Starting Your Faith JourneySample

God Hears Your Prayers

Here is an important truth about God: He knows and cares about every part of your life, big or small. He hears your thoughts and your prayers. But what does it look like to pray? Do you have to use big words or say the right thing? What is the significance of prayer? Prayer can seem like something only very spiritual people do. That is not the case - prayer is for anyone. While it is important to pray ourselves, knowing that someone prays for us can also be an encouragement to our faith. We should pray for others, too. Lauren McAffee shares how her grandmother prayed for her family.

Lauren's own prayer journey changed because she heard her grandmother's prayers. Lauren’s faith grew because of her grandmother’s actions not because of the fancy words or the length of her prayers. Prayer gives us access to God and can help us understand His will. It can be a simple conversation with God about things that matter to you and others. Talk to God and listen to what He says. God can speak to us through the Bible, other believers, and our circumstances. Jesus gave us a template for prayer in Matthew 6:9-15. But no matter what you pray, you can trust that God cares about everything in your life. He wants you to come to Him in prayer.

Apply

• Is prayer a part of life for anyone you know? Considering the readings and examples of prayer, what is your response to prayer?
• Take a moment to pray for something or someone that matters to you. You can trust that God hears your prayer!