Day 31 - Forming in Patience

Prayer is our direct line of communication with God. It draws us into deeper relationship with God, prayer reminds us that God is in control, and prayer helps us to be patient.  The spiritual practice for today is prayer.  There are many different ways to pray, but today I share seven ways to communicate with God through prayer.  Select one or two of the following suggestions for praying today.

Creative Prayer
Writing a letter to God, writing a journal entry to God, writing a poem or hymn to God, drawing an image from scripture like the manger, the cross, or empty tomb.
 
Breath Prayer
A great prayer for releasing anxiety, worry, or stress to God. Inhale for 4 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds. See the following pairings for breathing in God’s presence:
 
Inhale --->The Lord
Exhale ---> is my Shepherd
 
Inhale  ---> Our Father
Exhale. ---> who is in heaven
 
Inhale. -->  Let go
Exhale. -->  Let God
 
Friendship Prayer
Whether in person, on the phone, or even through text, connect with a friend and include Jesus in the conversation.  Be intentional to pray with each other, for each other, and for others.  This type of prayer connects us with God as a community of believers.
 
Gospel Contemplation
Read a passage from the Bible then have a conversation with God about it. Tell Him how you connect with it, or how you are thankful for the scripture, or whatever you notice from your reading.
 
Confession
Spending quiet time with God through confessing sins, confessing struggles or heartaches, confessing desires. He already knows what you need to confess, but confessing helps us to grow in our faith walk.
 
Prayer of Examen
Examen is an Ignatian prayer practice that occurs at the end of the day consisting of giving thanks, asking for help or direction, reflecting on the events of the day, asking for forgiveness, and deciding to change.
 
The Daily Office
The daily office is a spiritual practice of morning and evening prayers.  The practice begins with David in the Old Testament, and later encouraged in monastic orders of the 6th century early church.  The daily office consists of scripture reading and morning and evening prayer.  It is more formal and reverent in practice. This is a link to the Daily Office in the Northumbria Community in Ireland – a Celtic Christian community:

https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/