Prayer
Prayer
Try some new (and ancient) ways of hearing God, abiding in him, and seeking his will.
Want to learn to hear God’s voice?
Sometimes prayer can feel like a mystery. You might not be sure what to say, what to ask for, or how to tell God’s thoughts from your own. We’ve come up with some ways to help simplify your prayer life, so you can experience God as a friend you can have a conversation with. We really believe that God still speaks, and he longs for us to hear him. We hope these practices will help you recognize his voice in your everyday life.
Level 1: Novice
Try “breath prayer” with some phrases from scripture: “Be still… and know that I am God,” or, “Speak, Lord… for your servant is listening.” (Try it here!).
Make a habit of taking morning prayer walks, talking to God about the day ahead before you do anything else.
Keep a prayer journal for the month, writing out your requests, and reviewing them at the end of the month.
Try out these short, daily prayers from the Book of Common Prayer.
Level 2: Apprentice
Pray through scripture through the practice of Lectio Divina.
Make a nightly practice of praying “The Examen.”
Pick a mundane activity, like doing the dishes or taking a shower, and consider that to be a mini “prayer time” in your day.
Each week this month, ask someone how you can pray for them, and commit to it!
Level 3: Master
Using the Psalms as inspiration, write your own “psalm;” an honest prayer to God of thanksgiving, confession, adoration, lamentation, or all of the above!
Try “silent prayer,” simply sitting in silence with God, for 10 minutes.
Organize a prayer group, gathering together to try one of these practices, or simply to pray for each other’s needs.
Try “Imaginative prayer,” a way of meeting God in scripture through our imagination. Here’s a guided audio experience of the prayer.