Blogland + Prayer

Becoming a semi-regular blogger has really improved my prayer life.

Yeah, you read that sentence correctly. Although they seem somewhat counter-intuitive, I really think that becoming a writer, reader, and commenter on other blogs has improved my prayer life. Let me explain before you jump to any strange or lofty conclusions.

I've never been very good about having a consistent prayer life. I'm very much swayed by periods of consolation and desolation - when I'm in consolation, I can't get enough of prayer. And in desolation, it's the last thing on my mind. (For a quick summary of Ignatian spirituality and what I mean by those, click here.) I do exactly what St. Ignatius says NOT to do, which is change my spiritual routine when those times sway in and out of my life. I know, it's bad. As a result, my prayer life looks like one of those crazy graphs where the peaks are really high and the valleys are really low. It's definitely not good for my spiritual life, and makes the transitions between those two phases in my soul hard to weather and hard to identify.



Blogging and reading other blogs (especially real, faithful, beautiful, and holy Catholic women's blogs) has helped me keep a regular prayer life -- but more by accident than by design.

First of all, blogging about my own life helps me identify these periods of highs and lows more easily. When I write them down and publish my thoughts for the internet to see, I can go back and read when I was feeling crappy or when I was riding a good, high period. It's a lot harder to hide from myself when I've got written proof of my own moods - and blogging is an easy format to be honest with yourself in. I definitely didn't set out to blog because of this reason, but it's an awesome benefit.

I know that specifying my monthly goals has also helped me keep on track in my spiritual life. I can identify where I want to go for the month, and although I don't always have a spiritual "goal" for each month, it keeps me more accountable for my life in general, which gives me structure in my spiritual life.

David and I, credit Levi Baus Photography
The biggest way blogging has helped improve my prayer life, though, is reading about the struggles and life experiences of the wonderful bloggers I follow. I'm one of those people that often thinks to themselves, oh I should pray for such-and-such, or for this intention, but then when I actual get around to some suffering or a time to pray, those intentions are far gone in my brain. (I have a theory that my pregnancy brain has made this worse, but that's beside the point...haha.)

Because I love reading, and especially love reading blogs, though, I'm reminded on a daily or semi-daily basis of intentions to pray for! It makes them a lot harder to forget. Whether I'm reading about a couple's struggle with infertility, a family's heartache, someone traveling, a mother's heartache over the loss of a child, or anything in between, it becomes ingrained in my brain. Reading details about any sort of struggles (or even joys!) in other women's lives makes them wayyyy easier to remember. It's probably due to my English-major-trained brain, but reading about them changes my prayer intentions from something I think about occasionally to something that pops up in my head without any prompting.

I love it.

I love sitting in Mass and being able to list off the names of 6-8 different bloggers, who I've never met, who are struggling with one thing or another at this point in their lives, and offering it to Jesus in the sacrifice of the Mass. It makes me feel so connected to the Universal church, and connected with these bloggers - although they may never know I prayed for them!

And I also love being able to openly ask for prayers for my own intentions on my blog - which brings me to one of the main points of this post.

I want to offer up my labor with Baby G for your intentions, because so many of you have been sweet and offered prayers for my pregnancy and baby so far. I've majorly felt the blog-love, and I want to repay in a small way if I can.

So. If you have a specific cause or intention you'd like me to pray for, please tell me! You can comment with your intention, message me privately (gokienotes @ gmail.com), or just tell me that you have a special intention to pray for and I'll include it. I'm going to make a big list of all my intentions and read them and have David read them to me when labor sets in.

I can't wait to hear your intentions!
HG

Comments

  1. I couldn't agree more with you on this. This is one of the reasons I love the blogosphere so much! I'm still struggling with a consistent prayer life, but I totally know what you mean and feel like I'm moving in the right direction.

    I would love if you prayed for a special intention of mine. This is so thoughtful of you to do! I hope you write more about it all after you give birth; I would love to do something similar!

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  2. This is great, Hannah!
    I'm experiencing a ton of fear about the future. Please pray that I can trust more in God's plan and continue on the paths He's led me to! Please pray some of this anxiety can be lessened. Thank you, Hannah!!
    Praying more for you as you get closer to your due date!! :)

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    1. Thanks Meghan! I added your intention to my list of ones to pray about. And thank you for the prayers!!

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  3. You are so sweet Hannah! I was actually thinking about you today and wondered if your little one had arrived yet! I would love prayers for our family, especially some members of my extended family who are having a hard time believing right now! We will be praying for you too!!

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    1. Aww, thank you Amy - I am definitely ready for the little one to get here! I added your intention to my list!

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  4. Such a wonderful idea, Hannah! I wish I had asked friends for specific requests while laboring with Emelia. Please pray 1) for the repose of our dear friend Mike's soul 2) for our Godchildren: Benjamin, Ignatius, Kolby, Gemma, and Baby Beauclair that they may always know, love and serve the Lord with joy 3) for couples carrying the cross of infertility.

    Thanks Hannah! Be assured of our prayers for you, David, and Baby Gokie.

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