I grew up hearing that I should, “Pray without ceasing.” 
And I found that little difficult. I could pray when I was falling asleep and I could pray when I was riding the school bus and I could pray when I walking through the tall pines from the bus stop to our home. These were moments when my mind was quiet or I didn’t want to talk to others anyway.
But, it was really hard to pray when I was at school because how could I think about what I was supposed to be learning while I was praying? And it was even harder to pray when I was reading, or eating lunch, or answering a question because I couldn’t keep up two conversations at the same time.
I was convinced that prayer was always about my words.
When I left home to go to college, even a Christian university, I felt a strong sense of guilt that I wasn’t living up to what God wanted from me. If I couldn’t pray without ceasing in a place that was full of God talk, where in the world would I learn to pray? I could feel God’s disappointment like a heavy coat on my shoulders.
It wasn’t until I learned to listen in prayer that I felt this scripture as a blessing instead of heavy-handed, impossible expectation.
If I am always listening for God, I am always praying. 
If I am always looking for God, I am always praying.
If I am always expecting God to have a word, I am always praying.
Today, as you walk about your day’s plans and work: tune your ears to listen, focus your eyes to look, set your heart to receive. God is always present and always communicating with the beloved children. God is always praying…
