A few weeks ago I was asked to address The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) headquarters staff as a part of their observance of the National Day of Prayer. The annual call to prayer is one of the positive things occurring in our country and, in my opinion, deserves everyone's support. I eagerly accepted.

Usually I don't have much trouble finding something to say. But as this day approached, I found myself struggling with the subject of prayer; more specifically, I found myself wrestling with a lifelong struggle to master the disciplines of prayer. I had to admit that the dissonance between my understanding of prayer and my personal experience with prayer was too great to sustain anything more than trite, tiresome words.

In the end, I decided to be candid, confess my struggles, and share what I'm currently learning about prayer. It's pretty basic-concepts I should have incorporated into my life long ago. Had I done so, my life would have been less stressful and more productive.

First of ...