What is prayer?  Do you know the answer to this question? Many of us were never taught how to pray or we were taught a very formal type of prayer.  There is nothing wrong with a formal prayer, but many of us felt distanced from God and Jesus with all of the "Thee's" and "Thou's". I have discovered over the years that prayer can take on many forms.  I believe that prayer can be simply talking to Jesus as if taking to a best friend. I carry on conversations with Jesus during the day as if Jesus were right in front of me having a cup of coffee with me, sharing my day with me.   It is a dialogue between us so that I feel he really knows me and what I am going through every day.  This is important to me so that when I do go through something difficult, it isn't hard for me to ask him for help because I know that he already knows me and my situation.  I can and do get angry with him..and he can take it.  Jesus would rather we talk to him about our anger than not talk to him at all!  I also know that I can cry on his shoulder..and he will put his loving arms around me to comfort me. Keep open the lines of communication like the text messaging on your phone, or you might miss out on an important message from God. There are three (3) responses to prayer: Yes, No, and Not Now.  Keep that in mind when you pray and don't get discouraged.  What you perceive as "No" might just be "Not Now".  Remember, God's timing is different than ours.  He wants the best for us and he and only he can see the big picture.  Never lose faith in that!  Just like in Carrie Underwood's song "Jesus Take The Wheel", life always seems to work out better when we let him take the driver's seat and let him guide us in our daily lives.  That includes not trying to grab the steering wheel out of his hands and trying to wrestle it away from him constantly!  I know I do that a lot!  Things get pretty messed up when I am trying to drive the car of life!  I have crashed and burned many times!!

I also believe that prayer or communicating with God can take place through Nature.  When you are in the woods, observing the beauty of God's creation, there is definitely something holy about it.  God definitely takes care of his animals and it is said that God loves people far more than anything else.  How can we doubt his faithfulness to us?  Go to the forest and listen to the wind in the trees..the sound of the river rushing over the rocks..you can almost hear God's voice speaking to you, comforting you..saying that he is in control and that everything will be alright.  If you watch animals such as rabbits, squirrels, etc., they are not stressed.  Birds are not stressed.  It is only human beings that are stressed.  Animals know that they will be taken care of.  God keeps his eye on the sparrow... an old song that still rings true today.

Meditation,  Have you tried it? When you think of meditation, you probably think of it's eastern origin.  It is another way to pray.  How?  By centering oneself and opening yourself to listening to God's quiet small voice that you otherwise might miss in today's loud, busy world. For me, in order to meditate, I need to have a "sacred space" which consists of an alter where I place candles, a cross, sandlewood oil, and a CD player which plays South American music with a pan flute. Everyone's "sacred space" is different.  What is important is that you have a space that you can call your own,  If you are a teenager, fix a small area in your room that is off limits to everyone else! I then play my relaxing CD and begin to relax my body from the top of my head and work down by tensing and relaxing every part of my body until I reach the soles of my feet.  It is important for you to take your time.  As you become better at this, it will take you less time to become relaxed. When you are in your relaxed state, listen for God's quiet voice.  If you have a question for a problem, put it out there and then quiet your mind and await a response.  Need prayers for special help?  If so, go to www.prayers-for-special-help.com Papa Prayer : The Prayer Youve Never Prayed Most christians pray as though they believe communication with God flows in only one direction-we ask God for things and hope He gives us what we want or think we need. Bestselling author and teach Dr. Larry Crabb challenges that notion of prayer and offers a fresh perspective that is sure to revitalize even the most frustrated prayer life. When listeners apply the principles of The Papa Prayer, they will experience the power of prayer like they never dreamed possible. Listening Prayer : Learning To Hear Gods Voice And Keep A Prayer Journal In an age of noise, confusion, and hurry, we often don't hear the voice of God. But listening prayer can add a new dimension to the way one's soul comprehends the great disciplines.It's perfectly amazing how God not only answers prayer, but how our very mode of praying has the power to change our lives," says Leanne Payne. Over twenty thousand readers have already learned how to improve their prayer life through Listening Prayer. Now available in paperback, this book explores the roadblocks that keep us from hearing God's healing word and sets forth a road map for conducting listening prayer. Drawing on years of experience through her ministry of personal healing, Payne gives helpful instructions on how to begin a prayer journal. This book is intended to be practical and easy to use, writes the author. My hope is that it will quickly usher you into a fuller prayer life. 31 Days Of Prayer For My Teen A simple, down-to-earth guide to prayer for teenagers that faces real issues--but moreover helps parents trust God with the lives of their teens.

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