactly what you need to say to God in a moment. Yeah, so um, you guys could take this from me. I always say, every time I end my prayer, I'm asking God, whoever, whatever I have not prayed for that you wanted me to pray for, Lord God, I lift those people or those things up to you. Take them. You know what I mean? Like that's what I do constantly. So we have to extend those prayers to the people around us, to our jobs, to everything. So don't be a selfish prayer. We know God know what you need, girl. God know what you need.

SPEAKER_02:

I will add that, you know, like prayer for me is like a daily practice. Um, like it's just how I communicate with him. So I could be cooking or cleaning up, and I'm just talking to God and communing with him. And yeah, and just having that conversation. And uh, it could be a thank you. It could be, you know, little things, but really building my relationship and my confidence in him, and you know, just trying to understand my path and my purpose a little bit more and better. Um, but also understand that it's very important to be intentional, like create, create that time where it's just you and him, where you've given him undivided attention because it is just like any other relationship. You have to pour into it to, you know, to get something out of it, something meaningful, something with longevity. Yep. Um, and so I'm just years ago, I was like, okay, I gotta be more intentional, gotta be more intentional when it comes to prayer. So I have my alarm on my phone when I'm praying. Mine is like eight o'clock though. Um, um, and then you know, setting up routines and other times of day as well. But yeah, I think prayer is so important. I just wish, you know, more people understood the power of prayer.

SPEAKER_01:

And honestly, if we never needed prayer as a nation, we need it right now. Sis, bro, uncle, auntie, grandma. Because people out here manipulating the Bible. Oh my gosh. People out here are manipulating the Bible.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, they bringing us, they're giving me memories of um when I learned about the slave Bible. So can we pray?

SPEAKER_01:

Because we all need to pray. Like as a nation, we need to pray for each other. We need to just keep our and this goes back to not being selfish with your prayers. Pray for those kids at the schools, don't just pray for your kids, pray for all the kids in the schools. Pray for your spouses and their colleagues that work in those prisons. Pray for the people who are overseas fighting for our country. Like, don't be selfish with those prayers, like, because we all need it. I don't know about y'all, but when stuff happens, certain things happen, I feel I feel compelled to like pray more for the world. Because I'm gonna tell you a little bit. I 85% of me don't really care about what's going on because my trust is in God. So I just like I that's none of that is gonna affect me. You know what God has for me and my people is not gonna miss us, and God gonna keep us protected. And I keep saying it, weapons may form, but they will not prosper in Jesus' name. So I don't really be too much worried about what y'all president out there be talking about. I don't be too much worried. I don't be too much worried, but we need to come together and pray.

SPEAKER_02:

Some of us are called to, you know, prayer, like and some people, I mean, everyone should have a prayer life to some extent. Um, but yeah, you may find like in this time, you being called to to do that. Like, there's been moments in my life where God called me to do certain things, even around prayer. Um, I remember I lost a very close friend of mine, and um, we used to call him nine and uh E9. Wow, memories. But I did a nine day of prayer after his fasting. Um, and I was called to do that. So I opened up the phone lines, got, you know, the community and people on the phone, and just, you know, had pastors and ministers that I have relationships with to jump on and pray. Um, it was healing for me personally because it was a friend. I know it was healing to others as well. Yeah. Because you just God like when God calls us to do something, sometimes you just gotta do it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, even when you don't want to. Yeah. Yeah. Even when you don't want to. I feel like he's speaking to you. He's speaking to you. And there's been situations where you know there there can be situations where you know God has called you to do it, but you get a no from the people that you have to you have to get the approval from, right? To do it.

SPEAKER_02:

So you gotta find another way to do it. Yeah, but sometimes God just wants to see if we're gonna be obedient.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So you just ask them, you want me to still do this or what?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Uh-huh. So, you know, and in those instances, I found other ways to get to get to, you know, what God wanted me to do.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. And if he if he calls you to something, he'll make a way. Yeah. He'll make a way. He said a tunnel.

SPEAKER_01:

Yep. Got right through there. Got right through that tunnel. Sure did. But yes, we all need to pray. It's so important. Like, we play all day long, all day long. And the thing about us that I do like is that we ain't on here trying to tell y'all that we holier than thou. Yeah, no, none of that. We every day is every day.

SPEAKER_02:

Like, we're just gonna try a little harder.

SPEAKER_01:

But we know where our our strength comes from, yes, and we pray, and we don't play about God, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Cause that turn the other cheek one was hard for a long time. I said, now who's supposed to do that? Like, is they I'm looking for the rest of the chapter, girl. I was like, so when do you start turning the other cheek? Like, what God? So supposed to have somebody just laughing.

SPEAKER_01:

And you gotta pray for your enemies.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, true, because the level of prayer God gave me for some people in my life who wasn't even yes, you gotta pray for enemies, but who wasn't even an enemy yet. But I had to knew he knew, he knew, and I had to, I had to, you know, the level of protection God gives you when you do that, bro. He oh Jesus, he will reroute something else coming towards you, reroute it right around you.

SPEAKER_01:

Yep, I pray for my my main enemy, Erica. You have the devil. I'll be praying for you, Satan. Get up off me, get away from me, Satan. Get behind me.

SPEAKER_02:

Which y'all, what how y'all prayer life look? I um actually knew somebody who had um created their whole prayer room. I don't have like an extra room to like maybe my craft room should have been my prayer. God, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01:

In Jesus' name, please give me that when I buy when I close on my house in the next couple months. God, in Jesus' name. I need a space. I'm about to make a corner.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm just saying, got my corner for you.

SPEAKER_01:

I got PTSD.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, sorry. Oops. Oh, you really thought I was gonna throw this hard thing at you? Yes, that's PTSD. If I was, it's gonna be real soft. It was gonna hurt though. I wouldn't have if I threw it, it'll be like PTSD deactivate. If I was gonna throw it. I wouldn't throw that at you, though. If it was like a soft little ball, Jesus. Okay, well, if we learn something new every day, domestic violence highlights. Okay, it's gonna be okay. Yeah, we're gonna take the whole the whole part out with it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, please. Okay, yeah, but anyway, um, yeah, you need to create that space for yourself, yeah. Maybe get you a she shed.

SPEAKER_02:

I thought about she sheds. You know how people got a prayer closet? My closet got way too much stuff in it. But when I had started redoing my closet, I was in love with my closet so much that I was like, this is gonna be my prayer closet. So I'm gonna go in my closet. I turn around, I look around, I said, No, it ain't closet. Nope. I like everything in here, but I can't be here praying. I might be in there praying for more clothes or something.

SPEAKER_01:

Pray for a bigger closet. No, this is what we're gonna do. I got a corner though. When I close my house, my wherever my prayer closet is, just let me know when you uh need it. You can go in there. I am cracking.

SPEAKER_02:

That's all you could just use mine. Well, my prayer would be that well, I have I can get more space. There's ways to get more space, so um, yeah, I think that God will make a provision for it. But I mean, it's house. Listen, it's it's little nooks and crannies in it. Yeah, like little closets like that. Mm-hmm. I should not be complaining about space. It's the most space I ever had. It's freaking fire.

SPEAKER_01:

You have different closets that you could do, a prayer closet.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I do. I do it in the garage. Well, actually, I did think about that because I was um, I told you I wanted to clean out and like make a gym area. Because Dom literally has all the stuff, but when we're consolidating and move and stuff, it's just like, yeah, it's not junk. I don't want to call it junk, but some of our stuff. Yeah. So, but um, because I I like to like I need a space, I want to say to do yoga, but like to just stretch, meditate, and stuff, put my mat down and everything. I'm thinking that I might be able to use that as that, honestly. Um, and I want to get my garage insulated.

SPEAKER_01:

My current prayer closet is my car. Girl, I can sit in my car all day long. Right.

SPEAKER_02:

And something about it, it's just so peaceful. God be doing that. I be in there watching movies since TV sometimes.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know. I just be in here like this. It just be so peaceful. Then I look in my rearview mirror, there goes Tyler. Like Candyman. Gary. Just pop up. Yeah. Who told you to come out here and to write my face? I wasn't even ready for you. Exactly. But yes, so um, we're gonna leave you with all right.

SPEAKER_02:

This, all right, yes, all right.

SPEAKER_01:

Make sure you pray.

SPEAKER_02:

You got this, and it don't gotta be perfect, but you gotta. There's no such thing as a perfect prayer. Nope. Just start that conversation, start spending time with God, build that relationship, build that prayer muscle. You got it, you talk to him, he's gonna speak back.

SPEAKER_01:

Maybe not right away, but he will. And then sometimes he'll speak back so fast, you'll be like, Dang God. Right. That was you, big bro. He be doing stuff.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, all right.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, everybody have a great week. Um stay prayed up. Don't forget to buy me a buy her a coffee. Buy me a tea. Or just buy her a coffee. We're gonna dilute it.

SPEAKER_02:

Girl, I got my tea right here. So I don't know if I'm gonna want a coffee or a tea. But buy us a coffee, and if we don't want a coffee that day, we'll get a tea. We'll get a tea. There you go.

SPEAKER_01:

All right, bye.

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Desiree Underwood-Williams

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