From Eileen Z in Does anyone else have a favorite prayer in times of darkness? "I always need prayer! We all do. Some days are more in the shadows than the light. But so many signs of the presence of God in my life continually remind and reassure me that my prayers from the past and present, and the prayers and good wishes of others are at work. I suspect I'm in the light more than I realize! But, I struggle to sit and go to that quiet place, inside myself - so knowing someone else is thinking of me to "sit still and be quiet" would be a help!"
From The Silver Pearl in Turning your complaints into prayers "By addressing your grievances to a power greater than yourself, you transform your worries into supplications, inviting divine compassion to soften the edges of your concerns, turning infinite grievance into infinite possibilities.
In the words of Larry Dossey, a doctor who applied scientific research to the efficacy of prayer on his patients: 'In its simplest form, prayer is an attitude of the heart -- a matter of being, not doing. Prayer is the desire to contact the Absolute, however it may be conceived. When we experience the need to enact this connection, we are praying, whether or not we use words.'
Oddly enough, you don’t have to believe that this works for it to be effective. You don’t even have to feel worthy for it to work. In fact, there is a rich mystical tradition that contends that it is your very awareness of your undeservedness that makes your prayer potent. In the texts of many faith traditions, it is often the unlikeliest candidate who is afforded the benefits of prayer. A sheepherder, stuttering on a mountaintop. A beggar woman, reaching out secretly to touch a sacred hem."
"Lord, I don't know how to pray.
I clearly hear you say:
"Pray anyway."
Lord, thank you for this day.
I clearly hear you say:
"That's the way to pray."
From graceann in Many ways to pray "For me, prayer has always been an integral part of my life. I could not function without it. I am a Christian and my prayers are directed at Jesus and God. My prayers seem to be more like a conversation, no matter where I am or what I am doing. I may be on a walk, or driving a car, or in the kitchen cooking, I am constantly praying. My prayers are mostly “thank you” even when I’m asking for a specific result. For instance, if I am praying for a sick friend I may say “Thank you Jesus for healing ——..” I seldom ask, and most of my prayers are “Thank you —-.” I may repeat the same prayer many times during the day. This sometimes may even seem similar to chanting. I find this relaxing and also comforting.
There is no right or wrong, and I don’t believe anyone has the correct formula for reaching God."
From fayetteSIPP in How many women are meditating that use this site? "I have lived by prayer and some form of meditation as long as i can remember towards 4 years old no older than five...the time line of the house i lived in after birth.
The one thing was an active and creative mind, I always felt if I had the people power I could create for hours at a time on a daily basis....thus after a world wind change after the age of 45, I did so much so fast that I needed a "jubilee" to rest my mind and I prayed for help...all of a certain I met nothing but Zen-like and Buddhist type people who began to come into my life....and just in time for my "darkest night of the soul." experience. Meditation an chanting saved me from so much that I am very grateful. I have not mastered meditation but it is important in my life and with it I don't need medications or drugs when things get hectic or seemingly unbearable. I always used my poetry to settle my soul and my prayer to go..I created a chant that works for me....Peace Health , Wealth and Lcve for all people, and love for me."
From Lorri in Boomer women look to spirituality (not success) for peace "I learned to practice gratitude a couple of decades ago and have been really good at that, but I have yet to bring God into my day-to-day decision-making, mainly because I used to think it was sacreligious to bend God's ear toward my own good. Prayer was reserved for others mostly, never for myself. No wonder I have had such a hard time in life getting the results I wanted -- I was operating as a one-woman show when all these years I needn't have been."
From sister60 in Boomer women look to spirituality (not success) for peace "Our world is full of angels and spirits just waiting for us to pray so they can go to work for us. This doesn't mean we can jump off a cliff and will be saved by an angel. We still have freedom of choice. Ultimately, I believe God is in charge, but he did send his angels and spirits of those that have gone before us, to watch over us."
From falkonlady in Boomer women look to spirituality (not success) for peace "I pray about many things but realize more now that we really need to pray and ALSO ACT, because God is pleased with faith. I believe God can open doors, but it is also up to us to open a door and let Him prove himself to us as we are acting in faith and trusting him to supply our needs. I like to 'just do it' as far as doing things to help myself, but find that I need the wisdom of God's word and also pray for the protection of His Spirit and angels that are sent to help and protect us. People who only trust in an institution are always bound to be disappointed in it as an organization."
My favorite quote on prayer is, "This then is how you should pray; 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' " It is simple and to the point, without alot of hoopla. =]
I have been a prayer warrior for over 10 years. I can't imagine anyone not knowing the Good Lord and praying each day. Miracles happen every day, big and small!!!
I also am a prayer warrior and I have to say that I really agree with you! I have seen so many miracles, big and small, happen to me as well as to others. There is no such thing as coincidence or luck. It's the power of God that makes things happen. When we pray, we invite God's presence and power into a situation. which allows the impossible to happen.
Both my husband and I lost our jobs in late 2009. I am on the verge of desperation, and feel depressed and very stressed. A man who delivers wood for our wood stove came to our home yesterday. We invited him for a cup of coffee. He is a humble man, native of Guatemala. I asked him to please hold the check for a couple of days until our unemployment money comes. Not a problem he said. In fact, he brought us a truckload of wood and told us to not worry about paying him now--he would wait. We were touched. He talked to me for over four hours. He spoke about God and His infinite mercy. The hours went by so fast, the conversation was so fascinating I didn't care. I mainly listened since this man does not speak English and I speak Spanish. At the end of our visit, this "angel" as I call him, prayed for us. Asked God in very simple words to help us, to help our marriage and to take away the stress and worries from us. We both felt so good after he left. I learned that you simply speak to God. No written prayers from a book. He told me to always praise God first for all the wonderful things he has done for us, then ask HIM to hold our hand and guide us in the right path. This "angel" taught me in 4 hours such interesting passages from the Bible and left me with this feeling that something good will come our way. I am praying just by speaking with God now.
Our situation continues the same. God has always been here for us, and although we don't have jobs yet, He is providing for us. I continue to praise Him for all the wonderful things He does for us daily, for our health, the safety of our children and grandchildren and family. I know that miracles do happen and we patiently wait for God to repair our lives when the changes in our economy takes place. Praise God's name!
Judy, I pray that things get better for you and your husband.
Do you have a church family? I know that sounds "trite", but if you don't, it would be tremendously helpful for you to find a church where you can go each week and feel welcome, refreshed, and find peace in WHATEVER situation you are in (whether good, bad, or in between). That man from Guatemala didn't happen to end up at your house by some stroke of luck. God will hear you-no fancy prayers etc. He just wants you to seek him- and if you do, you WILL find Him and the PEACE that He brings!
My favorite Bible verse is: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5&6
Thank you so much for your encouraging message Mary. We do go to church, not as often as I would like. And I do need to go to a church where I feel welcome by the people. I belong to a Catholic church and the service is always pretty much the same, and I feel that I truly don't know anybody there. I have attended services at churches, not Catholic, and the warmth and welcoming was truly amazing. My husband was born and raised Catholic and refuses to even set foot in any other church. My health has deteriorated a bit lately. I think stress begins to take a toll when we find ourselves in situations such as ours now. I am very depressed, and I have not been proud of some of the thoughts I've even contemplated. I am a polio victim since I was 2 yrs of age, and although God was there and my case was very mild, I still suffer with post-polio pains etc. In addition, my good leg now has arthritis and might need a partial knee replacement. If this happens it will render me totally incapacitated since I could not even walk at all. I ask God to spare me from that. I continue to have faith and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
HI AFTER I READ THIS I FEEL IN MY HEART THAT THIS PERSON WAS AN ANGEL SENT FROM GOD TO HELP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO HAVE HOPE AGAIN. YES THERE ARE MANY SIGNS AND WONDERS ALL OVER THE WORLD OF GOD'S MIRACLES. HAVE A BLESSED AND SAFE 2010. YELLOWROSE
Meister Eckhart, a 15th century mystic, said "if the only prayer you utter is thank you, it is enough". Since I learned that quote I don't ask God for anything. I know that when I thank God the best possible thing in each situation is set in motion. I also know that I don't know what is best. Thank You has helped me through some tough times knowing that God is in charge and all will be well, even when I can't understand or see how these things will work out.
THANK YOU! In all meanings of the statement.A wise friend once said to me "Prayers are always answered. The answer is one of the following:Yes, No, Not yet."
Prayer is simply expressing our thoughts to God. It is fellowship with our Heavenly Father/ Holy Spirit/Jesus. I love putting my mind around Him being here, right now, listening and shareing with me just like I do for Him. Prayer is just communication, and I do alot of communicating in every room in every circumstance, in everyday living.
Jesus said, "If you call on me, I will asnwer and show you great and mighty things." I am up for seeing what God is up to, aren't you. This morning in dovotions with my husband he read from Amos 4:13 "He is the Mountain-shaper and the Wind-maker" I loved that, what a great God He is!!, certainly more than able to take care of me and you.
St Francis Asis: Lord make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hate that I put love, where there is resentment, forgivness..... where there is darkness, light an so on, beautiful, the most beautiful prayer.
I just want to Know God very closely and dearly. He is real and His Word is Alive to me. Just want to know all that I can about Him as much as is humanly possible for me to me. Just enjoy my Lord and Saviour. I pray for those in Haiti that God will help them and that I can contribute my help also in some way.
This year our church has commited to praying 10 minutes per day (each person)...Yes some people pray way more, but this was a campaign to encourage all people to pray atleast 10 mins a day. When you think about it-that is not a tall order. We called it Pray 10. I love it! I do pray. But this encouraged me to SET ASIDE 10 minutes per day for concentrated prayer. Over 1000 people go to our church and there is one specific request we include in our prayers each day. It will be exciting to see at the end of 2010 what God will do as we agree together in our prayers. (Side note: at the beginning of the year we all wrote down a personal request we would pray for each day on a post card. They were collected, nobody will read them, and at the end of the year our church is going to mail them to us. It's pretty cool)....Pray 10 everyone! 10 minutes per day in 2010-Who knows, you may develop a great "habit"
This week I had one of those hit the wall day...where I was just fussing about everything and nothing...then I remembered....everything in my life is a gift from God...tht is how I believe in poor in spirit...and so I only have one goft to give back and that is my will...so I turned it over again...It is so interesting how when we are down in the valley, in the fertilizer, how we grow...than you for listening....
I love my quiet time and I spend a lot of time alone. "Thy will be done (within me) The Lord's prayer says it all for me with Isaiah 50:4-5 being one of my favorite scriptures.
