how to start a prayer

We have a tiny little box of routine things we’re willing to ask God for, and we take on everything else — our questions, our frustrations, our dreams — on our own. Half the time I don’t even recognize when it is happening, but being able to go back and read the progress has only given me more faith and confidence that God is always listening to our prayers. You need God in and through prayer more than you need anything else.

Consider starting a prayer journal, where you write down your prayers in a notebook each day. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:21–23). Starting our mornings with prayer reinforces our mind, body, and spirit with a sense of calmness, gratitude, and joy to help us maintain a positive perspective through our daily tasks. Please give me a measure of your love today; give me the strength to endure this trial.Thank you for your love for me that never ends! Jesus says,“Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

Amen.Source: An Ancient Collect, fifth century; Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953Thank You for a new day.

“Pray for my co-worker whose dad passed away last week.” Or, “Pray for my grandmother who’s back in the hospital, again.” It’s not wrong by any means (we Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). And thank you for the crown of joy that awaits me forever in your Kingdom! With reverence and awe, be a son or a daughter, and listen well.Often when people ask how they can pray for me, I immediately try to assess if I have any unusual needs right now (like, this minute). Awaken me to the wonder of Your salvation, and quicken my spirit to the reality of Your work in my life.Lord, my mind is filled with creative ideas, but they’re all jumbled. A few years ago, I saw a friend in passing. Pray however you feel inclined but mine usually sounds like this:“God, thank you for giving me this time to step away from the busyness and spend time with you. Absolutely not. It is a great place to start, but God’s word gives us so much more material for our prayer lives. If I don’t, I start to think about people close to me that do. Also includes info and resources to obtain 501c3 nonprofit status. They’re just meant to keep the consistent people in our life consistently before us in prayer. Further down is a simple request to God for his protection and that the learning environment would be a fun and enjoyable place to be. I’ve always known God, will until I started my prayer journal, I had never had a relationship with Him. If the unrighteous judge could not ignore her, how much more will our heavenly Father hear us?Don’t think now about praying for that need or desire for decades. Energize me for Your work, because You know how tired these bones are. Prayer is talking to God, and when we talk to God, we should expect a response.

Thank you that we don't have to earn a drop of the mighty river of grace that flows freely for us today. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Prayer doesn’t fit into an Excel sheet quite as easily.God means for your life — married or unmarried, student or employee, young or old — to run on the power of prayer.