Prayer is conversation with the living God.

Our God is relational. He wants to hear from you, to speak to you, and to make you more like his Son. Prayer is the way we deepen this relationship. Put simply, prayer is a two-way conversation with God. This means that not only do we speak to God through prayer, but we also listen. The best way to learn how to pray is to practice. 

Not sure how to start? Follow this acronym: 

Pause: take a deep breath and focus your mind and heart on God. 

Rejoice: Praise God for who he is and what he has done. Thank him for what you have.

Ask: Share with him the desires of your heart. Ask him to move in your life and the lives of others. Give him your worries, concerns, and fears. 

Yield: Surrender control by confessing your sins and yielding to his rule and reign in this world. 

(adapted from How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People, by Pete Greig)

The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. 

Biblical fasting is a willing abstinence from food for a set period of time. The intent is not to simply be hungry, but to focus our body, mind, and soul on God. It is also intended that the time you would normally be partaking in a meal would be given over to prayer. Fasting is an act of humility, and has been considered a core practice for Christ followers across the globe. It is used to call upon God’s mercy and to implore him to act within specific areas of our lives.  

Ezra 8:21, “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.” 

It is important to remember that, without our hearts submitted to God, the act of fasting is worthless. This is not an empty ritual in which we consider ourselves “good Christians”. It is a humble practice to align our hearts with God’s, and seek his will in everything.