I have always been of the mind-set that prayer should not form mere words that are recited as an obligatory duty but should be a form of meditation, where a connection is established from the heart.

For this reason, I used to pray but not very often – just now and again when my heart felt the desire to establish contact.

I couldn’t pray in front of anyone as I saw this as a public display of what I considered to be a very personal affair between a person and his Creator.

Maybe, in the depths of my distorted thinking, I thought I would be judged and shied away from this.

I would witness people praying quickly before a specific programme was to begin. I would witness people praying in front of others, yet this routine was not established when in solitude.

I witnessed prayer as a bargaining tool in return for something.

I would witness a state of worry even after prayer. How could this be? How could there be worry where there was faith? Was prayer performed to please others?

Was it a tick box exercise? Was this appointment with the Creator squeezed in but not prioritised. I found this odd, almost insulting and although I had no right to judge, I couldn’t allow myself to fall in to any of those categories.

As my meditation practice became more established, something within me began to change.

There was more of an inner urge to connect with my Lord.

Like a magnet, I felt pulled to prayer and so a more regular routine for prayer started to develop. I aim to ‘connect’ everyday, at least a few times – not because I have to but because I now have the desire to, because I want to feel closer to Him - like a mere drop wanting to be part of the Mighty Ocean.

I consider prayer to be my personal appointment with my Creator.

This is my time to connect and feel at one, feel at peace with the Deity who provides me with all I need and so much more.

To feel like I am surrounded with His love in His divine presence. A time, when I am able to shut out the world and focus on the love I feel in my heart – expressed through my words, my gratitude and my connection with Him.

Prayer has helped me not only in my darkest hour to feel the strength I need to carry on, but also in my brightest hour to show gratitude and appreciation for all I have.

The strength of prayer has created within me a healing light that brings inner peace to my thoughts, and an energy of love that heals and radiates through my body. It is the magnificence of prayer through which I sometimes feel fully immersed in the presence of my Creator. I feel this time cannot be spent whining like a child who always wants, but just stilling myself in His presence as I know he knows my needs better than me.

My faith in my Lord beckons me to absorb the magnificence of prayer.

Pray…from with heart….Pray to connect.