Praying
Prayer is an invitation to humans to come into the presence of God to renew, refresh, be challenged, and ultimately to equip us for living well. Varying forms of prayer and pursuits of the Divine have been practiced by humans through the centuries.
In the New Testament story, we see that Jesus prayed often, on solitary retreats in the wilderness or in moments away from the crowds. Praying alone and with his disciples, Jesus modeled that the practice of praying was essential to his subsequent doing. It's clear that prayer sustained him for his ongoing work and service.
We hope this module will allow you to explore how prayer can be experienced holistically as you engage your breath, body, mind, soul, spirit, and community.
Discover
Practice
Praying on your own
Praying with others
Go Deeper
Recommended Reading
If you are interested in the spiritual practice of prayer and would like to explore more and with greater depth, here are some resources you might like to utilize:
Books
- The Psalms, Holy Bible
- Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, by Richard Foster
- Listening for God, by Renita J. Weems
- Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, by Shane Claiborne , Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove , et al.
- Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, by Eugene H. Peterson
- "Prayers of Lament: Making Space for our Disenfranchised Grief" in Christianity Next: Asian American Christianity and Dones and Nones, by Jeney Park-Hearn and Young Lee Hertig
- Serenity Prayer: A Simple Prayer to Enrich Your Life, by Trevor Hudson, Foreword by Dallas Willard
Practice, not Perfect
"God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer."
Mother Teresa