Are You a Prayer?

The online dictionary I consulted said prayer is an earnest and solemn request for help or an expression of thanks offered to God. Let’s dive more deeply.

The Five Types of Prayer

(pulled from the website strategicladies.com)

• Type 1 – Worship and Praise
• Type 2 – Petition and Intercession
• Type 3 – Supplication
• Type 4 – Thanksgiving
• Type 5 – Spiritual Warfare

According to the website, the first one is the message we offer to God in honor and love and reverence for whom God is. The second type is a plea for help either for one’s own worrisome situation or on behalf of someone else. Type three is the most dramatic style and the one where we give an all or nothing stance during the prayer–on bended knee, physically prostrate, arms lifted high–a bodily expression is engaged to support the words we utter. The prayer of thanksgiving is an expression of appreciation for all God does and the last type of prayer is when a battle is present, emotionally or physically, and the words we cry out are an effort to gain focus and perspective and strength.

What type of prayer is your style? How do you pray and communicate with God? All of the above? None of the above? A mix of the bunch? Something different and new? Feel free to comment below.

Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, which suggests that day in and day out we may engage in any number of the above styles including variations thereof.

I also believe there is another definition of the word. A PRAY-ER is one who prays. A person who does all of the above on his/her own terms and in the individual’s own manner, time and place.

I am a PRAY-ER. I believe God hears my thoughts and words. Being a pray-er helps me feel connected to a power much greater than that which I might muster on my own. I find prayer to be joyful at times and sometimes it is agitated and energetic and on other occasions the act of prayer brings peace.

Whether you will soon become a first time pray-er, or are a continued pray-er or even a more devoted pray-er, may your words be simple, pure, sincere and may the experience reward you richly.