Popcorn Prayers

“Popcorn Prayers.” Jesus tells us we should enter into our closets to pray; He admonishes that we should not stand on the street corners publicly praying to draw attention to ourselves. Yet, most of us have been in situations where someone needed to lead a group of people in prayer.

Do any of us struggle with praying publicly? Do any of us have kids or grand-kids who are timid to pray in public? Praying publicly can be challenging. We worry we will get tongue-tied or say the wrong thing. We worry that our voice will give out and not be strong.

Perhaps we have been fortunate enough to deal with this issue recently because we gathered with family at Thanksgiving, and someone needed to offer a prayer. Maybe the issue will arise again over the Christmas holydays.

When I was in high school, Joyce Henry, my quiz coach for my church’s Quiz Team, recognized that adolescents are often timid to pray publicly. So, Joyce introduced us to “Popcorn Prayers” or “Praying Conversationally.”

Rather than going around a group of students, calling on each to pray or pass at an appointed time, Popcorn Prayers allowed each person to speak up and say a simple, one-line prayer, or more, if and when each person was ready to pray, and as many times as each person wished to pray.

“Praying Conversationally” took the pressure off each of us to “pray on command.” It allowed our prayers to unfold naturally like comments being made in a group conversation. If two people started to pray at the same time, Joyce would give direction. Then she closed the group in prayer.

Encouraging others to pray is a worthy mission. Teaching our children to pray is both an honor and a responsibility. I pray that each of us will become “Prayer Provocateurs” in our own right and encourage those around us to pray. Everyday. One Prayer at a Time.

Blessings,
Robyn

Robyn Renée Monroe . . .
Writer, Speaker, Prayer Provocateur . . .
Encouraging You to Pray. Everyday. One Prayer at a Time.

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Photo Credit: Jill Wellington