What My Prayer Life Looks Like Right Now

We are in danger of talking so much about prayer that we forget to actually pray.

Information is not the same as incarnation.

Listening to a podcast on prayer is not the same as living a life of prayer.

It might take five minutes to read an email on prayer, or an hour to listen to a good sermon, but it can take decades to live a life that is truly, as Paul says, prayer “without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17).

My prayer, like Paul’s for the Colossians, is that you would “grow in the knowledge of God” (1:10).

I pray that you would grow in the vibrant, experiential knowledge of God through the art of building a prayer life — that by learning how to show up every day, open the Bible, and engage God in a continual conversation — you would know him intimately, personally, and that others can say it is obvious that you have been with Jesus, like Peter and John in Acts 4:13.

Of course, this is simple to say, but it can take a lifetime to learn.

Because of this, I thought it might be helpful today to sketch a simple picture of what has been helpful for me to build a prayer life in this particularly busy season of increased demands on my time and parenting two (almost three!) young kids.

I in no way share this as a model or imagining that I have a perfect prayer life — I don’t!

A mentor once shared with me that people aren’t looking for perfect examples, they’re looking for real examples. And I hope this can be an imperfect yet real example of a what a realistic prayer life looks like in a busy season.

Here is the simple way that I pray every day:

1. I pick a Scripture.

St Ambrose once said, “As in Paradise, God walks in the Holy Scriptures, seeking Man.”

The most frequent way that we encounter the voice of God for our lives is through the pages of Scripture.

We are invited to live in the greatest story of all time, and Scripture is our launchpad, our script, and our compass of how we can live in this.

And, it is a meeting place with the living God.

The options of what to read in the Bible can be overwhelming. Do I read the Old Testament or the New Testament or both? Do I read a whole chapter or a section? Is the verse of the day on the Bible app enough? Do I pick a reading plan? If so, which one?

Choice fatigue is real! For no spiritual reason at all, I’ve recently been reading the Psalm that corresponds with the day of the month it is (so today I’m reading Psalm 7).

If I have extra time, I read one verse (yes, one verse!) in the Gospel of John. And, given that I’m only reading a verse at a time, I’ll probably be here for a few years. I recently finished Mark. Maybe in 2027 I’ll move on to Luke or Matthew.

So, that’s my advice, don’t overcomplicate it - pick something! The Psalms, a Gospel, or the book of Ephesians are great places to start.

And, make it simple enough to remember, and easy (and shame-free) to pick it up again if you miss a few days.

2. I pick a phrase.

Next, I ask the question: What jumps out to me today?

This is really an abbreviated version of the ancient art of lectio divina, or divine reading. I am letting the Holy Spirit speak to me by simply listening for what particular phrase jumps out at me.

A few days ago, on March 4th, it was “You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7, NRSVUE).

Yesterday, it was “the Spirit…remained on him” (John 1:32, NRSVUE).

Today, it will be something else.

Sometimes it’s obvious why the verse is sticking out, and sometimes it just catches my heart in a way different than the other words in the passage.

I usually underline it, and sometimes I take time writing it out in my journal. (If I’m doing this on the bus or some other place because, once again, it’s a busy season.)

This is when the Bible can become fuel for our conversation with God! I talk to God about the verse. I thank him for the truth it reveals. I ask him if there’s any way it applies to my life that I’m not seeing yet.

3. I inhale.

Then, if I have time (sometimes I don’t), I spend some time breathing it in. Not analyzing it — just breathing it in deeply as I’m reading the words.

If I’ve got more time, I set a timer for 10 minutes and any time my mind wanders, I take a deep breath and remember the verse I am praying. (This is technically called centering prayer.)

4. I exhale.

I’ve found if I have time and space to really sit with a verse for 10 or 15 minutes in the morning, it will naturally jump up in my heart throughout the day.

There was a season when I wrote the verse that stuck out to me on an index card and stuck it in my pocket for the day. I know friends who screenshot a verse and set it as their phone backdrop.

The goal of this step is to let the verse shape our prayers throughout the day.

If I start getting anxious, I take a deep breath and remember the verse.

If I’m facing a problem at work or a relational challenge, I take a deep breath and remember the verse.

If I’m excited about something, I take a deep breath and remember the verse.

Sometimes, maybe once or twice a month, the verse will pop up and apply to a situation I am facing in an unmistakable way.

Over time, something beautiful happens: I enter into a continual conversation with the living God. I hear him speak to me personally, relevantly, mediated through the verse I have focused on for the day.

I often joke that nobody feels like they have a personal relationship with Harry Potter after reading fantasy books, and yet the mystery of reading the Bible is that somehow, as we meditate on the story, we move from knowledge about God to knowledge of God — we become his friends. It is a beautiful and glorious mystery that God is just waiting for us to lay hold of.

I am praying for you to grow in the knowledge of God as you build a prayer life in the middle of whatever season or demands you may be facing.

If I can ever support you in your journey of coming alive and living in love with Jesus, please don’t hesitate to hit “reply” on this email and let me know.

-Ryan

P.S. It is one of the greatest joys of my life to help people come alive and live in love with Jesus, especially by waking up to the continual conversation we get to enjoy with God. Our team is working on creating some beautiful prayer resources this year, starting with a daily prayer journal designed to help you grow in your ability to hear God’s voice. Please consider becoming a founding partner with us to receive every resource we create in 2025 completely free!