From Shy to Secure: The Power of Prayer

When I was a child, I attended a Lutheran church with my family. I believed that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, but I didn't know all of the promises that were available to me through Him.

Every night, my dad would pray with me:

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Angels watch me through the night and wake me with the morning light."

But I would always add one more request at the end:

"Lord, please help me have a good self-image and be confident."

Looking back, I am thankful that at a young age I knew to ask the Lord for help.

As a child and teenager, I found my identity in academics, sports, and the opinions of others. One statement I heard repeatedly was, "Oh sweet Melissa, you are just so shy." Melissa means honeybee – sweet was part of the design. But somewhere along the way, “sweet and shy” became the way others saw me, and I accepted shy as my identity. God created me with sweetness, but also with boldness, purpose, and a voice. Shy was never the whole story. It eventually became excuses not to do certain things.

The Lord always hears our prayers. On May 7, 2007, my identity shifted from being a shy girl to understanding who I was in Christ. This was the day I accepted Jesus into my heart.

In 2007, my boyfriend—now my husband—became involved with a business team that introduced me to the promises of God along with many personal development books. The list is endless, but the topics included leadership, self-confidence, mindset, parenting, prayer, marriage, and working with others.

That journey began reshaping who I was and how I saw myself. Even today, I am still a work in progress, but I no longer place my worth in what other people think.

In 2018, the Lord placed it on my heart to start a photography business. There was probably a moment of doubt, but I acted quickly and took action. Starting this new adventure required me to face fear, but I did it anyway.

When the Lord tells you to do something and you are obedient, He blesses your obedience! Even now, I still get nervous from time to time, but it's usually because I want to serve my clients well and create work that glorifies Him.

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." — Isaiah 1:19

Jesus told His disciples:

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." — Matthew 26:41

Jesus calls His followers to stay spiritually awake, remain aware, and stay connected to God through prayer. It’s a powerful reminder that prayer is not passive. It keeps our hearts prepared and strengthened.

Recently, I read the book Warrior Chick by Holly Wagner. In it, she mentioned the Prayer of Jabez. Truthfully, I wasn't familiar with this prayer. After 19 years of following Christ, I am still learning new things all the time.

The Prayer of Jabez

"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." — 1 Chronicles 4:10

Jabez's name means pain or sorrow. What makes Jabez remarkable is that he didn't allow his name or circumstances to define him. Instead, he called on God and prayed for blessing, God's presence, expanded influence, and protection from evil.

We don't know much about Jabez, but the emphasis of his story is his faith and relationship with God. His life reminds us that our past, our circumstances, and even the labels others place on us do not determine our future when we seek God.

So… Watch, because we live in a fallen world where our enemy seeks to devour.

Pray. Listen. Take action. Expect. And Praise the Lord.

Early in my walk with Christ, one of my mentors taught me to speak out loud:

"Come, Holy Spirit. Direct my every move. I follow the voice of my Good Shepherd, and the voice of a stranger I will not follow."

When I was asked to write this blog, my first thought was, "I'm not a very strong writer. What do I have to share that would help someone?"

Praise God, I can now recognize the stranger's voice and quickly tell it to be quiet.

God doesn't call the qualified—He qualifies the called. And often, He begins by asking us to simply pray, listen, and obey.