"Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished...

...Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything...

...God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature." My Utmost For His Highest

My inner nature. Recently I revisited the idea of personality typing. Hitherto, I had been scornful of it because I personally have a weakness for that sort of thing. I am extremely self-focused naturally and when I get wrapped up in figuring myself out, I lose focus on the only One who really knows me. When I became a Christian, the Lord changed me so dramatically that I figured any work I had done on understanding myself had just been totally blown out of the water. Besides, God made me, is molding me, and will make me into the Laura He predestined from the beginning of time (if I let Him).

BUT, all that said, I did find the test a helpful tool for one primary reason: it reminded me that I'm not alone in my particular brand of crazy. In my introspective moments, I habitually suffer the illusion that my personality is innately ungodly. I strongly feel that as maturing Christians, our soul's "fingerprint" will be different from one another while still growing in righteous character. So the extreme introvert, once submitted to God, will have close friends and purpose to love others, will focus on Christ over self, and will make bold moves when called. Likewise, the extreme extrovert, once submitted, will learn to be still alone with the Lord, to serve out of the spotlight, and focus inward occasionally to do personal inventory before God. So we are not limited, or pigeonholed by our types. Nor are we a total match to any one type. So yes, I still think these tests can be sorely misused. But yes, I'm also able to say once again that it can be a useful tool. I am an INTP. I spent some time trying to figure out the labels for the people I love... Fun :). Just don't linger here, Laura...

Father, thank You for making me different. I do love different. But thank You also that there are more of "my kind" out there suffering with the same weaknesses, and enjoying the same strengths. I praise You that You have given me a partner who appreciates me. It gives You more believability when You say You delight in me! Sometimes it's hard to believe! BUT I BELIEVE YOU, LORD! I'm believing You for so much more than I ever have. I praise You for that. What a blessed lifeline. Lord, You know my day. You know the challenges ahead before I face them. I place them all before You. Especially the drive for perfection today as I prepare for company. Help dinner go well. Knit us together in love, give us self-control over our speech, help us lift each other up. May I be repulsed by any opportunity to share any of the glory that comes as a result of believing You hereafter. Glory belongs to You alone! I love you, Jesus, Father, Spirit! Thank you in advance for taking care of it - I know You will. Fill me. I cannot live today without You.