My three prayers are variations on Help, Thanks, Wow. That’s all I ever need, besides the silence, the pain, and the pause sufficient for me to stop, close my eyes, and turn inward.
—Anne Lamott

I’ve had lots of people ask me for tips about prayer… How to pray when you’re out of words. How to pray when your words are angry or full of doubt. How to pray when there are just way too many words, too many needs and situations and emotions. I know that when I’m struggling with something, I want to find a way to control it, understand it, and study it—but in the end, I’m adding more to my plate, not less.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is simplify. When we eliminate the unnecessary, the core of the matter shines through.

This month, if you’ll join me, we’re going to try to pray with just one word a day. Yep, just one. Words like Create. Yes. Remember. Help. Focus. Grow. And even Oops.

Easy peasy, right?

Don’t worry. Just because the word is simple does not mean the prayer is shallow. Your one word can be your whole prayer—or just the beginning. If you start there and explore, you can add layers and depths of color—like a detailed painting versus a quick, scribbled sketch.

Trust yourself and lean on God as you try this. Don’t worry if it makes you feel uncomfortable; there are lots of ways to approach this, none of them wrong. Meditate on the word, offer it to God as prayer, and see what happens. Maybe you’ll stay there and just sit in His presence. Maybe you’ll use it as a springboard, following your thoughts from one word to another. Maybe you’ll listen for whatever insight God chooses to reveal. He might show you a direction by telling you the next steps you should take. Or maybe answer a question you’ve asked, or possibly lead you to other questions. He might call to mind a friend or family member, show you what someone needs, or reveal a way you can help someone else.

Don’t limit yourself. Just pray and be open to where God leads you. And if you’re so inclined, I’d love to hear from you—what do you think? What did you learn?

To download the April prayer prompt calendar, click here. It’s free to anyone who subscribes to my newsletter. If it’s not showing up, you may need to subscribe. Once in a while, if cookies aren’t enabled or you’re on a different device, you might have to re-subscribe, but don’t worry. You won’t receive duplicates.

And now, I’ll close with one of my favorite songs. (If you’re reading this in an email, you’ll have to click to my blog to see the video.)

With just one word that You speak
My mind is filled with Your peace
With every word that You speak
Your power flows unto me

Just one word
and the darkness must flee.
Your word is alive,
Your word sets me free.

One word from God is all we need. How amazing is that?