PRAYERS ONTHE MOVE

How to find well-beingthrough a moment of calm

1

First published in Great Britain in 2016

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

36 Causton Street, London SW1P 4ST

www.spck.org.uk

Copyright: Main text © SPCK 2016. Individual prayers are the copyright

of the authors.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and

retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Every effort has been made to seek permission to use copyright

material reproduced in this book. The publisher apologizes for

those cases where permission might not have been sought and, if

notified, will formally seek permission at the earliest opportunity and

full acknowledgements will be made in a subsequent edition. The

celebrities whose quotes appear on pp. 2–9 have not endorsed this

project but have made these comments about prayer publically and

permission for their use has been sought.

Figures on p. 3 are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,023 GB

adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2 and 3 July 2015. The

survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are

representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

SPCK does not necessarily endorse the individual views contained in

its publications.

ISBN 978–0–281–07666–6

eBook ISBN 978–0–281–07667–3

Designed and typeset by PenguinBoy Ltd – www.penguinboy.net

First printed in Great Britain by Micropress

Produced on paper from sustainable forests

What’s iT all about?Thank you for taking the time to pick up this

booklet. It’s part of the Prayers on the Move

project, which you may have seen advertised on

public transport networks around the country.

We hope that the posters, booklet, website and

app will encourage you to give praying a go, or

to try doing it more often.

If you’ve ever wondered why people pray, or

you’d like to know more about what prayer is, this

short book may help. Or you may prefer to skip

straight to the prayers that begin on p. 12.

You don’t need to be religious to pray, but praying

may help you to develop your spirituality and to

connect with something bigger than yourself.

PRAYERS ONTHE MOVE

32

WHY PRAY?Are you in touch withyour spiritual side?People are often happy to describe themselves as ‘spiritual’,

even if they wouldn’t ever dream of saying they were

religious. Being ‘spiritual’ is seen as cool because it suggests

you’re in touch with the ‘inner you’, whereas being ‘religious’

is thought of as old-fashioned, even a bit odd.

But prayer is actually just

one form of spirituality,

the one that comes most

naturally to us all. You

don’t need to buy anything

special, you don’t need to

go anywhere in particular,

and you don’t have to do

anything specific.

‘I pray every day.I meditate every

day and I do yoga.I’m not religious,

I’m spiritual.’

MIRANDA KERR, SUPERMODEL

Does anyone actuallypray any more?Yes! In a recent YouGov survey, 42 per cent of British adults

answered ‘yes’ to the question, ‘Do you ever pray?’ Of those

who said they pray, 26 per cent pray once a day or more.

Prayer isn’t something that only a few, slightly odd people do.

If you’re someone who has prayed, even if not very often,

you are not alone. Even if people never talk about it, a good

many of your friends and colleagues have probably prayed at

some time. Certainly more people pray than just those who

consider themselves religious or go to church.

Why do people pray?People often pray when there’s an emergency. In desperation

they say, ‘Oh God, don’t let my friend be hurt in that

accident’, or ‘Please God, don’t let my boss find out that I’ve

messed up those figures’.

Or they pray when they’re happy. In relief they say, ‘Thank

God! My friend’s going to be OK’, or ‘Thank God! I corrected

those figures before my boss found out’.

Something deep within us calls us to talk to this ‘Other’, this

‘Something that is Bigger than Us’, or to someone that some

people call ‘God’. It’s a basic instinct, and it’s one that’s shared

54

trouble is, God’s voice

doesn’t come clearly to us

as if on the other end of a

phone. Try paying attention

and looking for the spiritual

in the still, small places

of your life. You may find

that you suddenly become

aware of the transcendent

when you’re walking in

the park, queuing at the

supermarket or waiting at

the station.

If you listen, you may find that there’s something deeper to

discover.

Some things to remember about prayer are:

• be relaxed and be yourself

• don’t feel you have to use clever words or talk in a

particular way

• be honest

by people from all cultures and throughout history.

Sometimes, we just know deep down that we need someone

big on our side. It’s this reaching out beyond ourselves that is

the first move in prayer.

‘The very fact that this world is so challenging is exactly why you sometimes must reach out of its jurisdiction for help, appealing to a higher authority in order to

find your comfort.’

ELIZABETH GILBERT,AUTHOR OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE

What is prayer?Very simply, prayer is about taking this basic instinct and

consciously communicating with this ‘Other’, with the person

Christians would call ‘God’.

You don’t even have to talk, you could just try sitting in silence.

But relationships work both ways. If you had a friend who

only ever talked about herself, and never stopped to listen

to a single thing you said, you’d soon find the conversation

unfulfilling.

So as well as talking to God, you also need to listen. The

‘I think God speaks to everyone

differently . . . Like any relationship,

you are able to hear someone far more

if you relate to them daily.’

DAVID OYELOWO, ACTOR

76

What does prayerdo for us?So praying is part of being human. But does it do any good?

Research shows that there are lots of benefits that can result

from getting in touch with your innate spirituality and praying

regularly:

• Praying helps to reduce stress; sharing your concerns

with God may help you to worry about them less and

reduce your anxiety levels, which in turn can lower

blood pressure and strengthen the immune system.

• Praying gives you a moment of peace; it’s a chance

to recharge your batteries so that you can go on with

greater strength.

• Praying about your own needs and dreams may help

you to gain a better understanding of who you are and

of your purpose and direction in life.

• Praying increases self-awareness, which may enable you

to react differently to the daily challenges of life.

• Praying for other people helps you to put your own

worries into perspective, and this in turn helps you to be

less selfish.

‘If I can start my day out by saying my prayers and getting myself focused, then

I know I’m doing the right thing.That ten minutes helps me in every way

throughout the day.’

MARK WAHLBERG, ACTOR AND SINGER

What does prayer do for those we pray for?When you pray, you aren’t trying to manipulate or bargain

with God, but offering up your concerns for God to use for

the good of others, and for you.

You don’t know how God

will be able to use your

prayers but no prayer is ever

wasted. When you enter

a conversation with God

there is a subtle interaction

of your desires and God’s

goodness. Praying aligns

your will closer to God’s

will and then, with that

resonance, surprising things

often happen.

‘Prayer is likewater – something you can’t imagine has the strength or

power to do any good, and yet give it time and it can change the lay

of the land.’

FROM SING YOU HOME BY JODI PICOULT,

NOVELIST

How can I begin to pray?Praying is a bit like Facebook: wherever you are you can check

in to share your status, you can show you ‘like’ something, and

you can share information about causes close to your heart.

It might seem difficult to know how to start praying, but maybe

it’s easier than you think. You could try praying ‘on the move’:

when you see a homeless teenager on the street, or as you

walk to meet a friend who’s just found out that his dad’s got

cancer. In these prayers you’re responding to real situations in

real time, and asking God to be a part of them.

Once you’ve done this for

a while, or if this approach

doesn’t work for you, you

may want to try to carve out

a moment or two each day

when you can take a deep

breath and think and reflect

on what’s going on, deep

inside, at the edge of your

consciousness.

It doesn’t matter when this

time is, but if it’s possible to

make it roughly the same

time each day, this will help

you to get into a rhythm.

98

You may find it useful to reflect on:

• What has the past 24 hours been like – good or bad?

• Was there anything stressful or upsetting? Did you handle

it well?

• Is there anyone you’ve let down? Did you let yourself

down?

• Is there anyone who needs help, either people you know

or people in the news?

• Is there anything, however small, to be grateful for?

This moment of prayer in a busy day may be just what you

need to calm your mind and refresh your spirit, and it may also

help you to focus on something beyond your own immediate

needs and worries.

If you’re reflecting regularly in this way, you may find yourself

reassessing what’s important in your life, and may even find

yourself moving in new and exciting directions.

‘Help me to choose my friends wisely so I won’t be led astray. Give me

discernment and strength to separate myself from anyone who is not a good

influence.’

BEYONCÉ, SINGER AND SONGWRITER, QUOTING STORMIE

OMARTIAN

‘I never pray that I’m going to win. Obviously I want to win . . . but I never pray

to win. I just pray, “Help me do my best, don’t let me fear other people, don’t let me

fear the job at hand.”’

CHRISTINE OHURUOGU, OLYMPIC, WORLD AND COMMONWEALTH 400M CHAMPION

10

HOW TO USE THIS BOOKSometimes it’s hard to know how to begin praying, so this is

a booklet of prayers that other people have written to give

you some ideas and to help get you started.

Although the prayers are headed ‘Day 1’, ‘Day 2’ and so on,

they can, if you prefer, be used in any order and at any time.

Some ideas on how to use them are:

• Try using one each day at a moment of quiet, when

you pause to think and reflect about what’s going on in

your life.

• Read one of the prayers in the morning and mull over it

as you go about your day.

• Select a prayer and try saying it over and over again, like

a mantra, for a few minutes.

You could also download the free Prayers on the Move app

(see p. 32 for details), which includes one-minute audio files

of the prayers in this booklet and allows you to set an alert to

remind you to pray.

It’s up to you how you use these prayers, but we do hope

you’ll find this booklet helpful and that you will be inspired to

give praying a go.

THEPRAYERS

12 13

Grant me the serenityto accept the things

I cannot change,the courage to change

the things I can,and the wisdom to

know the difference.

Traditionally attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr,theologian (1892–1971)

Day 1

I am bone dry, refresh me.I am careworn, restore me.I am heartache, revive me.I am outside, include me.

Stephen Cottrell

Help me to get over myself and be a good friend.

Day 2

Day 3

1514

I am seeking.I am hesitant and uncertain.

Watch over each stepof mine and guide me.

Adapted from St Augustine, theologian (354–430)

I’ll never earn enough if I measure my

wealth in numbers. Make me rich in love.

Rose Mannering

Day 4

Day 5

I feel I don’t care any more.But I don’t want to bethat kind of person.Please help me tostart caring again.

Day 6

Give me a heart for simple things, friends and family,

justice and love,food and wine.

And make me thankful.John Pritchard

Day 7

1716

As I look at all the different people around me today,

help me to rememberthat we all count,

we are all valuable in our own way – including me.

So many voices all around tell me what to do.

Help me to listen to thestill, small voice of truth.

Nicholas Sagovsky

Day 8

Day 9

1918

Sometimes I do notknow what to do with

all my happiness.I swim in your grace like

a whale in the ocean.The saying goes,

‘An ocean never dries up,’ but we know that your grace also never fails.

Traditional prayer from West Africa

My heart. It still keeps beating.But what for? Show me

how to measure my life in something other than years.

Stephen Cottrell

Only you can readthe map of my future. Help me to focus on

trying to make the mostof the present.

Primavera Quantrill

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

2120

I am worried aboutso many things.

May I have the strengthto do what needs tobe done today and

the peace not to worryabout the rest.

Nicholas Sagovsky

I’m a tiny voice in a vast sea, lost in dark waters.

Tell me who is listening.Rose Mannering

Be a bright star before me,A guiding star above me,

A smooth path below me, A kindly shepherd behind me, Today, tonight and for ever.

St Columba, missionary (521–597)

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

I know I need to change. But it’s not happening.

Can you help me to make some changes?

Fiona Veitch Smith

2322

I’m lost and confused. Kindle a light formy guidance and

scatter my darkness.Inspired by an antiphon in the Divine Office

I have everything I want, but I don’t know

what I need.Show me what matters.

Stephen Cottrell

Day 17

Day 18

2524

Everything I am and everything I will beis a gift. Thank you.

Nicholas Sagovsky

When things feel really bad,please help me to remember

the good times too,and that you are always there.

My friends tell me I needto forgive and move on, but I don’t know how;I am hurting so much.

Help me to let go of thehurt and find freedom.

Nicholas Sagovsky

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

I need some head space. Help me to tune outall the white noise

and find peace.Fiona Veitch Smith

Day 19

2726

Lord, you arethe deepest wisdom,

the deepest truth, the deepest love within me.

Lead me in your way.Richard Harries

I’m not sure wheremy career’s going.

Guide me as I try to work out what is important to me

and gives me life.Rima Devereaux

Before I forget(I always forget): thanks.*

Martin Wroe

*If the only prayer you ever pray is ‘Thanks’,that will be enough.

Meister Eckhart, mystic (1260–1328)

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

My spirit is dry within me because it forgetsto feed on you.

St John of the Cross, mystic (1542–1591)

Day 23

2928

Can I do something todayto make a difference?

Show me where and how.Fiona Veitch Smith

Day 28

I’m worried about my friend. I don’t know how to help.

Please show me whatto say and do.

Rima Devereaux

Day 27

3130

Teach us to count our days, that we may gain wisdom.

Psalm 90, verse 12, from the Bible

Day 30

Lord, make me seeyour glory in every place.

Attributed to Michelangelo Buonarroti, artist (1475–1564)

Day 31

O Lord,you know how busyI must be this day;

If I forget you,do not forget me.

Lord Astley, military commander (1579–1652)

Day 29

3332

Books about praying• How Do I Pray? A little book of guidance,

John Pritchard, SPCK, 2015.

An insightful introduction to the art and power of prayer,

explaining how to slow down enough to hear what God

wants to say and how to become more in tune with the

Spirit.

• When I Pray, What Does God Do?

David Wilkinson, Monarch, 2015.

An accessible and intelligent book from a scientist and

theologian who considers questions such as: How does

God work in a world of science? Why doesn’t God answer

prayers more often? Has God acted in history?

• How to Pray: Alone, with others, at any time in any

place, Stephen Cottrell, Church House Publishing, 2010.

A clear, practical book on how to relate all of life to prayer.

Books of prayers• Just As I Am, Ruth Etchells, SPCK, 2008.

A rich companion of personal prayers to make your own

at the beginning and end of the day.

• The Open Gate, David Adam, SPCK, 2006.

A wealth of resources for daily prayer and meditation

written in a Celtic style.

FIND OUT MOREPrayersonthemove.comThe Prayers on the Move project has an accompanying

website www.prayersonthemove.com, which includes further

ideas on where to find out more about praying and about

Christianity.

You can also download the Prayers on the Move app from

the Apple Store or from Google Play. The app includes audio

files of the prayers in this booklet, to encourage you to pray

for one minute a day for a month. You can also set an alert

to remind you

to pray at a

particular time

each day.

3534

• Wonder, Fear and Longing: A book of prayers,

Mark Yaconelli, SPCK, 2011.

Includes stories, images, contemplative exercises, poetry,

classical prayers and creative meditations on prayer.

Websites and Apps• trypraying (www.trypraying.co.uk)

A resource for people with no church connection or

interest, but who are open to finding out about God. You

can download an app that contains ideas of things to do,

suggestions about how to connect with God and honest

prayers, or you can request a free seven-day prayer guide.

• Sacred Space (www.sacredspace.ie)

Offers free daily online prayer and a reflection on a short

Bible passage.

• Pray As You Go (www.pray-as-you-go.org/home or

available as an app for iOS and Android)

A free daily prayer session, designed for use on portable

MP3 players, to help you pray whenever you find time.

• Three-minute Retreats (www.loyolapress.com/

3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer.htm or available

as an app for iOS and Android)

Gives a short Bible passage, questions for reflection and a

short prayer, all set to music and available for free.

Books about CHRISTIANITY • Ten: Why Christianity makes sense,

John Pritchard, SPCK, 2014.

A candid and often witty look at some of the main concerns

about faith, including ‘Ten problems people have with faith’

and ‘Ten things I don’t believe about God’.

• Simply Christian, Tom Wright, SPCK, 2011.

A lively and accessible case for Christian faith from the

ground up, which assumes that the reader is starting with

no predisposition to, and perhaps even some negativity

towards, religion and Christianity.

You can find answers to some of life’s big questions

in these short, easy-to-read Little Books of Guidance

published by SPCK. Written by leading experts in the field,

they are ideal introductions for those who want to learn

more about Christianity.

3936

Who is behindPrayers on the Move?The Prayers on the Move project is the work of SPCK, the Society

for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

SPCK is the UK’s largest independent Christian publisher and its third oldest publisher. Our mission is to work through publishing to communicate the Christian faith in its rich diversity to as many people as possible; to help people to understand Christian ideas, faith, life and culture; to develop their spirituality; and to equip Christians for mission and ministry.

Prayers on the Move is part of our outreach to open-minded people, of all faiths and none, who are seeking to connect with the spiritual in their own lives.

We also reach out to teachers and school children through our resources for school assemblies (see www.assemblies.org.uk) and to prisoners, with an easy-to-read series of novels aimed at improving reading confidence.

SPCK would like to extend thanks to the many individuals and organizations who have supported and helped to fund this project, including the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Charitable Foundation, the Deo Gloria Trust, the Alfred Haines Trust, the Jerusalem Trust, the Newcastle Bible House Fund, Hymns Ancient and Modern, the Westminster Experiment and Research in Evangelism Trust, the Diocese of London and APCK.

You can find out more about the work of SPCK and about our books at www.spck.org.uk.

We are a registered charity, no. 231144.

Other ways tofind out more aboutChristian faith and life• www.christianity.org.uk

Access a wealth of information about God, the life of

Jesus and Christianity. You can also ask to be sent the

story of the life of Jesus, start an email conversation about

Christianity, ask to be prayed for or find a discussion group

or church.

• www.alpha.org/try

Find a local Alpha course, offering an opportunity to explore

the Christian faith in a friendly and open environment.

• www.achurchnearyou.com

Enter your postcode or a place and find information about

churches near you.

How to get more copies of this booklet

• Text ‘PRAYER’ to 70099 to donate £1 to SPCK

and receive your prayer booklet

• For bulk orders, or to receive a prayer booklet without

donating, please visit

www.prayersonthemove.com

• Download the e-booklet for free from

SPCK’s website, www.spck.org.uk

You can also purchase any SPCK titles mentioned in this booklet onwww.spck.org.uk or from any good bookseller.

For terms and conditions, see www.prayersonthemove.com/terms

PRAYERS ONTHE MOVEFIND OUT MORE• Download the free Prayers on the Move app from the App Store/Google Play • Visit www.prayersonthemove.com• Like Prayers on the Move on Facebook• Follow us on Twitter @PrayersOTM• Don’t forget to tag your posts with #prayersonthemove

TELL US WHAT YOU THINKWe’d love to hear what you think about Prayerson the Move! Please let us know at @PrayersOTMor on Facebook, or fill in the short online survey atwww.prayersonthemove.com/feedback

9 780281 076666

ISBN 978-0-281-07666-6

ISBN: 978–0–281–07666–6eBook ISBN: 978–0–281–07667–3