A friend of mine asked me if I write prayers. I assured him I do. He said,
"I thought we’re supposed to just read prayers. Like from scripture or whatever."
I guess this perspective shouldn't surprise me. Many people view spirituality as the act of a human being humbly approaching a powerful and frightening force with strict rules to follow. Don't chew gum, don't wear jeans, and for the love of all that is literally holy, do not address God in your own clumsy words.
I believe God wants to hear our sloppy rambling. He craves the sound of our slang, the music of our sincerest praise, and the cacophony of a billion honest rants coming to Him from all corners of the globe.
After all, our fellowship with God is about building a relationship. God sees us as we truly are; reaching Him with our actual words can't hurt. The worst we can do is cause God to laugh with our alleged crises or elaborate plans. And the best we can do? We can find ourselves deep in an intimate dialogue, our hearts open, words sincere, and voices heard by the Ears that matter most.
Abigail Wurdeman is a founding member of the Prayables Pray Maker Council, freelance writer and editor. She is a writing coach at Jeannette Katzir, and contributing writer at . Abi lives in Los Angeles and can be reached at .
In My Own Words
Thank you for accepting my words,
for opening Your arms
to the sloppy child I am,
my voice tripping and stuttering
over a limited vocabulary,
a warped perspective,
an inconsistent temperament.
Please help me accept
that Your holiness is here to cover me,
that I am not expected to bring my own
or to impress you
with an eloquence that implies spiritual genius.
Rather, let me bring myself to You
just as I am—
open, honest,
ready to find true brilliance in You.
