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To the Mom Who Feels Like She’s Failing at the One Thing She Was Sure God Called Her To…

  Let’s be honest. Some days you feel like the circus clown… Only the clowns have more help and better costumes. Your “classroom” is the kitchen table. Your students? One’s crying, one’s hiding, one’s asking you a question that sounds like it came straight out of a college exam. Meanwhile, the baby’s screaming, the dog just threw up on the rug, and the toddler… well… let’s just say the peanut butter was NOT supposed to be art supplies. And you? You’re standing there with cold coffee, wondering how in the world you ended up in charge of someone’s entire education. "Maybe I’m in over my head." "Maybe I’m wrecking their future." "Maybe they’d be better off with a real teacher." You’ve seen those Instagram-perfect homeschool moms… Neat handwriting on the whiteboard, shelves arranged by color, kids smiling like they just won the lottery for Most Well-Behaved Family. You’ve tried to copy them. You’ve stayed up past midnight rearranging books, printing lesson ...
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5. Mental Prayer: A Simple Guide for Everyone



Mental prayer is a silent conversation with God, where we don’t use words out loud, but rather focus our hearts and minds on Him. This type of prayer helps us connect with God deeply and grow closer to Him. It’s a powerful way to become better people and live a more virtuous life.

What is Mental Prayer?

Mental prayer is about lifting our thoughts and feelings to God. Unlike vocal prayer, where we say prayers aloud, mental prayer is an inward experience. It allows us to quietly reflect on our relationship with God and how we can become better in our daily lives. There are two main types of mental prayer:

  1. Active Mental Prayer: In this type, we make an effort to focus on God by thinking about His goodness, reflecting on a Bible story, or considering a virtue like kindness or patience. It's like a gardener watering plants—this requires effort but brings great results.

  2. Passive Mental Prayer: This happens when God’s grace moves our heart more deeply, and we feel His presence strongly. It’s not something we force but something we receive as a gift.

The Goal of Mental Prayer

The ultimate goal of mental prayer is not just to gain knowledge about God, but to love Him more deeply and change our lives for the better. By spending time in quiet reflection, we can focus on areas of our lives that need improvement, such as correcting bad habits or developing virtues like patience, humility, or faith.

How to Do Mental Prayer

Mental prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a simple way to begin:

  1. Find a Quiet Place: Start by choosing a peaceful spot where you won’t be distracted.

  2. Focus on God: Picture God in your mind. You can imagine Jesus in the manger, during His Passion, or even on the Cross. Visual aids like a crucifix or holy image can also help.

  3. Reflect on a Truth: Think about a Bible story or a truth about God’s love. For example, you might reflect on how Jesus showed compassion or how God always forgives.

  4. Talk to God Silently: As you think about these things, talk to God in your heart. You don’t need to use formal prayers. Speak to Him as if you were talking to a close friend, expressing your love, asking for His help, or thanking Him for His blessings.

  5. Make Resolutions: After reflecting, ask yourself how you can apply what you’ve learned to your life. For example, if you meditated on Jesus’ patience, make a decision to practice patience in your own life.

Mental Prayer for Beginners

If you are new to mental prayer, start simple. In the beginning, focus on correcting small faults, like controlling anger or being more loving to others. As you grow in prayer, you’ll naturally begin to seek more virtues, like faith and humility. The important thing is to keep trying, even if your mind sometimes wanders.

The Power of Mental Prayer

Mental prayer is not just for the wise or learned. Everyone can do it, and it’s a way to invite God into every moment of your life. When we make time for this kind of prayer, we open our hearts to God's grace, which helps us become more loving, more patient, and more at peace with ourselves and others.

Remember, the goal is not to have a perfect prayer experience, but to grow little by little in your relationship with God. Start small, be patient with yourself, and trust that God is working in your heart even when you don’t feel it.

By practicing mental prayer regularly, you will find that your life begins to change. You will become more aware of God’s presence in everything you do, and your actions will naturally reflect His love.

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