Prayer is simple and complex, easy and hard, a joy and a chore, and one of the biggest differences in helping us to become more like Jesus each day. Christians through the ages have, like us, sometimes struggled with prayer. It takes time, dedication, perseverance, and courage to learn how to pray to the point we’re comfortable in that time with God.
Many of us feel like we aren’t good at prayer or like we lose focus in prayer. And I understand that very well. I’ve been there myself, and every now and then I find myself with some of those feelings again. But I know in my mind and feel in my heart that prayer is an essential part of my daily walk with God. Prayer keeps me focused and centered. It establishes the order of things in my life by keeping God and his teachings on my mind. And the same is or can be true for every believer following Jesus.
On December 1 and 2, we will be hosting a hands-on training event that will help all of us gain more comfort and confidence in prayer. The training is being done by Bren White, a minister with the Laurel Church of Christ in Laurel, Maryland, and you’re going to love him and his wife Cheryl. Bren has conducted these Mission 1 Training events for years at dozens of congregations, and they are effective. This is not some boring seminar. It is participatory and interactive. And, best of all, the content of the sessions is really really good. The Saturday morning session is devoted to helping us learn to pray like Jesus, and prayer is the foundation for everything else that follows. Make plans to attend, and bring a friend!
— Patrick Barber