Episode 63 - Praying the Ordinary

In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen chat about Praying the Ordinary. Karen starts by laying a foundation for the understanding that sacred and secular are intertwined.  Brooklyn then shares three ways of praying the ordinary and explains how even our work can become prayer.  This episode is sure to get you thinking about the intersection of faith and life and our need to be more aware of God’s presence in all things.

After listening, we encourage you to use these questions to continue the conversation with a friend or small group:

1. Draw a diagram of your relational spheres. How many spheres are you juggling?
2. How do you “change” when you enter the different spheres? Can you recognize the toll it takes on you to manage these transitions from one sphere to the next?
3. Do you put God in His own sphere? How often do you think about the fact that God is with you at all times? What might be the results of living with God in a box?
4. How does your life change in the times when you are more aware that God’s presence goes with you throughout your day?
5. Have you ever thought of your work (your vocation, your chores, your volunteering) as prayer? How does this concept change the way you work?
6. Have you ever spent a day looking for God in the midst of the ordinary? Where did He show up? As you have practiced the prayer of Examen, where have you seen His presence in your week?
7. How does looking for God in life's ordinary experiences change how we live?
8. We can pray the ordinary by praying amidst the mundane parts of our day. What things are catalysts for prayer in your ordinary life?
9. How will you implement the Prayer of the Ordinary in the coming week?