When I was a little girl, I heard all the time about prayer warriors-- people who would sit for hours in their "prayer closets," talking to God. My grandmother's first cousin's wife, in fact, was once deep in conversation with God at 2 am when she looked out the window and discovered her daughter's friends TP-ing the house! I know another teacher in my old high school who prays for each of her students, every single morning before school.

Praying is definitely a discipline, one that I greatly admire. It is one of the most basic ways of connecting with God-- a period not only to speak your heart's anguish, but also to listen for God's still, small voice to you.

For some of us, prayer comes easily. For others, though, it is hard to be a so-called "prayer warrior." There are many ways to pray, though, and the PC(USA)'s Office of Spiritual Formation puts out great resources on it (check out www.pcusa.org/spiritualformation). If you don't find sitting in your room with a candle to be the best way of centering yourself for prayer, here are some suggestions from that office for bringing your body into worship:

• Stand with your arms reaching upward and hands open, your face to the sky. Open or close your eyes and bask in the divine. You can repeat the Lord's Prayer or sing a song to speak to God.
• Dance! Put on some music (there are lots of peppy Christian artists out there, although you don't necessarily need to put on Christian music) and just let your body feel the rhythm as an expression of praise.
• In similar fashion, I've always liked embodied prayer. Repeat a Psalm or prayer and put motions to it. This helps me focus on the words and delve out their meaning.
• When you exercise, add a prayer to your workout. You can rhythmically repeat a word or phrase from Scripture, like "Jesus," "The Lord is my Shepherd," "Be still and know that I am God," or anything else else that helps you focus on God. You could also hold a visual image and focus on it.

NNPCW also has some great information in the discussion resource about embodied prayer, and the importance of not trying to separate our minds from God's good creation of our bodies when we worship. Take a look at it-- if you're not a contemplative type, these ways of praying may resonate more with you as a way to connect to God.

May you find rest in the busyness of life today, and may you hear God's voice through the din of the world.

"David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod." --2 Samuel 6:14

Kelsey

PS-- As you're using these new prayer techniques this week... on Palm Sunday local Palestinian Christians are going to walk from Bethlehem to Jerusalem with donkeys and palm branches to symbolize the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem 2000 years ago. However, since 1990 Palestinian Christians and Muslims have not been able to enter the Holy City to worship God. They will most likely be stopped at an Israeli checkpoint and prohibited from entering Jerusalem. Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ as they witness to peace and to God's love for all the children of Abraham.