When praying about what I should write this reflection about, the clear call was prayer. So, I’m going to share with you my life around prayer. I don’t remember how I learned to pray. I do remember praying for most of my life.
I remember saying prayers before bed and before meals. I remember praying at school to start the day, praying at mass as a student at St. Agnes church and school and as a congregation at mass on Sundays. I remember knowing it was my way to talk to God and believing strongly that I was heard by God when I prayed.
When I was in sixth grade, one of my classmate’s younger brother died after an accident. I was praying in my bedroom for the baby and the family. I was asking that God bring him back to life. My mother walked into my room and talked to me about embalming and that the little one no longer had blood in his veins and so he couldn’t come back to life. I remember looking at her and boldly saying, “Mom, this is God we are talking about. He can do anything!” I don’t remember being upset that my friend’s little brother didn’t return to life, however, I do remember thinking God must know what he was doing. “Talking to Jesus” by Elevation Worship.
Fast forward more than few years we found ourselves in Chandler where we ended up helping start an Episcopal mission church in Tempe. Our priest was a young spirit filled man and was bold in his teachings on life in the Spirit, prayer, and walking with the Trinity. I was challenged to pray out loud (not something I felt comfortable doing at that time), I was asked to join the prayer chain, and we became very active members of a Spirit filled church where I saw and experienced things that grew my faith, my vision of worship, and above all my prayer life with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
At that church, I grew leaps and bounds in my prayer life. I learned to pray with others, I learned to pray for the world, for my/our enemies, I learned that our God is a God who listens to our prayers, mine, yours, and the world’s. Listen to this song that really shares how I understand our God and prayer. “God Who Listens” by Chris Tomlin
I hope that you can boldy lift your prayers to God’s throne in the name of Jesus. I also learned that when I was able to lose myself in worship that God would be right there and that He had things to share with me. I found an ability to pray through praise and worship music. I found that spending time in nature and praising God for the gifts and blessings he gives us is a way of prayer that opens a connection to the Lord that never stops amazing me.
Recently, I found myself deeply in need of praying for someone special in my life but not able to come up with a prayer. I prayed to God, “I don’t know what to pray. This is bigger than any words I have.” A little bit later I took a drive in the car and this came on—an answer to my very simple prayer. “In Jesus Name” by Katy Nicole.
I pray for you that my sharing would encourage you in your life with Christ and your life in prayer. May we all continue to grow closer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.