1 Everyone Can Pray An Introduction 1
2 Walking to School Childhood Prayer 17
3 Why Pray? Some Common Reasons 26
4 Praying Without Knowing It Nine Types of Prayer You May be Unaware of 34
5 What Is Prayer? A Few Definitions and Insights 43
6 Beginning a Friendship with God Father Barry's Insight 60
7 Everyone Needs Help Petitionary Prayer 88
8 Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Rote and Other Formal Prayers 117
9 I Am Here The Daily Examen 133
10 What Happens When You Pray? Emotions, Insights, Memories, Desires, Images, Words, Feelings, and Mystical Experiences 165
11 How Do I Know It's God? Discerning God's Voice 213
12 The Gift of Imagination Ignatian Contemplation 238
13 Praying with Sacred Texts Lectio Divina 264
14 Finding God at the Center Centering Prayer 274
15 Discovering God in Creation Nature Prayer 284
16 Talking About Prayer Spiritual Direction, Retreats, Faith Sharing, and Journaling 303
17 Topics in Prayer Distractions, Dryness. Expectations, and the Overall Ups and Downs of the Spiritual Life 333
18 Now What? Moving from Prayer to Action 355
Acknowledgments 365
For Further Exploration 367
Notes 373
Discussion Guide for Small Groups 387