Some Helpful Pathways for Conversation with God

God's love for us is the foundation of everything else – and he is constantly speaking! Before we ever say a word of prayer or read a word in scripture, God is reaching out to us in grace, inviting us into life and love with him.

Techniques like ‘active listening’ help our human relationships; countless followers of Jesus have found the methods below helpful to grow in intimacy with God. To *experience* him, and not only know about him.

May you rest in Jesus more fully each day, learn to hear his voice, and find in him the restoration we all so greatly need!

The "Jesus Prayer" – in many of the Eastern churches (e.g. the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe), the words of a blind beggar to Jesus (Mark 10:47) become a rich, simple prayer for any of us at any moment of the day: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!”

• On any particular day, any particular moment, different words will touch your heart more. Let this become rich food for mind-full prayer, not just a mindless mantra.

• More on this at the St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary website “Saying the Jesus Prayer”

Praying the Lord’s Prayer – a child can do this, but a lifetime will not exhaust its riches.  Jesus himself taught us this prayer! Speak out to God one phrase at a time, and the pray along the lines suggested by that phrase. (click here for Lord's Prayer)  (free sermon series on the Lord's Prayer) (Pastor James sharing and leading us through the Lord's Prayer)

More Ideas on Very Simple Prayer. Here is a British ministry with solid helps: https://www.24-7prayer.com/simpleprayerideas

• Martin Luther’s “Garland Prayer”:  a succinct summary of this straightforward approach here.
  
• “Quiet Time”: a variety of helpful approaches to daily rhythms of prayer, collected by a Presbyterian church in NYC here. 

• Fridays @11am we gather on Zoom for about 25 minutes of conversational prayer. You can join in praying, or just listen
  
• Sunday mornings @11am we gather for worship in-person (but we also stream portions of the gatherings)

Want a bible on your phone? The ESV Bible app is readable, has good search function, and includes helpful reading plans. (Android; Apple)

Common Prayer for Ordinary Radicals is another helpful app for stepping into rhythms of prayer. (Android; Apple)

PrayerMate is built to offer prayer prompts, both your own and some ready-made resources. (Android; Apple)

Audio/Video/Podcast resources on Prayer:

• A five-minute encouragement to be with Jesus all day long, here (Pete Scazzero)
• Seven minutes on using a "daily office", here (Pete Scazzero)
• A sermon series by Tim Keller on the Lord's Prayer, here.
• An episode on Jesus Prayer, here.

Collections of Prayers and Prayer Helps (aka 'Devotionals')

• The Songs of Jesus, by Tim Keller (Print; Kindle; Library) - This is a marvelous introduction to praying the Psalms, with one-page guides for each day of the year.

Other Books on Prayer:

• The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying the Our Father, by Wesley Hill (Print; Kindle; Library) - A rich exploration of the words of this prayer, Hill draws out the significance of each phrase for our lives of prayer today.
  
• Prayer, by Richard J. Foster (Print; Kindle) - If you only had one book on prayer (besides the bible itself), this would be the one. In rich conversation with the global and historical Church, this book is one we continue to pull off our shelves repeatedly over the years. Each chapter explores one approach or element of prayer.