Introduction

Personal prayer is born at the crossroads, that place where our joys and our pains intersect. Our lives are unavoidably both joyous and triumphant as well as painful, fragile, and even tragic. At that place of paradox, we are inherently vulnerable.

To be vulnerable is to be open to the unpredictability of life, the challenges that seem insurmountable, and the joys that feel inexpressible. It is often the vulnerability itself which confers upon those occasions such enormous depth, meaning, authenticity, and strength. Vulnerable moments punctuate life with surprising regularity, yet we rarely stop to put words to these experiences and the deeply human emotions that accompany them. Prayer has the power to do just that. Whether you are seeking love or ending a relationship, bringing new life into the world or mourning a loss, prayer gives you words to speak when you are speechless, a direction to turn when you feel directionless, and a channel for the current of your soul. As you move through this chapter, we invite you to consider the power of prayer to hold these vulnerable moments of celebration (and may there be many!) and transition, anguish, and aspiration.