ABC Prayers

I’m in a massive cleaning and organizing project of all my creative files for my writing and doodling. My goal is to move much of my paper clutter to a digital format. So far it’s proving to be a productive time. I’m also finding treasures!

One of my finds was a prayer prompt that didn’t make it into my book, The Creative Prayer Journal.  I called the prompt “A B C Prayers.” (I suppose you could consider it a deleted scene.)

With ABC prayers you list the alphabet on your journal or paper. Then, as you go down the list you name a person or situation that begins with the letter and you pray. Do you want to know why I didn’t use that prompt?  Because it was hard for me to do it! I let my inability to accomplish this prayer keep me from adding it to the book. I decided that if I couldn’t fill in all those blanks, then it mustn’t be a good addition to the book.

God knows our unspoken prayer requests

However, when I saw my previous attempt at the prayer prompt in my hand, God spoke something to my heart. My inability to fill in the blanks wasn’t shining a light on my lack of prayer, but on God’s ability to answer the prayers. Take the letter N. The fact that every person I knew that had the name that started with the letter didn’t have a pressing need was an already answered prayer. Their needs were being met. 

So, I present to you the ABC Prayer. I invite you to write the ABC’s down the page. Then, think of a person or situation that begins with each letter, and pray. If you have blanks, don’t be like me and feel incomplete or that you didn’t finish the prayer. 

Instead, rejoice that in your life and to the best of your knowledge, God is meeting the needs of your dearest friends and family.

Dear God, 

Please help me to remember that my inability to pray doesn’t weaken your ability to answer. You know my heart. Amen.