Need help communicating with God?
Maybe you hunger to know God better. Maybe you love color. Maybe you are a visual or kinesthetic learner, a distractable or impatient soul, or a word-weary pray-er. Perhaps you struggle with a short attention span, a restless body, or a tendency to live in your head.
This new prayer form can take as little or as much time as you have or want to commit, from 15 minutes to a weekend retreat."A new prayer form gives God an invitation and a new door to penetrate the locked cells of our hearts and minds," explains Sybil MacBeth. "For many of us, using only words to pray reduces God by the limits of our finite words."
Use Praying in Color to help with:
•lectio divina -- reading the bible for spiritual growth
•memorizing Scripture
•prayers for discernment
•creating a personal Advent or Lenten calendar
•praying for enemies
Praying in Color is ideal for:
•Intergenerational Education Classes
•Women's Meetings
•Praying Workshops
•Vacation Bible School and Summer Camp
•Staff Retreats on Prayer
•Summer Sunday School Classes
•Wednesday Night Church-wide Programs
•Senior Citizens Activity
•Youth Confirmation Retreats
•Men's Prayer Groups
•Prayer Therapy During Convalescence
•Kindergarten and Children's Prayer Training
•Homeschooling, grades K-12
•Prison Ministry
•Ministry to the hearing impaired
•Ministry to the disabled
What others have said about Praying in Color:
"I tried praying in color on my own. And here's what I discovered: Normally I hate drawing. I got self-conscious about my lack of talent somewhere in fourth grade and just shut down. Even my doodles are limited to letters and circles and lines. But even I was able to pray in color because I didn't think of it as drawing . . . just as letting my heart move across the page in a squiggly way. My heart kept beating and my hand kept moving and I felt confirmed and released. I found praying in color to be child-like, not childish, and it felt good. I got over myself and for the first time was able even to feel negative emotions in prayer . . . like anger . . . another aspect of self I started repressing in about fourth grade."
-Ellen Klyce
"I am a botanical artist and Jewish, so I am coming from another point of view. Being Jewish, I found praying in color an insightful process. It kept me focused and connected, both to my thoughts and my intentions."
-Sally Markell
"I introduced the practice to dear friends whose long awaited baby ended up critically ill for months in intensive care. They were staying with us because we lived closer to the hospital and of course, needless to say, were beside themselves with worry and fear. The mother said she just couldn't pray because her mind was racing all the time and she was sick with fear. I packed up my pens, pad, and pencils and told her how this method might helpful and comforting during those long hours of waiting. She later brought me a page of her prayers of assurances of what God could do to heal her son and to give strength and courage to her family. I was so glad I knew about this type of prayer and could pass it on. It was a perfect way to prayer for them."
-Lisa DiScenza
"Sybil presented this praying technique in a workshop at our church and again to a women's study/prayer group. I have difficulty staying focused as I practice meditative prayer and praying in color was very appealing. A short time after following Sybil's presentations, I decided to use the technique at a half-day silent retreat for Christian women. We were in a lovely wooded spot, away from usual distractions. I was amazed how quickly time passed as I used my colored pencils and a special notebook just for praying. I truly felt I was connecting with God in silence and in my color graphics. While I don't pray in color on a regular basis, when I do, I am amazed how relaxing, cleansing and refreshing to my body, mind and spirit the practice is."
-Linda Nelson
"This would be a terrific book to use during retreats, youth group meetings, prayer groups, and for personal devotion and meditation times. Writes MacBeth, "A new prayer form gives God an invitation and a new door to penetrate the locked cells of our hearts and minds." A beautiful image, and one I'm planning to draw - the next time I go to God in prayer. Thanks Sybil!"
-Cindy Crosby
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