Prayer in the Daily Occurrences of Life

We could pray 24/7.

Praying throughout the day is a beautiful thing. Suffering and struggle are everywhere. Hope and healing are also everywhere, but you must intentionally look for them in order to see their effects. Praying throughout every day becomes a lifestyle practice, an on-going conversation with our Heavenly Father. It is also a mind-set of doing good for others.

I pray as I drive, as I shop, as I sit in a coffee shop, as I view a natural wonder. As I see them, I pray for them. I pray for the homeless, for the elderly, for the children and their parents, for the disabled, for the person who looks sad, for the person in line at the clinic or pharmacy, for the friend or relative in need of a touch from God. Life is hard and everyone needs prayer. While in the hospital E-R, I pray for the newborns every time the music on the intercom announces a baby's arrival. I pray for their life and that they will someday know God and his love. Yes, it is a privilege to pray. Prayer is a blessing we give to the world.

Daily I visit an acute rehab facility where a family member is receiving assistance. Some residents have amputated limbs. Some suffer from Alzheimer's disease. Some have head traumas that limit their capbilities. Some are alert and some are not. There is a cheeriness in the place due to a friendly, caring staff. It's a different world, though. Some there get forgotten by the outside world.

An old friend of mine sings hymns with the residents on Sunday afternoons. It is a gift from his heart to theirs. When he asked me to pray in the middle of the service, it caught me off guard. I didn't know these people or their spiritual path. Yet God's grace was in that room with us. The peace of God enveloped me and them as I prayed and thanked God for being in the room with us. It was a beautiful moment. One of the residents who suffers with Alzheimer's was singing the words of a hymn. That surprised me. I had silently prayed for her the day before because she was confused and behaving erratically. I asked God to calm her and to reach her. It was amazing the difference in the moment.

We pray for those struggling in difficult marriages. We pray for those with anxiety and depression. We pray for those who need a relationship with Christ. We pray for the many needs, and we ask God to intervene. We pray prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of praise, and prayers that honor God and for his blessings to us. We meditate, contemplate, and speak words of gratefulness.

Prayer enriches our lives and the lives of others. What a joy it is to pray. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us. We soften in the center of our being when we pray. Our attitude towards others also soften as we make prayer a light that glows in the daily. Prayer is God's work. He uses us. Our prayers effect eternity. That is praise-worthy.

Revitalize your day by speaking blessings as you encounter people, places and things. Stressed? Send a prayer up. God is awake. Happy? Give thanks to God. Sad? Know you are heard. Thankful? Send up a praise to God. Discouraged? He understands. Be blessed.

The need is great. God calls us to pray without ceasing

"Father God, I pray blessing on each person who reads this. May you surround them with your love and grace. Amen"