You may have heard this before, a simular exercise is called
ACTS for:
(Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving & Supplications)
Becky Tirabassi wrote several books on Prayer, and her Prayer Journal helped me understand how to pray. Through prayer my relationship with God became closer, and a much more personal relationship developed. The more time I spent with God the closer we became. I started understanding and feeling His Fatherhood, and even grew to call Him "Abba", and the English word "Daddy". I discovered that God's true desire is to have a close personal relationship with each one of His children.
Before I started using these four steps, prayers were always very short. When I heard of people praying for hours, I just could not understand how they could pray that long. If I prayed for five minutes that was a long time for me. Then my mind would go racing ahead thinking of all the things that needed to be done.
One day a friend started crying in church, and she went to the bathroom, so I decided to go comfort her. As she was talking to me she told me that God said ...."Daughter".... I don't know what she said before or after the word "Daughter", but I remember thinking. "God called you daughter?" And to this day I still remember the words I heard inside, God spoke to me ... "And if you would spend time with me I would call you daughter too!"
It was then that I realized that God wanted a personal relationship with me! so I started buying books on How to Pray.
First Becky suggested making an appointment with God, and not to break the appointment. Keep it like you would for a Doctor or Lawyer, after all God is more important than Doctors & Lawyers. Go to your favorite spot, where you feel closest to God. If you love Praise music take your tape player and start your time with God listening to Praise Music. Praise is the first part of Prayer and it sure helps prepare your Spirit in Worshiping God.
Becky also suggested writing your Prayers. I knew I could handle that, after all as a teenager I loved writing in diaries, and this would be my diary to GOD. I bought a really pretty Journal, made my appointment time in the morning after my husband went to work and before the small children woke up, and I started writing. At first I found the prayers would be about a page long. But as time went on, and my appointments became more regular, and a very important part of my days, I found that I could write and pray and spend time with God for an hour and sometimes longer. On some days I would have pages written.
What I have discovered is that most women have trouble focusing when Praying orally. By writing our Prayers the writing becomes a focus point, and our minds do not drift off in many directions. The writing helps to block out all those chores that need to be done.
The four steps can be compared to when we exercise our bodies. (1) Lifting our arms Upwards - to God, (2) Breathing inwards, in to our selfs confessing our inadequate and sinful ways, (3) reaching Outwards - to others around us, petitioning God to be with them, and (4) Lifting Upwards again to God in Thanks- giving for all things.
Here are some scriptures to help you in:
Praising God
admitting sins
Requesting prayers
Thanksgiving
Praying for your Husband
Praying for your Children
How To Pray for Pastors