Of course, I popped the ad open and looked at it often enough that my son wanted to know what I was reading. "You should apply." When I objected, he rolled his eyes. "You talk to God all the time. Write a prayer." I did and, in working with Prayables, I've thought a lot about prayer.

As my son pointed out, I have sort of a running discussion with God. "Thank you for . . . What's up with this . . . Oh, come on now! Fine, fine, You're the boss." Prayer let's me talk to God. I bring my interests and concerns to Him. I let Him in on what is bothering me and when I need help.

But prayers can also be written and formalized. At , each Sunday our congregation prays the Lord's Prayer (debts and debtors, not trespasses and trespassers) as well as a Prayer of Confession which varies from week to week but is printed in the bulletin so we can read it aloud together. This kind of prayer brings like-minded worshipers together and gives a sense of community.

Members of our congregation also share their concerns and joys so that we can all pray about them, first during the service, and later on our own throughout the week. When people share their prayer concerns, it let's their friends know what they are happy about, concerned about and possibly need help with. When people offer prayers for others, those in need feel cherished.

Prayer connects us.

Like the Baha'i , some prayers are long and formal, and may even include specific movements. Others, even when put to music, are amazingly simple. Kyrie Eleison has only three words combined in two phrases – "Kyrie eleison and Christe eleison. Lord have mercy and Christ have mercy." What could be more simple than this cry for help?

What kinds of prayers do you offer? I am much more inclined toward running conversation but my week isn't complete without Sunday worship with its highly formalized prayers. Yet there are times, especially when I'm in deep need, that things get very simple. "Help!"

Prayer needs and styles vary from person to person as well as situation to situation. The key is to keep our hearts and minds open enough to recognize it in its many forms for what it is: a fellow soul reaching toward the Divine.

I pray when I am fearful.
I pray when I am in need.
I sing praise to You.
I lift up my hands, my heart, my soul.

Please take me beyond myself and
help me recognize the prayers of others,
from eyes raised skyward
to heads humbly bowed,
from whispers in quiet corners
to voices spiraling upward in song.

Our words may not be the same,
but our concerns and worries
and joys are so very alike,
expressed in hymns, hallelujahs
and silent cries to You.

-SueBE