Everybody wants to know the secret: What’s the secret to prayer? Jesus himself said that the secret to prayer is ‘secret prayer.’ The power of prayer is far-reaching and can benefit your life in many ways. But, when many people pray, they often feel like it's not working, or they need to do it differently to be effective. Prayer is a very personal thing; it's between you and God. How do you make sure you are praying the right way, and what does that even mean?

Today, we discuss how prayer can help us through these challenging times and look at the statistics of those who choose to pray. Martin shares how prayer is assisting him through a busy schedule, and we explore some of the preconceptions many people have about prayer. We explore the importance of privacy in prayer, how some people experience emotions that others don't, and why it's OK either way. We also share how you can get started with bringing prayer into your life - even if you don't have the words - and why where you pray is important.

"Globally, in every culture, people pray.” - Dr. Matt Hook

This week on Shepherd & the Shrink:

●     How prayer can impact our experience of current events

●     Statistics on prayer and the people that choose to pray

●     How prayer is helping Martin through his hectic schedule

●     The preconceived notions many people have about prayer

●     Observations from recent protests

●     What is prayer and how to do it according to God's will

●     How loss can bring you closer to God

●     Why the privacy of prayer matters

●     How what we do in public is shaped by what we do in private

●     The physiological effects of prayer

●     How secret prayer safeguards you from pride

●     How prayer deepens with practice

●     Why you don't need to worry about your motivations for prayer

●     Why many people experience a raw emotional response when they pray

●     How Science and Faith are not in opposition to each other

●     Why the self-conscious emotions, such as shame, are painful

●     What prayer has done for Matt's life

●     Why it's ok if you pray and don't have emotions

●     How you can pray even when you don't have the words

●     How you can get started in prayer with confidence

●     Why where you pray is important

●     How Jesus taught us to worship and what the prayer He gave us means

Bringing Mental Health and Spirituality Together

Thanks for tuning into this week’s Shepherd & the Shrink Podcast episode with your hosts, Dr. Matt Hook and Dr. Martin Fletcher, the show where theology meets psychology. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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