Today's reflection is written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

For today, I would like to also reference this scripture as presented by “The Message.” This scripture, written by Matthew, one of the Disciples, says,

Well, wow! In our world finding a quiet, secluded place may be difficult. Even if we live alone, our phones beckon us to engage and interact with someone – actually anyone. Quiet is an elusive goal. Being there, being present , and I love what he says, “as simply and honestly as you can manage.”

Being present, fully present is also something we aren’t really good at living out. But the reward is the real blessing. The focus will shift to God and we will experience His grace just by praying!

Prayer is a very important Part of our faith journey. In fact, prayer is mentioned in the Bible more than 650 times as well as 25 instances of Jesus praying during his earthly ministry. Prayer is a form of communication with God. That communication goes BOTH ways. We are to communicate with God, sharing our needs and also our praise for His glory and goodness.

My earliest memories of prayer are found in my early childhood. My Dad would come to say bedtime prayers with me. Just the two of us in my room, I treasured that time alone with him. In those quiet moments, I shared with him and God my fears and joys.

Even more though, I remember the vacations my brothers and I spent with my grandparents each summer. We had the best days going to the beach, swimming in the pool, making new friends and sharing in family games. When nighttime came and all three of us kids were nestled in our beds and the cottage was quiet, my grandparents, exhausted I’m sure, went to their room to prepare for bed. Their bedroom was just across the hallway from mine. I heard sounds and just had to see what was going on. As I entered their doorway, I froze. They were each, on their knees, by their own side of the bed, heads bowed and hands folded, praying. I simply was mesmerized. I listened and watched as they fervently prayed for their children, grandchildren, friends, work and more.

As I think about it now, I am amazed and impressed that their knees held out for the thirty or so minutes they spent on this nightly ritual. After the first night I witnessed this meaningful time, I tried to watch each night. Sometimes I couldn’t remain awake, but over the two weeks we shared each summer, I was often a silent witness. In a way their prayers became a part of me.

So, yes, they found a quiet place where they could share their hearts with God, blessings and concerns. I know, with all my heart, He saw and heard them. Their focus was truly on God.

Growing up, and later with my own children, we did pray before meals, have a nighttime prayer ritual and special prayers at family gatherings. However, these nightly prayers, so important to my grandparents, have always stuck with me. They were simple and from their hearts.

My prayer life might not be as reliable as theirs, sometimes it is even chaotic, but I know how important it really is to yearn for God and to pray. My friends will tell you that I often send up “arrow prayers,” simple and sometimes only a sentence or two, for them as I pass their...