How to pray confidently and consistently

After 8 years and thousands of conversations with our audience on prayer, I’ve learned the biggest struggles plaguing our prayer lives–feeling unsure of how to do it “right” and trying to figure out how to do it in a busy world. 

We long to pray confidently and consistently. And it’s not to check something off the list in our planner, but so that we can experience intimacy with our Creator. 

We’ve all walked through seasons of feeling distant from God. Maybe you’re in one right now. It leaves us feeling like something is missing. The hardest days, just feel harder, the great ones still feel empty. 

God doesn’t give busy work to pass our time on earth. That’s why when His Word repeatedly tells us to pray continually and always (1 Thes. 5:17, Ephesians 6:18, Luke 18:1), we can know for sure that it’s for a purpose. 

Getting to do life alongside God changes everything. 

His presence is where we find joy (Psalm 16:11) and peace (Isaiah 26:3). His presence is where we find comfort in hard times (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) and rest in the exhausting one (Matthew 11:28-30). And on top of that, God actually responds to our requests (John 14:13). It may not always be what we hope for, but when we share our hearts with God in prayer, we know we won’t miss out on his blessings. 

When we aren’t praying, we’re forfeiting the rich life God has for us right now. Not a life that is rich because of everything that comes our way but because of how different it can be when we go through life with God. 

So, what are we missing out on right now because we aren’t praying confidently or consistently? Is it peace? Joy? Is it the ache of trying 

to satisfy our souls with things never meant to satisfy us?

In October 2021, my legacy book on prayer, Pray Confidently and Consistently releases. It’s the practical book that I truly believe could transform the dull and distant prayer life into vibrant and intimate.

I believe there are 15 main weights that are holding back our prayer lives. In the book, we’ll identify what those weights are so we can throw them off. We’ll talk a lot about what the Bible says and make sense of some of the more difficult concepts. And you’ll also get lots of tips and practical advice to make prayer really happen. 

Our key verse for the book is Hebrews 12:1.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

What would it be like to pray unencumbered by the things that either aren’t true or don’t matter?

In the introduction of the book, I shared an analogy from The Biggest Loser of that moment towards the end of the season when they put back on the weight they’ve lost in the form of a weight vest. And then they run. With each marker, they get to take some of the weights off. It’s an emotional experience because they can see what happens when they get to run without all the weight. They got to remember how hard it was to run with the weight they once carried and realize just how amazing it was to run unencumbered. 

I want us to run too. Not just on the pavement, but in our prayer lives. I want us to not feel so burdened by distractions or doubts. I want us to feel confident as we pray and develop a consistency that can’t be stopped by every noise or to-do on our list. 

When my friend Gretchen told me years ago that I should write a book on prayer, I really thought my voice wasn’t needed. Didn’t E.M. Bound or Tim Keller write the books on prayer? One look at my bookshelf could tell you there are a TON of amazing books on prayer. But this book is for the person who needs a good place to start without it being “Prayer for Dummies”. It’s a deep, but approachable book. And it will challenge you while offering lots of hope. It’s based on so many real-life conversations with YOU and an in-depth look at Scripture instead of cherry-picked verses.

I cannot tell you how excited I am for this book to be released! I truly believe God wants to do something amazing in our generation, but we’re simply not coming to Him about it. We’re going to programs and hobbies and friends and our phones when He’s shouting through His Word, I AM THE WAY! Come to me! 

The possibilities of what could happen when we pray are limitless because our God has no limits to His goodness. 

So would you join us? 

Already all in? Would you pre-order a copy from Amazon? Share with a friend? 

Or not ready to take action today? Sign up for our Monthly Peptalk to get updates. Or follow along on the blog. We’ll be sharing more content and more extras until the book releases in October!

I’ll be going live on Instagram and Facebook at 11 CST to answer any questions you have and talk more about the cover design!!