Skimming back through books on prayer

I have 3 books about prayer that I have just pulled out. It's been a long time since I've read them, but I am going back now through the things I underlined.

Book 1: Discerning the Voice of God; How to Recognize When God is Speaking, by Priscilla Shirer

I read this in 2012. And I know this because at the end of the first chapter I wrote down major things I was praying for in 2012. Oh, and it was August 1, almost exactly 2 years ago from now. And God has said, "Not yet," or "No," to 4 out of 5 of those things. The last one is more of a work in progress throughout my whole life.

"I mean, come on, do you really think He loved you enough to die for you, but not enough to talk to you?"

"Expect the mercy of confirmation. Look for God's use of circumstances, Scripture, and other believers to confirm His direction in your life."

"The Holy Spirit was going out of His way to communicate the exact same message to me, over and over again, causing it to rind increasingly true within my heart a His voice spoke from inside and confirmed it outside."

"You'll know it's the voice of God when His persistent, personal word to you leaves you with a sense of peace and assurance all the way around."

"When a young Saul lost track of his donkey in the Old Testament, he had no idea that this inconvenience would lead him to the prophet who was to anoint him king over Israel."

"Rest in the knowledge that God has a plan for your current circumstances that were prepared before you were born."

Book 2: Handle With Prayer, by Charles Stanley

2011 was when this book was written, and I'm pretty sure I read it that year.

"Most of the time we pray, 'Get me out of here!' We want to avoid suffering and difficulty. When we do run into a trial or difficulty, we ask God to change our circumstances so we can serve Him better and love Him more. Most of us aren't that patient. We're more intent about getting out of our circumstances than we are on finding out what greater things God wants to show us. But the Father never allows difficulty just for the sake of difficulty - there is always a higher purpose involved."
BOOM.

"We are all interested in answered prayer, but our seemingly unanswered prayers have led many of us not to expect God to respond every time we pray. In fact, when a prayer is answered, we are surprised."

"God desires we seek His face, not just His hand."

"When we do not know what God thinks about our requests, we have a right to ask Him. When we pray without understanding, we aren't wasting our time, as satan would have us believe. Part of the Holy Spirit's task is to guide us into the truth of how we should pray. But He will only do this if we are praying."

I will get to the third book later, it's too late now, lol. But this was good stuff to go back and read, and think on tomorrow while I wash 7 hours of dishes. :-)