The less the natural man succeeds in attaining happiness, the more he finds an outlet for [his longing for it] in prayer.

—Dee Pennock, God’s Path to Sanity

Every day, you tell God, I want nothing but You. I want to serve You, I want to walk with You, I want you to be pleased with me. Every day. That’s the direction of life I’m walking in. I don’t want any goals that are far, I want to encounter the kingdom inside my heart. If you are not enjoying your life today, there’s a big question mark.

—Fr. Mina Dimitri

What happens when we don’t pray for one another? We will not be healed.

—Fr. Mina Dimitri

Hannah
Day 15 Monday, 10 March

Be transparent with God. Hannah prayed to Him and ‘wept in anguish’. She
was transparent by revealing her emotions, thoughts and desires. Her transpar-
ency highlights the tender heart of God; that feels our emotions and understands
our thoughts. Like Hannah, every tear our eyes shed is never forgotten; rather
God will always wipe them away (Isaiah 25:8 & Revelation 21:4). Hannah’s
transparency with God prepared her to hear His voice. Likewise, when we trans-
parently empty ourselves before the Bridegroom we prepare to receive Him.

Believe before you ask. Hannah’s vow is a product of her confidence, belief
and courage in God. Sometimes we spend significant amounts of time venting to
God, begging Him, pouring out our complaints and requests. This can become a
routine undertaken without belief. We need to ask ourselves if we really believe
that He can and if this is His will. This is the command of our Bridegroom
‘Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and
you will have them’ (Mark 11:24).

…

Ultimately, Hannah reminds us that there is no one like our God. No help
as powerful, or present; no heart as tender, kind or encompassing. God allowed
her soul to become saturated with bitterness, to cry to Him from the depths of
her heart

Women of the Bible
Daily Contemplations
Fasting and Prayer Program
The Holy Great Fast
2025

After this do we not feel shame, and hide our faces, at seeing that righteous man for twenty years persevering and not desisting; we ourselves after a first or second petition often fainting and indignant? And yet he indeed had in large measure liberty of speech towards God, and all the same he felt no discontent at the delay of the giving, but remained patient, whereas we-laden with countless sins, living with an evil conscience, displaying no good will towards the Master—if we are not heard before having spoken, are bewildered, impatiently recoil, desist from asking. On this account we always retire with empty hands.

Who has for twenty years besought God for one thing, as this righteous man did? Or rather who for twenty months only? Yesterday I was saying that they are many who pray with slackness, and yawning, and stretching themselves, and continually shifting their attitude, and indulging in every carelessness in their prayers-but today I have found also another damage attaching itself to their prayers more destructive than that one.

Saint John Chrysostom
HOMILY FIVE
On the power of prayer and forgiveness

The start of the day [prayer] tells you how the rest of the day will be.

—Anthony Marcos

Whenever I stop praying, the amazing coincidences stop happening.

—Bishop Basil Rodzyanko

Our leisure hours are ordinarily the sweetest and pleasantest for ourselves; we can never employ them better than in refreshing our spiritual strength, by a secret and intimate communion with God. Prayer is so necessary, and the source of so many blessings, that he who has discovered the treasure cannot be prevented from having recourse to it, whenever he has an opportunity.

—Francois Fenelon, Spiritual Progress

When our prayers seem to be answered, when tragedy is avoided, when God seems so close to us because everything is going pretty much as we think it should, these are the times when a certain joy and confidence descends into our hearts and we feel that we could follow Christ anywhere. It is at times like this when we wonder how anyone could not follow Christ. In those moments of joy and confidence we feel encouraged and consoled, we feel as if nothing could ever shake us from our confidence in Christ.

Patience: What Growth In Christ Looks Like
ARCHPRIEST MICHAEL GILLIS