Background

As I sat down to plan this month’s blog post, I found myself reflecting on some of the struggles I faced when I was younger, especially in my prayer life.

If sharing my honest thoughts and experiences can be a blessing to even one person reading this, then it will have been worth it.

The truth is, as believers, we are called to pray every day. Not out of religious duty, but because prayer is the very heartbeat of our relationship with God.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

— Luke 18:1 KJV

What Is Prayer?

Imagine coming home after a long, tiring day at work and sitting down with your spouse to share how the day went: the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Or picture a child bursting through the door after school, eager to tell their parents every single detail of their day: the funny moments, the challenges, and all the little stories in between.

That natural, open conversation is exactly what prayer is like with God, much like a child running to their Father.

Prayer is a living dialogue with your loving Father in heaven. You talk to Him openly, and He responds. Whether you come to praise Him, give thanks, pour out your needs and desires, or simply share the ordinary details of your day, He is always ready to listen and deeply eager to hear from you.

Why Should You Pray?

As humans, we’re constantly surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones. We talk to them regularly, dialoguing about our days, asking for advice, sharing our hearts, laughing together, and expressing love. The more consistent and open these interactions become, the deeper the intimacy grows.

In the same way, God longs for that kind of closeness with you.

He invites you to come before Him to share true intimacy. He desires deep fellowship with you, where you open your heart, and He opens His. He wants to know you on a deeper level, and He wants you to know Him in return. Just as relationships with people flourish through consistent communication, your relationship with God grows richer the more you intentionally spend time with Him.

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Keeping it Simple

You’ve probably heard it many times: “You need to pray.” And I wholeheartedly agree, we do.

But as a young believer, one of the biggest struggles I faced was figuring out how to pray. I tried different methods and approaches I heard about, yet many of them just didn’t click for me.

Eventually, I discovered one simple way that truly worked: praying with the Word of God. That’s what I want to share with you in this post.

My example may or may not work for you. The goal of this blog isn’t for you to copy my exact prayer routine. Instead, I hope it inspires you to explore and discover your own authentic way of connecting with God. One that feels natural and sustainable for you.

My Personal Example

Here’s what this looks like in practice for me:

• Choose a book of the Bible — for example Genesis, and go chapter by chapter one day at a time.
• Pick your start date for this journey.
• On your start day, begin by praying and asking the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and help you as you read His Word.
• Read the entire chapter — for example, Genesis chapter 1
• Reflect on what you’ve read. I find it helpful to ask myself three simple questions:
  • What is God saying in this passage?
  • What is God teaching me?
  • What am I learning from this chapter?
• Write down your thoughts. Jot them in a journal or notes app as bullet points, supporting each one with the relevant verses from the chapter.
• Pray using God’s own Word. Turn those bullet points into your prayers, speaking His promises, truths, and teachings back to Him.
• Timing is flexible. You can read the chapter in the morning and pray through your bullet points throughout the day. Or, set aside quiet time later in the day or evening to pray.
• There’s no rush. Some days you may feel led to reread the same chapter or stay on it for several days. That’s perfectly fine. Stay as long as the Lord leads you. Pray the same points again, or let Him show you new ones. There’s no pressure to finish a certain number of chapters within a certain timeframe. The goal isn’t to go through the chapters quickly but to stay in His presence and fellowship with Him. This is your unhurried time with God. Linger as long as you want, or as long as He wants you to stay.

What happens?

Remember earlier when I mentioned that prayer is a two-way conversation, that God doesn’t just listen, but He also responds?

As I spend time reflecting on and meditating on Scripture, I’ve noticed how God starts to bring clarity and connection. Passages I once read without full understanding now come together in a deeper, more meaningful way. Scriptures begin to align, revealing insights I hadn’t seen before.

In those moments, my prayers shift. Instead of praying from my own limited understanding, I begin to pray back to God with the confidence of His own Word, declaring His promises, standing on His truths, and aligning my heart with what He has already spoken.