More From Marti Williams-Martin

Since that hectic day at work and the unexpected pause in the middle of my day, I am more intentional about scheduling regular midday pauses. Part of my work as the Director of Marketing and Ministry Engagement in The Upper Room is to share content that helps people grow spiritually. A step-by-step guide that has helped me create a habit of pausing can be found in the article “Breath Prayer,” available on upperroom.org. Here is a portion of that resource:

1. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and remember that God loves you and you are in God’s presence.
2. Imagine God calling you by name, asking “(Your name), what do you want?
3. Answer God honestly with whatever word or phrase comes from deep within you.
4. Choose your favorite or most natural name for God.
5. Combine your name for God with your word or phrase to form a brief prayer that flows smoothly. 

Examples: 

What I Want 
Peace
Love
Guidance 

Name for God 
God
Jesus
Eternal Light 

Possible Prayer
Let me know your peace, O God.
Jesus, let me feel your love.
Eternal Light, guide me in your way. 

Repeat the prayer for a few minutes, allowing the words to settle into a regular rhythm. If more than one idea arises, you may need to ponder what the deepest desire of your heart is. A helpful question to ask is, What do I want that will make me feel most whole? . . . The breath prayer reminds us that praying is as natural as breathing.

Click here to read the entire “Breath Prayer” article by Jane E. Vennard.

The personal breath prayer I have adopted is, “Creator God, I breathe you in; I breathe you out to the world around me.”