Have you ever sat down to pray and wondered where to begin? Maybe your mind starts wandering, you find yourself repeating the same few requests, or you simply don’t know what to say.

Friend, you’re in good company!

In Part Two of The Prayer Table, I’m joined by my sweet friends Kayli, Naomi, and Emilee as we talk about some practical ways to grow in our prayer lives. Kayli walks us through the ACTS prayer model, Emilee shares how the Old Testament Tabernacle can guide our time with the Lord, and together we explore the beautiful example of prayer Jesus gave His disciples.

I love that Scripture gives us guidance when we struggle to find the words. And sometimes, having a simple pattern to follow helps us slow down long enough to turn our attention toward the Lord.

Listen to The Prayer Table: Learning to Pray

A Little Time at The Prayer Table

I wanted to share a portion of The Prayer Table book with you today so you can spend some time putting what we’ve talked about into practice. These prayer patterns are wonderful tools to help us open Scripture, examine our hearts, and spend intentional time with the Father.

So grab your Bible, friend. Let’s walk through them together.

Praying Through ACTS

One of the methods Kayli shared with us is the ACTS prayer model, which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. It’s a simple way to remember that our conversations with God involve so much more than bringing Him our requests.

We begin with adoration, praising God for who He is. In Matthew 6:9–10, Jesus begins the Lord’s Prayer by acknowledging the holiness of the Father. Before asking Him for anything, spend a moment remembering His character. Praise Him for His faithfulness, goodness, mercy, and love.

Next comes confession. Psalm 51:10–12 gives us a beautiful example of David asking the Lord to renew his heart. We can come before God honestly, asking Him to reveal the places where we’ve wandered from His Word. Take a moment to confess anything the Holy Spirit brings to mind, remembering that forgiveness is ours through Jesus Christ.

Then we move into thanksgiving. First Thessalonians 5:16–18 reminds us to rejoice, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Sometimes we’re so focused on what we’re asking God to do that we forget to thank Him for what He’s already done. Spend a few minutes remembering His faithfulness, even in the little things you may have overlooked.

Finally, we come to supplication, bringing our requests before the Lord. Philippians 4:6–7 encourages us to present our requests to God with thanksgiving. This is where we can pray over our families, relationships, decisions, and the burdens weighing on our hearts. Ask boldly, trusting that our Father hears us, and surrender the outcome to His wisdom and care.

Praying Through the Tabernacle

Now, this next prayer pattern is one I especially enjoyed discussing with Emilee!

In Exodus 25:8, God instructed the Israelites to build a sanctuary so He could dwell among them. The Tabernacle was filled with details that taught His people about holiness, sacrifice, cleansing, worship, and approaching His presence.

Today, through Jesus Christ, we have been given access to the Father. Hebrews 10:19–22 reminds us that we can draw near with confidence because of what Christ has accomplished.

Emilee shared how we can use the Tabernacle as a pattern for prayer, allowing each part to remind us of a biblical truth as we spend time with the Lord.

We begin at the gate, remembering Psalm 100:4 and entering our time of prayer with thanksgiving and praise. Before bringing our burdens before Him, we pause to acknowledge His goodness and thank Him for the privilege of approaching Him through Jesus.

Next, we come to the bronze altar, where sacrifices were offered. This reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews 10:10–14 teaches us that Jesus offered Himself as the sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Spend a moment thanking Him for His mercy, forgiveness, and the salvation we have through Him.

As we approach the bronze basin, we’re reminded of cleansing. First John 1:9 tells us that when we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive and cleanse us. Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal anything you’ve allowed to remain unaddressed.

Moving into the Holy Place, we encounter the lampstand. Its light can remind us of our need for God’s Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 119:105 describes Scripture as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Ask the Lord for wisdom, understanding, and discernment in the areas where you need His direction.

Then we come to the table of the Bread of the Presence, which reminds us of God’s provision and our daily dependence on Him. In John 6:35, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life. Bring your needs before the Father, asking Him to provide what is necessary and to deepen your hunger for His Word.

At the altar of incense, we’re reminded of intercession. Psalm 141:2 connects prayer with incense rising before the Lord. Spend some time praying for the people God has placed in your life. Bring their needs, struggles, salvation, and circumstances before Him by name.

Finally, we remember the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence was uniquely manifested under the old covenant. Only the high priest could enter this place, and only once a year. But through Jesus, the veil has been torn, and believers have been given access to the Father.

Friend, sit with that truth for a moment.

Through Christ, we have the incredible privilege of drawing near to a holy God. And as 1 Corinthians 3:16 reminds us, His Spirit now dwells within His people.

Spend a few quiet moments worshiping Him, resting in His promises, and thanking Him for the relationship we have with Him through Jesus.

A Little Time at The Prayer Table

Now that we’ve talked about different ways to pray, I want to invite you into a portion of The Prayer Table book so we can actually spend a little time doing it.

This week’s focus is Prayer Over Our People, and goodness, isn’t that where so many of our prayers begin?

Our husbands, children, parents, siblings, friendships, and the people we love often occupy the heaviest places in our hearts. We carry concerns about their choices, relationships, health, and futures. Sometimes we desperately want to fix things we simply cannot fix.

But one of my favorite reminders from this study is that we carry people best when we carry them to the Lord.

So grab your Bible, friend. Let’s spend a few minutes praying over the people God has placed in your life.

Praying Over Marriage and Our Closest Relationships

Read Ephesians 4:2.

Marriage and close relationships often reveal the places where we need God’s grace the most. We may be praying for someone else to change while overlooking the places where the Lord is working in our own hearts.

Some relationships need healing. Others need forgiveness, tenderness, patience, or the courage to have an honest conversation. God cares about all of it.

Let’s pray.

Father, thank You for the people You’ve placed closest to me. You know the joys, the disappointments, and the places where we need Your grace. Would You give me humility, patience, and a willingness to forgive? Where there’s hurt, bring healing. Where there’s distance, help us pursue understanding. Teach me to love faithfully and trust You with the things I cannot change. Amen.

Before moving on, bring one relationship before the Lord by name. Ask Him for the grace, wisdom, or healing that relationship needs.

Praying Over Our Children

Read Proverbs 22:6.

Oh, motherhood! We love our children so much that sometimes we begin carrying the weight of every decision, friendship, disappointment, and uncertainty in their futures.

But only God can save, convict, heal, and transform a heart.

We plant. We water. We teach. We pray. And then we trust the Lord with what we cannot control.

Let’s pray.

Father, thank You for the children You’ve entrusted to my care. Give me wisdom to guide them faithfully and grace for the places where I fall short. Protect their hearts, surround them with godly influences, and draw them into a genuine relationship with You. Help me surrender the things I cannot control, remembering that You know them and love them more perfectly than I ever could. Amen.

Take a moment to pray for your children individually, or for a younger person God has placed in your life. Bring their specific needs before Him.

Praying Over Friendship and Community

Read Galatians 6:2.

Christian friendship is such a gift, but it also requires courage. We were created for relationships where we can be known, encouraged, corrected, and prayed for.

And yet, sometimes we find ourselves feeling lonely even when we’re surrounded by people. Perhaps we’ve been hurt before, become guarded, or simply haven’t allowed ourselves to be known.

God often uses His people as an expression of His grace in our lives.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship and Christian community. Help me love others with sincerity and tenderness. Give me courage to be honest, wisdom to recognize healthy relationships, and a heart willing to carry another’s burdens. For those who feel lonely or disconnected, would You provide meaningful fellowship and remind them of Your presence? Teach me to be a faithful friend and to receive the love and encouragement of others. Amen.

Spend a moment praying for a friend by name. Perhaps there’s someone who needs encouragement, someone you’re struggling to love, or a relationship that needs restoration.

Before You Leave the Table

One of my favorite passages in The Prayer Table book comes from 2 Chronicles 20. When King Jehoshaphat faced an overwhelming enemy, he gathered the people to seek the Lord.

In verse 12, he acknowledged that they didn’t know what to do, but their eyes were on God.

Friend, maybe that’s exactly where you are today.

You don’t know how to fix the relationship, what direction your child will take, or how to help someone you love.

Bring those concerns before the Lord. Ask Him for wisdom, trust Him with the outcome, and remember that He is able to work in places you cannot reach.

And if you’d like to continue learning how to pray, I encourage you to revisit the ACTS model or the Tabernacle prayer pattern we discussed in this week’s episode. Both can help you bring these same concerns before God while remembering His character, His promises, and the access we have to Him through Jesus.

If you’d like to spend more time exploring prayer, The Prayer Table book includes Scripture, teaching, and guided prayer prompts to help you bring the different areas of your life before the Lord.

You can find additional resources in The Reset Room at Her View of His Grace.