Prayer is such a powerful part of daily life for Christians — it’s how we connect with the Lord, find peace, and get the strength we need to face whatever comes our way. The Bible encourages us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), reminding us that
- prayer isn’t just for big moments but for every moment of every day.
Starting the day with prayer invites God into everything we do, while ending the day in prayer helps us reflect, give thanks, and rest in His care. For kids, bedtime prayers can be a sweet way to build faith and a sense of security. Praying for their school day, their protection, and their future is a way to trust God with what matters most.
Go Straight to Resources for Prayer
Morning Prayers
Prayers for Yourself
Prayers for Women
Prayers for All Year
Prayer for Healing
Prayer Journals
Kids in Prayer
Prayer Bible Studies
Philippians 4:6 says it best:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
When life feels overwhelming, prayer brings peace. Whether it’s for healing, protection, or courage to get through tough times, God is always listening. Psalm 46:1 reminds us,
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
And when it comes to forgiveness — both asking for it and giving it — prayer helps us lean into God’s grace.
Does God answer prayer? Yes!
God listens, pays attention to, and answers prayer, though His responses may not always align with our expectations. Jeremiah 33:3 assures us,
Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
God’s answers come in different forms — sometimes it’s a clear “yes,” other times it’s “no” or “wait.” While we may not always understand His timing or reasoning, we can trust that His answers are rooted in His perfect wisdom, love, and plan for our lives.
Jesus encourages us in Matthew 7:7,
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
This reminds us that God is always listening and invites us to bring our needs, hopes, and struggles to Him in prayer. Even when the answer isn’t what we hoped for, we can trust that He is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28).
Sometimes, God’s answers come in unexpected ways — through a sense of peace, a change in circumstances, or the wisdom of others. Other times, His answer is to strengthen us to endure a situation rather than remove it, as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
God’s faithfulness assures us that no prayer goes unheard.
- Keep praying, trusting, and believing — God is always at work!
No matter what you’re facing, prayer is a reminder that God is near.
The Lord is near to all who call on Him. — Psalm 145:18
Prayer is the time to be utterly authentic with God. It isn’t a time for puffed-up decorum or ritualized language. God wants us to be real with Him, vulnerable with Him, absolutely ourselves. He already knows us better than we know ourselves, so there’s no point in hiding, right? We might as well by open and honest in telling Him all our thoughts, hopes, needs, dreams, sins, and concerns. When we come to God, we come to the One who not only knows us, but loves us beyond our ability to understand! In prayer, we get to know Him better and learn to trust Him more and more.
In The GREAT Morning Revolution, Tara Beth Leach writes:
Prayer is about relationship, vulnerability, and intimacy, not formality. One of the things about prayer that intimidates many people is that we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. One of my favorite examples comes from the movie Meet the Parents, when Greg, the soon to be son-in-law, prays this:
“O dear God, thank You. You are such a good God to us, a kind and gentle and accommodating God. And we thank You, O sweet, sweet Lord of hosts, for the smorgasbord You have so aptly lain at our table this day, and each day... by day. Day by day by day. O dear Lord, three things we pray: to love Thee more dearly, to see Thee more clearly, to follow Thee more nearly day by day... by day. Amen.”1
Such a funny scene in the movie, but it’s not far from the way many of us think we need to pray. We are more worried about our words than the actual connection. Prayer isn’t just for the spiritually elite — the pastors, the missionaries, the “super Christians.”
It’s not a sacred secret known only to a select few. It is truly a sincere dialogue between us and God. Imagine that — God, the Creator of the universe, desires a personal conversation with you.
God doesn’t really care about your prose, sentence structure, or ability to use sacred words. God is interested in you and your heart. Prayer is about being honest before a God who already knows us intimately. Max Lucado put it this way: “God is low on fancy, high on accessibility.”2 Hear this, friends: God wants your heart. He wants you. He wants to talk with you personally. Psalm 62:8 reads,
Pour out your hearts to Him.
Can you imagine a real relationship that was all formality and no vulnerability? That would be boring. It would be exhausting and get old fast. A great way to begin a journey of prayer is in heartfelt honesty and vulnerability before a God who was so vulnerable that He became flesh, exposed His heart and life to the world, knelt and washed the feet of His disciples, was humiliated and nailed to a cross, became nothing, and then was raised to new life — on a stage before the world. That’s vulnerability.
Excerpted with permission from The GREAT Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach, copyright Tara Beth Leach.
1. Jay Roach, dir., Meet the Parents (Tribeca Productions, 2000), DVD.
2. Max Lucado, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer (Thomas Nelson, 2014), 17.
Prayer Resources for You
Morning Prayers
The GREAT Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach. In The GREAT Morning Revolution, Tara Beth Leach shares how she adopted the ritual of rising early and discovered the transformative power of mornings with God--and she invites you to do the same. With practical guidance, spiritual encouragement, and a structured-yet-flexible approach, she shows you how to find sacred serenity in the early hours that will reshape your perspective and deepen your relationship with God. Learn more.
Daily Prayers for Mornings Get into the habit of talking to God each morning can enrich your spiritual life as you focus on God’s provision of strength, wisdom, and hope; and prompts for starting daily conversations with our Heavenly Father. The simple practice of prayer makes a world of difference. It's also a perfect gift for friends and family on any occasion. Learn more.
Prayers for Your Children
Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Berndt. Drawing on the life-changing power of God's Word, this expanded 20th anniversary edition of Jodie's bestseller Praying the Scriptures for Your Children teaches you how to pray for all aspects of your child's life, including: Your child's identity, health and safety, use of technology, faith, their future, and so much more. Learn more.
Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens by Jodie Berndt. It's never been tougher to be a teenager - or the parent of one. Thankfully, from your teen's first date to the next time they ask to borrow the car keys, this book will help you make the Bible your source for prayers that can powerfully influence your teen's life. Drawing on the power of God's Word, this updated and expanded edition of Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens teaches you how to pray for all aspects of your teen's life, including: Your teen's character, relationships, health and safety, victory over temptation, and so much more. Learn more.
Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children by Jodie Berndt. In this book, Jodie shares prayers designed with your adult children in mind, whether they're just leaving the nest, flying well on their own, or struggling to take off at all. She shares advice on navigating all aspects of adulthood with encouraging stories from experienced parents who are praying their children through real-life issues like leaving the church, struggling with health concerns, navigating broken marriages, fighting addiction, dealing with financial problems, as well as addressing some of the most difficult questions that confront parents: How can I support my children when they make decisions I disagree with? Is it too late to start praying for my children? What does the Bible teach us about praying for our children? Learn more.
Prayers for Yourself
Praying the Scriptures for Your Life by Jodie Berndt. This reflective 31-day devotional: Gives insight into what it means to abide with Christ every day. Guides you in how to pray the Scriptures and let them shape your choices. Covers topics ranging from relationships to faith to money management. Shows how closeness with Christ equips you to bear fruit through your prayers. Is a reminder that you are created for connection with your heavenly Father. And, it teaches how abiding is the key to abundance. Learn more.
The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham-Lotz. Anne will teach you how to pray effectively for your nation, for your families, and for yourself. Many people today find that their prayers don’t “work.” And like a broken cell phone, DVD player, or TV remote, they throw prayer out as unnecessary “clutter” in their busy lives. Anne Graham Lotz has found that while prayer does work, sometimes the “pray-ers” don’t. So she has turned to the prophet Daniel for help. The Daniel Prayer is born deep within your soul, erupts through your heart, and pours out on your lips, words created by and infused with the Spirit of God quivering with spiritual electricity. It’s really not an everyday type of prayer. It’s a prayer birthed under pressure. Heartache. Grief. Desperation. It can be triggered by a sudden revelation of hope. An answer to prayer, a promise freshly received, a miracle that lies just over the horizon. Learn more.
Present in Prayer by Jennifer Tucker. Still your soul and rest your mind as you cultivate a purposeful prayer life by focusing your thoughts on God’s Word. Do you notice that even when your body is not moving, your mind is racing? Anxiety, to-do lists, and the spiral of negative thought patterns often keep us from the stillness we long for. In Present in Prayer, award-winning author Jennifer Tucker invites you to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through God's Word and renew your mind through the practice of Christian meditation. Learn more.
Before Amen by Max Lucado. Find transformation and unleash God's power in your life as you discover the simple truth at the heart of biblical prayer. We all pray... some. But wouldn't we like to pray better? Stronger? With more fire, faith and fervency? We aren't the first to struggle with prayer. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact, prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested. In Before Amen, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado will help you discover the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubters and confidence for both prayer beginners and experts. Learn more.
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. Do you ever sense that there's far more to prayer than what you're experiencing? Are you praying over your impossible dreams and greatest fears? Do you feel like something is holding you back in your prayer life? It's time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker. When his land was drought-stricken in ancient times, Honi ha-M'agel drew a circle in the sand, stepped inside it, and wouldn't budge until God answered his petition for rain. Honi's story transformed author Mark Batterson's own experience with prayer and inspired him to document his journey to praying more powerful prayers in The Circle Maker. Sharing inspiring stories from modern-day circle makers as well as his own experiences, Mark imparts the timeless wisdom and encouragement you need to: Discern God's will for your life, Uncover your heart's hidden desires, Pursue God-sized dreams, Connect with God in fresh ways, Deepen your faith and your relationship with prayer, Draw prayer circles around your family, your community, your challenges, and your dreams. Learn more.
Also, check out The Circle Maker, Student Edition.
Prayers for Women
Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker. Find hope amid anxiety through the spiritual practice of breath prayer in this beautifully illustrated and practical guide to connecting body, mind, and spirit during times of stress. Breath as Prayer will lead you through the practice and the proven health benefits of Christian breath prayer: intentional prayers centered around Scripture that focus our minds on Christ as we calm our bodies through breathing. Learn more.
Prayers to Help You Thrive by Denise Hildreth Jones, Shauna Niequist, Tsh Oxenreider and more. Life doesn't always go the way you planned. The world is full of cancelations, frustrations, broken relationships, and hurts that can go down deep. When these painful experiences come (and they always do!) you are left feeling let down and unhappy. But, when you rely on God and go to Him in prayer, you can still thrive, even when life is difficult. Prayers to Help You Thrive is a beautiful mix of devotions, Scripture, prayers, and prompts that will help you develop resilience by strengthening your time with God. Learn more.
Pocket Prayers for Moms by Max Lucado. Each day you'll find a timeless verse from Scripture and a thoughtful prayer designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your relationship with your family, and help you find joy in the everyday highs and lows of motherhood. No matter where you are in your journey of motherhood, Max will give you the encouragement you need to face each day, including prayers for: Protection and surrender, Guidance and clarity, Healing and safety, Grace and strength. Learn more.
Prayers for All Year
The Weekly Prayer Project invites you to journal, pray, reflect, and connect with God using a 52-week guided prayer journal. You'll learn to pray with intention and explore the different types of prayers found in the Bible, with journaling prompts that guide you to reflect on God's work in your life. Learn more.
Jesus Listens by Sarah Young. When your days feel overwhelming and life has you anxious and stressed, you can find peace and hope in Jesus. In this 365-day devotional prayer book from the author of Jesus Calling®, you’ll find confidence to come to God in all circumstances with short, heartfelt prayers based on Scripture. Now available in an easy-to-read large print format. God desires a relationship with you through continual conversation — prayer. Jesus Listens® empowers you to pray daily, whether it serves as your only prayer for the day or simply a jump starter to your own prayers. Learn more.
Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks by Ann Spangler. Names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another. They often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. This is especially true when it comes to the names and titles of God recorded in the Bible. Based on Praying the Names of God and Praying the Names of Jesus, two bestselling books by Ann Spangler, this unique Bible study helps you explore the most important of God’s names and titles as they are revealed in the Bible. It also teaches you how to pray with specific focus on each of the names of God. Learn more.
Prayer for Healing
Prayers and Promises When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness by Edward G. Dobson. Written by a fellow pilgrim on his own journey with Lou Gehrig's disease, this powerful and inspiring devotional guide offers thirty short reflections to nurture your faith and boost your strength. Each reflection is a small dose of spiritual truth to start or complete your day. Morning selections include a brief prayer and reflection. Evening readings are based on God's promises to encourage and enlighten you. Some of the prayers and promises include: God, remind me that there is more to life than this disease. God, give me strength to believe that you can heal me. God, give me something to laugh about. God, help me to leave a legacy for my family. God, I don’t feel like praying. Learn more.
Battle Prayers by Michael J. Klassen and Thomas M. Freiling. Do the unending obstacles you face make you feel like you’re in a constant spiritual battle? Arm yourself with 100 prayers that will uplift and encourage you during the difficult moments of life. It can be difficult to find the right words when you’re praying through hard times. In Battle Prayers, find a classic model to lift your prayers to God, not only for yourself, but others. Each prayer is woven together with Scripture, reminding you that the answers to your struggles can be found in God’s Word and by listening to Him. Learn more.
A Little Book of Healing Prayer by Angela Ashwin. All prayer is concerned with healing in its fullest sense, as whenever we pray, we open ourselves to receive God’s transforming love. When we pray for others, we are offering ourselves as channels for that same healing love. The prayers in this exquisite collection recognize that each of us is bruised, weary, or hurt in some way, and that strong or weak, we stand alongside each other in our common need of God’s forgiveness and love. Containing prayers for ourselves, for others, and for special times and needs, A Little Book of Healing Prayer is itself an inspiration and a tonic. Learn more.
Healing Prayer by Reginald B. Cherry. Best-selling author and host of TBN's #1 rated show, "The Doctor and the Word," Dr. Reginald Cherry explores how faith, medicine, and prayer work together. An inspiring guide for those who want to know how to pray for healing and anyone interested in alternative medicine and/or the possible effects of prayer on healing. Cherry says, "Prayer is the divine key that unlocks God's pathway of healing in both the natural and supernatural realms of life." In Healing Prayer, he explores the connection between faith and healing, the Bible and medicine. A practicing doctor, Cherry blends the latest research, true stories, and biblical principles to show that spirit-directed prayer can bring healing. Learn More.
Prayer Journals
Sacred Prayer by Ann Voskamp. Experience deeper connection with God through the six SACRED steps of prayer in this 90-day guided prayer journal. Ann Voskamp shares her own personal prayer practice to help you discover the power and beauty of prayer: SACRED — Stillness to know God, Attentiveness to hear God, Cruciformity to surrender to God, Revelation to see God, Examine to return to God, Doxology to thank God. Learn more.
Good Morning God Prayer Journal. Wake up to each new sunrise with joy and hope, relishing His great love, reveling in His mercies, and receiving the power you need to live each day to its fullest. You will be reminded of God's promises as you pour out your heart to God, journaling your prayers, praises, thoughts, and desires of your heart in this beautiful prayer journal. With plenty of space to reflect on God s goodness, you'll find yourself looking forward to your daily morning coffee with God. Learn more.
Then Sings My Soul Prayer Journal by Robert J. Morgan. A year of journaling inspiration through the most beloved hymns, based on the bestselling Then Sings My Soul series. Pastor Rob Morgan's inimitable style will help people reacquaint themselves with the hymns of the faithful. His goal is to keep these traditional hymns vital and meaningful to all generations. Hymns speak to our soul and add depth and meaning as we worship God through song. This year-long devotional journal shares the emotion behind the hymns of faith that have changed many lives throughout history — not only the people whose faith led them to write these wonderful hymns but also the people whose faith has been transformed by reading, hearing, and singing the songs. Learn more.
Daily Prayer Journal. This spiral-bound Daily Prayer Journal with botanical watercolor artwork is a perfect addition to your time with God. It includes 366 undated sections for entering prayer requests and answered prayers, with selected Bible verses and decorative verse pages throughout. Customize its use to your own needs: Start daily at the beginning of the year, or start any time and add prayers, gratitude, and praise as often you desire in your quiet time. Great to give as a gift or for your own use! Learn more.
Daily Prayer Journal. This Daily Prayer Journal with calming artwork in neutral colors is a perfect addition to your quiet time. Featuring 366 undated sections to enter your prayer requests as well as answered prayers, and selected Bible verses added throughout, you can tailor its use to your own needs. Start daily at the beginning of the year, or start any time and add prayers, gratitude, and praise as often you desire in your time with God. Great to give as a gift or for your own use! Learn more.
The GREAT Morning Revolution Journal by Tara Beth Leach. This companion journal to The GREAT Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach is the perfect place to record your thoughts and prayers as you begin the ritual of rising early to spend time with God. With space on each page for the five practices detailed in the book — Gratitude, Reflection, Exalt, Ask, and Trust — and inspiring quotes throughout, it becomes easy to write everything down in one place. So get ready to set aside time for a deeper relationship with God and begin a new practice, your own GREAT Morning Revolution. Learn more.
Kids in Prayer
Good Morning, Little One by Amy Kavelaris. Reassure kids that God is carrying them throughout the day with these morning affirmations and whimsical illustrations from beloved author Amy Kavelaris. Adorable animals with gorgeous floral art and words of hope remind little ones of God's love, security, and peace for the day ahead. This unique book of blessings and prayers will remind your little one of God’s loving promises revealed in nature: that He protects us from the rain, He covers us with His wings, He shines His light into the darkness, and most of all, He’ll always be with us. Learn more.
Bedtime Prayers for Little Ones by Max Lucado. With sweet and simple rhyming prayers, short Scriptures, and classic artwork, this prayer book makes a meaningful gift for baby showers, adoption presents, dedications, christenings, baptisms, birthdays, Easter, and Christmas. Show your kids that God listens to their prayers and He cares what they have to say with Bedtime Prayers for Little Ones. Bestselling author Max Lucado will teach your children to pray and praise with these rhyming bedtime prayers about blessings, needs, fears, and hopes, written by Max and his wife Denalyn. After talking to God each night, your little one will fall asleep feeling loved and safe. Learn more.
Prayer Bible Studies
Praying with Women of the Bible for 30 Days by Sherry Harney. What do the lives of these women from Scripture teach us about different forms of prayer? From Eve to Esther, from Mary Magdelene to Martha, the women who appear in the pages of the Bible offer us essential (sometimes hidden) lessons on who God is, who we are, and how we — as women — communicate with our Creator. This 30-day Bible study is an intimate journey into the lives of named and unnamed women in Scripture who brought their real needs to a real God. Author and prayer leader Sherry Harney brings you a fresh and deeply personal way to connect with their stories. Learn more.
The GREAT Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach. Join Tara Beth Leach for The GREAT Morning Revolution, a 6-session Bible study designed to help you change your whole day by changing the rhythm of your morning — no matter your circumstances. You'll learn how the acronym GREAT (Gratitude, Reflect, Exalt, Ask, and Trust) can reframe your mindset and guide you into the joy that comes each morning through God's presence. Whether you have ten minutes or a whole hour in your morning, God is already there — waiting. Not with judgment, but with joy. He delights in your sleepy eyes, your bedhead, your groggy prayers. He's not asking for perfection. He's simply asking for you. Learn more.
Before Amen by Max Lucado. In this four-session video-based study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author Max Lucado reveals his own struggles with prayer and how he discovered that it is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few but a simple tool everyone has been given to have a conversation with God. He shows you how to: Let go of uncertainties about prayer, Trust that God hears you, and Embrace a prayer life that brings peace and rest. Join Max on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer and the power unleashed with five simple sentences: "Father, you are good. I need help. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen." Learn more.
The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz. In this six-session video Bible study workshop (video access included), Anne presents a biblical approach to prayer that will help you: Learn to listen for God's voice, Know Him in a personal relationship, and Communicate with Him through His Word. By taking a close look at the life of Daniel, Anne unpacks the prayer he prayed in Daniel 9. Following the pattern of Daniel's original prayer as a model for how we speak to our Creator, she helps us develop a more meaningful and powerful prayer life. Learn more.
Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson. In this five-session video study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Mark reveals how taking up this challenge will not only change the way you pray today but also dramatically impact the rest of your life. While this challenge won’t be easy, and you will certainly experience setbacks along the way, as you pray through you can be assured that God will come through for you in new and exciting ways. Miracles that happen in your life decades from now will trace their origin back to this season of prayer, and breakthroughs that occur will become generational blessings that will live on long after your time on earth is over. Learn more.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Teaching Kids to Pray: Nurturing Their Faith Journey
Books on Prayer: How to Pray
Hope from America's Pastor — Max Lucado Books Just for You
Commit to a Year in God's Word with a 52-Week Bible Study!
Where to Start Reading the Bible, with Verses and Tips!
