The meaning of prayer: breaking it down

During my husband’s and my move from Arizona’s Southwest Valley—to a small town located along the Mogollon Rim that borders the Coconino National Forest—we left our old lives behind to begin a new adventure. At one point, a vehicle passed us with the words “Keep praying!” sprayed on the back window. I smiled to myself, and returned to prayers focused on family, friends, safe travels and good health. But then I asked myself: What is prayer? A former yoga teacher I took classes from often stated: Prayer is talking to God; meditation is listening. If that’s the case, though, what does the practice of prayer entail? In my own life, prayer means relationship expressed through praise for who God is, confession and repentance of my sins and petitions for healing and wholeness for myself and others. As we continued our journey that afternoon, I found myself practicing prayer often—mostly in awe and thanksgiving for the beautiful creation surrounding us.

What does prayer mean to you?

Photo by Benjamin Suter on Unsplash.