All my Christian friends--listen up, we need to talk about prayer. (My non Christian friends are more than welcome to listen up too.)

The other night, I was at Bible Quizzing practice. (for those who are unfamiliar with Bible Quizzing, that's a story for another time. But, trust me, it's an amazing one you'll want to hear.) I felt compelled to share my thoughts about prayer. Because, at the end of every practice, we have a time of prayer, and sometimes it descends into chaos. Which, to be fair, makes sense because a majority of the kids are under the age of 14. However, I felt compelled to remind them about all that prayer is, because prayer has always been one of my favorite, most beautiful, most amazing parts about my faith.

As Christians, the greatest tool we have is prayer. And praying in a community, surrounded and supported by other believers, is that much more beautiful and effective. I have always loved prayer. Maybe it's because I like to talk. Maybe it's because I'm a writer and prayer is a form of communication. Maybe it's because every time I read I book, I wish I could have a conversation with the author (and I do, in the margins of the pages, in the spaces between the words, on the blank pages in the back), and prayer allows me to have a conversation with the author. Maybe it's something else, or maybe it's a combination of all of them.

Regardless of what the reasons are, prayer is incredibly important to me, and it should be the same for everyone. I have many friends who save prayer for pre-meal blessings and tough times. They use it as a conversation starter, or finisher, saying, "I'll pray for you," when a friend brings up a tough problem or difficult struggle and they don't know how to respond or what to say. They pray when they are struggling, or when they feel like God's abandoned them. But, they forget to pray when they feel great.

Praying when life is going bad is great. But praying when life is going great is even better. Because prayer connects us to God. It gives us an avenue for a direct connection, a way to have a conversation. It's not just about asking Him for things you need, or pleading with Him to help you through struggles. It's about praising Him for what He's already done, what He will do, and what He didn't do. It's about recognizing that your life is good, and God has everything to do with that. It's about building a relationship.

You can only grow so strong in a relationship with someone by reading words they write. You need communication. And that's what prayer is. You talk to God. You don't always ask Him for things, you don't always question why He's doing things, you don't always simply thank Him. You have a conversation with Him. Talk to Him like He is listening- because He is. And, He responds. He doesn't just leave you hanging, although some times it may feel like that. He responds by changing your feelings, your mind, your heart, or your situation. Even if it isn't the response you were hoping for- He responds. And His responses are better than any response you could imagine for yourself.

And prayer as a community is even more powerful. It builds relationships. It allows you to support those around you who may be struggling, and it allows them to know you support them. It gives you a sense of peace, a sense of passion, and a sense of purpose. Praying for others, praying out loud, is a wonderful thing. "For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20).

My roommate and I pray together every night. We pray for each other, our friends, our family, and our college. And it's wonderful because we can support and encourage each other. I have a group of friends here on campus who I've been praying together with a few mornings a week. The four of us are Bible Quizzers who wish to support, encourage, love, and pray for each other and those around us. And it has such a huge impact on my life.

Recently, I underwent a rather unpleasant heartbreaking situation. I turned to prayer. I prayed more than I had in a long time. I prayed harder than I ever had. And, I have gotten to a point where I can say I'm mostly healed. With lots of bumps, bruises, and scars, but mostly healed. The prayer I did on my own, as well as the nightly prayer sessions with my roommate helped me to come to this point. It reduced my anger and pain. It gave me clarity, and a little bit of confusion. It dispelled doubts and insecurities. It threw away emotions I didn't even realize I had. And, it helped remind me how valuable prayer is and how much it has always meant to me.

I started praying for the people who broke my heart, even if it was incredibly painful at first. Because eventually, it gave me a greater sense of joy and peace than I had throughout any of the heartbreaking process. And, maybe someday, I'll pray for them with them. But for now, I pray for them alone, in silent, and I hope that they are praying for and with each other.

Praying out loud is tough--I get it. It always sounds beautifully elegant in your head, but when you go to speak words you sound like a babbling idiot. But, being able to pray in front of others, with others, is an amazing thing. And, if you can be comfortable doing that, your life will be impacted for the better. Not that you have to be an expert at praying out loud. It's not about that. It's about the heart. It's about your attitude. Trust me, if someone is dealing with something and you offer to sit and pray with them right there, in the moment, they won't care if you stumble over your words, or if you're slightly uncomfortable, or nervous, or if you aren't completely sure what your next words are going to be. They'll just feel blessed and loved that you are praying for them--that you care so much for them.

So, prayer. Whether in a community or on our own, is beautiful. It's life changing and powerful. It's a conversation with the One who created conversation, created us to be conversational, and created us. It's comfort and safety. Reading the Bible, going to church, surrounding yourself with believers, and singing songs are wonderful ways to worship, praise, thank, and grow with God. But prayer, prayer is the greatest tool we as Christians have. And praying as a community is the most powerful weapon we have to change the world.

So, don't forget about prayer. Don't neglect it because your life is good, and you've got it all figured out. Because one day, you won't. And that day, you'll need prayer more than ever. You'll need prayer and you'll not know where or how to start. (Which is okay, because there is no right or wrong way or place to start) But, if you build a foundation before life throws you your sour lemons, you'll be even more prepared for lemonade making.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." -Ephesians 6:18