Guys trip in the Rockies. We had been hiking, camping, fishing, and grilling that afternoons catch. A man who has become a sage mentor in my life, Mr. Fritz Dale pulled me aside for a private meeting behind a big tree at approximately 10,500 ft altitude. I couldn't have possibly anticipated the incredible depth of wisdom I was about to hear from this deep theological man. He looked at me and with profound wisdom and compassion in his eyes said the following words, "I think you probably suck at prayer."

He was right. How did he know? Did he have nanny cameras hidden in my house?

He said, "I'd like to mentor you in the area of prayer." And ladies and gentlemen, this began a several year journey complete with reading books, prayer over the phone, meeting up in person, and visiting his cabin in the North woods (spider lake) in Wisconsin. We've eaten together, shot guns, drank good IPA's, and prayed and prayed and prayed. The man invested into me and now I want to invest in others.

I've learned a good bit in the area of prayer, but I'd just like to pass on just 2 things I've incorporated lately....

10 Minutes of solitude

The first thing that's been rich and meaningful to me lately is a practice I've been engaged in over the last few months. It's a practice of 10 minutes of solitude each day. I have now come to the conclusion (like my friend Gino Curcuruto told me), If I spend my first 10 minutes of the day in solitude I have won the day. I tend to be very transactional by nature. I like to get things done and accomplish things. I even (regrettably) approach friendships in that way. Not because I don't care about people, but because I care more about accomplishing things with people. My relationship with God can be all about goals, my desires, and things I want to see happen. I've learned that 10 minutes of solitude is about putting down my "goals" and requests and simply BEING in the presence of God. God has challenged my natural tendency to want to use him to accomplish things and simply BE with and enjoy God to that end. I can't even say that God usually tells me something deep or profound, but that the time itself leaves me feeling refreshed, clear, at peace, and oftentimes with a sense that I've done something very beautiful. I encourage you to take on a practice of daily solitude. It's been one of the better things I've engaged in recently.

Pray without ceasing

The next thing I'd like to share and pass on is what I'll title, "pray without ceasing". Whenever I would read Paul talking about "praying without ceasing" it was hard for me to really know what that meant. My understanding of prayer is that it had to be long and dedicated or somewhere out of view. I thought I needed to make requests or that it needed to be significant. I am also incredibly driven and goal oriented by nature. I want to get things done. I like to start, create, innovate. I can get in the habit of being extremely busy, but am I even doing the right things, the best things? I don't want to get so busy knocking items off the to- do list that I miss the ways in which God wants to whisper to me throughout the day. I don't want to do good things and miss the BEST things. I don't want to do good things and not even enjoy doing them.

Several Months ago I experimented with stopping to pray and listen and just ask God, "what's next" after each activity in my day. This has been LIFE CHANGING. I'll start by doing some coaching or writing, or preparing a training of some sort and then say, "God, what's next." God will bring to mind the most important priority. It could be work related, family related, or mission related. I find that I am actually more effective and less stressed when I approach my day this way. I may not do EVERYTHING but I do the BEST things (and I enjoy them). I also find that I have a deeper awareness of the presence of God throughout the day when I approach my day that way. It's like we are walking together, because we are. I'll pause when I start my day and ask God "what's next?" Then I'll do the same after the gym, and then after I call someone, and then after I coach, and then after I write, and then after I read, and then after a meeting, and then after I play catch with my son.

If this is encouraging to you try it. Play around with your prayer life and allow the Spirit of God to lead you into places of life, passion and holy fire. Prayer is anything but boring if we allow God to stretch us out of bad habits and lifeless routines.