Prayer Power

I was talking with a newcomer who was having trouble with the whole Higher Power thing.

            “As a kid I was passed around to a lot of different relatives and none of them were religious or church people,” he said. “I don’t have a clue about where to begin. I don’t even know how to pray.”

I shared with him what I was taught: keep it simple.

Early on I heard in the rooms that we might try talking to God as if he were a friend. We don’t need formal language. We don’t need a litany. We don’t need a suit or tie.

We can say a silent prayer while riding the bus.  Walking to work. While working. Or doing our chores. The point is not structure, I was told - praying is about intent.

Today I keep it simple.  "Thank you” when I awake in the morning and another “thank you” before I sleep at night.

Rushing to an accident this weekend my prayer was unplanned: “God let them all be okay.”  And they all survived.

I was told God already knows my heart and what I need – but that it’s important for me to have the humility to ask.