There was a time when prayer felt awkward for me.
Really….Awkward… You know…like when you’re talking and talking to someone…and then realize they were on Bluetooth the whole time and didn’t hear a word you were saying.
I loved God deeply, but when I sat down to pray, the words just wouldn’t come out right. I wasn't raised in church...I didn't know how I was supposed to pray. I'd be so busy stumbling and overthinking how was I even supposed to start my prayer that I’d stumble through a few sentences, second-guess what I was saying, and then end with a quick “Amen,” unsure if I had really prayed at all.
I knew prayer was supposed to be powerful — that it was meant to draw me closer to God — but honestly, it felt more like a chess game than a conversation…and I don’t know how to play chess. I wanted to connect, to feel His presence, but I didn’t know how to bridge the gap between my heart and His.
Maybe you’ve felt that way too — like you’re talking at God instead of with Him.
I used to imagine God sitting on His throne, mighty and holy, surrounded by angels and light. And while that’s absolutely true of His glory, it also made Him feel… distant. I was in awe of His power, but I didn’t know how to relate to Him personally.
I believed He loved me, but I struggled to talk to Him as someone who knew me.
Then everything changed — with one simple, beautiful word.
Father
I was reading through Matthew and came across this beloved verse…
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
I knew when Jesus prayed He would call on God the Father…But this time it wasn’t the “Our Father” that first jumped out at me… it was just before that, when Jesus says “for your Father…”
Jesus was telling me how to relate to God! And He was telling me how to relate to Him when it comes to prayer specifically!
I felt like I had just found the key to the whole puzzle of prayer!
That word, Father, captured something I had been missing — a relationship, not a ritual.
So, the next time I prayed, I began with that simple word.
“Father…”
And immediately, something in my heart shifted.
It wasn’t just a change in vocabulary — it was a change in posture.
I wasn’t talking to a distant ruler anymore. I was talking to my Father. My loving, patient, understanding Father who knew my thoughts before I even spoke them. The One who wanted to hear about my worries and my dreams.
My Father… who wasn’t grading my prayers for eloquence, but listening with tenderness.
From Formalcy to Intimacy
When I started praying to my Father, everything became more personal.
I stopped trying to “pray the right way.” I didn’t feel like I had to use the perfect words or sound spiritual. Instead, I started talking the way I would talk to someone I loved — someone who loved me back.
It changed the way I approached prayer completely.
I stopped overthinking and started being honest.
I stopped worrying about time and started lingering in His presence.
I stopped asking for things and started resting in gratitude.
Prayer became a relationship, not a routine.
I began to realize that God didn’t just want my requests — He wanted me. My heart. My honesty. My presence.
And the more I called Him “Father,” the more I started to see myself as His daughter — deeply loved, fully known, and safe in His care.
A Relationship of Trust
Calling God “Father” reminded me of who I was talking to.
I wasn’t coming to a judge waiting to see if I’d done enough to earn favor. I was coming to the One who had already adopted me into His family through Jesus Christ.
You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!
The Practice That Anchored It: Prayer Journaling
As my relationship with God deepened, it was natural to slow down and listen, to reflect, and really be still.
I began journaling my prayers. Journaling was something I had done for years as a way to process and keep a record of life.
I would open my notebook each morning and start every entry with the same few words:
“Thank You, Father for another day.”
That small phrase became my daily doorway into His presence.
It reminded me that before I ask, I have a million reasons to give thanks. Before I seek answers, I can rest in who He is.
Gratitude softened my heart and opened my eyes to even more of His goodness — even on hard days. Some mornings, I would write pages of thanksgiving. Other days, I could barely manage a few lines. But each time, starting with “Thank You Father, for another day” anchored me in relationship, not routine.
Over time, my journals have become sacred records of my walk with Him — pages filled with tears, praises, and quiet moments of surrender.
I look back and literally see His faithfulness written in ink.
It wasn’t just that I prayed more often — I prayed differently.
I began to notice:
More peace — because I wasn’t trying to impress God, I was resting in Him.
More honesty — because I trusted Him with the raw, unpolished parts of my heart.
More gratitude — because starting with “Thank You” shifted my focus from what I lacked to Who I had.
More intimacy — because I began to sense His presence in the everyday moments, not just in the quiet ones.
Abba is the Aramaic word for “Daddy” — it’s tender, intimate, and relational.
When I began to pray this way, I realized I didn’t need to “earn” His attention or affection. I already had it.
There’s a peace that comes when you truly believe that your Father loves to hear from you — not because you have the right words, but because you are His child.
That truth reshaped everything for me.
I used to think prayer was about finding the right formula — the right time, the right setting, the right words. Now I know it’s about finding the right heart posture.
And for me, that begins with one word: Father.
If You’re Struggling to Pray
Maybe you’ve been there — sitting in silence, not knowing how to start. Maybe prayer feels intimidating or distant, or maybe you’ve gone through a season when God feels quiet.
Can I gently encourage you?
Start simple.
You don’t have to pray perfectly. You don’t have to know all the right words. You just have to start — and start with Father.
Let that word remind you who you’re talking to: the One who loves you beyond measure, who listens even to your sighs, who delights in spending time with you.
Begin your next prayer with gratitude. Whisper, “Thank You, Father…” and let the rest flow from your heart.
If you’re not sure what to say, write it down. Don’t overthink it. Just pour out your heart — even if it’s messy or unfinished.
Because your Father isn’t looking for polished words; He’s looking for your presence.
A Space for Stillness: The Abba Father Journals
This heart-shift — from formality to intimacy — is what inspired me to create my Abba Father Journals.
I wanted a space to go deeper with more personal prayer — a space where I could come as I am and talk to my Father freely. And I wanted a legacy that I could leave for my children….a place where they could go and see the faithfulness of their Father in our lives.
Each Abba Father Journal is designed to help you slow down, breathe, and meet with God in gratitude. Every page is topped with a simple prompt — “Thank You, Father…” — so that you can center your thoughts and write from a place of worship and trust.
Whether you’re new to prayer journaling or have been doing it for years, this journal gives you a way to trace His fingerprints through your days.
It’s not just a notebook — it’s a keepsake of your conversations with your Father.
A record of prayers whispered in faith.
A testimony of gratitude in the waiting.
A reflection of intimacy with the One who loves you most.
If your heart is longing for deeper connection in your prayer life, I’d love to invite you to start here.
You can explore the Abba Father Journals — beautifully crafted spaces for gratitude, prayer, and renewal.
Final Encouragement
If prayer has ever felt awkward, distant, or uncertain, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. But sweet Sister— don’t let the awkwardness keep you from talking to your Father.
Prayer isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
And when you start with Father, everything changes.
It’s in that word that walls come down, hearts open, and love flows freely. It’s where you stop performing and start belonging.
So the next time you sit down to pray — or even when you’re just whispering a quick thought in the middle of your day — begin with Father.
Let your prayer be a conversation, not a checklist. Let your heart rest in the truth that you are His beloved daughter.
And if you need a gentle place to start — a quiet corner where gratitude meets grace — pick up your pen, open your journal, and write those three words:
Thank You, Father.
Everything else will follow.
