Praying with Your Heart
Nothing opens us to the Spirit more radically than prayer. I am
not talking about the conventional forms of prayer -- like liturgy,
or intercessory prayer or petitions-- important as they are, but
rather about broadening our horizons of prayer and looking at prayer
as relationship. Often we act as if God were a cosmic bellhop ready
for our instructions so that he can give us what we ask. Prayer
then becomes for us a matter of asking for what we want - or think
we need - and convincing God to grant our wishes. In so doing, we
are asking not really for God's will, but for God's stamp of approval
on OUR will -- OUR agenda of what we've decided is best for us.

Of course, it's appropriate to approach God with petitions, but
our prayer life is woefully incomplete and without real power if
we limit it to the spoken word. If we think of prayer as "loving
attention to God," it can take an infinite number of forms, depending
on our personalities and the need of the moment: Listening to music
that stirs us can be a prayer; staring at the water alone; breathing
a quick prayer and imaging the breath of God -- all can deepen our
connection. We don't have to use eloquent words; in fact, we don't
need words at all.

-- From "Getting From Sunday to Monday:
Opening Yourself to the Guidance of God"
by Linda Douty

Read the sermon in its entirety.