It’s Holy Week! How could I not write about one of the most important character traits that has the power to change your life? That’s right, friends, prayerfulness will change your life.
Last night, I had the opportunity to attend Mass at my church and at the end of Fr. David’s homily, he told us how Jesus came and laid down His life for the sinner, the stranger, and asked if we would be willing to do the same? My first gut reaction was no. Family, yes. But lay down my life for a stranger? That’s too hard. That thought stayed with me all night and I woke up this morning with an “aha” moment. Then I started thinking that maybe he didn’t mean that literally, but figuratively.
Figuratively, is easier. I can start there. Every Wednesday morning I write to encourage others to live life a little different, to consider putting God and others first in order to live life to the fullest. Strangers read my blog. –People from all over the world, people in my hometown. In fact, almost 4000 people have visited my website over the last year. That is amazing to me. But even if just one person comes away a little curious about Jesus, closes their eyes and practices this prayer process, then I guess that is what God had intended me to do in offering a small part of my life for others.
This is my message for this Holy Week: Seek prayerfulness. Seek Jesus. There is a process, a simple way of talking with God, that is life altering. It’s not hard and will only take 10 minutes of your time right now. This is the one I use and my friends at Dynamic Catholic give me permission to reprint it here:
7 Steps of The Prayer Process
In The Prayer Process we take time – a minute, two minutes or maybe ten minutes – to spend time with the Lord every day. Pick a specific time when you will pray; ex. Morning Prayer or Night Prayer. It is an intentional way that we grow in our faith. The seven steps of The Prayer Process are as follows:
- Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today.
- Awareness: Revisit the times of the past twenty-four hours when you were and were not the-best-version-of-yourself. Talk to God about these situations and what you learned from them.
- Significant Moments: Identify something you experienced today and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event (or person).
- Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed (against yourself, another person, or Him) and to fill you with a deep and abiding peace.
- Freedom: Speak with God about how he is inviting you to change your life, so that you can experience the freedom to be the-best-version-of-yourself.
- Others: Lift up to God anyone you feel called to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide them.
- Finish by praying the Our Father.
Practice the prayer process for 21 days. Make it a habit and see how God will transform your life. And then, let God be God. Watch what He will do. Then it won’t be so hard to lay down your life for the stranger. Easter is on its way.
God bless. –Barb