“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
― Martin Luther
There are many ways to pray. Communally, individually, the Psalms, and my fav – when our very breath is prayer. This is how I pray when I want to spend focused time on God and interceding for others; it works well for me because I love the obedience of hours in prayer, but stillness is hard. So I pray this way, I call it Visual Prayer or Prayer Doodling. No one taught me this – it’s just a synthesis of ideas and what works for me.
1. Mind your space. Meaning do this in a favorite chair or place of comfort. Light a candle. Open the Bible. Have a pretty view to look at.
2. Take time to meditate and breathe to focus yourself. No prescribed amount of time, just whatever feels right. If silence is uncomfortable, feel free to add music or sound to your space.
3. Gather paper and a favorite pen/pencil or marker – this matters because if the writing instrument frustrates you or lacks joy for you it changes things. Don’t skip this step.
4. With a pen in hand, place it somewhere on the paper. Not usually the center, but what feels right.
5. Close your eyes and draw slowly lines, not thinking too much. Let your hand and spirit do the work. I like fluid and flowing lines. When you think you are done, look at it. Does it need more or do you like it? Repeat, if needed.
6. Remind yourself God is present even in a line on paper. God loves and cares about all that weighs you down.
7. As my line usually has created loops or enclosed spaces, I then dedicate each space to a person or situation. As I color it in or make a pattern this coloring-in is my visual prayer for them because I think about them and lift them to God as I add color. Sometimes there is so much to pour out I finish the page in one sitting. Sometimes every space is for the same situation and sometimes it’s many. Sometimes it takes days to complete it. Is it pretty or ugly or artistic? It doesn’t matter! No one needs to see it. Do not judge yourself here…please.
8. When it is done I gaze at it and dedicate it to God. I love knowing only God and I know who and what the spaces represent. I often take a picture (not straight on but from an interesting angle, to remember this prayer page).
I have journals filled with pages like this.
And I have many ways to pray also, this is just one.
May you find it useful.
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