Daily Scripture:
Proverbs 11:4 Some give freely and still get richer,
while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
25 The person who blesses others will prosper;
he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
Acts 20:35 In everything I have given you an example of how, by working hard like this, you must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua himself, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’”Prayer Tip:
As we reflect on our stewardship of money this week in worship, I couldn’t help but think about ways we are called to be good stewards of our time. Specifically, I’m interested in the time we spend in conversation with God through prayer. So I want to share with you a few of my favorite ways to keep my conversations with God going even in the busy-ness of everyday life. Your challenge is to pick at least one and practice it for a whole week. At the end of the week, I hope prayer will have become a bigger part of our daily lives.
Pray At Meals
“Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, let this gifts to us be blest. Amen.” Remember this mealtime prayer, or one like it? This is a great time to check in with God about how the day is going—it’s a built in reminder to pray.
Doodle Your Prayers
Decorate the page as much as you want, but pray as you draw. Draw pictures or symbols of your prayers. Use pictures to help you remember things you want to pray about. Roll up or fold up your prayer list and take it with you! You can pull this list out any time of the day and visually remind yourself to pray, and what you want to pray about. As the day goes on, you can add to it using any drawing materials at hand.
Make A Prayer Calendar
Some people like to pray for a different topic every day. They might pray for their family on Monday, for their church on Tuesday, their school on Wednesday, etc. Take a calendar, and put a topic, or topics in each square. Think about each topic, and add color, designs, words, that will help you remember what you would like to pray for.
Prayer Jar
Find a cup or a jar. On scraps of paper, write the names of either specific people you need to pray for, or broad categories that prompt you to pray for things we often forget (our neighbors, those who suffer and are in trouble, those who have hurt us, our local community, our leaders, the world and the church universal.)
Echo Prayer App
This is a really neat (free!) prayer app. You can program in the names of folks you have been meaning to pray for and when you have a free second, you can spend time in prayer instead of automatically getting on social media - it’s really neat! Download it here.
Breath Prayers
1. Choose favorite name for God. ____________________
God, Jesus, Christ, Lord, Father, Mother, Creator, Spirit
2. What do you want? ___________________
Peace, strength, hope, guidance, healing, comfort, faith, mercy…
3. Combine the name of God with the response you are seeking.
”Gracious God”
“Help me to feel your peace.”
Prayer Notes
Take time to pray by writing some “snail mail.” Who are people in my life who could use a word of encouragement right now?
Pray Songs
Some of our favorites songs, easily translate into beautiful prayers. For example:
“O Lord, my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee: How Great thou art!”[How Great Thou Art, United Methodist Hymnal, 77]
Which of your favorite songs might make good prayers?
Activity Prayers
Many of our favorite hobbies can be an opportunity for prayer: knitting, sewing, running, walking, biking, fishing, etc. To which activity will you add prayer in your life?
Using Routine As A Reminder to Pray
10 Great Places to Grow in Prayer
Prayer is a conversation between you and God. You may pray a formal prayer or sit in silence acknowledging that God is with you on this journey of LIFE.
Washing Dishes – Lord, whatever we do in word or deed, we do for you. Colossians 3:17
In the Car – Lord, guide us forever and ever on this journey of life. Psalm 48:14
Interacting with Others- Lord, thank you for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:12
Hear a siren – God, surround all those involved with your care. Ephesians 6:18
While exercising – Lord, grant us strength this day.Isaiah 40:31
Walking the dog/cat – O God, thank you for your creation. Psalm 8:3-5
Entering your home - God, guard my going out and my coming in from this time forward. Psalm 121:8
Showering – Lord, wash me clean and make me new. Psalm 51:7
Checking Email – O God, we search for you with all our heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13
Studying - Lord, open our minds, hearts and hands to follow you. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Praying With Others
One of the best ways to incorporate prayer into our crazy lives is to find a family member/friend that we can check-in and pray with. It can be hard to have the courage to start praying out loud for one another. But by calling each other once a week, you will have the opportunity to be vulnerable with God and one another! Who could you start this tradition with?[Rev. Katherine Ebling-Frazier, Pastor of Prayer]
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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