Week 2 Goal: Prayer

The goal for this week is:

PRAYER
Source
Goal (as written in the book): "Have sincere, daily personal prayer. The Book of Mormon prophet Alma suggested praying morning, mid-day and evening (Alma 34:21). "

I'm really glad that this is in the beginning of the year. On my part, this has cause for a lot of repentance. I know that I need to pray. I know that it will help me stay in better contact with my Heavenly Father and more in tune with the spirit. However, that doesn't always get remembered when I'm sleepily pulling covers over or away.

This week will begin a change and I'm happy for it. Within the LDS religion as well as many others we are encouraged to participate in our own personal prayers. It's suggested to us that we offer them in the morning and in the evening. Saying a prayer as a family is another way to draw closer to our Heavenly Father, as well to each other. Offering a thanks and asking for a blessing over meals is another small reminder of how infinite He truly is, and a token of appreciation for even the little things.Source
Remembering can be 95% of the battle, don't you think? Ty and I decided that we would start off by trying to give our family prayer around a specific time, to get us in a better habit. Typically, this is done just before bed for many families. We will also plan on our personal prayer time to be in the morning when rising from bed and before going to bed. In the morning, I'll be asking for good things to happen throughout my day. At night, I'll give gratitude for my blessings I received while going about my business.

One thing I want to make sure of, is that I'm giving my Heavenly Father my full and undivided attention. A prayer is considered a two-way conversation. In order to be sure this happens, I will need to fulfill two things. I can't be partially dozing off and mumbling through my prayer. Would you do that to a friend or family member you were talking to? Second Nephi 32:9 says, "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint...". ; ) Being alert will help me be more attentive to the spirit. For the second part, Janene Ustach suggests spending "a few minutes in quiet contemplation listening for an answer." Sometimes we need to be patient and consider our feelings and thoughts before rushing into the warmth of the comfy bed or off to our daily routine.Source
I, also, plan on creating a list of things I specifically need to pray for. The most important thing to remember in life is that our Father in Heaven is in ALL things. Nothing we do can be done without his aid. There are a few things I have in mind that I will need help with and can't be done unless I chose to rely on him.

If you would like to have a go at this with me, leave your e-mail in a comment or simply e-mail me at jenny21785@yahoo.com.
jenny21785{at}yahoo{dot}com

Or head over to habitforge.com and get started.

Have a great week!