Committing 10 minutes to prayer each day is only .69444 percent of your total day. Yet it sets the mood for your day by placing your life in God's hands for His purpose.

Prayer is talking with God, not at God. Jesus spent His life in conversation with the Father, praising and thanking Him and always seeking His advice and direction for His life.

How you pray is individual, and will get easier as you find your own style. Your method probably will change over the years, so be open to new styles. Whatever way you pray, seek to be in honest communication with God. He longs to hear from you.

Prayer considerations:

· Deciding on where and when to pray. Prayer happens any time, any place. When you are with a person who is confiding in you, during a storm, at 2 p.m. each day, on a date, alone in your room, or in a crowded place - in your heart you can always talk with God.

· Designing your own prayer space. Usually your own prayer space equates with your bedroom or another special spot at home. You may want a special chair, a candle, your Bible, a journal, soft music, or a focal point (a cross, some flowers, a poster).

· Choosing prayer postures. Different times call for different postures. Some like to sit cross- legged on the floor, others prefer curling up in a comfy chair. Still others prefer to kneel, or lie face down on the floor. Stay open to all kinds of postures.

· Learning the skill of concentrating. Focusing on your breathing relieves stress and helps you to concentrate better on your prayer. Make sure your prayer spot has few distractions. After you are calmed down you can begin your prayers.

· How long to pray. For the beginner, you may try three to five minutes of prayer - working toward an average of 10 minutes a day. Some days you may want and need to sit longer in prayer. Although you may fill your days with prayers on the run, still strive for a dedicated time with God. Be sure to leave time for listening to God talking to you.

· Giving it to God. Don't hold back on what you say to God. He is interested in your innermost thoughts and feelings. He is ready to help you deal with your fears and regrets. He wants to inspire you to joyful service and abundant living.

· Hearing God's voice. If you are persistent in prayer you will know when He is speaking to you. Words might simply appear in your thinking, or you may have a great urge to act on some situation. Typically there is a calmness or an overwhelming feeling of rightness.

· Seeing God around you. You can pray by simply being awake and aware. Each day challenge yourself to see God in the events, people, and thoughts that come your way.

Patty McCulloch is a sister of the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart. A 16-year youth minister, she is known for keeping teens involved in the church community after they are confirmed in eighth grade.

Excerpted from Take Ten for Prayer by Patty McCulloch. Copyright (c) 1999 by Ave Maria Press, Inc., P.O. Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Used by permission. This book is available from the publisher (1-800-282-1865, fax: 1-800-282-5681 or email: avemariapress@nd.edu) or at your local religious bookstore.

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Revised: October 19, 2000.