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Prayer

Prayer is the lifeline of every Believer. Prayer is how we communicate with God and how He talks to us. Prayer is how we navigate this world but remain anchored to our hope. Prayer changes things.

There are so many amazing testimonies and accounts of God's powerful answers to prayers throughout scripture and all of history. While prayer is simply having a conversation with God, a talk with our Father and Creator, prayer is not easy for everyone.

I believe that quite often we overthink prayer and make it way more complicated than it needs to be. Some of us are afraid to just be real and let God in. We think we have to have some big words in a particular pattern or rhythm, or that we can't tell Him what we really think or feel. But if we simply look at scripture we can find evidence that we can do exactly that and without any formula.

BUT, should you need some direction or a launching pad, let me share a particular Psalm that can come in really handy for personal prayer and some appropriate prayers from Saint Patrick, the man of the day himself.

Just begin by worshiping God and telling Him how grateful you are for Him. Then, move into something like this...

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the {Your} shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the {You} Lord: He {You} alone is {are} my refuge, my place of safety; he {You} is {are} my God, and I trust him {You}. 3 For he {You} will rescue you {me} from every trap and protect you {me} from deadly disease. 4 He {You} will cover you {me} with his {Your} feathers. He {You} will shelter you {me} with his {Your} wings. His {Your} faithful promises are your {my} armor and protection. 5 Do not {I will not} be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not {I will not} dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your {my} side, though ten thousand are dying around you {me}, these evils will not touch you {me}. 8 Just {I will} open your {my} eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you {I} make the Lord your {my} refuge, if you {I} make the Most High your {my} shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you {me}; no plague will come near your {my} home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you {me} wherever you {I} go. 12 They will hold you {me} up with their hands so you {I} won’t even hurt your {my} foot on a stone. 13 You {I} will trample upon lions and cobras; you {I} will crush fierce lions and serpents under your {my} feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” Replacing pronouns to make scripture personal can take the power of the Word of God and make it into powerful personal prayers.

Psalm 63

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

With it being St. Patrick's Day, I found some beautiful prayers that are also timely and perfectly acceptable to pray.

I arise today Through the strength of heaven; Light of the sun, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth, Firmness of the rock. I arise today Through God's strength to pilot me; God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's hosts to save me Afar and anear, Alone or in a multitude. Christ shield me today Against wounding Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me. I arise today Through the mighty strength Of the Lord of creation.

May the Strength of God pilot us.

May the Power of God preserve us.

May the Wisdom of God instruct us.

May the Hand of God protect us.

May the Way of God direct us.

May the Shield of God defend us.

May the Host of God guard us

Against the snares of the evil ones,

Against temptations of the world.

May Christ be with us!

May Christ be before us!

May Christ be in us,

Christ be over all!

May Thy Salvation, Lord,

Always be ours,

This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.

So there you go! Practical and beneficial. Don't be afraid.