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This week we have begun to lay the groundwork for a lifetime of prayerfulness. You’ve started to create rhythms and habits so that you can become a person who petitions God regularly. It’s important that we take a minute to reflect on the week. What has been hard for you as you have started to take regular time to pray? For some of us, the hard part is simply remembering to do it.

If you’ve been struggling to consistently make prayer part of your day, consider using some of the following easy reminders to help you:

• Set a timer on your phone for each of the daily prayer opportunitites described in this book. You can also use the timer on your watch the same way. When the timer goes off, you will be reminded to engage the rhythms of Morning Meditation, Afternoon Reflection, and Evening Inspiration.

• Wear a reminder. Use an article of clothing or an accessory to keep you mindful of your need and desire to talk to God. Perhaps the best reminder is a rubber band on your wrist, a bandaid on your finger, or even the word PRAY written in the palm of your hand.

• Grab some three by five cards and write down words or phrases that will remind you to talk to the Lord. Put them in the places you will most likely be in the morning (on the bathroom mirror), afternoon (in the car), dinnertime (inside the seasoning cabinet), or evening (on your nightstand).

• Have a friend who is really good at this? Ask them to check in daily or weekly with you for accountability!

Sometimes it just takes a few simple things to help us keep our focus and not to forget what we are trying to cultivate through these twenty-eight days. Don’t let bumps in the road keep you from continuing the journey!

Now that you’ve spent a week talking to God, take some time to reflect on your prayer journey. Select at least one of the following questions to contemplate your experience thus far. You can share your answer with God or a friend, or jot your thoughts down in a journal.

• What has kept me from remembering to pray? How can I create a simple reminder to help me?

• What part of the day am I finding most impactful? Mornings? Afternoons? Evenings? How can I use the momentum during that time to spur me on at the times it can be more difficult?

• What has God taught me this week about Himself through my prayer time? What has He taught me about myself? What has He taught me about others?

• What prayers have I seen answered this week? How can I use that as an encouragement when I feel like God isn’t listening or that prayer doesn’t really matter?