How To Pray In Times Of Stress

This is me with a few of the kids from our church’s Cathedral Kid ministry getting ready to worship and pray at camp.

This Prayer technique developed for me during the season of pregnancy, labor, and lack-of-home-ness. In the past 3 years we’ve had 2 kids. We’ve had roofs over our heads, but not a home of our own for the last year. In other words, this has been a season where prayer has been essential. I thought I’d share how I like to pray and how I teach the kids in my ministry to pray too.

Think of this practice as a chiastic structure, where each step is essential.

Part 1: “The second commandment is equally important, love your neighbor as your love yourself”

1. Listen to yourself

a. Set a timer for 60 seconds. Take one full minute to sit still in silence. Try to breathe.

2. Understand yourself

a. Write down on a piece of paper the main thoughts that occupied your mind during that time of silence. What worried you? What felt out of your control? What feelings were alive in you?

3. Respond to yourself

a. Take a moment to care for your body. Stretch, breathe deeply, reflect on what you’ve eaten, how you’ve slept, and if you can, take a short walk outside.

Don’t stop here. Step one only prepares yourself to listen.

Part 2: “Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength…”

1. Say thank you.

a. Write down as long a list as you can of what you are thankful for.

b. Now go deeper, write a paragraph on why you are so grateful for one of the things from your list.

2. Remember who you are talking to.

a. Listen to the noises in the room, how it smells, how your seat feels under you. Think of where you are located in your building, then your street, then your city, then your state, then the country, then the continent, then the world then the universe. You are in the presence of the creator of the universe.

b. Picture Jesus with you. How is he sitting or standing? What expression is on his face?

3. Turn from Sin. Turn to God.

a. In light of the greatness of God and His intentions for humanity, is there anything in your life, in your heart, in your relationships, in your workplace, the way you vote, the wat you’re spending your money, where your thoughts have been that are out of line with God’s best intended life for you?

b. Ask God’s forgiveness. Trust that God is powerful enough to forgive you. Set your heart back on Jesus.

4. Trust God; Ask for help.

a. Based on the worries that most occupied you in part 1, ask God for help, knowing that he loves you, he wants to help you, and he is capable of helping you.

5. Listen.

a. Set aside time just to listen to God. Listen in the way that is most helpful for you. Listen while walking, listen while playing a worship song, listen with a pen in hand and blank sheet of paper in front of you.

Don’t stop here. Step two only prepares yourself to obey, change, and grow.

Part 3: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself”

1. Act on what God has told you to do

2. Keep Listening and involve your community- you are not alone!

a. The 10 commandments are not a suggestion, be involved in your church community, honoring the Sabbath day so you have the support you need to follow God.

-Pastor Becca

You are never old, as long as you have a new dream!

Written by Pastor Tim White Every morning when I say “Jambo Jesus” or “Hello Jesus” – I recognize your presence, Jesus, I am struck by a new dream. Someone to call on, a ministry to launch, enthusiasm to work on a problem, excitement about spending time with someone I really care about. Every morning God makes life new.

Last week as I was speaking at our community meeting I explained how we are pouring ourselves into reaching the next generation for Jesus Christ and it is working. I explained that with Pastor Rex Hamilton as executive pastor assigned to reach young families; Pastor T.J. Meaney building praise teams to reach the young and not so young; Pastors Ben McCary and Josh Zappone reaching and engaging high schoolers and middle schoolers; Pastor Becca McCary connecting with 3^rd through 5^th graders; and Janette Backlund running her innovative programs to reach young children - that we have a great team.

Pastor Rey Diaz is accepting our call to be our global pastor and represent us around the world. We look forward to each time he returns, hearing him share his heart from the pulpit.

Then, someone asked me the question that has been asked before, “What about the not so young? What are we doing to reach those important people?” Well I am glad you asked. We have a young dynamic minister named Pastor Linda Skinner, a youthful Vietnam War vet named Pastor David Gerzsenye, an amazing pastor named Michael Fernandez, a talented and young musical genius named Rhonda Jones, a beautiful pastor named Jackie White (I can say that because she is my wife). All of them working hard to reaching this age.

The church also has little old me, who is about ready to explode with enthusiasm for life and the opportunity to dream big and beautiful dreams with Jesus Christ. That part of our team is not too shabby either. We are refreshing our ministries, launching our church anew and there is no shortage of excitement as we try and build a great caring network.

After the meeting, one of my heroes, Colonel Erskine Austin, came up to talk to me and said, “If Pastor Rex needs any advice or sounding board on being an executive pastor please let him know that I am there to help.” Erskine did that job for 10 years – and I smiled as I said, “That is a great encouragement.”

So we are off to the races and I feel like I have the butterflies of a quarterback getting ready for the greatest season of his life.

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How to study the Bible as a family....

Written by Pastor Becca McCary An ancient Christian prayer/bible study practice called "Lectio Divina" (Latin for Divine Reading) is meant to help you listen to God as your study His Word. This prayer practice is not just for adults or “serious” bible scholars but can also help young children grow in their faith- bringing the pages of the Bible alive and helping them make connections to biblical characters.

This prayer practice can easily be done as a family in a developmentally appropriate way if crayons and paper are used.

Here is how it is done...

1.) Choose a bible passage to read and appoint one person to be the reader. - HINT: A great place to start is part of the Easter Story from Luke 22 or 23.

2.) Give everyone a sheet of paper and Crayons or markers

3.) Read your passage one time. As the passage is read, everyone draws the scene, but NOT Jesus yet. Try to soak up every detail of the passage. The scenery, what people are thinking and feeling. All of it.

4.) Read the same passage a second time. As the passage is being read, everyone adds a layer to their drawing by including Jesus this time. You can use light colors to show characters responding to him with open hearts and dark colors to show characters whose hearts are closed to him. What is Jesus thinking and feeling? Where is his power seen? Is anything surprising about Jesus?

5.) Read the passage a third time. As the passage is being read, everyone adds in one final layer- the put themselves in the drawing. How would you respond to Jesus in this scene? What colors would be around you? How would Jesus address you? What would he have to say to you?

6.) Share what you drew and why? What did you learn from the details of the passage? What does God want to teach you personally from this story?

 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

 Colossians 3:16 (NLT)

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Lent Devotion: Study

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Study.

Scripture Reflection:

1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Study" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on study. Try to practice study one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

Put the word "Study" in an area of your life like your lunchbox, your end table, or fireplace. When you go to eat lunch, before you watch TV, or when you are relaxing by the fireplace, take a moment to read the story of Jesus' death.

As you study God's word, remember that the creator of the universe loved you enough to die for you. This story is the root of our faith.

Lent Devotion: Worship

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week's ordinary space transformation challenge is: Worship.

Scripture Reflection:

Psalm 104:33-34 (NLT)

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Worship" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on worship. Try to practice worship one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

Put the word "Worship" in an area of your life like your shower, your makeup mirror, or running shoes. When you are showering, doing your makeup, or exercising, sing a worship song.

The worship will begin on your lips, move to your mind as you understand what you're saying, and then move into your heart as you start to truly mean what you're saying. As you worship in these ordinary spaces, you will see that they are suddenly transformed into holy places.

Here's a song to start your week in worship:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ__W9VH9Lo

Lent Devotion: Serve

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Serve.

Scripture Reflection:

Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "serve" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on serving. Try to practice serving one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

Put the word "serve" in an area of your life- like the place you eat, your toolbox, or your cell phone charger.

Then, this week, as you eat, clear away someone else's plate. When you fix something, try to fix something for someone else. Or when you go to charge your phone, text someone, offering to help them with something specific that you know they might need.

As you serve others you will remember the ways that God serves you. Thank Christ for all he has done for you.

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Lent Devotion: Listen

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Listen.

Scripture Reflection:

James 1:19 (NLT)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word “Listen” on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on listening. Try to practice listening one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

Put the word “Listen” in an area of your life like your kitchen table, car, or backpack. When you are sitting at your table as a family, in the car on a ride to school, or in your backpack as you settle into school for the day, look for an opportunity to listen to those around you.

The people in your life, your friends, and family (especially those who annoy you) are not mere happenstance. God wants to speak to you through the people in your life. Listen to God’s voice encouraging and challenging you through the people in your life.

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Lent Devotion: Clean

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Clean

Scripture Reflection:

Psalm 51:1-2 (NLT)

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Clean" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space (your bedroom, the kitchen, the closet under the stairs) in your life where you are going to focus on cleaning. Try to practice cleaning one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

-Put the word "Clean" in an area of your life like your kitchen, car, desk, or bathroom. Take a moment this week to clean that area of your life. As you are literally scrubbing, organizing, and simplifying, consider what areas of your life God wants to clean out. God want to clean out our hearts, make us new, refreshing our spirits.

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Lent Devotion: Pray

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Prayer.

Scripture Reflection:

Matthew 6:5-7 (NLT)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Pray" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on prayer. Try to practice prayer one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practices:

-As a family, put the word "Prayer" on your dinning room table. Take five minutes before dinner to pray together as a family.

-As a parent, you might want to put the word "Prayer" on your fridge. As you prepare meals for your family, take that time to pray to God on their behalf.

-As a child, you might want to put the word "Prayer" on your shoes, so that as you walk to your bus stop you can pray for your friends at school.

-As a single person, put the word "Prayer" on your coffee pot as a reminder to begin your day with prayer.

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Lent Devotion: Reconcile

Written by Pastor Becca McCary Washington Cathedral is taking the season of Lent to help families practice their faith together, transforming ordinary times and spaces into sacred times and spaces, a chance to go deeper in their faith. Over the next seven weeks of lent, as a church and as a family, we will focus on a spiritual practice to help us connect with God and those around us. Our seven spiritual practices will be: reconciling, prayer, cleaning, listening, serving, worship, and study.

Week 1: Reconcile  

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Reconciliation.

Scripture Reflection:

Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

 Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Reconciliation" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on reconciliation. Try to practice reconciliation one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy Space for you.

Practices:

-As a spouse, you might want to put the word "Reconciliation" on your pillow. Then when you are going to bed, you will look for a chance to reconnect with your spouse. Say you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

-As a child, you might want to put the word "Reconciliation" by your toothbrush. When you are getting ready for bed, look for an opportunity to apologize to your sibling for any time you may have hurt their feelings that day. Say you you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

-As a single person, put the word "Reconciliation" by your tablet or computer. Look for an opportunity to apologize to someone on social media. Say you you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

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