Is there a right way to pray?

Is there a certain number of times you have to go to church each week?

How much should you read your bible?

Old school or contemporary service?

So many questions to ask yourself. In my opinion, none of this makes you a better christian than someone else. What makes you a christian is believing that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for your sins. No, there isn't a right or wrong way to pray. Talk to God however you want; your prayers are between you and Him. Go to church when you can; do you have to go Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday...no. I go on Sunday morning, evening, and Tuesday to my Campus Ministry. Read your bible as much as your schedule allows; a scripture a day or each week. Whatever you can do is good. It's good to know the word of God, and His story, His teachings. But these things don't make you a christian -- loving Jesus does.

Talking to God is not an easy thing to do. It should be, but it isn't. I know that praying for things and asking God for advice gets difficult. For me, I'm not a patient person. I want an answer right then and there. But talking to God is different than calling your best friend to vent about what catastrophes are going on in your life. God doesn't always answer right away...sometimes He doesn't answer at all.

Recently, I had a lot of things going on in my life and I prayed and I prayed. The way God answered my prayers wasn't what I was expecting and it wasn't really the way I wanted Him to. But after it happened, I got down on my knees and I said "I have no idea why You did what You did, Lord. I don't understand it, and I never will. But this was Your plan, this was Your will. I don't get it, but I accept it, and I thank You for having a plan for me and my life. I'm hurt, and I'll never forget this event in my life; but it's still apart of Your plan, and I still thank You."

I don't know what God's plan for me is. I don't know how He will use me to share His word. Whether that is living life to show His influence, through missions, or through music...I trust Him. I'll be the first one to admit, I don't hear God like some people do. I don't get signs, I don't get an absolute response. Therefore, I don't really know what to do. I just live my life, and pray that God will show me in some way what I'm supposed to do. I know that He will provide the right opportunity whenever He see's fit; whether that is a slammed door or an open window.

We don't always know what God has in store for us and we don't know what His plan is. It's not our job to question Him, or ask him why --He has His reasons. Our job is to live our lives the best we can: living for Him, serving Him, and sharing how good He is.

Being a christian is about more than being in tune with God's plan for you, reading your bible, or going to church. Being a christian is about being in tune with God. It's about doing all you can to live your life for Him. I once saw a sticker on a car that said, "It's not a religion; it's a relationship." That is what being a christian is all about -- having a relationship with God. Having Him first in your life, coming to Him with your problems rather than a friend or coping in another way, and trusting Him with all of your heart because He's got your back more than anyone else.

Just love Him like you've never loved before because when you have that love for God, when you put Him first, you can do great great things.