Getting Creative with Prayer

"Some families and communities find it helpful to have a prayer bowl on the coffee table or in the room where they gather to pray each day. Whenever someone asks for prayer, they write the request on a little slip of paper and put it in the bowl. Then when it's time for morning or evening prayer, each person can take a few slips of paper from the bowl and read out the requests during the time for prayers for others. This is also a good way to remember people we don't see everyday, like children in war zones, victims of human trafficking, or our political leaders."

            ~ Shane Claiborne, Common Prayer: Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

When I read that suggestion I couldn't help but find it a great way to keep prayer creative and engaging within a family or community setting. Sometimes when my family gathers together and it's time to pray, there is a silence that descends after the first couple of prayers are uttered. It's almost like some of our minds can go blank when it comes to our turn!

This especially can be the case when praying with a group outside of one's family. Have you ever been in a circle of friends or at a Bible study where there might be two people in the circle that have very much to say and pray about but when it comes to your turn you just run out of ideas! Well, ok, I'll admit I have! And its certainly not because there isn't enough to pray about! Our world is filled with sin and darkness, disease, war and suffering. If we don't know someone personally to lift up in prayer there are countless brothers and sisters across the globe and in our communities that we can pray for.  

The idea of having a community prayer bowl gives everyone the opportunity to get involved and not feel like they are being put "on the spot". For many that haven't been raised in families that have prayed together , or in churches, this puts pressure off of them and gets them active within the circle of prayer. The prayer bowl also allows a greater chance of new ideas and prayer suggestions to be interwoven in the time together and prevents a prayer request from being forgotten.

There are other suggestions for individual prayer that I've heard in the past that are creative and worth considering applying to one's practices. One such suggestion is creating a prayer closet, or a space designated for praying in solitude. In this sacred place for prayer, it's suggested putting pictures and other articles up to remind you of the things that you feel inspired to pray for. For example, maybe a picture of someone serving in the military overseas, perhaps just a word that inspires you to pray over a certain region or group of people who are persecuted. You can read more about this if you'd like here: http://ascendingthehills.blogspot.com/2011/02/sacred-places-creating-place-for-prayer.html

One of my friends responded to that post, on creating sacred places for prayer, and mentioned that she had made homemade prayer beads. (Thank you Debra!) I think that is a beautiful idea for prayer! I'm planning on making this a project for my kids and I to do together.  This is some of Shane Claiborne's suggestions on creating prayer beads:

For instance, create a chain of different-sized beads (or different-colored or different-textured beads) for various prayers. You might have a large bead for the Lord's Prayer. You might have seven rough beads for praying against the seven deadly sins-pride, envy, lust, anger, gluttony, greed, and sloth- and you might have nine little ones for the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galations, so that you can rest on each one and pray that it would take root and grow like a seed inside of you- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

                                  ~ Common Prayer: Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals,p. 292

We have a God of unceasing imagination. We just have to look around at Creation to reaffirm us of that reality! The life that surrounds us, with it's brilliant hues, sounds and textures pulse with God's love and affection for the world and children He created and continues to create. Since our God is full of imagination, let's also be! Prayer should never be dull but an active devotion and expression of love towards God. Let's come before Him in prayer with thirsty hearts set on Him. Let's be creative in our methods and find ones that speak to us and help us enter His presence more readily.

Is there a way that you pray that is unique? Would you consider any of these methods or already practice them? Please share in the comments section!

Freedom in the New Year

"Established in African-American communities on December 31, 1862, Watch Night is a gathering to celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation becoming law. When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 1863, all slaves in the Confederate States were proclaimed free. Since that date 146 years ago, African Americans have celebrated the good news of freedom in local churches on New Year's Eve. Like the slaves who first gathered while the Civil War rated on, we proclaim freedom for all captives in Jesus' name, knowing that for millions, freedom is not a reality. Our celebration is a commitment to join modern-day slaves and undocumented workers in their struggle for justice."
               ~ Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

                               

The illustration is from an original 1863 Harper's Weekly newspaper depicting slaves being freed from a plantation.

Praise God for all the slaves in the past who have been set physically and spiritually free and all of those being set free at the present moment. But may we never forget the more than 25 million people, mostly women and children, who are still in physical bondage today, suffering unimaginable realities at the hands of cruel and callous hearts who have fallen prey to the darkness in this world.

May we also remember and rise up to help the countless more  who experience harsh bondage to realities that are far beyond many of our grasps. Where everyday they work for hardly any pay, under conditions that are abominable. There are also people in all corners of the world suffering from the bondage of poverty, everyday making choices of whether to keep their houses warm or feed their children. Of whether to put gas in their cars or pay the electric company.

Many others still are those in spiritual bondage, maybe even some of us reading this blog. Where the pressures, circumstances, trials and sufferings of life have choked out the light from reaching our hearts and instead of feeling the love and reality of God we feel nothing but numbness or just blinding pain.

In this New Year, it is my hope that all of us as individuals turn to God in new ways, seeking new connections with our risen Lord and grow in our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. May we make strong the body of Christ here on earth so that we may manifest God's Kingdom in our lifetime in our communities. May we see the light of God in those who are falling under the boot of tyranny and may we try in all our capacities to extend our hand to those reaching out in desparation and lift them out of bondage and into freedom, both physically and spiritually.

It is written in our holy Scriptures:

Isaiah 61:1
 ¹ The Spirit of the
Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners.

To help others who are still in slavery today, here is a great website you can go to. They have a section entitled "What you can do" helpful tips on how to start: http://www.nomoreslaveryct.com/

May we lift the banner of light and truth and justice and overcome the slavery and persecution that so many face on this earth. May we be active participants of liberating our brothers and sisters in bondage in the capacity that God wills us to. Heaven help all of us if we sink into the moral depravity of apathy and mediocrity. We will be held accountable for our actions and our inactions. (Matthew 25:31-45) Let us be the servants Christ calls us to be and the servant who Christ, himself, was when he was here on earth ministering to the suffering, to the poor, to the sick and dying. Let this New Year be a year of growth where we become more and more like Jesus! And bring glory to our Father in Heaven by doing so.

For those that might be suffering from spiritual bondage, here are some verses that might minister to you. The best advice I can give might seem oversimplified right now to you, as it did to me once, but it was advice that led to the transformation of my heart and my perspective. Read the New Testament, have an open heart, and even if you have no words to say to God, in your grief, in your pain, be silent before your God and He will fill you with the peace you desire. With a repentant, obedient and seeking heart, it won't take long to find the spiritual freedom and peace you desire.

I pray everyone has a happy and fruitful New Year!

John 8:31-32

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Acts 13:38-39
³⁸ "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

Romans 8:1-2
¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^[a] free from the law of sin and death.

2 Corinthians 2:13
¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galations 5:1
¹ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galations 5:13-14
¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Hartford's Common Prayer Release Party

I was on my way to a book release party held in behalf of Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson- Hartgrove' s new book: Common Prayer: A Liturgy For Ordinary Radicals and hopefully on my way to meet some cool folks that have felt the radical presence of Christ in their lives, drawing them towards radical changes and expressions of serving Christ.

As the skyline of Hartford drew near and I eased myself off route 2 into it's labryinth of streets, the arteries in which life flows through our state's capitol, pumping commerce, pollution, dreams and pain, I rechecked the directions I had hastily scribbled on notebook paper. It had been awhile since I last drove through Hartford at night. The driving is definitely different than in the small town in which we live. Lots more stop lights, lots more people drifting across the street. Imade effort in being particularly mindful. I noticed how the city itself at night seems to be living and breathing and really how intriguing it is in its unashamed juxtaposition of beauty and grit.


I must have driven past the place it was being held about three times. It was located on a one way road so I kept having to circle back through a grid of streets to try again. I couldn't believe I hadn't tried to get a contact number, in case I got lost. Here I was in Hartford, in the dark, and in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I fnally, after examining the directions, figured I had to be at the right  location and parked on an adjacent street close by. I hadn't realized it was being held in someone's apartment. My husband had asked me that question, I wasn't sure on the answer but I've been to some political parties/meeting before and I figured it was going to be held in some rented room. Ok..someone's home...in a foreign area, with people I don't  know. This should be interesting!

As I got out of the car, I wasn't sure quite where to go. I figured I'd eventually make my way to the suspected apartment building and see what happened. A young man, in his early twenties was walking up the sidewalk, seeing the paper in my hand he asked with a level of enthusiasm, "Are you here for the prayer party?" A answered in the affirmative in which he very warmly welcomed me to the apartment's entrance where he introduced me to his fiance.

When I entered the apartment I was welcomed very warmly by those present. I noticed a table set up with some new copies of the book, which, through a random drawing I was fortunate to receive. There were also candles and copies of the publication Conspire.  Everyone was primarily from three groups-the host and his friends from a church in Newington-Mill Pond Church, and the others were primarily from the Hartford City Missions and The Catholic Worker. The atmosphere was very inviting as was the conversation. I didn't know anybody, there were many who didn't know some present, but that didn't seem to matter at all. Christ was the theme of the night and the factor which united us all in mutual understanding.

We read the Saturday night prayer, from the book, which was amazing. I liken it to be similiar in its objective and layout to The Divine Hours  books. There are liturgical prayers and songs for each day throughout the year. A set for the morning, afternoon and night. It's a beautiful and meaningful way to keep focused and devoted towards Christ throughout one's day and it's a neat after thought to think of others praying and singing the same songs at similiar times as well. That's a thought that comes to mind from time to time which I use my book, The Divine Hours, by Phyllis Tickle.

I'm going to show my lack of Catholic knowledge here, but the text in the book is similiar to what is read during mass. I'm not sure what the book is called (someone help me out if you know!), but where the priest will read a line and then the congregation will read, in turn all together, another part. The book can be used by individuals but its aim is to draw groups of people together, creating communities of prayer, communities centered on Christ, communities of hope. I'm hoping to use it with my family and perhaps introduce it to some friends who might be interested. It's definitely a book one wants to share and use with others.

About half the room was catholic, the other half including myself, protestants. It showed an interesting trend of the incorporation of liturgical prayer some protestants are now drawing towards to find more depth, discipline and meaning in their daily devotions and walk with God.

After we read the evening prayer, the host, Alex, lit a candle and then one by one, from that single flame in which Alex' candle had begun burning, we lit ours. We celebrated Advent together and Christ.  And then we prayed. We prayed for our faiths to be continually rekindled, we prayed for those sleeping cold and hungry that night, and for many other things. For sure, through the devotion and love towards Christ displayed in that room, God was glorified.

We exchanged information and my hopes is to keep communicating with many of those I had met last night. The Common Prayer release party was more than just a party showing off a new book. It drew many different people together, from different denominations, that all had the same passion in their hearts. Christ. Christ was exalted and he was seen in the eyes of those who prayed and those who glorified him through their service for him. I know it inspired me to seek new ways in which to serve God and man and it was encouraging to meet others that feel that not only should we serve God's children but we should also be mindful towards the environment and how animals are treated as well. ( I thought it very refreshing to meet some other Christians who are vegetarian too!...something not often found, at least from my experience.)

Would I recommend the book? Well, I haven't entirely read it yet, but absolutely! Those that wrote it took great care and consideration and undoubtedly much prayer to create a devotional  book which will prove to aid groups of people in experiencing Christ more in their lives and spur them on in growing deeper in their faiths. The authors who wrote the book are both men who live out the gospel daily in their own lives, which adds to their credibility. They have also each authored many thought-provoking and stirring publications which I'd be sure to check out while you are at the bookstore purchasing your copy of Common Prayer. (Check out Irresistible Revolution:Living as an Ordinary Radical by Claiborne for starters!)

~many blessings