Goal: Praying for 5-minutes out loud
Fellas, thanks for joining me it's day two.
Now you may feel like you have done close to nothing so far, but you are wrong. Remember, the primary reason we don't engage in spiritual discipline is that we don't prioritize the time. That's it. So by scheduling time, you are making the daily space. Which could be the most important and meaningful thing you could do for the next 35 days.
But today, we are going to focus on praying during your calendar time. Today I am going to start by telling you your activity first and then explain it. Here's what I want you to do: Pray for 5-minutes out loud during your scheduled time.
Yes, I said out loud. Here is why. I think men don't pray because we are attempting to pray in our minds and not with our mouths. When we pray only in our mind, it requires a lot of mental focus, and we'll evidence shows we don't have a lot of that. Therefore we get distracted when we practice praying this way. Even I get distracted by stray thoughts and squirrels running around in my head when I don't pray out loud. You know it's true. This is because praying out loud makes us focus, express, and vocalize complete sentences and thoughts.
I believe Jesus prayed out loud most of the time, which is why we have many of His prayers written down by His followers.
So today as awkward as it is, I want you to pray during your set time for 5-minutes out loud. Talk with God about whatever you want, but you need to get over the inhibition of praying out loud quickly. Make sure you are in a quiet place, like your car or a private office, and then just talk to God—out loud for five total minutes. Note this instruction by Jesus in Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." If you have trouble understanding how to begin, just use this quick start phrase, "God today I want to talk with you about..." I wrote it below if you need it. If you also feel like you are lacking content for the 5-minutes, consider items in the 5-F categories; faith, family, finance, fitness, and friends.
After you have done this, comment below by sharing what you learned by praying out loud, and any tips for other guys that you think would be helpful.
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I find it so helpful to pray out loud. Because God is personal, and it practically helps me to stay focussed and quite often. When I pray out loud, there’s more meaningful conversation with him.
I could not agree more
I am going into a maximum security prison for four days of ministry with Kairos International and I talked to God about it today! He is moving!
This message could not have come at a better time as i had some serious issues today. I vocalized them to God and a huge weight left my shoulders and me head!
Amen GW!
Complete
Complete
Boom!
Prayers out loud , kept my focus. Nice!
As a specialist, I can help. Together we can find a solution.
There is something in this. I will know, thanks a lot for the explanation.
Having conversational prayer with two my friends was the first time I prayed out loud and it was very rewarding. I have done that alone since then
I did my prayer walk with my wife this morning since she had off work today.
There you go brother!
Spent quality time with God
I completed today’s challenge. It was not hard coming up with stuff to pray about and certainly took more than five minutes. The praying out loud helped me stay more focused.
Take those small steps brother!
Praying out loud really helped me stay focused . The 5 F categories was very helpful.
So I set a timer just to make sure I didn’t short the 5 minutes, it wasn’t enough! I kept praying even longer! Praying out loud definitely kept me in focus.
I never liked praying out loud because I felt like I was putting on a show, always looking for elegant words to speak.
But to just lay it all out there felt good and honest
Definitely had some distracted periods in there, but was really refreshing to express everything to God. Thanks for the encouragement to pray! May mountains be removed by the grace of God.
Once I figured out what to pray it was very easy to talk for 5 minutes.
Faith, family, finance, fitness and friends.
God, help me see you for who you really are, and help me to communicate my real core needs (I have plenty of them) to you and ask regularly for your input into my life.
Praying out loud definitely strengthens mental focus and materialises secret thought. A secret space with a shut door is definitely recommended!
Praying Out Loud is contagious. I wanted to talk with God rather than listen to Christian music today in the car.
Prayed out loud and felt good. Haven’t find it in years.
Thank you Lord, for helping me get started in my prayer life to daily start talking to you out loud.
That you hear me, and that I hear You, and respond to Your directions. Help me to be more prepared in the future.
Done. Needed more than 5!
Out loud did keep me focused.
Praying out loud helped with focus and less squirrels. I want to make this my normal discipline.
I prayed out loud and was able to focus more than ever. Thank you
I prayed out loud this morning!
The time went by faster than I thought and it was not as awkward as I anticipated.
similar site
I prayed outloud today
It took me a couple of tries today to find a quite place. So important!
Praying out loud seems unnatural and something that I need to continue practicing! But it is so rewarding.
My scheduled time is 6:30am. I did pray out loud. My intention was to pray for 5 minutes. Without realizing it, 10 minutes went by very quickly. It felt great to start my day with prayer.
I learned that, just as Vince said, I have not really been concentrated on prayer. More than likely complete phrases are not used consistently. There is a lot of “You know what I’m trying to say” statements. Praying out loud is more like a conversation and a conversation is exactly what we are supposed to be having.
I say short prayers often now I just had a conversation with my HEAVENLY FATHER there is a peacefulness that I can feel. I am being given a second chance at a wonderful relationship with a Christian woman as I am a widower I wonderful wife GAY has been gone 5 years and I feel got put Gloria and I together I want to live for him first and be a good friend and husband to Gloria
EPTI SPS HUGE
It is a pity that I cannot speak now – there is no free time. I’ll be back – I will definitely express my opinion on this issue.
Good info to grow men and well written book
Sorry not mine … ..
I have to admit, the webmaster did a good job.
Hello. I liked the post, give it 5 points.
You’re spot on! Praying out loud does help me focus. Day 2 in the books.
I feel like I had more of a conversation than a bunch of thought ramblings.
Great Rick!🔥🔥🔥
Well the prayer time I accomplished last night 9pm was much long over due. I pray daily but yesterday was the longest I prayed in a while (28 minutes).
My thoughts…🤔 well I actually started at 845 because I was so excited to talk to our Father. I talked to him about everything. Like I said a call that was long overdue with no distractions.
Already being reminded how life can whisk you away from things you fully intend on doing.
Praying out loud made it feel real. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real when I’m only talking to God in my head, but verbally confessing and thanking him makes it feel like he is there with me. It goes really fast and is uplifting to talk to a God who really loves and cares for what we have to say.
It was powerful to pray about my kids while holding one of my kids. Not as quiet and alone as ideal but meaningful.
I found it’s helpful to have a poster list pulled up
It doesn’t take time to fill up 5 minutes. You fly right through it, especially if you use both the Acts method and the 5 F’s.
Praying out loud by yourself is much different than praying out loud in a group. Feels more relational. Oh, and not as many squirrels.
Have a good day everyone!
Like he said in the clip, I found that it was much easier to focus and there were much less mental distractions when praying out loud.
Best view i have ever seen !
That was a great experience. I was able to pray deeper about each topic and stay focused for the first 5-minutes. I actually got a little teared up as I began praying for family, which has never happened when I’ve prayed “in my mind” previously. I’m really looking forward to this time each day to lay out what’s on my heart and see how God speaks to me.
I need to start writing stuff down
I find it difficult to pray aloud, but I am working toward breaking down that barrier.
It is amazing to me how fast 5 minutes can actually go. During my prayer times last night and today I was surprised to see that what seemed like a “long time” to pray actually wasn’t.
It was a little awkward as I prayed in my office hoping that no one walked in. Five minutes goes by fast. I am looking forward to continued growth in prayer. Pray for you guys as well.
5 minutes can so easily become 15. Especially when looking at a snow-covered creation while praying. Not in a distracting way, but a “God your ways are so beautiful” way. Thankfulness and praise just start pouring out.
First of all , praise & glory to you God. Second, thanks for this program.
I have always been a believer in the power of prayer. I have been praying, reading & doing some teaching lately including speaking it out loud. Partly for concentration but more importantly so Satan can know my thoughts. God can read my mind but Satan can’t. So by speaking out loud, it lets Satan know my thoughts. It lets Satan know I’m a child of the most high& he flees.
Today I wondered how hard 5 minutes would be. 12 minutes later, I saw how easy a conversation can be with God. It also brought feelings of peace & closeness toward him. It’s all about him wanting relationship with us. God Bless, Ken
What a great experience.
The time certainly went by quickly.
Good job Ryan!
Praying out loud – keeps us focused, it also helps to come with a list
Be careful of the squirrels.
Praying for family
Refreshing. It is good to be reminded that God is alive, present, and wants to converse with me as a Father and friend.
I agree Ryan! And that I don’t have to move a mountain! Simply set and spend time in prayer.
Like many below have stated, I felt that I was able to focus more on my conversation when praying out loud.
where did the minutes go? praying out loud kept me focused and I prayed longer than I realized when going through the 5f model.
Awesome ⚡️⚡️ Lost in prayer. It’s a good feeling.
after trying this, I discovered that talking may help me to move on in prayer when I feel stuck; and to focus better on Jesus.
If praying out loud will help me focus, I’m all in. I will get use to praying out loud.
Awesome Bob. 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
Really enjoyed my time in prayer this morning. Had a great conversation with my Abba Fathers. Listing my prayer requests in the 5 Fs in my journal helped a lot guiding the conversation. But then other things came to mind as I was praying in the Spirit.
The Lord’s response to me following my audible question to Him this morning: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) ” Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
It’s different , found my self hearing what I was praying. A good feeling
I learned that it isn’t hat hard and I put the Lord’s Prayer in as my ending to the prayer.
You can never go wrong with the Lords prayer
Prayed out loud! A little different, but was able to stay focused which is hard for me to do (ADHD).
I felt more focused praying out loud than I usually do when I pray in my head. Coupled with praying in a private place seemed to make for a greater feeling of connection. It was easier to have a meaningful 5 minute prayer than I thought it would be.
Way to go James ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
Wow using the 5 f’s I actually went over 5 minutes easily. Great tool to stay focused. Praying out loud really helped me stay focused.
There you go Rusty!!! 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
I said my prayer out loud for 5 minutes. This wasn’t the first time I prayed out loud, but I don’t normally do it. I notice when I pray out loud I am able to focus better, and I feel like I can “complete” the prayer better. When silently praying, I tend to go in circles. I also feel like I am connecting with God better, somehow, by saying it out loud. I also felt today that I was better able to name the prayer as far as what I’m asking by saying it out loud; maybe I choose my words better? I feel like I need to pray out loud more often in my quiet time, because it overall feels like a more effective prayer.
Thanks!
Need to get more consistent with Daily… a day late in this so doing Day 2 and 3 today. I found that praying out loud helps me to slow down and really concentrate on what I am thinking/praying/saying. It also makes it more real for me to pray it out loud. It also serves as an example if family hears it.
Keep it going Neal!
Thanks!
I was taught to read the Bible outloud as I learned that this was the normal way of reading the Scriptures back-in-the-day. So praying outloud is just a logical transition for me and makes complete sense.
Day two, prayed on drive to work out loud and it is the way to go, no distractions and clear thoughts and sentences in secret to God.
#boom.
It wasn’t easy but given time it will. Rewarding however. My Wife walked in on me but I believe was impressed.
49 years old. Been a Christian since I was 5. Praying out loud – in private – is a bit of a revelation. (Understatement!) So, so simple… I can’t believe it never occurred to me (or was even suggested) that this would be a (the) solution to a lack of mental focus while attempting to pray silently. (I almost feel like a dolt for not thinking of this before…) Thanks for the advice!
You are not a dolt. You are a child (son) of God. And I am glad this was a new revelation for you! 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
I learned that praying out loud is even easier than I expected it be, and enjoyable. I have prayed out loud before, but forgotten how much I miss it!
Awesome Joshua. 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼 Keep it up, brother. 💪🏼
I found it to be awkward and stilted at first, but will continue to persevere and perfect.
I like the 5 F’s but would suggest adding a 6th and that would be “Freedom”
Nice to pray to God
I pray out loud all the time so this activity was easy for me. I speak with God throughout my entire day as if he is standing next to me. I see God as my best friend and I consult with Him in the same manor. Speaking out loud also helps me break down walls of misinterpretation or miscommunication so that I get my point across in a simple, spiritually, and effective manor. Especially when I’m trying to witness to others.
Praying out loud does help me focus if I pray like there are others in the room.
Completed today’s challenge. Adjusted my time of prayer for future prayers
Praying out loud does have more focus and meaning.
I find it challenging to pray out loud but I have found it does make it easier to stay focused.
Prayed out loud today. Focused on my family and church family.
It is a little awkward praying out loud but less intimidating to have a room where I can close the door.
Because of the journey, I am on with stage 4 lung cancer praying out loud has become a habit. I pray more men will join me on this journey of Called to Act. God has answered a lot of my prayers of faith, family, finance, fitness, and friends.
On it Rusty. You are being prayed for.
It’s actually easier to talk to God out loud to keep your focus on him
Guys,
I have been reading the book, Called to Act, and getting Vince’s Devo’s every day, but haven’t yet put my inputs into this group…
I really wanted to see what you all had to say on this one. When I first started praying out loud it was a game changer for me. Silent prayer makes one sleep! 🙂 I am used to five minutes, but my first five minutes stopped at about 50 seconds and I thought it must be five minutes by then! We all do have a prayer muscle that gets stronger the more we work it.
The 5F’s are a great guide, thank you. I prayed for 5 minutes about my family and it went by fast!
Praying through the 5Fs helps you to stay focused.
For salvation of my children and grandchildren
Prayed out loud this morning while walking to a park one block from my house, and while sitting in an empty bleacher seat at the soccer field. I agree with Vince, it’s easier to focus on what you are saying to God, and it also gives you the opportunity to shut up at times and listen too.
Good job brother. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
I am encouraged by the thought that God is excited to hear our voices and we don’t have to fear or be held back by a belief that it has to sound a certain way
There we go Ben! 🏅
5 minutes seems like a long time right? Actually if you focus on talking to God as you talking with one of your buddies it goes by pretty quick. I was surprised how quick.
Love this idea. I even decided to start reading my Bible versus for the day aloud too.
What a great start to my day! It was refreshing having an actual conversation with God, not just thinking about Him in my mind. Praise God!
This rings true for me. I’ve always prayed in my mind while running or sitting alone and the next thing you know I’m thinking about the chores I have to finish or the project I need to complete for work. Great advice to pray out loud. Thank you!
Praying out loud allowed me to focus on actual details on not in generalities
Harder than I expected, but helps me stay focused.
It did stop the squirrels
Praying out loud lets me put everything out on the table. I leave nothing hidden or unspoken. It gives me the assurance that God is listening. Now I need to honor him with my actions and attitude.
Praying out loud has really helped me with my squirrel problem. At first it was really awkward and felt forced, but the more i have done it the easier it has gotten and the better it flows. I still have issues with figuring out how to talk to God without just asking for his help. I have been trying to figure out that balance because i feel selfish if i spend most of my prayer time asking for his help.
Way to go.
Squirrels in my head! What a perfect description of what happens when I’m in prayer without speaking out loud!
I have to admit, praying out loud is a little weird in my quiet time but it does help with the ‘squirrels’ 🙂
Stop the squirrels, praying out loudly.
Really helpful guidance (5F’s). Kept my mind focused. Before I knew it almost 15 minutes had gone by. Practical tips that aren’t hard and make taking His yoke upon us easier.
I learned it’s not that hard to pray for 5 minutes out loud.
Most everything I prayed about fit the 5 F category.
I’ve noticed that I’m much more focused when I pray out loud. The squirrels stay away for the most part.
Praying out loud was something different. I usually only pray mentally when by myself. It was interesting hearing myself speak to God and go through the things I needed to pray about.
It feels alot better praying out loud.😎
Awesome Jeffrey. ⚡️
Great out loud prayer time on the elliptical. Carried into ten minutes out loud
Praying out loud kept my mind from wandering and I was fully engaged in my prayers for the full 5 minutes. Usually, quite prayer meant that my mind wandered several times to the many other things that I had been thinking about.
I tried the 5-F categories—faith, family, finance, fitness, and friends for the first time and the five minutes flew by. Most of the time I pray, I use the ACTS model – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication but found myself praying the same things all the time so it just became a routine. I’m trying the 5-F for something new and so I can be intentional about what I’m praying.
Praying out load is not as hard as you think it is.
pray
please pray for me i have been suffering from bedsores for all 6 years and now one is bleeding and it hurts really bad
I prayed for my wife, kids, relative and our country.
I have been a believer for 22+ years now, though not so satisfied with my performance in recent years. In all honesty I haven’t taken the time to drop to my knees and earnestly seek His presence on a regular basis for some time now. I have forgotten how to start each day with what is most important. Thank you for this challenge.
This morning I took the time to do that again. The first thought that came to my mind was anxiety. Why have I been feeling it? ….. Suddenly I realized most anxiety for me comes from the fear of my performance, will I finish the job? As a believer, what is the purpose and meaning of life? The world has a way of distracting us from real meaningful relationships and purpose. I also realized that I am getting older and my days are numbered, and as a believer will I have done enough of what God has asked of me. Along with personal goals, that I have surely put too much importance on, I accepted this is where a lot of my anxiety is coming from.
So, after moving to my chair and 20 some minutes of looking out the window into the sky talking out loud in prayer as if personally talking with Jesus, He left me with…
In business, I know meetings can sometimes be boring and we can often feel as if they are a waste of time, but communication is important for the success of this team. You are not in this alone. Besides, it is part of the job description!
You are not alone brother!
We don’t spend enough time adoring God so make sure that comes first when praying. Then confessing our sins. If we are married there should be plenty of material. Just ask your other half. We then need to thank God for everything he has given us. Skills, the job we have, money, our partner, our children, the freedom we live under compared to Christians in Muslim countries, the environment, the list is endless. Finally we get round to asking what we want for our family, friends and then lastly ourselves.
I prayed out loud in my scheduled morning devotional time after making a cup of coffee (approx. 1200).
It was more than 5 minutes. Had a silent time also…I sensed God speaking to me concerning Mary and Martha scripture in Matthew. Give me a hunger and thirst to “be with You, Lord God.”
5 minutes seemed like a long time to be praying. After the first minute of talking out loud, the prayer came easier. Flowed a lot smoother because I was able to Unload without being in my own mind. Felt like I was talking to a friend.
After praying it felt good to give thanks to God
I prayed for help learning how to pray more deeply and with God’s plan for me. I often use the acronym ACTS:
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
Slowing down the Lord’s prayer is such a beautiful way to start the day as well as it provides an opportunity to give glory to God, ask for forgiveness, ask for and provide forgiveness to others and ask for help in resisting temptation.
I’ve been praying out loud for a while now, when I do this I get everything I wanted to pray about out. I feel like I am actually talking to God. It also got me praying/ talking to God as I’m driving without me realizing it.
I found out that my prayers are prayers of thanks for what He has given as well as for what is to come. I find my shortcomings include an ability to just speak with Him.
pray a violent prayer everyday- gordan lindsey
proclaim your troubles to god. petition him. yell and scream show emotion.
cry laugh and breath
Praying for boldness.
I learned that praying out loud seems to go by quicker time-wise then praying in my head. I was able to focus on what I really wanted to say and be intentional about my thoughts and my words. It was really nice to have the five F’s to give a little structure to my prayer time. I will continue to use those in the days to come.
Prayed with my wife this morning out loud. I have prayed like this for years. I believe it allows me to be more focused and attentive.
It was not that different than what I’m use to doing. I usually go back and forward from mind to verbal outloud. It was good to just stay verbal outloud for an extended period of time
5 minutes does go fast. Praying out loud in private definitely helps with focus and the mind not wandering.
Just do it. 5min seems long but it goes fast. Very awkward feeling to talk out loud but it does help keep focus.
I just want to thank God for stopping the squirrels. What a fantastic idea to pray for 5-F. It truly focused what would have been a general prayer time. I thank God for men like Vince Miller.
Was different praying outloud,other than with my wife,saying grace before meals with friends and family. 5 minutes went fast, this time will be 5:15 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…as those are work days, then early morning rest of the week we got this!!!
Superb blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally confused .. Any recommendations? Bless you!
I felt a sense of peace talking out loud. Very different than praying in my head.
I started to pray out loud a few months ago and found it has really helped. This is a great suggestion and a excellent reminder. Thank you Vince, look forward the next 33 days!
I learned that his plan for me is the right one and I just need to listen to him as he provides me the wisdom to do what is the best for when I follow him things go well.
Pray without ceasing ??? pray on
Definitely need to be alone with no interruptions.
My mind doesn’t wander as much when I pray out loud.
Today as I prayed with my mouth I felt a total sense of submission and everything was coming out without fear or thoughts and even repetition
I feel a sense of freedom when praying out loud. It does allow me to focus on what I am saying and how I am saying it. It truly puts me at some peace.
Amazing how fast the 5 minutes went by and also I stayed focused on you the entire time. Thank you Jesus. Amen
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That went better than I thought. It sounds weird, but I have so many competing voices and thoughts in my head that when I pray only in my head I get lost or distracted. When I pray out loud it is focused and just spills out. 5 min went really fast!
I definitely focused more on my prayer and my mind didn’t wander
Thank you Lord for the life You have given me, and for the events that are unfolding. You are truly amazing.
You don’t have to “get it right” you just have to “get it going”.
Fail fast and fail forward! You’ll learn along the way. Take action. Your goal is progress. We can strive for perfection sure, but if you’re making progress you’re winning. Start with winning today.
Always good to talk with your Father who loves you.
Praying out loud certainly helps with focus. Gets the squirrels out! Being disciplined on time & place creates space for God, honors Him & helps me open my heart to God at the beginning of my day.
I have learned over the last couple years that praying out loud is so much better. God is our friend and not just our Father. Growing up, I didn’t have a strong father figure as my dad was a drunk who cared out the bottle more than anything. Needless to say, I have always had difficulty in forming relationships with other men. Even ministers growing up I couldn’t talk to for fear of disappointment. Now that I am older and had a Male coworker who we connected immediately. Turns out he had the same history. We were able to have real discussions. It was great. My point is, we can talk to God as a friend, not a supreme leader who is intimidating. Yes He knows our needs before we ask, but He loves to hear our voices.
Isn’t having a brotherhood around you great? Like you I really did not connect on a spiritual level with other Christian men most of my life. It was hard at first, but in the end so rewarding to have Christian brothers who will go to bat for you. In Christian brotherhood, God really shows us His heart.
It is. It’s also amazing to see guys that will discuss anything and growing together. Bless you brother
Praying to the lord is like praying within family
Completed today’s challenge!!
I talk to Him like I talk to my best friend!
It is difficult to know what I learned. What I appreciated was that I felt the yearning to know God and have a personal relationship with Jesus emerging.
A nice change, I’m so used to praying in my head, and yes, the squirrels are always distracting. I liked the out loud prayer
I prayed out loud today while on my morning walk. The morning weather here in AZ is fantastic and it was great to hear the birds talk back.
Good morning everyone…I hope you have a blessed day!
ok I knew this was going to get awkward. But I did not know it would happen so soon. However, I must say that my out loud prayer felt really good. I was able to pray for all the things I usually do, and I got it done in a much shorter amount of time. No pauses and random thoughts. The awkwardness was over in about 10 seconds. The volume was only high enough so that I could hear myself. I can see the value of doing this.
It is easier to focus with audible prayer
Praying out loud kept me focused and a allowed me to pray with faith and confidence. My words were from the heart and I wasn’t distractedI set my timer for another time during the day so I am reminded to pray. Find a war room!
Hey Keith, Darrell and Román. Can you text me to confirm that this is our group.
If you don’t know what to say, try reading a couple of Psalms out loud as praise to God.
running behind today because my wife surprised me with biblical alone time this morning, then I burned my hand making breakfast, but thanks again Vince for this 35 day challenge. now my kids are awake and slowly getting ready for their day, but I will pray out loud within earshot to show them that it’s nothing to be afraid of doing, being the male spiritual leader of my household. 🙂
Praying out loud helps me to humble myself before God. Especially when asking him to help with areas I need to grow in.
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Done
I did prayed for 5 minutes out loud. My own voice keep me in track from wandering in my thoughts.
⚡⚡⚡
Thanking God and showing gratitude for all things in my life puts me immediately in a different mindset. Today I realized that even the bad things I’ve done in my life (bad choices), God turned it into something beautiful many years later. That is real mercy, even punishment from God is wrapped in love. The lesson that I have learned is to thank God for good and less good things in life.
Too fast
It was really hard to pray for 5 minutes straight! I definitely learned that I need to pray more and longer too. It’s not asking much to give God a few long prayers per day!
I got to catch up on this one while driving back from Atlanta airport. It wasn’t 5 minutes, either–it’s been off and on for most of an hour. The 5 Fs really helped (though, to be honest, I’m not even ask the way through them yet).
I’ll definitely be doing this again. Whether it’s on a walk or in my “closet” some, I think this is going to be a helpful practice.
I prayed for my children, my family, and my church.
It was wonderful to pray out loud. Yes, it kept me focused. As Vince mentioned, my mind wanders when praying quietly. But today was different! Totally focused on talking with God.
I realy like this idea, I’ve prayed outloud before and it’s still kinda new to me but ive never realy thought of doing it by myself just when I was with others.
I find starting my prayers with ACTS helps me focus on what is on my mind, usually involving the 5F’s you mentioned.
A acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior
C confession of sins
T thanks for Jesus Christ as your Lord
S supplication , specific prayers (5f’s)
praying out loud helps stay focused. the 5Fs were good to help with the focus.
I enjoy praying out loud. It does make focusing easier.
Bk
I enjoy praying out loud
5 minutes flew by
Had to whisper because rest of family asleep. But did help me focus.
Ironic, as I normally pray outloud, but due to the hour of the day, had to do so in a whisper so as not to wake my bride in next room.
This is a good reminder to pray out loud sometimes – thank you
I did find this prayer practice reduced my distraction while praying. The feeling of an uninterrupted conversation with the Lord.
I completed day 2. I prayed out loud on my way to work.
I have not had much problem or difficulty praying out loud. That being said I don’t often pray out loud just between me and God. I found that I was a lot more focused and I would not trail off as much as when I try to pray in my head.
I found praying out loud to be a new challenge. I usually pray through journalling and write the words down as I go…but found it a little foreign to focus on words out loud by myself. Praying out loud with others or in a worship setting….very comfortable, regular part of what I do. This exercise suggests I should do it some more!
In my room after I wake up
Fellas, I’m a day behind in post. I found I was already praying out loud during my prayer time. But, hat this has done for me is, it’s been a wake up call to action! Glad to be back in the game!
Prayed about my fitness goals for the next 6 months. To feel better and have more energy to serve Him more effectively.
This is something I have been trying to more often over the last 6 months or so but need to do it A LOT more… I find that I am able to stay more focused in my prayer time and my mind does not wander as much. I also notice that my prayers tend to be more worship oriented when I pray out loud, I’m not sure why that is other than I feel more present with the Father when I pray out load vs a sense of just being in my own head in sislent prayer.
p.s. Sorry, this is a day late, the day’s email went into spam and slipped my mind…
Revival of personal contact
It was not easy to find 5 minutes of content and surprisingly not easy to find 5 minutes alone. Two worthy observations.
I never thought of the 5 f’s before, but it really is a good focus (f number 6?) Praying out loud for me historically has been more in desperation than a conscious, concerted act. It doesn’t seem strange, but it feels unnecessary in a normal “conversation.” Good point made that Jesus likely prayed out loud, and I may grow more accustomed with more practice..
It’s hard for me to talk out loud in prayer because i feel it is more intentional.
Prayer becomes Praise
It was good. Praying out loud does help bring focus and direction to my prayers.
I praised Jesus as the Creator and Savior. I prayed for the protection of Jesus’ blood for my family, friends, and missionaries. I prayed that we will witness effectively and that the Holy Spirit will break through peoples’ narrowmindedness against Jesus.
It was easier praying out loud and I was more focused. Also the 5 Fs really helped.
Wow, it has been awhile that I’ve prayed outloud by myself! How focused and refreshing. No squirrels!
Will strive to incorporate more on the days to come. So good to hear in my ears the names of so many hurting family and friends who need grace upon grace today.
How telling to speak outloud to my own deep inner hidden needs and the more observable outer needs in my life.
How, I long for a deeper indwelling of the peace that passes all understanding just today. Good time with the Lord today.
Steve, hearing what you prayed about reminded me of areas I’d missed–specific loved ones, etc. Thank you for sharing this bit of yourself with me!
In the past when I would have a more regular prayer time, I found writing a list or actually writing out the prayer was very helpful. It both kept me on track and prompted other things to pray about beyond that list. Makes it very easy to go beyond 5 minutes.
I am more involved and more purposeful in my prayers.
I apologize that I did not send in a response yesterday but I did pray out loud about a number of things. It is so easy to get side tracked by daily things that can come up at any time. If I miss my scheduled prayer time I make sure I do pray some time throughout the day. I do allow my emotions to enter in prayer and at times the tears are flowing. When I am done I feel renewed. Guys don’t fight back your tears of joy or sadness because God gave us our emotions and using them does bring a sense of hope and joy.
Praying out loud in the quiet of the morning is difficult. People, including house guests are still asleep. Quietly mumbling in prayer makes me feel like a crazy man. Easier to do when walking outside.
Praying out loud opens my relationship with Jesus to those with me helping those with me to realize Jesus is real.
I’m a day late accomplishing this challenge but I did it and got some things spoken out that have been troubling me. I have heard that 95% of men admit dealing with some sort of lust and that the other 5% lie about it. I prayed for God to replace that in me with the desire to do His work. I also prayed for a 30 year dream of building a log home on acreage to be used for His purposes and for raising animals, to come to fruition. I’ll turn 64 in 2 months so I pray this also comes to fruition sooner than later.
I learned that by praying out load I am more focused with my prayer time. It seemed like I was communicating better with God.
It was awkwardly nice. Not as eloquent as when I pray in my mind, but definitely more focused, which is was God wants from me.
It’s a lot easier to focus and connect for me while praying out loud. I don’t need to struggle to stay focused – prayers and thoughts seem to come and go much easier.
I enjoy praying out loud. During my drive to work I have an open conversation with God about whatever comes to mind. I usually start by thanking Him for giving me another day on earth. I confess that I am a sinner and ask for mercy and forgiveness, and then it is whatever comes up. Before I know it I am at work!
I have found it has been useful to keep a note pad close while praying as often times I feel a sense of clarity or revelation after prayer. As Thomas noted, praying out loud is a focus issue.
Very powerful. I can’t remember the last time I pray aloud by myself
Days 1 and 2 completed. I was unable to post a comment on day 1 because of an apparent malfunction of my phone.
My set time is 6:00 AM, but the location will necessarily vary since I am not at home.
Day 2 challenge was not difficult to complete, as I have plenty of things to pray about!
5am in the living room each morning.
just seeing who’s posting
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just checking who’s posting
I have experience with verbal prayer before, but had stopped doing it for some reason. I agree with what’s mostly been mentioned. It’s so much easier to concentrate, and focus on what you are praying for. I know for me praying in my head is often difficult as I tend to be thinking about a bunch of things, and it’s hard for me to shut that off. Praying out loud keeps me from thinking about those things, and instead focus on just talking with God.
Staying on task for 5 minutes of praying was difficult for me today. I kept getting distracted by other things in the room I’ in, and multiple times even stopped praying out loud, and had to make an effort to continue saying my prayer.
Revival of focus, reality, vulnerability, awareness and presence of who I am talking to!
Also rethinking my prayer time. The perfect hour has eluded for years.
Vocal prayer definitely feels more authentic and not as rushed as silent prayer. I was able to dig deep into my thoughts for the day and pull out some requests and thanksgivings I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.
Praying out loud was great!
today I was reminded that praying talking aloud is like writing, rather than typing. When I type my thoughts I think fast and am able to hit more things, but writing forces me to live by the speed of my pen…much slower, and it forces me to think deeper about what it is I’m writing. When I pray, I think much faster than I talk, and it’s easy to get lost and distracted if I’m not talking. But if I do choose to pray aloud, the pace of my speech determines the speed of my thoughts. I’m reminded that I should slow down when I pray, like I try to when my wife and I catch up and have a date. Be present, alert, and ready to engage. Have a plan, but adjust when needed.
Thanks for reading, guys.
Praying out loud was a great experience and while I pray every night before bed (in my head) this made it much more focused and meaningful. Thank you
I haven’t been praying as much as I used to. This moved me. So much more focus and intention as I prayed.
I don’t have a problem or difficulty praying out loud. I struggle with distractions when I’m praying silently as well as out loud. That happens to me when it’s not a habit any more. It’s good to have a structure like he gave for most people. That’s why Jesus gave us the structure of the Lord’s Prayer. The most significant aspect of this is to get prayer on our schedule and keep the schedule.
Praying out loud felt more honest with God, because I just talked the way I usually do in everyday conversations. I didn’t try to use fancy words like I sometimes do when I pray in my head. I was able to thank God for some things I hadn’t thanked him for before. And using those 5 F’s really helped.
Helps focus a lot. And help bring into reality that prayer is something I do when I feel like I can do nothing in the situation I’m praying about.
I learned how gratifying it is to pray in complete thoughts as opposed to the normal mental download silent praying ends up being. I really want to try it again in an even quieter setting.
Can totally relate to the squirrels in the head. I try to pray at night and either get distracted by other thoughts or fall asleep!! Great way to overcome these issues and focus on our prayers!!
5 “f’s” helped allot.
Time for some big changes. The benefits are gonna be priceless!
I pray out loud in a lot of my time with the Lord. I found, when I am the most frustrated, and honest with my feelings or intensely needing His help, I seem to get the most response. I found that Jesus isn’t shutting the door, but our hearts grow as one as we merge into one thought. I see His mercy and grace toward me, and reassured that He values me so much, that He actually took time to answer my prayers, even though, most the time it is even better than what I could have imagined. It has shown me, He is bigger than any problem, and is willing to carry my burdens. What a God we have! Praise Him!
I committed to pray at 6am and using the 5 Fs aloud. I’m comfortable praying out loud because it does help me to stay focus and I get to talk to God.
Did it and it felt natural. Didn’t feel as silly as I thought I would. People just think you are on the phone. Thanks Bluetooth
Did it and it felt natural. Didn’t feel as silly as I thought I would. People just think you are on the phone. Thanks Bluetooth
I prayed out loud for five minutes. I got through 3 of them 5-F categories.
That 5 min does go by fast! I personally need to work on getting rid of those pesky squirrels.
I definitely kept my prayer more focused.
Praying aloud is new…powerful.
It went by very fast. Sometimes it feels like I forget to pray for certain things. I find I need to have some Praise and Worship music prior to praying to help clear my head of the daily clutter and be able to pray
Great
It is certainly easier to stay on track and not get distracted while praying when you are speaking out loud.
I did the encounter exercise first which brought me to a different level of prayer awesome!
I did the encounter exercise first , which settled my thoughts and body awesome!
I am not sure how you men feel about apps on your phone to help you. I love it and I have the YouVersion Bible app, the Echo Prayer app, and the Keys for Kids apps on my phone. The Keys for Kids app is a kids devotional that I listen to with my kids on the way to drop them off for school or during breakfast. The YouVersion Bible app is my bible devotionals, along with Vince’s. 🙂 The Echo Prayer app is just what you think it is, I have my prayers written down, with set times to pray about things, sometimes twice a day, and this app alone has helped me develop a prayer habit that is pretty consistent, but it is still something new to me, so I am not as disciplined as I want to be, but I am getting there. I fell victim to the squirrels this morning, but I am going to go to a quiet place in my house, most likely my bedroom and pray out loud the prayers on my Echo prayer app. I recommend that anyone that is going to pray out loud write their prayers down first, this also helps fight the squirrels because even if you forget, it’s right there in front of your face.
Although awkward at first, praying out loud does exactly as he said it does. Keeps the squirrels in my head at bay. I tend to rush through prayer at times and “check the box” as they say so I can get going with the other three million things I want to do that day. Praying out loud keeps me focused and I feel more connected with Jesus. Molly and I pray out loud every morning before I leave the house. By far the most meaningful prayer of my day!
I am replying super late but I talked to God about Family, Friends, Financial stability, Emotional stability, and progression through his direction in my faith. God placed me around friends who I consider family now and I know we are walking in his next step for me, Emotional(Relationship) & Financial.
I also prayed for for you guys too, for strength and protection around all of us. I prayed to continue to fulfill his plan he has for each of us and to continue growing into the men he is guiding us into being.
The squirrel comment was good, 5 min went fast with the 5 F’s. Love to see the community of PV men!
This wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be. Thanks for the 5 f advice. I needed that to make it to 5 minutes.
Initially, intimidating and uncomfortable. My private prayer, which is usually twice a day, has always been non-verbal. By praying aloud I was more focused and disciplined. It was very powerful and liberating!
Done, I just love being a headache for the enemy of our souls. Praising and Praying LOUD will have that effect
Praying out loud helps me stay focused.
Wow what a wonderful experience. I felt closer to our Father than ever before.
Sorry for the late entry, I had an 800 mi round trip to drive today. The GOOD NEWS is I had hours to talk with Our Lord and it was very good.
God is so good.
The 5 f’s were helpful
I learned that praying alone and out loud i am able to express any and all feelings I might have on my mind.
5 minutes turned into 10 real quick! First time praying out loud by myself and to hear the prayers out loud vs. in my head made them more real, felt more purposeful.
I read my daily life devotation and the accompanying scripter versus out loud. It wasn’t quite the same as prayer, but a good ice breaker. I felt as if I was comprehending the words much better by speaking out loud. Previously I’ve only prayed out loud when I was really in distressed situtations.
As I started to pray I realized
Father God created me ,knows me in and out he knew me before my mother’s wound, why not give him the things that are heaviest on my heart first and then go into other areas so I did and through this I’m beginning to see the works of his hands.
I set my prayer time for the morning and just looked at the audio for today which is to pray out loud…so I’m about to pray out loud. Not quiet sure how it’ll feel. I’ve prayed out loud in times of desperation before and it brought me to tears. Other times it gave me a sense of presence. Today it gave me a sense of vulnerability. Feeling this way made it more personal but also made me wonder why I felt that way. Why should I be thinking that when talking to God? Why would I not feel more safe and connected?Im knowing in the back of my head it’ll come in time but it did feel more like he listened to me or at least understands how I feel with the tone I talked to him like a person. I feel like so many times we put HIM so far above us when He is, yet we are supposed to be his Sons in faith And feel like He is inside us and understands where we are coming from. The content of my prayers was varied. I prayed for my recent challenge of getting in shape again.(yes a New Years resolution)I prayed for my family some ones were more personal than general. I prayed for help in finances. I also prayed for struggling with anxiety and social situations. I made all those and then followed up with all the tings I was thankful for. I wanted to make sure in every prayer I thanked Him rather than just request things because He gives us so much some things can seem little but make a huge difference in our lives. My best advice if you are feeling unsure about praying out loud to do it in your room away from others so you can pray about whoever and whatever is on your mind and be uninterrupted.
Helps to stay focused, I hadn’t gotten the email by the time I started my routine so am also doubling up on prayer time. It’s a good thing too because this morning I was not focused at all.
Done, I just love being a headache for the enemy of our souls. Praising and Praying LOUD will have that effect
Have never prayed out loud, other than in church or for dinner. I was surprised how easy it came. I think I prayed more like 7-8 minutes to cover everything. I started by saying Lord, I’ve never done this and I need you to guide my words. Everything flowed pretty easy from there. I hope it came as easy to everyone else.
Praying out loud has been a daily practice for some time, which I do in my car on the way to school. I vary the “content” of the prayer from “ad lib”-ing the Lord’s Prayer to A.C.T.S. to praying over His agenda for the day (classes, meetings, staff, students), week, year. It tends to be faith, family and friends. Sometimes it is finance, but I have not really thought about “fitness,” which I guess would be health for me but also for others.
this part was not such a big challenge because beetsie and i have our prayer time together daily. my pray list is taped to a clipboard and i update it as different things arise. i am a prayer warrior and even though my wording my not be as eloquent as others God hears even the simplest words if we are talking to him with open hearts and if we are truly seeking him. i love my prayer time.
What a great blessing. Many people don’t realize there is a spiritual gift of intercessory prayer. Some people are more comfortable with prayer because the Spirit has gifted them with that.
Yes i’m committed to this 35 days and thank you the 5-F category to help us
I learned that 5 minutes is a REALLY long time when you are praying out loud. Joking aside I felt like speaking my prayer made it so much more conversational – which is what it is supposed to feel like. This could become a habit…
I find that when I pray out load I stay more focused instead of drifting/day dreaming when doing it silently. Great advise 🙂
This was great! I need to pray out loud more often. When I pray in my mind I can sometimes get distracted. This helped keep me focused.
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Interesting exercise. I found that I prayed longer and as I walked/prayed out loud I was able to sort through what was at the crux of my prayer requests. I was a bit bolder, yet humble, in requesting for guidance.
Praying out load in my vehicle on the way to work is definitely the way to go!
Only a few “squirrels” stole my attention along the way, but overall a much better experience. 🙂
Praying out loud seems to bring me closer to our heavenly father and does keep my mind from wandering!
Me too! Especially so early in the morning when it’s so easy to start thinking about what needs to get done for the day!
Praying out loud feels a bit odd for me. I noticed that it does help me from getting off-track in my prayers mid-sentence (as happens occasionally when I am praying quietly), but I still struggled with wondering thoughts between sentences. It is not uncommon for me in regular conversation, however, to go off on a tangent and forget the main point that I am talking about. As Vince mentioned, praying is just talking to God, so I am sure that He understands.
I have to say that praying out loud definitely made it more difficult for my mind to wander outside of praying. I was able to focus more on what I wanted to say and not go off on tangents. It’s different from praying out loud in corporate prayer because there’s no pressure to say the right thing or fear of sounding different from others around you. You just pray knowing God is listening.
Today, I talked with God about all of the blessings he has given me. I talked about family friends and the future. I use the WAR method of prayer. I worship him first, then admit my short comings and finally request specific things in his name. Worship, Admit, Request
It really wasn’t as difficult as I first imagined. I actually did feel more focused on our conversation. That squirrel didn’t have time to interject himself, lol !
It was more difficult to pray out loud by myself than I thought it would be. Usually only pray out loud in groups. Found meaning in it and more people came to mind as I was praying.
I prayed intensely during my time this morning. Unfortunately, I didn’t read this assignment until well after my prayer time. My prayer was silent. I do pray out loud with my wife several times a day, but I will pray out loud in my prayer time tomorrow morning.
I try to use the P.R.A.Y. method.
Praise
Repent
Ask
Yield.
Time went by so quickly! I prayed for 20 minutes but still had much to cover!
That was the first time I prayed out loud by myself. That was a fast five minutes, but it was great! My focus was better than usual, and, just saying my requests out loud somehow gave me instant clarity on direction. Nothing earth shattering, but, similar to when reading a chunk of scripture and you come across a verse that just resonates…. An example: I prayed I could learn to be more present when with my family…the word awareness came out, I then instantly recalled a book called Awareness I have heard mentioned in podcasts multiple times over the last several weeks – this was accompanied by a sense that this is a resource I need right now.
We pray out loud during the application portion of our weekly in our men’s Promise Principle bible study groups. It’s an amazing practice. Every time, including today, I am in awe at how when I surrender to Him, open my heart and hands, and invite Him to speak through me, He does. Less of me Lord, more of You! Wow. There’s no better plan for me today? Thank you Lord!
Praying out loud definitely helps me focus on what I am sharing with God.
It is encouraging knowing that we are on this journey together, brothers.
I found it strange to pray out loud by myself. I pray out loud in groups frequently, but alone felt different somehow. I like the meditation aspect of quiet prayer. Out loud prayer felt less meditative, but also putting voice to prayer seem powerful in a way that thought is not.
Much to pray for…being thankful for God’s blessings as well as many people with serious challenges like health and/or relationships.
Prayer out loud is always a focusing tool. It keeps the thoughts from the day or future plans from invading on the conversation with my Savior. It also serves to bring God into the room as we equate our normal conversations with verbal output. God is good men!
I loved the 5-F categories to help steer my prayer. I was surprised how fast the 5 minuets goes and just how natural praying out loud feels. I’m so used to soft spoken prayer or dinner table blessings but it was nice to take 5 intentional min to pray loud.
I have to agree with my fellow Brothers, the 5 minutes of prayer time came and went, and what a glorious feeling one feels afterwards.
I must share that here within the last couple of weeks I felt that if I didn’t get everything across in my prayer time with God that I was failing Him in my prayer time. There were many times as the day would go by that I was reminded of something or someone that I hadn’t prayed for or prayed about ,and I would feel as I had failed. As I continue to pray and ask God to forgive me for lacking , His Spirit so softly said, “My time with you is not about having to cover everything at once, we have the whole day, so makes use of the day to cover everything. That’s why I remind you of those somethings and someone thru out the day.
All In!
oops. that easily turned into 15 minutes. Thank you Lord for hearing me.
Developing a consistent natural prayer life continues to be a growing edge for me. I needed this challenge to give me a fresh start in this essential discipline.
It was a wonderful experience to pray outloud in my office with my door shut. I really felt the presence of the Comforter. It was much more emotional, much more real.
At the end of my prayer time I asked the Lord to speak to me, and He did… in his still small voice. He directed my eyes to the bare trees outside my window. There they stand in the cold rainy day, with their branches lifted in praise to the Creator God. And so must I when the stress and anxiety of life presses in… I must praise God for all these things! My mind was then led to one of my favorite scriptures which reminds me of this truth…
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:4-8
I am a blessed man. Thank you God for the sunshine and the rain. You are worthy of worship and praise. Amen and Amen!
I actually did pray out loud this morning during my scheduled prayer time. Check!
Although we know that the Father already knows our hearts and minds, the practice of praying out load really aligns our heart with our mind towards achieving intentional and thoughtful prayer to the Father!
Praying out loud definitely keeps me more focused. To do this I may/will have to change up my location when the family is here on weekends/holidays.
It occurs to me as sit down to write that my sons need to hear me pray if they too are to learn how to pray. I know I have learned much from the godly pray-ers God has placed in my life.
When my good friend from the Air Force eulogized his father who passed away prematurely and unexpectedly, he shared the impact of hearing his father (without his father’s knowledge) in prayer for his family.
I made the five minutes, but was made aware of need for prayer conditioning in my life. When praying silently, I am certainly susceptible to the squirrels.
Mark and Gregg, I appreciate your comments above, as I can relate. The same does not apply to the times at which you posted them. 🙂
Praying out loud isn’t overly awkward for me in the car cause I actually tend to do it when I do pray there. I find it helps me be less distracted yes, and also helps me navigate to the truth of who God is in any situation I’m praying about. Like just saying it and letting it out helps me work past the bad of something and find my way to the good and see how God can work in that situation for his purpose.
Yup, 5 minutes went by crazy fast with no distractions.
I prayered for my wife. Protection from spiritual attacks and the kids against fear.
Wow. That was raw emotion! I feel so much better. After that
I just always talk out loud to myself, so praying out loud is not something I really find new. I do though, find the 5 minutes of focused prayer challenging. My attention span probably 30 seconds, so I really need to put effort into focusing and praying intentionally
will do.
5 minutes went by very quickly. I was surprised that tears were on my face in seconds. I think it’s because I am right where God wants me to be, at the moment He wants me to be there. Praying out loud seems to take power away from the fear that the devil holds over us. ‘Abba Father, help me!’ chases that serpent away in a hurry.
So many other thoughts on this exercise.. thank you, Vince, for this call to action and your love for God’s men
Praying out loud is a faith builder and brings His presences in closer for me. The 5-Fs is so helpful for focus. The five minutes went by faster than I realized.
I think what is really amazing is the fact that a huge community of brothers are going All In and coming before the Lord together! We can be assured that He is hearing our prayers!
Felt present. Distracted a bit because Squirrel rules the world. But it made me talk to God.
Dockers, it clearly stated to Stop the Squirrels. Glad it brought you back to the present….the holy moment.
Like a deep conversation with a friend – all the distractions fade away when you hear an audible voice – even your own.
I think I knew that praying out loud would make it easier to concentrate but I guess I never took the time actual see and I was very pleased to see that I can actually concentrate for 5 minutes praying.
My prayer time seemed to run over but that is OK. I had more than enough to pray for and thank God with regards to the 5-F Categories. I also included our troops and the innocent civilians as we buckled down with Iran.
Good time praying out loud. It allows me to stay focused and not drift in my thoughts.
I did find that praying out loud during my scheduled time helped me focus on what I was praying for and visualize that person. It felt quite a bit more authentic the. Silent prayer that I have done in the past.
Praying is humbling. Praying outloud is awakening.
Fantastic. Used to pray out loud and stopped. I think if I kneel it means so much more as well. It’s interesting to me that nearly every time God shows up in the Bible the person He appears to ends up on his/face. Maybe we should give that a try…..
We definitely seem to make it harder than it is. I need to remember to just start talking to God and the deeper prayer will come, “the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words”
It helped to have a set time and place. A couple kids woke up just as I started praying. I took others advice and prayed out loud on the drive to work. Thanks guys
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I have always had problems praying out loud. I want this to get me out of my shell so I can be closer to God
I enjoy praying out loud. It’s amazing how you can continue on and pray when you don’t rush through your prayer time.
It seems 5 minutes is not NEAR enough time to pray for things. My prayer time was consumed with praying for those I love dealing with struggles; namely my wife’s, our relationship, and our 2 adult children each with their own stuff. And of course my own junk I never seem to get very far with.
Praying out loud always helps me focus on God – and not what I need to accomplish in the day. I sometimes struggle with needing everything written down in order to make sure I pray for everything and don’t forget anything. Always helps me to remember it’s about developing the relationship with God and focusing on Him, rather than my agenda – which I set up when I have to write everything down.
Praying out loud helps me to stay focused on having an actual conversation with God.
I’ve tried so hard to try and pray longer than a minute and today did the whole 5 mins
P.O.L. “Praying out loud”
After about the 3 min. mark, it started to flow.. Thank you Jesus, for listening to me this morning.
Squirrels are in the attic again! The 5F’s are a great bullet points to build the content of any prayer. I’ve struggled with praying out loud, and now the Lord is creating an opportunity for me to create a habit and overcome my inhibition.
I set a timer for 5 minutes and it had gone off and I wasn’t done talking to God, so I snoozed it. 14 minutes flew by. I definitely found that speaking out loud helped me focus.
All right gents, well I did decide to give the car a shot, particularly since his challenge was to pray out loud, and it totally worked! Usually when I pray in my mind that’s when I get super distracted, so I think that’s probably more the reason rather than just the driving… Anywho, five minutes went by quite fast (I actually prayed basically the whole 25 minutes in!), And the five F’s helped get me going for sure (although I didn’t even get to all of them). Especially with faith I felt like the Spirit definitely helped bring things to mind to pray fo which was good. I think one key with this time too (maybe Vince will talk about it later?) is making time for confession during prayer time. I know I often don’t spend time doing that or even thinking about what I need to confess (outside of the “big” things), bit allowing space for the Holy Spirit to bring those things out in me and convict me will be good.
Good time of prayer. Tough/challenging season at work right now. Thankful for all the blessings…
Love this idea.
Was it awkward? A little, because I don’t do it often enough. I felt like I was babbling a little, but that’s no different than talking to another person. We can talk about a bunch of meaningless things before we share our heart. At that point it becomes powerful, and we connect. I started praying aloud some time last year. Those times alone help to grow my relationship with God, so it’s easier to pray for/with others in a group setting. When my relationship with God is right, the words come more easily.
Keep pressing into it.
Without praying out loud I get easily distracted with the worries of the day. I was locked in for 5 minutes. I spent the last minute asking God to reveal His will to me. I didn’t hear from Him. I will try tomorrow!
5 minutes does fly by when you pray out loud!
Use the content above to really meditate on your prayer message and you’ll blow by 5 minutes and be pushing 10+ minutes easily.
And the prayer will feel all the more real.
Talking out loud during most of my prayer time help to slow my mind down enough to stay on track. But I didn’t talk for the full 5 minutes, there was a distinct balance of talking / receiving that I hadn’t felt in awhile.
I’m encouraged by having a set time to connect to God and the 5F’s were certainly helpful. A new F… Forgiveness was placed on my heart as I came before God. How amazing to be forgiven. Thanks Vince~
Due to the assignment and I normally pray in the evening I decided for this assignment to add this one as a morning prayer assignment and I think what I learned was I had an easy transition moving from one person to another to pray for.
Yes, 10 minutes zoomed by in my conversation with God and I didn’t get much past my immediate Family. This explains why I feel like my prayers are more effective when my wife and I pray together out loud. The out loud thing does require a focused place and planning, which is good.
Praying out loud helps to focus. I feel it relieves all the thoughts that we keep to ourselves. Stress!
Praying out loud true softens you. It brings the focus on to you and god. You are more focused
I usually pray out loud at work and family meal times. This morning during my quiet time I went outside and walked around. As I was praying for grace and peace, a morning dove cooed. After my chuckle I had some begging of God for changes in my life that I have always asked Him for but never really recieved. Then I read Psalm 1 out loud to finish my time. Ouch. God wants to do surgery on my spiritual life… If I only knew how to let him.
Thankful that the things that are important to me are important to Him….not because those things are necessarily important in the context of the entire universe, galaxy, scope of all time etc, but because of His love for me.
I didn’t pay attention to the time and 20 minutes went by real fast. I have a large list when using the 5 F’s so it was easier to stay focused for once.
Praying out loud definitely helps with the focus factor. Hey, that’s 2 more F’s to add to the collection!
Wow, that was very awkward. It is kind of humorous as one of the things I am trying to do better this year is listen more in all areas. Focus is way better praying when out loud for sure. What I realized is that my relationship with God is very basic when talking out loud. Eye opener for me. I trust him and am convicted to live his way but are we really walking together all the time. Wow who would of thought talking out loud would create so much thought into my relationship with God. Thanks Vince nice start.
Made me more conscious of what God would have me do today
Praying outloud has been a routine for years
Amazing. It was much easier than I initially thought it would be. The Five F’s was a great starting point To gather talking points
Easier than I thought and time went by quickly. I like the 5 F way of praying.
It has been a while since I prayed just me and God. It is different than leading my family in prayer or saying a blessing at a meal. It is more intimate; less going through motions. It turned into a time of confession about my lack of time with God and for sin in my life. Encouraged to just live each moment as an opportunity to be a servant for Christ that is all I can do.
Praying out loud was a great way to stay focused in prayer, I tend to pray silently, as mentioned in the audio, but my mind wanders. This was a good way to keep on track and talk with God!
I felt comfortable as I have prayed out loud before. I learned a long time ago also is when praying 1. Look up 2. Look down and 3. Look around, meaning looking up to God talking to him about things you want to grow in and and looking down praying for government, people and things on earth and looking around being immediate prayers for what ever needs prayer right around you.
Praying out loud when alone has always made me self conscious, but actually doing it kept my prayer much more coherent. This was helpful.
The 5 F’s really helped me to come up with things to say while praying out loud. I think I actually had a more difficult time staying focused for the 5 minutes praying that way. I am not great at finding the right thing to say but when I pray silently I seem to feel like it is more intimate than praying out loud.
Great to slow down and focus in prayer. I usually journal my prayers but today I prayed out loud. I also liked the 5 minutes. I set a timer
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Day2. I was reminded that I slip into patterns of prayer, often feeling like I need to share a long list of people to ask God to draw to Him…
Not seeing God hurts my ability to hold a normal conversation with Him. But, I know it’s possible. Thanks for this challenge. 5 F’s sound like a good prompt.
As I was getting my coffee this morning my wife ask me to pray for her back. She was reluctant to share that she hurt herself moving beds to accommodate families visiting over Christmas. Of course I held her request before our Lord and thanked Him for an obviously direct prayer….
after all it was I that said I would move the beds:(
I relate to his squirrel comment and praying aloud definitely helps me to focus on my conversation with God. 5 minutes wasn’t enough time!
Squirrels be gone … praying out loud helps you focus … I think God appreciates that!
I know this to be true as I have prayed out loud in the past.
I found that praying out loud feels more personal and that I am more focused on the things that I am praying on. Less distractions as well.
Praying for 5 minutes seems like a long time in my head, but praying out loud I went for 7 minutes without looking at the clock. I was surprised to see that! More importantly, it really did help me maintain focus and prevent my mind from wandering as I prayed. The best thing about today is that I actually got up at my scheduled time to do this challenge!
Double-dipping on prayer time this morning after reading today’s challenge after my initial prayer time. Have a blessed day, Brothers! TGIF!!!
I remember many years ago being expected to pray aloud with a leadership team and feeling completely inadequate. Years later I now see the benefit of praying out loud and enjoy listening and participating in prayer. I still struggle some days. I pray with a few men who are articulate and a joy to be with daily. Their mre days I still feel inadequate in prayer and know my words are jumbled and out of sorts. I rest in the fact that God knows my heart and my mind. I revel in his grace and peace. Bless you my friends l
I really like the 5F categories. It definitely helps organize and vocalize my prayers. I also added another f, fertility. I still believe that God is going to give us children!
Awesome time with God talking about life with him and this group!
Praying out loud is new for me. I really enjoyed it. I often drift in my mental thought while praying silently. Thank you Vince and Mike for pushing me out of my comfort zone and showing me a new way to talk to God!
Loved the praying outloud instead of competing with the squirrels in my head. I kinda knew that but rarely practice it. Lord help me to keep it up.
I found that praying out loud most certainly did keep me more focused. At first I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to go five minutes but ended up going closer to ten. Great experience!!! Jay
Praying out loud by myself didn’t feel as weird as I thought it would. It actually helped my scatter brain to focus better. LOL Give it a try guys. Love the 5-F’s.
For me praying out loud is not awkward, but I know for me it helps to be on my knees.
Bad knees and all , cause it puts me in that position of submitting to Him as I come into His presence, and it helps me with the squirrels of my thoughts. Spent most of my time praying for my wife and I , as we’ve started a new devotional together. Asking God to draw us closer together spiritually and more.
I have been praying out loud for a few months now, I find it more intimate and emotional, the Lord truly softens the heart.
Praying out loud certainly kept me focused and the five f’s worked great in having an agenda for my conversation with God.
I never really gave much thought to the fact that I hit many of the F’s each day but love that you spell it out. Thank you Vince.
I would also encourage others that it’s OK to have “Re-runs” in your prayer life and pray for and about the same things. Prayer shouldn’t lead to a daily creative block. Keep it simple and like the commercial says “Just do it.” Peace!
“Thank you for the fresh start you give me each day, whether I deserve it or not.” God is good!
5 minutes out load prayer time definitely helped me stay focused. When I pray silently my mind often wanted and I feel like my prayers are unintentional and not work of the Lord.
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wow 5 min can go by so fast, I prayed or guidance , job finances family and friends.
The 5 “F”’s assisted me in focusing my prayers in an orderly way. I plan to use these guidelines daily!
Thank you!
Praying out loud and talking to God is much more attainable when it is well thought out. Thanks for the 5 Fs.
The time flew by! Praying out loud definitely kept me focused.
My alone prayer has always been in my mind, so this was exactly what I needed.
I called my prayer time “quiet time” but praying out loud certainly makes my conversation with the Lord more meaningful. I think it help me to better remember my prayer so I can meditate on it the rest of the day. Praying out loud helps me to not even think about my “to do list” for the day. All in!
It was a good way to start, ( God today I want to talk to you about…)
It helps to pray out loud, keeps you focused on your talk with God.
5 minutes praying out loud sure went fast. So thankful knowing God is listening.
Felt a bit strange, but was more personal.
Wow! How can 5 minutes go by so fast when praying out loud when it seems like an eternity when lying in bed with the squirrels running around!? 5 minutes was up and I had only made it to the Family part of the 5 F’s. Lesson learned and looking forward to continuing this new challenge.
Verbal prayers intensifies my prayer focus. Not necessarily a lot of words, but more selected. Makes me think how NOT focused my nonverbal prayers may be.
When God created the world He spoke things into existence. This is why we speak and make declarations to Him because we are created in His image and given the power that raised Jesus from the dead so therefore our words become creative just like His. Jesus told us in the Lords prayer to make declarations on earth as it is in heaven.
I found that praying out loud felt much more personal and I was more focused on the things I was praying for.
I find praying out loud by myself to be awkward!…. I will work on it.
Prayed and when I finished it was 12 minutes. It was easier to walk as I prayed. The 5 F’s makes it easy. Prayed for my unique mission field (work,family and neighborhood)
I wasn’t keeping track of time while I was praying but my 5 minute prayer was actually 15. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like I was having an actual conversation with God. My mind wasn’t wandering, I was focused. It’s so encouraging to read all these comments and know that there’s a group of men praying at the same time like this. I know I always underestimate the power of prayer, but today I felt something different.
Spent time in aloud prayer with my wife this morning. We are out of town for her grandfather’s funeral and have been spending our quiet time together. Today is going to be a tough day. I prayed aloud for her and for our family. It was a good time with God.
A good time of prayer
Different than what I expected. When I pray, I am not wordy at all. My prayers tend to be concise and to the point. I had a plan in my head as to what to pray for so as to take up 5 minutes. But I spoke to God differently out loud. My plan melted away and He gave me direction. As usual, my plan was not what He wanted. A very good experience!
Love the 5 F’s content. Will definitely be using it more frequently.
It helped me to think of things I normally don’t think to pray for. Filling in the time so to speak. I’m very thankful for the challenge and the thoughtfulness towards spiritual growth. I’m hopeful every morning waiting to see what’s next!!!
Using this technique does cut down on the small sidetracks that would occur when I would pray silently . I found myself saying more from the heart than before
Definitely went in a few different directions but found that by praying out loud there were far less squirrels going around in my head and felt more focused in a conversation with God than the usual mental way that had typically turned into me trying to solve a problem on my own. Extemely helpful to use the 5 Fs. Thank you!
The 5 minutes went by fast. Praying out loud made me concentrate on what exactly I was saying to God. I used the 5 F’s which helped in my prayer time. I spent more time on faith and family than the other three.
Really like the 5-f strategy. A minute on each makes the 5 minutes out load go quick.
I developed the practice of praying out loud years ago, and it’s amazing how it helps me to stay focused on what and/or who to pray about. I highly recommend it as a daily practice.
I prayed in silence before getting the challenge and went back and I feel a lot better. I concentrated on my relationship with Christ aligning my goals with his will for my life my family and the community in which there has been families hurt due to violence and death of young people. it really makes a difference in silent prayer and praying out loud
Praying aloud is definitely better than in my mind. 5 min goes by real quick. I intend to make praying out loud a daily practice.
Acknowledge, confess, Thanksgiving, supplication.
Oh wow, praying outloud is pretty awkward for me, at least at first. But it was VERY GOOD. Vince is so right about how it stops your mind from wondering. That has always been a huge challenge for me. Anyway, great prayer time this morning. God Bless you men today.
I agree Bryce. It keeps our minds from wandering. A guy used to work with me and he would pray out loud all the time. Praying like this changes our focus of what is going on around us and throws it towards God.
Sorry for being delayed- a technical and than physical bug has thrown me off course here. My prayer time this morning was fantastic- although talking to the Lord out loud hasn’t been an awkward challenge for me personally in the past to begin with. My 25 minutes in the car was spent only on FAITH and FAMILY- and it was interesting to see what the Lord stirred up as conviction in the process of each F: 1, I’m currently in a season in which I tend to focus more on ideas about God (theology, conversation, study) rather than a focus on His presence and 2, I need continued refinement in how I parent my 2nd “troubled” child with greater patience, affirmation and support. Other prayer gems from the morning included a lot of gratitude for God’s character and activity in my life and spending time in thanks and petition for my immediate and extended family individually by name. Powerful morning!
As for comments on the process/structure of the challenge itself- Again, I echo what I shared with day 1 – keeping things really simple and relatable for guys is huge. The challenge to spend just 5 minutes in prayer in a way that might be uncommon or uncomfortable for guys is a tremendous way to expand their experience and familiarity. I think the 5 F framework is also a great way to give a simple roadmap. Great job!
Thanks for being so honest here Justin! It is so helpful for me and others.
I have always struggled with prayer and feeling a connection with God during my prayer time. I don’t really have a problem talking to Him, just a problem in hearing and connection. I’m hoping this time around that something changes as I commit to this 35 day challenge.
All right gents, well I did decide to give the car a shot, particularly since his challenge was to pray out loud, and it totally worked! Usually when I pray in my mind that’s when I get super distracted, so I think that’s probably more the reason rather than just the driving… Anywho, five minutes went by quite fast (I actually prayed basically the whole 25 minutes in!), And the five F’s helped get me going for sure (although I didn’t even get to all of them). Especially with faith I felt like the Spirit definitely helped bring things to mind to pray fo which was good. I think one key with this time too (maybe Vince will talk about it later?) is making time for confession during prayer time. I know I often don’t spend time doing that or even thinking about what I need to confess (outside of the “big” things), bit allowing space for the Holy Spirit to bring those things out in me and convict me will be good.
Today I prayed out loud on my drive into work- this is my time to talk with God. I turn the radio of and just talk out loud on my 20 min ride into work. I ask for constant forgiveness of my sins. I pray for my wife, my kids, and my family. I pray for guidance in all that I do. This time alone in my car is the best way for me to clear my thoughts and give my heart to god. Even though Im driving to work, I look forward to this time.
I ask God this question daily …….”God what do you want to say to me today? What do you want me to hear, see, notice or do? Speak to me by your spirit……by saying this out loud today, I feel my conversation had more direction today and definitely with touching on all 5-F’s and then catching myself being very thankful for God and that he already has answered many of my prayers already. Talking and praying out loud to God for sure has new meaning to prayer and brings you closer to him in conversation. Praying out loud also takes that distraction away because like any conversation, someone will hear you and today
that person is your Father in Heaven, who’s got your back. Thank you Jesus!!!!
I pray often but randomly, but designating a time with God in the morning is just what I feel like I needed to build consistency in my prayer life. If I don’t do this FIRST THING IN THE MORNING it is easy for me to get distracted by the to do list that I have created at the end of the day!
ok- i got busy- and even though i was UP at my appointed times – other things got in the way? i’m a couple days behind… but 5F’s were good… and a bunch of things on the prayer list today! mco
I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on the peace that God gives me and how consistently he calls me to rest in him or the specific exchange that he continues to remind me that is available for me when my burden feels so heavy – take on my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle, humble and you WILL find rest. Life is often filled with so many pressures and situations that remove you from his presence and causes us to fear or control what’s in front of us and makes us (me) feel overwhelmed. I’ve also been reflecting on God’s name that has been most meaningful to me during this season…the Lord of Peace – “Yahweh Shalom”….in Psalm 91 – the dwelling, shelter, refuge, fortress, etc. I’m also reminded of how often Jesus would find quite time/time away from his disciples/people or in a solitary place to be with his Father for strength. In the same way, that is my desire/prayer is to find that peace and strength as I seek shelter in difficult times to overcome by not relaying on my own strength, but the refuge in HIM that is freely-given to me.
Excellent advice and thinking. Peace to you today.
Thank you
Had to write mine out… too much on my mind today to stay focused without writing.
5-F categories—faith, family, finance, fitness, and friends.
God, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for my faith in you. I understand that apart from your grace I would have no faith in you. You are the object of my trust but also the power that allows me to trust in anything worthy of trust. Thank you for your patience with my ups and downs and inconsistent faith. Help me to trust you more steadily and enjoy your presence more fully. Thank you for the Imagine Heaven book that is moving my faith to greater levels of trust and anticipation. I’m eagerly looking forward to Heaven. Help me to have faith until that time.
Lord thank you for Erica, Clark, Isaac, and Adeline as well as my parents, sisters and in-laws. You have blessed me richly with a family. Help me to be the kind of husband and father that you desire me to be—indeed that I, in my more awake moments, desire to be as well. Forgive me for being passive at times and for retreating into the trivial and self-absorbed distractions this world offers. Lord help me to sense what my wife and kids most need from me and be eager and joyful to give that those things. Protect me family from the schemes of the enemy today and all days I ask in Jesus name.
Lord thank you for providing so generously for my every needs. My finances are in a good place and this is your doing. Help me not to rest in the virtual security that comes in financial abundance but rather let me be less and less interested in material wealth and more and more interested in spiritual wealth—in the things you want me to notice and celebrate. Lord forgive me for the ways I have spend money foolishly or without consulting your Spirit and Word. Help me to be faithful in little and in large amounts. Lord deliver me from worry over finances and help me to give with a joyful heart to the work you direct my eyes and hands to partner in.
Father you have formed my body and you tell me to take care of it. For the ways I have punished my physical body with over-eating, over-working, over-drinking, and neglecting to work out regularly I ask your forgiveness and grace. Help me Lord to work out and wet well and be disciplined for the right reasons this week. Deliver me from vanity and apathy and show me how to treat my body like the temple of your Holy spirit it is. Lord help me to stay healthy for your service and to serve as long as I can and as string as I can in your name.
God I thank you for the gift of friends. I ask you be with my friend D as he navigate life after the divorce and as he cares for a sick child. Heal his boy I ask. Heal his heart as well. Forgive me for the ways I have let friends down by not proactively reaching out and anticipating how I might encourage and empower them to follow you more closely. Lord, help me to lean into conversations that actually matter as I interact with my brothers. Forgive me for the many times I have retreated in the presence of a friend into the trivial and kept things on the surface because I feared to be fully known and fully accepted. Help me to be a friend to those who have no friends as you lead me to cross their path. Keep me walking with the wise so that I may also become wise.
Lord I ask your Spirit to intercede on my behalf, my families, and my friends. Please ask for us what we would ask if we had your perfect perspective. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
#boom
WOW & BOOM!
I committed to praying at the same time everyday at 6:30 am, just doing it one day and knowing that will be the time everyday, brings about a greater sense of commitment.
Praying out loud made it feel like a conversation with God. It was comforting just talking to God.
By the time I got done praying I totally forgot what I was supposed to post here. Should the thing that we’re supposed to comment about be in the text for us to reference if we forget? I really loved the 5F’s! Faith family fitness and finances helped keep me going for 5 minutes.
Change made above.
Wow! How can 5 minutes go by so fast when praying out loud when it seems like an eternity when lying in bed with the squirrels running around!? 5 minutes was up and I had only made it to the Family part of the 5 F’s. Lesson learned and looking forward to continuing this new challenge.
After reading the news this morning, I prayed for peace. Afterwards, I used the 5 f’s and I actually got through 3 of them. I thought 5 minutes was a long time and I would run out of things to pray for but I was surprised when it was up. Finally, I prayed for each man taking this challenge. May God bless every one of you!
Having an agenda or content helps to stay on task
The 5 Fs are a good place to work from; keeps you on track and focused. And 5 minutes goes by very quick.
Thank you for providing the 5 F’s. I will dedinitly be using them. I always prays in silence but I enjoined praying out loud today.
You bet! Stick with it!
The 5 Fs definetly helped. 5 minutes went fast and I could stay focused. Thank you Vince for that gem.
Thanks for the idea of praying outloud. It felt more like a conversation than a prayer. The 5 F’s was a helpful tool and made the 5 minutes turned into 7.
I have a prayer list, I sometimes read it out loud, and sometimes in my head, but today, I made it a priority to find some privacy and pray it out loud
Praying out loud allows one to hear his own requests. To make God big in spite of the challenges we face. It is my earnest desire that 5 minutes will easily turn into 60 minutes of focused prayer time.
What I learned is by hearing what’s in my heart I grow stronger in faith knowing that God hears me, loves me and will care for me as I worship Him
It worked!
Praying out loud in the quiet of the morning is difficult. People, including house guests are still asleep. Quietly mumbling in prayer makes me feel like a crazy man. Easier to do when walking outside. 5 F’s is a good guide.
It was wonderful to pray out loud. Yes, it kept me focused. As Vince mentioned, my mind wanders when praying quietly. But today was different! Totally focused on talking with God.