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Monday, May 24, 2010

# 99 - Prayer Boots

Loretta Ross (http://theprayinglife.wordpress.com) is truly a spiritual leader. Her denomination has endorsed her and her spiritual retreat ministry as being truly called of God. She tells of the early years of trying to discern her call, knowing that she had to be with God, alone with God, in that piece of God’s holy creation that would one day become her retreat center. One day per week, all day, she would walk the land and talk with God. On muddy days she would wear a pair of old rubber “farmer boots.” In time, those boots became her Prayer Boots which she wore regardless of the weather. Well worn now and set aside in an honored place those Prayer Boots remind her of the wonderful intimacy and intense distress that, way back when, shaped her ministry today. Prayer Boots. Would a pair of your own help get you outdoors and in closer communion with God?

Monday, May 17, 2010

# 98 - The Pittsburgh Experiment

Built on the writings and ministry of Dr. Sam Shoemaker in the 1950’s and 1960’s this prayer experiment is a 30-day covenant between you and God. In it you promise to talk to God straight out about your deep thoughts and deeper feelings, knowing full well that he knows what’s in your heart and mind. Most of us cannot handle that kind of honesty for a day, let alone a month. In return you expect absolutely God’s answer to your prayer within the 30 days. This prayer form is a strenuous self-challenge of continual asking, listening, and arguing with God for an entire month, changing and changing again the wording of your prayer until your struggle-shaped prayer and re-shaped self finally conform to the true and answerable need of your soul. You must allow 30 days for this to happen, and it will. And when it does, God’s answer will be so immediate, perfect, and obvious.

Monday, May 10, 2010

# 97 - Jesus Prayer

Developed in the Russian Orthodox tradition the Jesus Prayer is a prayer that can be practiced not only in a monastic cell, but in the busyness of a lay person’s active, demanding life. The prayer consists of the following words: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” To pray this prayer speak it aloud and repeatedly, aware of the resonance of the sounds in your throat. Engage the lips, the mind, and the heart, while imagining the face of Jesus and opening yourself totally to the constant flow of his abundant grace. It is a passive prayer whereby our faith is stirred, our sin is forgiven, our needs are provided for by God’s mercy, and without our specific asking. (from Doug Rumford’s book, SoulShaping, pp 176-7.)

Friday, May 7, 2010

# 96 - Camera Prayer

If you are more of an image person than a word person, you might prefer to pray with your camera. Oh my, you can say so much with a picture. With your camera you can capture so many things: beauty, shame, innocence, pain, achievement, artistry, and more. And now with camera phones there is no reason for you not to shoot a prayer pic every day.