This blog is part of the Alumni Week 2021 Collection! Written by Jason Smith, NET Alumnus 2005-06

No. 5 – Get back on the horse!
It’s never too late to start your prayer life afresh. We’ve all had times in our life when prayer has taken the back-burner to sleep (a.k.a. newborn babies), family, or stressors. The most important part though, is that you start again. All it takes is to kneel down, and listen.

No. 4 – Start manageable, and build on it
Start with 5 or 10 minutes every day in prayer. Getting just a few minutes of prayer every day will allow God to give you the graces to build. On early morning days with a full to-do list for the day, I make sure to spend even a few minutes kneeling in front of the cross to set my day in order.

No. 3 – Schedule a specific time every day, and keep it consistent
We all have responsibilities (work, kids, family, parish life, etc.) that require our time and energy. Find a specific time every day, and schedule it in! Your family and friends will know where your priorities lie as they see you putting God first.

No. 2 – Contemplative prayer, silence
I spent so much of my earlier prayer life doing written prayers, reading books, and talking to God. While these are wonderful, holy ways of building your relationship with the Father, only as I progressed, did I realize what I had been missing – the opportunity to listen to God’s voice. When you’re out of rope, and you feel like you don’t have anything left to give, just sit with Him, and receive.

No. 1 – Have a friend, group of friends, keep you accountable for praying
My number one tip for keeping your prayer life in check: have someone ask you, “Did you pray today?”. Find a friend, or even better yet, a group of friends who can keep you accountable for your prayer. Do daily or weekly check-ins on a group chat, or meet up in person, and talk through your struggles and joys.

Jason Smith served with NET Ministries of Canada in 2005/2006 in Ottawa, ON at St. Augustine’s Parish. He currently resides in Ottawa, ON with his wife and three kids and is pursuing a career in Structural Engineering.