prayer – Page 4 – 300 words a day

On conversation with Dad.

The other day, I had this image of our daughter Hope calling our son Andrew. She says, “I need some tips on talking with Dad. Like ‘5 easy ways to get dad to do what you want’ or something.” Andrew says, “I don’t understand talking with Dad at all. Sometimes I ask for something and […]

by Jon Swanson

What if he listens when we talk about him?

First published April 10 2013 I never know how long to pray about things. I’m often not sure exactly how to pray. The other day, Hope and Nancy and I were talking about this question, about what to pray for in a particular health situation. Hope and some of her friends had been discussing it […]

by Paul Merrill

Facing three mountains

I’ve been trying hard to figure out what to write about three mountains in front of me. During the last week, three separate friends have asked me to pray for their challenging situations. Each faces a similar huge trial. I don’t want to describe the situations out of respect for their privacy. But suffice it […]

by Jon Swanson

Every Monday

First published October 8, 2012 It happens every Monday morning. Every Monday is a restart of our pilgrimage. Every Monday we say, “I want this week to be different. I want to be more committed, more caring, more thoughtful, more loving, more focused, more significant, more successful.” And then we open our eyes. And shuffle […]

by Jon Swanson

Praying for the hallways.

When people say, “Prayer works”, I wince. “God works,” I say, sometimes out loud. Because prayer isn’t a formula or an incantation. In fact, we would be better off replacing the word “pray” with one or more of the hundred words we use to describe our interactions with persons. Like “converse” with God or “invite” […]