The Invitation Going Forward

The past 6 weeks, for those who have followed Praying with The Psalms, have been an invitation to Come & See (John 1:39). 

 You came. You saw. You tried prayer. You brought your questions. You showed up. 

 Now the invitation is: 

Keep coming home. Not perfectly. Not without questions. Not without struggle. 

But keep entering those gates with thanksgiving. Keep recognizing you're the sheep and God is the shepherd. Keep trusting that His merciful love endures forever. 

Keep coming home to the God who's been waiting for you all along. 

Now What? 

Option 1: Keep Praying the Psalms.  There are 150 psalms. You've only scratched the surface. Pick another psalm and use the same Lectio Divina method. 

Option 2: Pray the Gospels.  Try applying Lectio Divina to the stories of Jesus. Start with the Gospel of Mark—it's short and vivid. 

Option 3: Explore the Liturgy of the Hours.  The Catholic Church prays the Psalms daily through the Liturgy of the Hours. Apps like iBreviary or Laudate make it accessible.

Option 4: Find Community Prayer can start alone, but it grows best in community. 

Consider: 

 • Visiting a local Catholic parish 

 • Attending an OCIA inquiry session (no commitment required) 

 • Joining an online Bible study or prayer group, like this one at Saintly Journeys. 

 • Finding a Spiritual Director 

 The Most Important Thing:  Don't stop praying. It doesn't have to be every day. It doesn't have to be perfect. But keep showing up. Keep seeking. Keep listening. 

Prayer is a relationship, and relationships require presence.  

"O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!" — Psalm 34:8 

It has been an absolute blessing sharing the Psalms with you all and Meeting You Where You Are!

Week 6: Finding Gratitude

 Psalm 100 - “We Are His People, the Sheep of His Pasture" 

 Read this slowly: 

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! For the LORD is good; his merciful love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

REFLECT (Reread it): 

 • This is a psalm of pure joy and gratitude. Even if you're beginning to pray, there are things to be grateful for. 

 • What does “make a joyful noise" mean to you? Does joy in prayer feel natural or awkward? 

 • “It is he that made us, and we are his." How does it feel to hear that you belong to God? Comforting? Strange? Hard to believe? 

 • “Enter his gates with thanksgiving." What are you genuinely grateful for right now—even in the midst of struggle?

 • This psalm was sung by people entering the Temple—coming home to worship. Where is "home" for you spiritually? Have you found it yet, or are you still searching?

RESPOND (Talk to God):

If you're feeling grateful: Tell God specifically what you're thankful for. Make a list—out loud or in your heart. Your health, family, and home. A friend who showed up when you needed them. The fact that you're here, praying, seeking. 

If you're struggling to feel grateful: That's okay. Be honest: “God, this psalm is about joy, but I don't feel joyful right now." “I want to be thankful; God can handle your honesty. Bring what you have, even if it's not overflowing gratitude. But I'm struggling. Help me see what's good." 

 If you're feeling like you don't belong: Tell Him: “The sheep imagery is nice, but I don't feel part of the flock." God meets you in that honesty, too.

Now, simply rest. 

 You don't need more words. You don't need to produce insights or feelings. Just sit in reality: 

 • You were made by God 

 • You belong to God 

 • God's merciful love endures forever 

 • God is faithful 

 Repeat quietly in your heart (or out loud): 

 "The LORD is good." 

 "His merciful love endures forever." 

 "I am his."

A Prayer for Week 6

Lord, After six weeks of seeking, questioning, listening, and learning, I come to this final psalm with whatever gratitude I can muster. 

Some days, thanksgiving flows easily. Other days, I have to search for it. 

 Help me to know—really know—that I belong. That I'm not an accident. That You made me, and I'm Yours. 

 Thank You for meeting me in these ancient words. 

Thank You for being patient with my questions. Thank You for Your merciful love that endures even when my faith wavers. 

 Teach me to make a joyful noise—imperfect, unrehearsed, but genuine. 

 Teach me to enter Your gates with thanksgiving, recognizing that gratitude is the path home. 

 And most of all, help me remember: I'm Your sheep, and You're my shepherd. 

 I don't have to find the way on my own. I just have to follow Your voice. 

 Thank You for these six weeks. Thank You for this journey. 

Thank You for meeting me here. 

 Amen

Week 3: Being Honest

Psalm 13: “How Long, O Lord?” 

 Read this slowly: 

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him"; lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 

But I have trusted in your merciful love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me. 

REFLECT (Reread it):

• This psalm starts with raw, honest questions. Four times: "How long?" The psalmist is frustrated, maybe even angry. 

• Notice that the psalmist doesn't pretend to have it all together. Prayer isn't about being polite—it's about being real. 

• "How long must I bear pain in my soul?" If you've felt this, you're not alone. This is in the Bible. 

• The psalm ends with trust, but it starts with struggle. That's okay. You don't have to skip to the happy ending. 

• The struggles aren't obstacles to prayer; they're the raw material of it. Bringing your struggle to God's conversation is essential because it's the root of change and growth. When you name what's actually weighing on you—when you stop performing spiritually and start being real—you create the conditions for God to meet you where you are, not where you think you should be. You can't be transformed by a conversation you're not actually having. 

• So when you sit down with Scripture, don't sanitize your prayer. Bring the mess. God's not afraid of it. The psalm ends with trust because it started with struggle. That's where the Holy Spirit does His work.

RESPOND (Talk to God): 

 Ask God your "How long?" questions. How long will this loneliness last? How long until things get better? How long will I feel lost? Don't edit yourself. God can handle your questions. 

REST: You don't need to resolve everything. Sit with your questions. God is big enough to hold them with you.

Week 2: Finding Peace

 Psalm 46: “Be Still, and Know That I Am God" 

 Read this slowly: 

 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Therefore, we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her right early. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 

Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, he burns the chariots with fire! "Be still and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 

 REFLECT (Reread it): • "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Not distant. Not absent. Present. • The imagery is chaotic: earth changing, mountains shaking, waters roaring. Life can feel like that. • But then: "Be still and know that I am God." In the chaos, there's an invitation to stillness. • You don't have to create the stillness yourself. It's a gift God offers. 

 RESPOND (Talk to God): What feels chaotic in your life right now? What mountains are shaking? Talk to God about the turmoil. Then ask Him to help you be still, even for just a few minutes. 

 REST: Repeat quietly to yourself: "Be still and know that I am God." Let your breathing slow. You don't have to fix anything right now. Just be still. "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." - Psalm 145:18

Coming Soon: A Gentle Introduction to Prayer Through the Psalms

Six weeks. Six themes. One ancient prayer book that still speaks today.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to pray but didn't know where to start, this guide is for you.

Next week, I'm launching a free six-week prayer guide designed specifically for seekers and beginners—people who are curious about prayer but intimidated by religious language, unsure of the "right" way to do it, or simply looking for a gentle entry point into the spiritual life.

What Makes This Different?

This isn't a program that assumes you already know the vocabulary or have years of church experience. It's designed to meet you exactly where you are, with no prerequisites and no expectations.

Each week focuses on one accessible theme:

Week 1: Taking the First Step – Starting a prayer practice when you're not sure how
Week 2: Finding Peace – Learning to quiet your mind and heart
Week 3: Being Honest – Discovering that God can handle your real feelings
Week 4: Experiencing Wonder – Opening your eyes to beauty and awe
Week 5: Asking for Help – Bringing your actual needs to prayer
Week 6: Finding Gratitude – Cultivating thankfulness as a way of life

Why the Psalms?

The Book of Psalms has been called the prayer book of the Bible—and for good reason. These ancient prayers express every human emotion: joy, anger, fear, gratitude, confusion, and hope. They've been prayed by Jews and Christians for thousands of years, by people in every circumstance imaginable.

What makes them perfect for beginners? They're honest. Raw. Real. They don't ask you to pretend everything is fine or to use language that doesn't feel like your own. They teach us that prayer isn't about performing for God—it's about showing up authentically.

What You'll Need

• 15-20 minutes a few times each week
• An open heart and a willingness to try
• No religious background required

That's it. No theological degree. No fancy prayer language. Just you and a centuries-old conversation with the Divine.

A Personal Note

I know what it's like to feel like prayer is for "other people"—people who are more spiritual, more religious, more practiced. But prayer isn't about getting it right. It's about showing up honestly, wherever you are on your journey.

This guide is my way of extending a simple invitation: Come and see. Try it for six weeks. See what happens when you give yourself permission to pray in a way that feels authentic to you.

Mark Your Calendar

The free downloadable guide launches next week. Watch this space for the announcement, and feel free to share this with anyone who might be curious about taking their first steps into prayer.

Sometimes the most profound journeys begin with the simplest invitation.

Are you ready to take the first step?

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