The gods always hear our prayers but seldom choose to answer.

The flesh resists this daily humiliation first by a frontal attack and later by hiding itself under the words of the spirit i.e. in the name of evangelical liberty. We claim liberty from all legal compulsion from self-martyrdom and mortification and play this off against the proper evangelical use of discipline and asceticism we thus excuse our self-indulgence and irregularity in prayer in meditation and in our bodily life. But the contrast between our behavior and the word of Jesus is all too painfully evident. We forget that discipleship means estrangement from the world and we forget the real joy and freedom which are the outcome of a devout rule of life. As soon as a Christian recognizes that he has failed in his service that his readiness has become feeble and that he has sinned against anothers life and become guilty of anothers guilt that all his joy in God has vanished and that his capacity for prayer has quite gone it is high time for him to launch an assault upon the flesh and prepare for better service by fasting and prayer Luke 237 42 Mark 929 1 Cor. 75.

But that is all prayer requires faith hope and love. Great holiness or piety or sanctity are not required. Prayer is a road to holiness.

...if He made us He must know He is to blame when He has made us weak or evil. And He must understand why we have been so made and when we throw ourselves into the dust before Him and pray for help and pardon surely--surely He will lend an ear

When all hope is gone and your back is against the wall Pray. Ask God to guide you and he will take good care of you.

The only way God can strengthen his presence in our will is to weaken his presence in our feelings. Otherwise we would become spiritual cripples unable to walk without emotional crutches. This is why he gives us dryness sufferings and failures.

Mortals were such fickle creatures. They called into the dark demanded answers and attention from forces they could not comprehend and yet when they had that attention and those answers they complained about them.

One of the greatest gifts to give our friends and others is a prayer.

Prayer turns problems into promises and possibilities.

I began praying for the health and safety of my boys before each one was born. Once a week for two years prior to Josephs death I also gathered with other moms to pray for my sons and their schools and I specifically asked God to protect the health and safety of Joseph Curt and Wyatt. My prayers were not answered the way I had hoped. Despite countless prayers for Joseph to be safe God said no. His plan remains a mystery. I have had to accept that mystery and trust Him in the dark.