Lorraine, thank you for sharing your "beautiful" and "inspiring" prayer that you wrote....words to encourage us for God's strength, purpose, grace and trust.
As you already know, I was born and raised in a very strict, disciplined Catholic home. Our prayers were always very repetitious such as praying the Rosary which consisted of "The Lord's Prayer", "Hail Mary's" and "Glory Be's." Although during that period of my life, I believed that I was praying but I never actually felt anything stirring inside me. I never felt a close connection with the Lord by repeating the same prayers over and over. Also, my dear Mother (God rest her soul) had taught us to pray to the "Saints" when in need. For example, if you lost something, you would pray to Saint Jude to help find that something. There were thousands of "Saints" for thousands of requests. I remember questioning; why not just ask "God" for some assistance?
To me, Catholicism is sacred, ritualistic and symbolistic. Engraved in my heart, I carry a deep sense of "roots" that I will always cherish but I have enriched my spiritual life by becoming a "Christian." And yes, I also do believe that Catholics are Christians, as well. My intention is not to offend anyone and their belief system but I was and I am still in awe of the prayers that come from one's heart. They are meaningful, sincere, encouraging, inspirational and they stir something inside me to bring me into a deeper relationship with the Lord.
When I first read Bonnie T. Barry's prayer for Grace, I was genuinely moved by her prayer. Both you and I have learned that we are "enlightened" and "encouraged" by prayers that are meaningful, whether or not they are written or coming from the heart. I am still learning how to be comfortable saying a prayer from the heart "aloud" after being conditioned to say repetitive prayers for the majority of my life. I do find myself praying and talking to God throughout the entire day which is a remarkable discovery because I really do believe in the "Power of Prayer." I know that I need the Lord and his assistance, 24/7 and praying is a continual lifeline that gets me through the day. As I may struggle to pray "aloud" at times, I am also encouraged that maybe one day I might sit in reverent silence, reflect and compose a prayer from my heart. Thank you again my Big Sis!
As you already know, I was born and raised in a very strict, disciplined Catholic home. Our prayers were always very repetitious such as praying the Rosary which consisted of "The Lord's Prayer", "Hail Mary's" and "Glory Be's." Although during that period of my life, I believed that I was praying but I never actually felt anything stirring inside me. I never felt a close connection with the Lord by repeating the same prayers over and over. Also, my dear Mother (God rest her soul) had taught us to pray to the "Saints" when in need. For example, if you lost something, you would pray to Saint Jude to help find that something. There were thousands of "Saints" for thousands of requests. I remember questioning; why not just ask "God" for some assistance?
To me, Catholicism is sacred, ritualistic and symbolistic. Engraved in my heart, I carry a deep sense of "roots" that I will always cherish but I have enriched my spiritual life by becoming a "Christian." And yes, I also do believe that Catholics are Christians, as well. My intention is not to offend anyone and their belief system but I was and I am still in awe of the prayers that come from one's heart. They are meaningful, sincere, encouraging, inspirational and they stir something inside me to bring me into a deeper relationship with the Lord.
When I first read Bonnie T. Barry's prayer for Grace, I was genuinely moved by her prayer. Both you and I have learned that we are "enlightened" and "encouraged" by prayers that are meaningful, whether or not they are written or coming from the heart. I am still learning how to be comfortable saying a prayer from the heart "aloud" after being conditioned to say repetitive prayers for the majority of my life. I do find myself praying and talking to God throughout the entire day which is a remarkable discovery because I really do believe in the "Power of Prayer." I know that I need the Lord and his assistance, 24/7 and praying is a continual lifeline that gets me through the day. As I may struggle to pray "aloud" at times, I am also encouraged that maybe one day I might sit in reverent silence, reflect and compose a prayer from my heart. Thank you again my Big Sis!
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