How to Pray and Do It Every Day
Do I have to pray pre-written prayers? No, but you can.
Do I have to use special words? No, but you can.
Remember you're speaking to the Lord of the universe, so some reverence and humility is called for. But He's also your Father and you are His child, so speaking that way makes sense too.
Here’s my 4-a-day approach. Yes, 4 planned pray times each day.
Adjust these times of day as needed for your own schedule.
Morning.
Short(er) prayer in the morning to greet the Lord. Ask Him to set the tone for your day, substitute His plans for yours, substitute His words for yours, substitute His attitudes for yours. If something immediate is going on, add it here too.
Mid-morning.
Pray for the things you pray for every day: family, friends, missionaries, church staff, teachers, boss and co-workers, local and world leaders. Ask for them to draw closer to God, do what He asks, put His needs before their own, be a light in the world.
Afternoon or evening.
Specific prayer requests that have happened that day or are ongoing: illness, injury, jobs, seekers, wisdom, discernment, etc. that people have asked you to pray for.
Night.
Most people remember to do this one. Check in again at night, thank Him for your day, pray again about any immediate needs or prayer requests, set the tone for the next morning, and ask for rest.
Don't forget to pray at meal times too--but only if you're grateful for your food.
