In your hard times, whatever they may be, say your worries, fears, and anxieties out loud to God. Tell God how they make you feel. Don’t worry about complaining to God; the Psalms are full of the psalmists’ complaints to a God who loves us.

Lent is a six-week season to focus on the hope of Jesus Christ through his death on the cross and his resurrection. A prayer for each week of Lent includes a brief scripture and prayerful reflection.

Spiritual disciplines are practices or habits that help deepen our faith and build spiritual strength. Spiritual disciplines include prayer. And they take discipline—attention and dedication—to challenge ourselves to stay committed in order to grow in our knowledge and love for God.

What is an Ebenezer? Ebenezer is a biblical Hebrew word that literally means “stone of help” (1 Samuel 7:12). Ebenezers are a helpful reminder of God’s faithfulness while we pray.

Did you know that prayer is good for you? Scientific studies have shown that prayer can improve our mental health and well-being. Prayer can be good for our physical health, but it is essential to our spiritual health.

Sometimes when I read particular prayer requests, I wonder, “Is this request what this individual truly needs, or is it just what they think they need?” I recognize that is not really up to me to decide what prayer another person needs. I also know that God’s answer to prayer will always meet the person’s need.

Using Scripture as a guide, use these prayers for your church’s education programs, the school in your neighborhood, or family members who may be students or teachers.

How do you pray when faced with the collateral damage left by violence? Using Scripture to guide prayers is very helpful when it’s hard to find the words. May feelings of helplessness be replaced by an urge to intercede for others.

Sometimes when I pray, I find it difficult to focus. I am pulled in lots of directions and get lost in my thoughts when I should be channeling that mental energy into intentional prayer time. Does that ever happen to you?

Diversity of thought and perspective can make it difficult to pray in agreement with or intercede on behalf of a request that reflects a view or perspective you don’t agree with.

We can reframe our prayer time with God as moments of open, honest dialogue, creating a safe space to come to God with each and every emotion.

Starting a new habit seems to fall into one of two categories: dropping something negative or picking up something healthy. It’s easy to pray, but making it a regular habit can be difficult.

Praying for others is called intercession—praying to God on someone else’s behalf. God’s Word gives us many examples of intercessory prayer. God expects us to pray for others, but how do you pray for someone else?

You are committed to pray, you know how important prayer is, and you find joy in it. You pray for family, ministries, leaders, and neighbors. If your intercessory prayer time is anything like mine, you do it in a quiet, private place. But what about praying out loud in front of a group at a family gathering, Bible study, or informal church meeting?

These twelve scriptures and prayers celebrate the gift of Jesus across the traditional twelves days of Christmas.

Grief can be overwhelming, making it very hard to pray. God’s Word is the perfect prayer guide in our seasons of grief. Here, we share prayers of comfort from a new 31-day ebook for someone who is grieving.

What we’ve traditionally regarded as Jesus’ first words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), is actually a prayer. It can be arduous to pray for heartbreaking, painful, and unjust situations over and over again.

The prayer request for God’s protection is a prevalent one; we seek God’s protection for our physical safety, in situations we cannot control, or for spiritual safety against evil. Though circumstances may vary, the Bible makes it clear that the Lord will protect those who trust in him.

In some parts of the world, people are physically injured, abandoned, or even killed for their Christian faith. This level of harm is called persecution. How can we pray specifically for people facing these crises?

We are human, and it’s natural for us to grow anxious when things don’t go the way we think they should, but our frustration with God should not derail or weaken our faith. Instead, lean into your faith and follow the examples of Habbakuk and the Psalms.

We respond to God’s gifts, trustworthiness, and provisions is through prayer. Our thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer. How do we establish the rhythm of giving thanks in all circumstances? One suggestion is to start a daily habit of writing down five things you are thankful for.

When we tell someone they’re in our thoughts and prayers, we are committing to bring their suffering, worries, or jubilation in front of God. The act of prayer is a gift, and a beautiful way to show love for your neighbors.

As Christians with a commitment to prayer, we might ask ourselves this question: how often should I pray? The answer from the Bible may seem a bit unrealistic, but we should pray all the time.

Does God really listen to me? Quick answer: yes! While we may find it hard to imagine that God cares enough to listen to our prayers, the Bible makes it very clear that he does.

I don't have a good answer for why God sometimes answers my prayers in unwanted ways. Does it mean that I didn't pray hard enough? No. Does it mean I had some “hidden sin” in my life? No. Does it mean that God ignored me? No. God always listens and answers, even when I don’t see it or understand it.

While praying for our enemies might be countercultural to the world, it’s a Kingdom practice modeled by Jesus himself.

Parents can employ several different forms or styles of prayer to help their children learn this spiritual practice. Pray at home, pray in the car, before meals, before bed, or any time in between.

However we pray, wherever we pray, and whether we pray out of anger and suffering or joy and thanksgiving, let us remember that God is always listening.

When we stumble in our personal or spiritual life we “look up” to our helper and pray. Psalm 121 speaks of God as our helper. We can “look up to the hills” with boldness and confidence knowing that God will pick us up when we fall.

If you lack discipline, consistency, and focus in prayer, you are not alone. And take heart, God is for you. We can’t pray enough to earn God’s love, but God blesses us as we grow in our spiritual disciplines.

Scripture helps us see our situation from God’s perspective. Praying through Scripture can give us words to pray when situations and people weigh heavily on our hearts. Consider this brief list of common prayer needs and see how Scripture can guide your prayers.

The moments spent in prayer with God can calm anxiety and give energy to tackle the day’s stress. A visual tool, Prayer Circles, is helpful as you pray for yourself, your community, and the world.

It is easy to thank God for his many gifts and blessings, but what should we do when we feel stuck on how to create a thoughtful prayer?

Listening Prayer is simple, but takes some practice. God invites us to spend time in his presence, just quietly listening. Here are some suggestions to help you get started with Listening Prayer.

God works through the prayers of his people, and even if we don’t know quite what to pray—for ourselves, for our loved ones, or for the individuals who are on the prayer list—there are always ways to pray in accordance with the will of the Father.

Looking for ways to pray? There are numerous strategies, routines, and practices to help guide you in prayer. Why not let the five fingers on your hand help you remember five essential elements of prayer.

“I know why I should pray, but sometimes I just don’t know how to pray.” There are many ways to pray, to enter into a conversation with God, the Prayer of Examen uses prayer to slow down and savor God’s presence.

When God tells us “no” or “wait,” we might feel like he has abandoned us. Praying through the lens of Scripture, we see how the Bible assures us that God loves us and knows what is best for us.

Lectio Divina is a tool helpful to cultivate a deeper, reflective emphasis on pairing prayer and God’s Word together.

The ancient Christian practice of breath prayer is a way to enter into a conversation with God in simple and repeatable phrases that can be said in one breath.

Reciting a familiar prayer can give a sense of stability and routine in a time when so much is changing.

We need to be careful when saying, “I will pray for you.” It is admirable and good; we just need to be careful that our expressions of our desire do not diminish the place and importance of prayer.

Prayer is a conversation with God and an outworking of our relationship with God; this is an opportunity to live out the reality of this relationship. When praying with someone, it also shows your friend—even though you might not have the words to pray—you do have the will to pray, and that’s often the most important thing.

What is Intercessory prayer, and how do we do it? Here are tools for effective intercessory prayer.

Ever feel like your prayers wander around? Or do you lose focus in prayer? There are many ways to pray. One tool available is the acronym ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Not only does this acronym help with remembering what to pray for, but it also creates a natural flow of importance for our prayers.

Sharing the long legacy of ReFrame Media’s and Back to God Ministry’s prayer ministry and follow-up care.

United Way's "211" connects millions of people to help every year. You can call 211 to reach trained professionals for emergency assistance, disaster relief, immigrant assistance, Coronavirus resources, and more.

Psychology Today offers an international database of therapists, psychologists, and counselors.

Confidential help, information, and treatment referral are available 24/7, by calling the National SAMHSA helpline: 1-800-662-HELP

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center offers confidential crisis assistance and support, referrals, tip reporting, and general information about human trafficking. Advocates are available to respond around the clock, every day of the week, by calling toll-free: 1-888-373-7888

The BeFree Textline offers confidential crisis assistance and support, referrals, tip reporting, and general information about human trafficking through SMS text message. Textline advocates are available to respond 24/7.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims and survivors of domestic violence. Advocates are available by phone, or via chat on the website. (TTY service is available at 1−800−787−3224.)