learning to pray

We've all been there before at one point in our walk with the Lord or another. You start praying, but you're overwhelmed with "am I saying the right words?" or "is God going to hear my prayers?" Let me be the first to tell you that you don't have to have 'all the right words' and that that alone should put your mind at ease!

In today's episode, we unpack prayer journaling, getting into a routine with your prayer life, and how important it is to show up daily even if you don't know what to say. A few reasons to listen in to this episode:

• tracking your prayer history with God
• changes you'll see when you step out in faith
• finding the courage to pray bold prayers for others in public
• trusting God's will to be done in your life
• understanding that God hears our prayers no matter what they look like

If you guys haven’t heard by now, in the month of October I launched a new business called Hazel and Layne. Seeing what God has done so far… has absolutely blown my mind. If you don’t know what Hazel and Layne is, let me give you a twenty second cliff-notes version. In October 2022, I had a miscarriage that would forever change a lot of things in my life. But what happened next is something I never would have expected. In my most broken moment, the Lord birthed a beautiful new thing. Just daySupport the show

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Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Chiseled and Called. Please subscribe, leave a rating/review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and be sure to come back soon for more episodes. I hope you have a beautiful, blessed day!

Every time there is a traumatic event in our culture we all see the same comment. "Thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of ______." And if we're being honest, that can feel really disingenuous and insensitive to the time. We want action. But, what if there is something to those prayers? What if it's inviting us into a real conversation with the God that created the world.

This week we're starting our new series How to Pray: A Conversation with God. Pastor Alfredo Ramos will kick us off with his sermon How Can I Begin to Pray. We hope you enjoy this message!

Rev. James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, best-selling author, and editor-at-large of America magazine. Father Jim, as he graciously lets us call him, joins Jenn Giles Kemper to explore why he believes prayer is, well, for everyone. In this warm and welcoming episode, Father Jim and Jenn discuss Ignatian spirituality, the power of imagination in our prayers, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and how contemplation and action go hand-in-hand. Father Jim also shares how, in his words, “God is making us more loving in prayer.”

On this episode of Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper, Father James Martin dives into:

• What motivated him to explore prayer now in his writing
• What our longings to pray tell us about who we are and who God is
• How prayer can help us stay rooted in God in chaotic times
• Why the Examen can be a helpful practice for us all
• Why imagination plays an important role in what we pray — and how — we pray

About the guest: Rev. James Martin, SJ, is the best-selling author of Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone, Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. Father Martin is a prolific writer in the national media sphere, including in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He has appeared on all the major radio and television networks, including NPR’s Fresh Air and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In 2017, Pope Francis appointed him to be a Consultor for the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication.

Reflection point: In this episode, Father Jim says, “The voice of God is the voice of hope. The voice of despair is not the voice of God.” How does this speak to your soul? Where might the Spirit be leading you into reflection on this idea?

Links:

• Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone (Father Jim’s new book!)
• America Magazine (where Father Jim is Editor at Large)
• Fr. James Martin on Facebook

About Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper: Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper explores faith where it hits the pavement of work, relationships, creativity, and real life. Inspired by Jenn’s curiosity and faith (and her work as a minister and spiritual director) we’re crafting a show to help you meaningfully explore your own life with Christ — and ultimately lead you to become more wholly human and more fully faithful. On Tuesdays, join us for a conversation with folks whose words, work, and witness have shaped our team’s understanding of God and practice of faith. (Plus, we’re featuring lots of good music, prompts for your reflection and practice, and plenty of invitations into a community of kindred spirits!)

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We appreciate your ratings and reviews, too.

Scripture References:

• Matthew 6:5-8
• Ecclesiastes 5:2-3
• Luke 18

→ Catch the full Habits of Grace series