Comments on: Top 10 Pitfalls of Prayer that I Plummet into http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html The discipleship guide to christian spiritual growth Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:43:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Laurie http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-721 Laurie Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:15:53 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-721 Like I said in another post comment, my pitfall is feeling like I have to be secretive about praying. I have to do it so that NO ONE knows I am doing it. I don't know why. Makes finding a time to really go through a more intense and intentional experience difficult. I have ended with the if it your will phrase. Today I ended with "I'm begging you Jesus!" Like I said in another post comment, my pitfall is feeling like I have to be secretive about praying. I have to do it so that NO ONE knows I am doing it. I don’t know why. Makes finding a time to really go through a more intense and intentional experience difficult.

I have ended with the if it your will phrase. Today I ended with “I’m begging you Jesus!”

]]> By: admin http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-683 admin Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:55:48 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-683 @Jim..I am glad that you didn't let your reluctance get the better of you. I think most of us feel inadequate to prayer and admitting it helps the rest of us feel not so alone. It's actually a bit encouraging. Also, I appreciate you sharing the model you use. I am not currently writing many prayers but have numerous times in the past. I too find that writing keeps me focused. I try to typically pray and/or read scripture with a pen in hand. I mostly do this with my to-do list ready, so that I can note things I believe God is nudging me to do. Sometimes the nudge will come as a thought in prayer, or may be an image in my mind of something that needs to be done, or a scripture verse seems to call me to action. Whatever the case may be, having a pen in hand not only keeps me focused but also listening. I think it's because it physically engages us in the process of prayer. Similarly, I find that speaking prayers out loud helps me stick to it. I like to pray sometimes as I drive. If I don't say the prayers out loud, then I find I honestly only have an attention span of a handful of minutes. Once again, thank you for sharing and I am so pleased to hear that The Practical Disciple has been a blessing. If there is ever anything I can do to make it better, don't hesitate to speak up. Thanks. @Jim..I am glad that you didn’t let your reluctance get the better of you. I think most of us feel inadequate to prayer and admitting it helps the rest of us feel not so alone. It’s actually a bit encouraging. Also, I appreciate you sharing the model you use. I am not currently writing many prayers but have numerous times in the past. I too find that writing keeps me focused.

I try to typically pray and/or read scripture with a pen in hand. I mostly do this with my to-do list ready, so that I can note things I believe God is nudging me to do. Sometimes the nudge will come as a thought in prayer, or may be an image in my mind of something that needs to be done, or a scripture verse seems to call me to action. Whatever the case may be, having a pen in hand not only keeps me focused but also listening. I think it’s because it physically engages us in the process of prayer.

Similarly, I find that speaking prayers out loud helps me stick to it. I like to pray sometimes as I drive. If I don’t say the prayers out loud, then I find I honestly only have an attention span of a handful of minutes. Once again, thank you for sharing and I am so pleased to hear that The Practical Disciple has been a blessing. If there is ever anything I can do to make it better, don’t hesitate to speak up. Thanks.

]]> By: Jim http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-680 Jim Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:14:12 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-680 I'm reluctant to comment on prayer, because I feel my prayer life is so inadequate, In the last few weeks, though, I've sensed a change in that prayer life that I feel led to share. For many years, I've used a self-composed prayer that I think of as "the"prayer. This is a written prayer that is under constant revision but whose structure and content have remained fairly constant over time. I've now begun what I call a daily "prayer diary," which, while still written, is more a stream-of-consciousness sort of approach, patterned after the ACTS model, beginning usually with the reading of a Psalm. This has given my prayer life a new meaning and urgency and a sense of God's presence throughout the day which is beginning to cause some profound changes in my thoughts & actions. I find writing prayers helps me to stay focused, otherwise my mind wanders to more mundane concerns after a while. The Practical Disciple has been a great help to me as I work to find a deeper sense of commitment and a richer prayer life. I’m reluctant to comment on prayer, because I feel my prayer life is so inadequate, In the last few weeks, though, I’ve sensed a change in that prayer life that I feel led to share. For many years, I’ve used a self-composed prayer that I think of as “the”prayer. This is a written prayer that is under constant revision but whose structure and content have remained fairly constant over time. I’ve now begun what I call a daily “prayer diary,” which, while still written, is more a stream-of-consciousness sort of approach, patterned after the ACTS model, beginning usually with the reading of a Psalm. This has given my prayer life a new meaning and urgency and a sense of God’s presence throughout the day which is beginning to cause some profound changes in my thoughts & actions. I find writing prayers helps me to stay focused, otherwise my mind wanders to more mundane concerns after a while. The Practical Disciple has been a great help to me as I work to find a deeper sense of commitment and a richer prayer life.

]]> By: The Missing #5 - The Practical Disciple http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-677 The Missing #5 - The Practical Disciple Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:57:45 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-677 [...] I posted 10 Pitfalls of Prayer I Plummet into, but as one reader pointed out, I was missing #5.  I think five got lost in the proofing and [...] [...] I posted 10 Pitfalls of Prayer I Plummet into, but as one reader pointed out, I was missing #5.  I think five got lost in the proofing and [...]

]]> By: admin http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-676 admin Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:36:52 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-676 @Dennis. Oops! I had ten. I'm not sure where five went to. When I was done proofing this, I decided to reorder a couple of the items because some seemed to naturally fit with one another. I must have inadvertently deleted one in the process and didn't catch it because I was through proofing. I post #5 later today. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. @Dennis. Oops! I had ten. I’m not sure where five went to. When I was done proofing this, I decided to reorder a couple of the items because some seemed to naturally fit with one another. I must have inadvertently deleted one in the process and didn’t catch it because I was through proofing. I post #5 later today. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

]]> By: DennisS http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2009/07/top-10-pitfalls-of-prayer-that-i-plummet-into.html/comment-page-1#comment-675 DennisS Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:10:56 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=468#comment-675 And number 5 is too personal to print? And number 5 is too personal to print?

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