I remember learning how to pray at a young age. The prayer I learned went like this:

“Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child,
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to thee…Ayyyyy-men.”

I said that prayer every night with hopes that angels would protect me as I slept. My Mother taught me that prayer, along with longer ones. On my journey to school, I would walk to the bus stop reciting The Lord’s Prayer (found in the Bible, Luke: Chapter 11). Growing up in the Bronx, that prayer was my shield. I guess it worked because I managed to get straight through college without a scratch.

As I got older, I prayed for the tangible things I wanted. I’d pray for a new dress, a new computer, to go to my cousins’ house, and many other things. I remember being on bent knee, praying for a mannequin head, when I wanted to learn how to braid hair. I ended up getting the mannequin as a gift for Christmas, and to this day, I still do not know how to cornrow hair.

How many of us pray for things, receive that thing, then take it for granted? We pray for a new car only to get it and not keep up with the maintenance. We pray for a dream mate, only to meet them, then mistreat them. We pray for a new job, only to get it and realize that it doesn’t really fit where we are in life.

Shameless truth: I am guilty of receiving what I prayed for and not following through with the desire I had while praying. We all do this to some degree. What good is praying for something if you are not ready for it?

Check out my list of 5 things NOT to pray for below:

I’ve learned that by tweaking the way I pray, I not only receive what I am hoping to manifest, I also become ready to receive my blessings. Sometimes, God even shows up with BETTER!

My hope is that these suggestions help you on your journey towards living your BEST life. If you need help knowing how to pray, I share weekly prayers on my personal IG stories. I’m sure there is one for you.

Shared In Love,

Kristen

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