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Monday, February 2, 2026

Want to Pray But Don't Know Where to Start?

Have you ever wanted to pray but didn't know where to start?

Maybe you've tried praying before but felt like you were doing it "wrong." Or you're genuinely curious about faith but don't know how to take that first step. Or perhaps you grew up praying but somehow stopped along the way, and now it feels awkward—even a little embarrassing—to start again.

I get it. Prayer can feel intimidating.

For years, I knew about prayer. I'd heard of various prayer practices, including something called Lectio Divina, which kept coming up in Catholic circles. But honestly? I had no real idea what it actually was or how to do it. It sounded mysterious, maybe even a little complicated—like something for monks or "serious" Catholics, not regular people like me.

Then came January 2021. My wife and I spent a couple of months in Florida during the winter—kind of testing out what would become our new home. I came across an online Lenten retreat offered by the Diocese of St. Petersburg: "Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina."

That retreat changed everything for me. This ancient prayer practice—one that seemed so mysterious before—suddenly made complete sense. It wasn't complicated at all. It was just a beautiful, simple way to let Scripture speak directly to your heart.

Over the next couple of weeks, I want to share this practice with you. Whether you're a complete beginner to prayer or someone who's been at it for years but feels stuck, I think you'll find something life-giving here.

Let me show you how to start.

Follow and stay tuned more to come.

#Prayer #Spirituality #Faith #CatholicFaith #Seeking

Today's Reading from the Holy Gospel Mark 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. “The Gospel of the Lord.”

Peace Be With You!

I'm Randy—husband, stepfather, Eucharistic Minister, Cursillista, and a Catholic layman who said 'yes' to God's call to evangelize online. My journey toward online evangelization began during Cursillo #109 in the Orlando Diocese. It was during my Cursillo weekend that I encountered the scripture theme: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" In that powerful moment of grace, my response echoed Isaiah's: "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) In the days that followed, I found myself in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit how to put into action all that I had discovered. It was then that the vision for Saintly Journeys took shape—not as something I had planned, but as a ministry the Lord was calling me to embrace. I'm not a priest, theologian, or Bible scholar—I'm a layperson living out the call to evangelize, probably a lot like you: balancing faith and family, wrestling with questions, discovering God meets us where we are. My role isn't to stand above you with answers, but to walk alongside you as a fellow member of the laity, both of us sharing in Christ's mission in our own unique ways. As I often say, God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. My mission is to evangelize from the screen to the altar, mending the nets in the digital vineyard.