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A path to Abundant living is Learning How To Ask and then giving thanks.

. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened for you." (Matthew 7:7).
.     Most people know they should pray. Many admit they do not know how. The following prayer outline aid, when followed for a minimum of 15 minutes every day, can enable you to experience God’s absolute and wonderful life enriching Peace and Joy in a way you may not have known previously.
.     As you begin this powerful endeavor, know that prayer is a true life living experience. Prayer is not just an idea. Like any other skill, we learn by doing. Getting started is the first step. Persist in your reaching out to God and God will persist in reaching out to you. God’s presence in our life is a challenge to define, but an exceptional joy to behold.
.     Over the centuries all great persons of faith have acknowledged and encouraged that prayer is essential to living the victorious and wonderful life as God means it to be. As it is written: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart . . .” Jer. 29:13
.     Enjoy and give thanks for this prayer outline. Accept it as a Blessing. “And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a private place and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35. Habits are formed from repetition. You can even ask for a schedule adjustment in your life to allow you to pray in total peace and privacy every time you pray. Then carry that peace as you go about your day. It is always a Blessing to give thanks for God’s many Blessings. From gifts and joy to trials to grow from, it is all good.
.     Read this outline each time before you begin until you have fully remembered each of them while you are in prayer. (There is a memory aid at the end once you have read these enough to be able to pray without reading the complete outline again.) Whatever it takes for you to succeed in prayer, know that it will continue to get better for you.
Begin
1. Set aside a time in a location where you can be physically relaxed and there is little likelihood of interruption. Read scriptures. This helps to erase distracting thoughts from your mind. This will help you get ready for prayer. Listed here is a selection of scriptures that have proven helpful in preparing for prayer. After reading, spend at least 15 minutes in prayer. Note that the last 3 minutes are for listening (# 10) . Your time for listening can vary and can grow, too. Relax and let it happen. This is a time you offer up to God.
Scriptures You can add to this list as you discover scriptures that you like.
John 14, Psalm 23, Matthew 5:1-12, Romans 8:35-39, 1st Corinthians 13 < considered a love definition scripture, Psalm 91, Matthew 6 < This is truly a good enlightenment about prayer, John 3:1-17, Psalm 46, Romans 12, John 15, Psalm 27, Psalm 103 < Praise, Psalm 121, Isaiah 55, Luke 15, Psalm 84, John 1:1-18, Psalm 90, Psalm 19, 1st John 4:7-21, Psalm 130, Luke 18:1-17. By reading them in order to get started, when you have finished all of them and then repeat, their messages will increase for you.
2. Close your eyes and give thanks for three personal blessings of which you are especially conscious of. This helps you move toward God by moving away from a sense of your own self-sufficiency. You can start simply by giving thanks for this time in prayer. For the good and good happenings that you have experienced. In the beginning, keep it simple and know you are embracing the most powerful life enriching gift available to man. The gift of communing with God. He hears all your prayers. Give thanks. Let prayer continue as a habit. Give thanks for the things you are to be delivered from or already have been. Praying audibly is best.
3. Ask God to help three persons whom you believe will benefit from God’s Love today. Ask God to help your minister, too. Praying for others helps you move toward God by moving away from any self-centeredness.
4. Thank God for His forgiving you of your sins. Give thanks for your gift to be able to forgive others for any ways they may have been unkind or inconsiderate to you. Forgiving others further frees us up.
5. Thank God for helping one person whom you have found it personally challenging to like or get along with. Ask and thank God that He will give that person insights to overcome whatever may be challenging in that person’s life. That person may only have you as God’s representative at this time to pray for. Accept this as your assignment and know that God is willing to help you, too. God only uses people. Letting God use you will help you grow and mature greatly in spirit.
6. Thank God that you will be sensitive to at least one particular person today with whom you may come in contact with. Share God’s Love in your kindness, your patience, your words and your actions. Patience is a virtue and virtue is strength.
“Dear God, thank you . . . “
7. Thank God for helping you with any personal challenges you may have. Trials provide opportunities to learn and grow greatly from in your spirit. Thank God for helping you overcome whatever you know you need to overcome. Thank Him as often as it takes to make it through or past whatever you need to get over. “What He’s done for others He will do for you.” Thanking Him in advance allows you to move confidently forward as He leads.
8. Thank God for His helping you achieve the personal goals in your life that He has given you and that you are working towards. “Dear God, thank you . . . “
9. Thank God as He shares with you the most important thing you need to do today in order to “seek first His Kingdom . . .” Matthew 6:33-34.
10. Listen patiently and intently for at least three minutes to what God may share with you. Sometimes it is more than at other times. Sometimes it is as you are praying. Thank Him when you do hear. Your prayer time will evolve favorably for you as you experience more of His Peace, Joy, Serenity, Love and Presence. Enjoy the peace and subtle moments of silence with God as you conclude your time with Him in prayer. This is the time you offer up to hear what He truly is sharing with you when He does. Persistence is a life enriching way to succeed in God’s way of living which is living truly abundantly. Luke 18:1-17 is a wonderful memory verse. As you continue and begin to repeat the various pre-prayer scriptures, you will begin to recognize them and what their particular messages continue to become for you.

.     Prayer in the morning is a way to complement your day in life. Prayer again before retiring to sleep is a way to allow your mind to dwell on God while sleeping and a time to give thanks for the Blessings you have experienced throughout your day.
Philippians 4:4-6 reads; “Rejoice in the Lord always, . . .Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. There is no need to be anxious [worry] about anything. Rather, in prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

(C) MMCMLXVI by Herb Miller. Originally published by Upper Room Books ISBN 0-8358-0777-0
This edition edited 2003& 2001 as may be found at www.findthefile.com/prayer by the Website editor.
Know always that Prayer is a life living, giving and receiving experience.
 
Memory aid: 1. Depart & read, 2. Begin to pray - 3 Blessings, 3. 3 People, 4. Give thanks for your sins forgiven, forgive others, 5. 1 Person, 6. Sensitive to any other person today [or tomorrow], 7. Seek insights into your special needs 8. Give thanks for achieving your goal(s), 9. Note today’s most important task to do or that you accomplished. 10. Listen. God Bless You. “Ask, and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” - Mathew7:7

“Give thanks in all things and "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 

“ Prayer is a true life living experience, not just an idea.”

Rejoice in the Lord, always.
Again, I will say, rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all men.
The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

*Phil 4:4-6
Paul wrote the above Phil 4:4-6 (in the cell directly above this) almost two thousand years ago to the believers in Philippi. It is a wonderful message to commit to memory and embrace. His last line is the key to the Divine solution for worry. God Bless You. Amen.