Jesus:  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)
 
Perhaps for you, like me, praying privately, individually, has become as natural as breathing.  Perhaps you are also perfectly comfortable praying in a corporate church setting, such as in your small group.  But what about praying informally with just one or two other people, in person or over the phone?  With your spouse or roommate in the morning?  With your children before school?  With a friend during an outing?  That kind of prayer is not second nature to me.  It takes one of the people involved to initiate prayer, which feels awkward to me.  But why?  Why should it be awkward to join our hearts in prayer, inviting the Lord’s presence?  Join me in asking God for the boldness to be the one to take the first step, to say, “Hey …  Can we pray?”
 
(I acknowledge, with thanks, a reader of the blog who suggested this idea.)