Praying In Color

Last year, my mama insisted that I go to a new class at church called Praying in Color. She said that it was just for me and I would love it! I went to class with her that night never hearing of this "praying in color" idea. Little did I know that night would forever change the way I prayed. My prayer life took on a new meaning. Before I even made it home that night, I went to Target, got a brand new notebook to keep my prayers in and bought new crayons, markers and colored pencils. I felt like a kid starting my first day of school! I got home and continued my prayer time with all my new supplies. The next week, I was so pumped about class. I shared my experiences with the class. Several weeks later one of the ministers at church, Martha, asked if I would be willing to lead a class on Praying in Color because I enjoyed it so much. Without hesitation I agreed to teach the class. That was almost a year ago and I am still teaching my "Praying in Color" class. Each week I am able to set aside time, focus on God and empty my thoughts and prayers onto paper with beautiful colors and designs. Each week, I am able to deepen my faith and to serve with others.

One of the most meaningful experiences thus far was just a couple of weeks ago. We are in the process of building a sanctuary onto our church. Our class thought it would be a wonderful idea to have everyone in church come and "pray in color" on the floor of the sanctuary. What an amazing night it was to see people of ALL ages draw and write their prayers on the floor. It was such a touching experience. The prayers will stay on the floor of the sanctuary for years and years to come. How awesome!

My prayer on the floor of our new sanctuary. The prayers are on the floor are where the chancel rail will be. I loved that the prayers will be on the floor where we will kneel to pray in the sanctuary. 

I have always heard that prayer is important and that it is powerful! For me, I had a hard time focusing when I prayed. I found that many times I didn't have the words to say and would often get distracted while praying. Opening my heart and mind to a new way to pray has brought me such contentment, purpose, deepened my faith, and brought me fulfillment. Thanks be to God!!



Favorite Quotes from the book Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth

“To my surprise, I had not just doodled, I had prayed (I drew new shapes and names of each friend and focused on the person whose name stared at me from the paper). I had though OF each person as I drew but not ABOUT each person. I could just sit with them in a variation on stillness. I could hold them in prayer.”

“..when someone says "please pray for me," they are not just saying "let's have lunch sometime." They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying place. Worry invites me into prayer. As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling. When I take worry into prayer, it doesn't disappear, but it becomes smaller.” 

― Sybil MacBeth, Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God