Spending time in prayer, time with God, each day is an important part of our faith journey.  Our relationship with Christ is kept vibrant and alive through prayer. Prayer is a time for us to honestly and openly share with God our hopes and fears, our joys and concerns, and a time for us to be in tune with God's message and guidance for each of us.

Preparation
Settle yourself in a comfortable position and sit in silence for two minutes, preparing your heart and your mind for Time With God.

Reading the Scripture
Read the Scriptures (or your selected Scripture) for the day slowly and attentively, aloud if possible. Listen for any word or phrase that seems to stand out for you, to draw your attention. It may be a word or phrase that puzzles you or strikes you as intriguing.

Read the passage several times if you like; do not hurry or rush your mind or your heart to find that word or phrase too quickly. (After you read a selected Scripture for the day twice, scroll down to “Meditation.”)

Click HERE to find a link to scriptures from “today’s Daily Lectionary reading".

Meditation
Reflect on the word or phrase that has drawn you: repeat it over to yourself several times. What thoughts does it bring to your mind? What feelings does it stir? What is happening in your life that resonates with this word or phrase? How does this word or phrase stir your memories or reflect the deepest desires of your heart?

Dialogue with God
Imagine Christ is sitting next to you, listening to you. Tell God in Christ what you are thinking and feeling. What do you want God to know about you or your circumstances, which seem to be coming to your mind through this word or phrase of scripture?

Allow yourself to be totally open and vulnerable before God. Be honest and straightforward in expressing your feelings and your thoughts as this word or phrase speaks to your life situation in the present moment. 

Rest in God's Presence
Let your mind be silent and simply sit quietly in the presence of God for several moments (as long as 10 minutes if possible in your home/work/study setting).

Don’t worry about distractions that may pop into your mind. Simply know that they will enter your mind. Then consciously put those distractions aside for these moments and focus on your breathing, bringing yourself back to attending to God’s presence.

Gratitude
Thank God for this time with God, for the insights you have received, for the gifts of the Spirit which God is developing in you.