Say what you gotta say

My two daughters love to sing. The oldest sings the prayer before our meals and you can sometimes catch her singing Barbie songs into a make-believe microphone in front of a mirror. My youngest daughter usually wakes up singing and has been known to bust out in spontaneous song at the most unpredictable times. Recently, the words of some familiar songs floated down the hall at our house and they went something like this: "Old McDonald had a farm / And Bingo was his name-o / B-I-N-G-O!" I laughed out loud when I heard this! Two completely different songs confused with one another but mixed with such simplicity. They didn't get the words exactly right but the song came out great anyway.

I don't know what you may struggle with in your spiritual life, but prayer has always been a sore spot for me. Like the words of my daughters' songs, I get kind of tongue-tied and don't know what to say sometimes. I've spent more time than I can tell you stuck in that tired routine of saying the same things to God just because I knew that I needed to pray. Recently, I decided that this had to change. Writing down specific requests, I pray over them daily and pick out a specific time each day that I can talk to God. As I pray and God lays needs on my heart, I offer them up to Him. This isn't a magic formula that I've come up with, it's just a strong desire I have to be disciplined and growing in my relationship with Christ. Since I've committed myself to this (and stayed consistent with it) I've felt God's presence in my life like never before. If you struggle with prayer, commit to do something about it. Like one of my seminary professors used to say, when it comes to prayer, "pray until you pray."