We prayer wimps fear “mis-praying.” What is the expected etiquette and dress code for prayer? What if we kneel instead of stand?

Jesus’ answer? In Matthew 18:3 He says, “Become as little children.” Carefree. Joy filled. Playful. Trusting. Curious. Trust more—strut less.

God prefers this greeting: “God, you are my Daddy, and I am your child!” It’s hard to show off and call God “Daddy” at the same time. Impossible, in fact. Remember, prayer doesn’t depend on how you pray. The power of prayer depends on the One who hears the prayer!

Here’s my simple prayer challenge for you today! Join me every day for 4 weeks and pray 4 minutes. Sign on at BeforeAmen.com. And just be honest—honest to God!

Before Amen

Yes, I’m a prayer wimp—but a recovering prayer wimp. Not where I long to be, but not where I was. Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer. This simple, easy to remember, pocket-size prayer has become a cherished friend.

“Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Jesus’ disciples faced angry waves and a watery grave. You face angry clients, a turbulent economy, raging seas of stress and sorrow. As you begin your morning, “Father, you are good.” As you commute to work or walk the hallways at school, “I need help.” As you wait in the grocery line, “They need help.” Keep this prayer in your pocket as you pass through the day. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His child.

From Before Amen

Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer!

Jesus set a compelling prayer example. He prayed before He ate. He prayed for children. He prayed for the sick. He prayed with thanks…and with tears. He had made the planets and shaped the stars, yet He prayed.

Here’s a prayer for us today!

“Father, you have made me your child through your Spirit. In your kindness you have adopted me and delivered me from sin and death. Remind me today what it means to be your child. It’s so easy for me to live every day on my own terms. Help me live it in light of your grace. Thank you for accepting me as I am but not leaving me the same. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Here’s my prayer challenge to you! Sign on at BeforeAmen.com—then every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes—it’ll change your life forever!

Prayer is to a privilege for the pious, nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His child. When we invite God into our world, He brings a host of gifts: joy, patience, resilience.  Anxieties come, but they don’t stick. Fears surface and then depart. I’m completing my sixth decade, yet I’m wired with energy. Happier, healthier, and more hopeful! Struggles come, for sure. But so does God.

My friend, He wants to talk with you. Even now as you hear these words, He taps at the door. Open it. Welcome Him in…and let the conversation begin!

Here’s my prayer challenge to you! Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes with the simple prayer at BeforeAmen.com.  Then get ready to connect with God like never before!

Some people excel in prayer. They are the SEAL Team 6 of intercession. They would rather pray than sleep. Why is it I sleep when I pray? It’s not that we don’t pray at all. We all pray some. Surveys indicate one in five unbelievers prays daily. Just in case, perhaps?  When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. A quotable, repeatable, portable prayer. Could you use the same?

Father, You are good.

I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help. Thank you.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let this prayer punctuate your day!

Here’s my challenge for you! Sign on at BeforeAmen com. Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before!

I’m a recovering prayer wimp. For years my prayers seemed to zig, then zag, then zig again. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps your prayer life could use a tune up, a reboot?

If that sounds overwhelming, I’m inviting you to a simpler plan. Four minutes, plus four weeks, equals forever change! Every day for four weeks, pray for four minutes, focusing on these core elements of prayer: “Father, You are good. I need help. They need help. Thank you.”

It’s that simple. Really!  Talking with God doesn’t have to be complicated or complex. The power isn’t in the words we pray—but in the One who hears them!

Sign on at BeforeAmen.com. Every day for 4 weeks, pray four minutes—then get ready to connect with God like never before!

What if God’s only gift to you were his grace to save you. Would you be content? Content! That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has. You beg him to save the life of your child. You implore him to remove the cancer from your body. You plead with him to keep your business afloat. What if his answer is, “My grace is enough.” Would you be content?

You see, from heaven’s perspective, grace IS enough. If God did nothing more than save us from hell, could anyone complain? Having been given eternal life, dare we grumble at an aching body? Let me be quick to add. God has not left you with “just” salvation. He has already given you grace upon grace. The vast majority of us have been saved and then blessed even more!

From In the Grip of Grace

You may know what it’s like to carry a stigma.  Each time your name is mentioned, your calamity follows.

“Have you heard from John lately? You know, the fellow who got divorced?”

“We got a letter from Jerry. Remember him, the alcoholic?”

“I saw Melissa today. I don’t know why she can’t keep a job.”

Like a pesky sibling, your past follows you wherever you go. Isn’t there anyone who sees you for who you are and not what you did? Yes, there is One who does, your king. When God speaks of you, he doesn’t mention your plight, pain, or problem; he lets you share in His glory. He calls you His child.

God proved His love for us by sacrificing His Son. Psalm 103:12 says, He has “taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west.” Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

From In the Grip of Grace