For the most part, I believe that I have a pretty good life and overall there really isn’t a lot for me to be in much of a bad mood about. However, like everyone else, from time to time it happens. The reason for my getting in a bad mood is generally due to life stresses that we all face on a daily basis.

As much as I might try to keep a fairly level head and calm attitude, there are times that it seems that certain things “catch up to me”. However, when they do, I always try to relax and return to the fact that I do have a pretty good life.

“God is with us and speaks to us all of the time.”

This statement can cause a wide range of reactions: agreement from those who have a relationship with God, scoffing and possible ridicule from those who don’t believe in having a relationship with God, and wonder and hopefulness from those who want a relationship with God but haven’t yet found it.

When I was growing up praying seemed to be governed by rules and rituals. There were specific prayers that you were supposed to memorize and we were supposed to say certain prayers at certain times. I don’t think I ever really knew what some of those prayers were saying – but you said them anyway.

To me praying seemed to be very impersonal. I prayed because I was told that is what I was supposed to do. I never felt like I was really talking to God – especially about me. I never felt I was getting anything out of praying other than the fact that I was “doing my duty”. And so, after a while, I stopped praying.