All Practices
Prayer
Regular, unhurried conversation with God — the beating heart of life with Jesus.
Step-by-step guide
1
Settle. Before a single word, take a breath and become aware of God's presence. You are not trying to get God's attention — he already has yours.
2
Gratitude. Begin by naming specific things you are grateful for today. Gratitude opens the heart and aligns our vision with reality.
3
Confession. Honestly name where you have fallen short. Receive mercy — don't earn it, just accept it.
4
Intercession. Bring before God the people and situations on your heart. Pray for others by name.
5
Petition. Ask for what you need. Jesus told us to ask. Don't be embarrassed by your own desires and needs.
6
Listening. Sit in silence for a few minutes. Prayer is a conversation. Let God speak through Scripture, an impression, a memory, a stillness.
7
Close with the Lord's Prayer or a simple 'Amen — let it be so.'
Tradition & history
Prayer is the central act of the Christian life — and the one Jesus modelled most consistently. He prayed early in the morning, late at night, on mountains, in gardens, at meals. Dallas Willard wrote that 'prayer is the interactive conversation between the individual human and God' (*The Spirit of the Disciplines*). Richard Foster identifies prayer as the first and most foundational inward discipline — the one through which all other practices draw their life.
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