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How Do I Pray?

Explore the playlist below before your next small group meeting.

 

Read

Click Here to access the Bible

  • Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 6:12-13; John 17

  • Main Ideas:

    • As we develop our understanding and experience of prayer, we can learn to overcome obstacles that make it difficult to pray — obstacles of not knowing how to begin to pray, not having time to pray, or getting distracted in prayer.

    • The Holy Spirit is the master of prayer, and Jesus shows us how to pray through His words and actions.

    • We can learn or use simple formulated prayers to begin our conversation with God, we can schedule prayer into our days, and we can learn to overcome distractions as we pray — these practices can help us make prayer a part of our daily life.

 

Watch

4.5 Minutes

What is prayer? How should we pray? Why? Kai and Libby fill you in on the major forms of prayer and how to go beyond just asking for stuff.From Family Theate...
 

Listen

5 Minutes

Also check out this music playlist on Spotify: “ES - Surge” (spotify:user:lifeteen)

 

Prayer Goals

Materials: Prayer Goals Handout download (below)

A good way to write goals is to use the acronym SMART:

  1. Specific: It is not enough to say, “I will pray more.”

  2. Measurable: Think about something that can show your prayer life has grown. Maybe you’d be more aware of God’s presence in your life, or you notice that you have a stronger desire to pray.

  3. Attainable: It should also be realistic. Start with small things you can do so you don’t get discouraged and give up.

  4. Relevant: Choose the type/style of prayer that best helps you connect to God. Everyone’s prayer life looks different.

  5. Time-Bound: Carve out a specific time in your day for God. Choose the time that best allows for you to have quality time in prayer with God.

Fill in the handout and share it with someone (parent, sibling, friend). Commit to follow your prayer plan and ask them to pray with you!

Activity

10 Minutes

 

Click Here to access the Bible

Pray

5 Minutes, daily

Use what you committed to praying in the Prayer Goals activity or use the 5-Finger Examen Prayer below.

 
 
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Catholic Social Teaching: National Slavery & Human Trafficking Awareness Month

There are an estimated 40.3 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, including the United States.

The seventh commandment forbids acts of enterprises that for any reason – selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian – lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold, and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity. It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of profit.

―Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part Three: Life in Christ, Section Two: The Ten Commandments, Chapter Two: “You Shall Love Your Neighbor as Yourself,” Article 7: The Seventh Commandment, paragraph 2414.