Prayer - What Do I Say?

Some of us want to pray, but we aren't sure what to say.

This article by Jerry Webber provides a helpful overview of types of prayer. If you are struggling with "what to say" in prayer, it might be a good time to try a different form of prayer. This article was found on the web site of Chapelwood UMC in Houston.

At its most basic, prayer is communication. Perhaps more accurately, prayer is an act of communion in which we present ourselves to God just as we are. The very words communion and communication denote that there is interaction.

Prayer is not a one-way street, comprised only of what we find to say to God. In fact, God initiates the conversation. In prayer we find ourselves first listening to God, then responding to what God has said to us.

You also might think of prayer as paying attention to God. Having an attitude of alertness to the presence of God, not only in formal periods of prayer or in times of corporate worship, but in the way we live all of life, is a way of prayer that often is neglected. There are those who believe that growth in the life of prayer means enlarging our capacity to pay attention to God in all areas of our lives.

There are any number of ways to pray. Some seem more natural for certain individuals, and other ways seem right to others. And most of us find that as our praying lives evolve through the years so do our own ways of communing with God. Rarely does a person’s prayer remain the same for a lifetime.

Some people, then, gravitate more to intercessory prayer; that is, praying for the needs of others. Such pray-ers bring requests to God for the well-being of others. They intercede on behalf of others.

Other persons feel a first impulse to praise God, bringing their uplifted hearts into the presence of God in adoration.

Still others are drawn to simple conversation with God, bringing their thoughts and actions to God continually.

Then there are those who are drawn to more contemplative prayer forms. These persons find God’s presence most deeply experienced in silence and listening. They prepare themselves to receive from God, using prayer forms such as centering prayer to enter into communion with God.

There are those who use the Scriptures for prayer, hearing in God’s Word an initiating word to which they are then invited to respond. Prayer forms such as lectio divina and meditation on Scripture enable such persons to hear God then respond with their praying lives.

Some use a breath prayer, keeping some short petition (perhaps a phrase from Scripture) on their heart and mind through all the activities of the day.

And there are other forms of prayer, to be sure. The most important thing about prayer is not the form or method you use, but that you do it, that you stick with it, and that you allow God to work in and through your life for his purposes in the world.

Those who are beginning in prayer often find it helpful to pray in the Psalms. The Psalms of the Old Testament are the Bible’s prayer book. They express a full range of human circumstances and emotion. It can be helpful to pray through some Psalms. Note how the pray-ers in the Psalms bring themselves just as they are to God . . . sometimes in praise, sometimes in intercession, sometimes with anger in their hearts, and sometimes in deep need of forgiveness.

Is It Acceptable to Pause Tithing in Tough Financial Times? - article by Dave Ramsey

Is it acceptable to pause tithing in tough financial times?? Dave Ramsey addresses these and other questions in this article:

Dave's Advice on Tithing and Giving (CLICK HERE)

10 Days - 10 Mission Projects - Click each day and contributions are made!

Beginning 10/10/10 - go to this site every day for 10 days and learn about a different mission project.

10 FOLD - 10 Days - 10 Projects - Be Counted!

This 10-Fold event offers opportunities to greatly impact 10 ministries. By visiting this site every day, clicking on the day’s project to trigger a $1 donation on your behalf, and encouraging your friends to do the same, you can bring awareness, prayerful support, and a potential gift of $10,000 to each ministry.

OCT. 10 - "Prayer for People Who Can't Sit Still"

Bill Tenny-Brittain has a new book called "PRAYER FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SIT STILL."

(To order - CLICK HERE)

Here is a short article based on that book!

Prayer for People Who Can't Sit Still

By: Bill Tenny-Brittian

My wife is a contemplative. I watch her pray and I have to wonder how she does it. Her eyes close, her face gets a serene, contended look on it, and she sits there. And sits there.
She doesn’t move.
She doesn’t speak.
She just sits there listening and communing with God.
For hours.

Then there’s me. I don’t think I’ve sat still to pray for more than five or ten minutes before something distracts me. I hear a door shut and I’m jolted out of my prayers and wonder who came home. The distant sound of an airplane sets me to fantasizing about vacationing. And whenever I get distracted I know my prayer time is over—it’s difficult, if not impossible, to reengage.

I thought I wasn’t spiritual enough. I felt guilty because I wasn’t disciplined enough. So my prayer life was left to short conversations with God throughout the day—a better compromise than quitting prayer altogether. But through it all, I yearned to spend extended times with God. It was something I knew I needed, but I didn’t have any idea how to bring it to fruition. So, I pretty much gave up.

Medical research has suggested that North Americans are suffering from decreasing attention spans. They blame television, information overload, less-than-optimal parenting, and a host of other reasons; however, it may be less important for most of us to wonder why attention spans are dwindling and more important that we face reality. So, if you’re one of us—or if you know someone who is—let me offer a few ideas about prayer that have worked for me and for others who either can’t sit still, or would rather not.

Action Prayer

When you can’t sit still, quiet time prayer can be challenging, so I’ve discovered by putting some action into my prayer time allows me to achieve a measure of reflection and introspection.

One of the most powerful prayer experiences I’ve ever witnessed was an action prayer offered by a twelve-year-old boy during summer camp. The camp was by a lake and the shore was covered by thousands of flat smooth stones—perfect for skipping on the water. Each child choose three stones and found a place along the shore. We gave each a Sharpie marker and asked them to think and pray about what it was in their lives they wanted God to throw out—things like anger, shame, or sickness. Then they wrote on the stone a one- or two-word description. After a few minutes we asked the children to project what they were getting rid of onto the rock and then to throw it into the lake as far as they could.

The scene that unfolded was truly inspirational. Some of the children teared up, others expressed relief. And then there was Teddy. Teddy was from a troubled family and he was a troubled child. He didn’t respond well to direction, and he didn’t often sit still. He gathered his stones with some care and he took seriously the bid to write something he wanted to rid from his life. One of the counselors was near him as he began to write and to hear him cry, “I don’t want to treat my mama like I have been. I want to love my mama.” And then he threw the stone as far into the lake as his twelve-year-old arm could muster. When Teddy finished, he left the prayer time with a new determination to love his mother with his actions, not just his words.

The practice of prayer in action has served me well in exploring and expressing my inner spirit. I walk to a nearby spot where I can throw a rock or two and spend time with God, reflecting on what I need to let go of. If you don’t live near a handy throwing field, there are a number of variations on this theme. For instance, if you’re a golfer, add prayer to your swing next time you’re hitting a bucket of balls on the driving range. And don’t forget the local batting cages where you can step into the batter’s box with a Louisville Slugger for a few prayerful pop-flies.

Prayer Feet

About twenty years ago, if you asked somebody what a labyrinth was, you’d most likely hear something mumbled about David Bowie as the Goblin King in some fantasy movie by that name. However, today you can find a labyrinth in nearly every metropolitan area if you’re willing to look—and most of them you’ll find in churches.

Walking a labyrinth is unlike any other experience I’ve encountered. I heard about labyrinths at a conference and my imagination was fired up. As the pastor of a church with a round sanctuary, I thought a labyrinth would be a perfect addition. It didn’t take much to convince the congregation and we designed and installed the labyrinth with excitement. After nine hours of carpet dying the labyrinth was ready. We dimmed the lights, put on an instrumental CD, and began to pray and walk.

I noticed something almost right away—my mind was quiet and I could walk the labyrinth without having to think about it. I just put one foot in front of the other and followed the path. The more circuits I completed, the more clarity I had in my prayer. By the time I reached the center of the labyrinth I was able to sit on the floor and pray without fidgeting for longer than ever before. I felt centered, at peace, and focused. For the first time in my life I experienced what I could only describe as a contemplative prayer.

Since then, I’ve become addicted to labyrinth walking. When my feet find the path of prayer, my spirit resonates deep within me. However, I no longer have access to a church with a labyrinth, so I did the next best thing. I built my own. Though my yard is nearly postage stamp sized, I designed a ten foot square labyrinth and when the weather cooperates I “build” it using four nails, a roll of twine, a tape measure, and a can of marking paint (see my book Prayer for People Who Can't Sit Still for specific directions). From start to finish, it takes me less than forty-five minutes to go from grassy yard to sacred labyrinth. And though here in Seattle we “officially” get 210 precipitation free days, when I’m willing to wear a jacket and wait for the rains to subside, I can walk my labyrinth almost year round. Regardless of the weather, when I put my feet into prayer, I find myself enfolded in the warmth of the Spirit.

Pray in Print

Whenever I attend worship and the pastor says, “Let us pray,” I know as I bow my head and close my eyes I’ll be zoned out from the prayer in short order. I’ve found the solution to the problem is choosing not to sit still—at least, not completely still. Today, whenever I attend worship, I take a pen and my journal with me. Then, when the pastoral prayer time comes, I know it’s my cue to open my journal and begin to pray in print.

When I use my journal to pray, I use it as if it were stationary and I’m writing a letter. Journaling a letter to God is like writing a letter to a friend, except it doesn’t take a stamp or an email address. To journal a letter to God, begin as if you were writing any other letter: “Dear God.” Now, most of the time when we write a letter, we spend an inordinate amount of space on small talk. However, if you’re going to write a letter to God during the pastoral prayer, get right to the point—you don’t have that much time! Whether you’re going to God for a favor, a blessing, or some request, don’t spend a lot of time mincing words.

When I write my prayers, I’m brutally honest with God. When my life is in a dark place, I get real with my feelings and fears—it’s not like God doesn’t already know what’s on my heart. I’ve learned that whenever my prayers aren’t absolutely honest they ring hollow and I’m left unsatisfied, as if my prayer time was empty. However, when I’m willing to be completely honest, even if when my honesty seems not-so-nice (see Psalm 109 for an example), God honors my time and I go away thoughtful and fulfilled.

If you have trouble sitting still for prayer, you’re not alone. There are millions of us here in North America. Though this is but a small sample of the opportunities for praying in motion, hopefully there are enough to whet your appetite and get you started. So whether you’re like me and can’t sit still, or if you just want to bolster your prayer time, you can have the prayer life you desire if you’re willing to get up and move.


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OCT. 3 - Communion

To go a little deeper, check out these in-depth statements on Communion:

THIS HOLY MYSTERY: A UNITED METHODIST UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNION (adopted 2004)

BAPTISM, EUCHARIST AND MINISTRY (World Council of Churches, 1982 - this resource covers teaching on Communion from various Christian points of view)


For the October 3 message, we used a little True-False "test," and you may have been surprised by some of the answers:

The Bible teaches the value of taking Communion once a month.
FALSE - this is a frequent Methodist custom, but neither is it a requirement nor is it based in a Biblical teaching.

Communion is primarily a time to think about what Jesus has done for us.
FALSE - because we believe Communion is a Sacrament, we know the power of Communion goes far beyond simply what we (as humans) can think about. (Thinking about Christ's gift is, however, indeed a good thing to do!)

The bread and cup are only symbols of the body and blood of Jesus.
FALSE - again because Communion is a sacrament, we believe the bread and cup are more than symbols. Symbols simply remind us of something else that has meaning or power. We believe the power of Christ and the Spirit is indeed present in the taking of Communion.

There may be times when it is appropriate to refrain from taking Communion.
TRUE - 1 Corinthians 11 suggests we examine ourselves before taking Communion, and also warns us against receiving the bread and cup in an unworthy manner. This does not mean that WE have to be "worthy" to take Communion - none of us "deserve" our place at the table. Methodists also place a high value on open Communion, where all are welcome at the table of the Lord who would respond in faith (regardless of church background or membership).

The literal substance of the bread and grape juice is transformed during the Communion service.
FALSE - Like many Protestant churches, Methodists do teach that mystical transformation does take place in Communion, but that this is not done in a literal sense to the substance of bread and juice.


The richness of Communion is made clear in the document THIS HOLY MYSTERY - where we see six powerful Scriptural images that are present at the holy table:

Thanksgiving (Acts 2:42-47)

Fellowship (1 Corinthians 10:17)

Remembrance (1 Corinthians 11:24-25)

Sacrifice (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5)

Holy Spirit (John 14:26)

Heavenly Banquet (Matthew 26:29)


Here are the words to the Charles Wesley hymn we looked at as a resource on Communion:

O the depth of love divine, the unfathomable grace!
Who shall say how bread and wine God into us conveys!
How the bread his flesh imparts, how the wine transmits his blood,
Fills his faithful people’s hearts with all the life of God!

Let the wisest mortals show how we the grace receive;
Feeble elements bestow a power not theirs to give.
Who explains the wondrous way, how through these the virtue came?
These the virtue did convey, yet still remain the same.

How can spirits heavenward rise, by earthly matter fed,
Drink here with divine supplies and eat immortal bread?
Ask the Father’s wisdom how: Christ who did the means ordain;
Angels round our altars bow to search it out, in vain.

Sure and real is the grace, the manner be unknown;
Only meet us in thy ways and perfect us in one.
Let us taste the heavenly powers, Lord, we ask for nothing more.
Thine to bless, ‘tis only ours to wonder and adore.