My friend Michele just loves cows. She stops on her walks to take pictures of the cows standing in the fields watching her. Knowing that, whenever I see cows now, I think of her and smile. (And let’s be real—this guy makes you smile, too, doesn’t he? (Or she? I don’t know. I don’t know my cows. i just know what makes me happy.)

In a way, this concept of remembrance is what’s behind my prayer prompts. Using an object as a visual prompt to remind me to pray is something that helps me. When I see something that brings to mind a particular person, I’m prompted to pray for them. In effect, each prayer prompt calendar contains 365 different nudges to think about a person, place, or situation, and lift them in prayer. 

How you pray isn’t really the issue. I believe the fact that you do pray—whatever it looks like, whenever you do it—is what matters the most. It’s making the attempt to reach out to the Almighty. Prayer transcends the ordinary and turns your quiet moments into something extraordinary. 

The reality is, every moment is extraordinary because God inhabits each one of them with us. But we sometimes fail to pay attention.

And wanna know something else? Prayer doesn’t have to be boring and serious. I struggle with some of the religious portrayals of Jesus because he’s aways so serious. Always so holy. So bear with me for a sec. Don’t you think there was something about him that just made people smile? I don’t think people would have dropped their nets and left their jobs and families and villages to follow Jesus if he weren’t fun. Or at least capable of having fun. I think he celebrated life. Reveled in people and relationships. Delighted in God and all of God’s people.

Maybe, just maybe, these prayer prompt calendars will help you do some of that: Notice, pay attention, and lift people to the Lord. Find joy in the act of praying and learn to love to spend time talking to God.