Some years ago, my prayer life and in many ways my life-life, had grown stale. I wasn’t a seeker; I knew the truth, but I wasn’t resting in it, rejoicing in it, growing in it. So I began memorizing, meditating upon, and praying Scriptures.
Now I pray every day, loosely in the ancient tradition of the liturgical Hours. My Lauds verses (words of praise and preparation) are in the morning, and my Compline verses (words of completion and review) are at bedtime—different verses for each day and time.
God forbid that I should ever go back to the way it was before! Because everything has changed (not just in my prayer life, but in my life-life). I love to pray now, love to listen, to explore, rest in and grow in his word. Love to hear his Spirit, the living word, speaking to me about the day ahead or the day just passed.
This morning I walked in Mt. Airy Forest, the oldest and largest “urban forest” in the U.S., which I’m blessed to live just minutes away from. My Tuesday Lauds are possibly my favorite. Like the forest, they’re my oldest and largest set of verses. They’re a weekly reminder of—and recommitment to—the foundation that my life is built upon: God’s word dwelling within me and transforming me into what He created me to be.
Much like the forest I walked in.
Mitch Teemley 
Happy for you Mitch! Nothing like the power of prayer and growing closer to God! I too love to be in nature,it just makes me feel closer to God. It is so beautiful and breathtaking when we take the chance to appreciate it.
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Beautiful! I love your description of your prayer discipline. Regular without being routine.
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Love the space
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Mt Airy Forest is one of my most beloved things about Cincinnati. I could go on at length describing all my experiences with it. It is so sacred.
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Oh! The encouragement is so unique!
Thanks Mr Mitch.
I pray I don’t go back to the religious one who didn’t see prayer and study of the word as a way of life.
Thanks Sire.
Hoping to see more of this sir!
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I’m so glad it encouraged you, Salem.
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That’s so beautiful. Thank you for sharing with all of us what you do.
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This is so beautiful, Mitch… prayer is truly vital to our Christian walk and it sounds like you have a wonderful pattern you follow… Your life is, quite obviously, a true outpouring from the time You spend talking and listening to our Father! Blessings!
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Thank you, Dori. And blessings to you!
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Hi Mitch,
Yes, we are always deepening our roots in the Lord. I pray you have been seeing this more lately.
In Christ,
Gary
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To say I am slow to read and respond to my email is an understatement! I thoroughly enjoyed your post of 2 June 2020 (A Renewed Spirit) though admittedly my POV is somewhat different than yours. I admire (and even envy) your faith and your joy and growth that results. Even a barbarian such as I can see the wisdom in feeling gratitude for one’s life, of taking stock of one’s day, of listening to the harmony of the universe, of exploring the infinite possibilities of existence, to count one’s blessings. I can relate to the idea of feeling close to creation when walking through a forest. In a city I find it hard to believe in God. In nature I find it impossible to not believe in God. Keep the faith, Mitch. To convert a barbarian such as I will never be accomplished through speech or sermon, but rather through the example of the joy that your faith provides you. Thank you for sharing, Mitch.
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It’s my privilege to do so, Adam. Thanks!
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