I have a confession to make.

I am not very religious.

I do believe in a higher power but I don’t pray very often.

So, you should be as surprised as I am that I am writing about prayer today.

You see, I pray for beloved friends when they are going through a difficult time.

I prayed daily for my husband the years before his passing.

I pray for someone when they need prayers.

But I don’t pray every day.

And I don’t pray for myself.

I want to pray more in 2016.

When I do pray it feels like a divine experience.

Almost like a big ladder is constructed right before my eyes and it connects me to a greater force.

No, this is not a religious post.

It is about our ability to connect to an invisible power that belongs to us all.

Our brain changes for the better when we pray. (Click to Tweet!)

I know this is not the reason why many people pray but it does have a tremendous impact on our brain.

Scientists have found that the brains of people who spend many hours in prayer and meditation are different.

These mystical feelings, the moments when we are able to move beyond our own reality, that is when the physiology of the brain changes.

It changes for the better.

It creates a oneness with the universe, God, a collective force.

During those peak moments when we spend time praying we experience something beyond our life here.

Beyond our loss.

Beyond our problems and routines.

We lose our sense of self.

And we gain the universe.

I trust that every week the Message I write to you is connected with something that is happening in your life.

It is the message you need to read.

So your message for this week is prayer.

Your homework is to pray tonight and see how it feels to have that connection with a higher power. And if you already pray….how has prayer helped you?

With love,

Christina

Share this post
Christina

Christina

Christina Rasmussen is an author, speaker and social entrepreneur who believes that grief is an evolutionary experience required for launching a life of adventure and creative accomplishment.

Inspiration to your inbox every Friday

Subscribe to the Life Changing Second Firsts Letters

23 Comments

  • Pipe says:

    This message in the bottle could not have hit more perfectly I also I’m not a very religious person I would say more spiritual, I will pray more and 2016 I will get my voice up for all of those in need, suffering, struggling, or just plain rejoicing. I will try and give a smile to to every person I come across and hope that positive energy spreads through the universe

  • Jewell Coleman says:

    I pray everyday. It helps we to face whatever I may be facing each day and it calms me down if I am upset. Prayer means everything to me. My day starts with prayer and ends with prayer. Praying keeps me from stressing over things I have no control over. Praying for my children, husband and grandchildren keeps me from concerned about them being safe.

  • Nancy says:

    Hello Cristina, I strongly believe in prayer.. I’ve seen God answers prayers… I’ve felt a powerful peace come over me during prayer… I don’t consider myself a religious person, but I have a very deep relationship with God.

  • Linda Mann says:

    I pray. Every day. There’s no way I could have survived losing Bill 2 yrs ago the 27th of this month. Please pray for me that day!! I love your blog!!!!

    • Sharon says:

      Hi Linda, I also believe strongly in prayer. It helped me to stay sane after my loss in 2008. The date of death of my husband is the 25th. I will pray for you on the 27th. God Bless you!

  • Carmen says:

    If you pray, you may be opening yourself up to some unknown benefits. But there’s more than just answers that come out of prayer. There are physical, mental and social benefits that arise upon uttering words to God.Praying can grow your spirit and relationship with God.
    You will be made stronger in spirit. “Time spent in quiet reflection and listening builds inner strength that will get you through life’s toughest times.”
    prayer can calm your mood and put you “in a state of peace”.People have better emotions and moods because of prayer. It impacts self-control and ultimately will hold people back from doing things they wouldn’t normally do.
    Prayer can help you understand how you feel about God and your faith. Depending on your relationship with God and how you pray to him, you may get a response back in some shape or form. Having a secure relationship with God leads you to see more of God’s messages in everyday life.
    Praying for close friends, or even loved ones, in a positive manner can actually improve the relationships you have with those people.
    Prayer has a lot of positive mental benefits, one of which is increased creativity. Prayer will help you build relationships with your family, friends and local church community

  • Joy says:

    All of what this blessed message says is true! Upon the death of my son, I was gifted with a grace beyond all understanding…the light, the warmth, the wind, enveloped me with the brightness of fierce white fire as my grief surrendered my soul and my son surrendered to heaven. Do not cry for our loved ones now freed from this earthly bondage because they are dissolved in the loving arms of Grace. And when we pray, we too are dissolved.

  • Sharon says:

    Dear Christina, Prayer and the connection with my great God has sustained me through out the sorrow and joys of my life. I feel peaceful and supported by the divine when I pray. I pray as though I were talking to a friend, because there is not greater friend than my God. After my husbands death, prayer many times a day kept me sane, I believe that, the sorrow was so consuming. I had incredible visions at that time of the divine and angels surrounding me. It was an experience I will never forget! Prayer will allows be a part of my life as I have lived the benefits of this practice.

  • Robin says:

    Thank you for sharing on this topic.

    I pray every morning. on the days I don’t pray I feel different I feel lacking or like I have less gas in my tank.

    For me, when I pray about a situation or circumstance and the situation or circumstance improves, then I feel loved because I feel taken care of. And sometimes when I pray I go to the place of pain in my heart and I invite God into that. I feel comforted I feel a presence I feel not alone and that feels very very good. Also sometimes when I pray, I receive a gut feeling an intuition an answering thought in my mind something where I feel prompted to clean up my side of the street or shift my attitude or make amends to someone whatever I feel led to do always makes me feel better if I follow up and do it. I love that prayer feels like a two way conversation because that makes me feel intimate and connected with God.

    the other thing perhaps the best thing for me is that when I find myself in a circumstance or situation where I feel frustrated and overwhelmed and think well dang there’s nothing I can do about it then I realize yes there is something I can do about it I can pray and I really put my heart into it my energy into it and it makes me feel better it takes away that feeling of powerlessness and gives me an outlet. Prayer for me is like a Swiss army knife-whatever may happen, I know have a tool. 🙂

  • Pamela says:

    I’m not ultra religious. Like you I pray for others; especially when it is requested. I don’t pray for myself much. I had an experience recently where I felt like I hit the absolute bottom again. I fell to my knees, let the tears stream, put my face in my hands and prayed. Really prayed. Totally surrendered and asked to be shown what I am to do. I was still sad the next morning, calm, but I felt a shift. Somehow I knew something had changed. I had some amazing things happened ….people texted, contacted me, people and things showed up that I needed. Other synchronicities happened. I unmistakably smelled roses while driving down the toll road in my car. A message my prayers had been heard.

  • Julia says:

    Happy New 2016 Christina

    I was born and raised Catholic. Studied in Catholic schools from nursery
    until l got my double degree in college. I raised my kids the way my parents
    raised all their nine kids. I prayed a lot before my husband suddenly passed
    away. Masses several times a week, recited all the mysteries of the rosary
    every day. You get the picture.

    But all of that changed when l lost my husband. I did not blame God. Just
    questioned his timing coz l knew from the start he would outlive me. He
    had a congenital disease.

    Now l am having a hard time getting back to my praying habits. But l am
    really trying. My kids took after me. They too became less prayerful. I
    blame myself for this too. My husband was the driving force in our family
    more than l was.

    I hope to regain that habit l lost. I’d like to clarify though that my faith has
    not lessened. Only that my prayer time has diminished by leaps and
    bounds. And that saddens me.

    I am glad though that l am not alone in wanting to pray more in 2016.

    J

    Share or find out more:
    FacebookTwitterSecond Firsts, the Book
    Christina Rasmussen
    Founder
    Second Firsts, Inc.
    Copyright © 2015 Second Firsts, Inc. All Rights reserved. Contact Us Unsubscribe
    Second Firsts, 27 Fairlawn Lane, Lexington, MA 02420, USA

    Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options

  • Debbie says:

    Beautiful!!! I used to be religious. Since the passing of my daughter I am spiritual, not religious. I pray alot. I do feel the connection and see results in things around me and myself. I am able to let go of things I cannot control, which brings me a sense of peace.

  • Kathy says:

    Thank you, prayer for me is plugging into “the source ” to be recharged. A divine recharge not my ego’s recharge. Similar to an electric car, very quiet still time but absolutely necessary.My source is Christ. I love that our frontal lobes receive that recharging as a benefit of prayer. Blessings & we appreciate your “ministry” to us

  • Karen says:

    Thanks you Christine for your wonderful reminder. I just know when I start my day with prayer and meditation, the rest of my day just goes better. Life seems to flow over and around me and I don’t let the small stuff irritate or upset me. I just need to remind myself to pray at the end of the day too.

  • Sandy Coffman says:

    I am a Christian believer in Jesus Christ, and in God’s listening and answering our prayers. I agree that when we humble ourselves, pray for others, get outside of our selfish human self, and look humbly to God to answer our prayers, He does.

  • Linda Belthius says:

    I have prayer since a wee child…Am I the best Jesus follower..no way but I know that God and His Son are there for me.My Faith and Family have brought me through grief these last 5 years..God isn’t finished with me yet!

  • Tara says:

    I could not imagine not praying. God gave us life, our family, our health, our job, our home. Everything beautiful in this world that He created for us to enjoy. Don’t just pray when you need something. Pray giving Thanks with a heart of gratitude for all the blessings the Lord has given to you. He Loves and takes care of all of our needs. He Loves for His children to talk and walk with Him. Being alone in prayer with my Heavenly Father gives me great Peace, Comfort, Strength and Hope. He gives us the grace to face each new day. Especially after Loss. Hugs and Love to you all.

  • Teresa says:

    This message hits home for me today. I, like you, am not religious, but would also describe myself as spiritual. However, when my husband was sick I prayed. At first to heal him, and then later to let him rest. After he passed I had a hard time with religion, I must say again here because I’ve always struggled with it. So I don’t pray. But what I do is yoga, and every practice I teach we set both an intention and a dedication to the practice for that hour. Throughout the class I feel everyone’s spirits, love for themselves, and for their dedications.

    I have been a yogi for 15 years, but after my husband died I decided to become a yoga teacher. Your words really hit me:

    “Scientists have found that the brains of people who spend many hours in prayer and meditation are different.

    These mystical feelings, the moments when we are able to move beyond our own reality, that is when the physiology of the brain changes.

    It changes for the better.”

    While I’m not religious, I believe that through yoga teacher training I became a better me, a more solid and content version of myself. I will never go back to who I was with my husband, but I’ve chosen to live and embrace the days vs. living in grief. I truly believe in my soul that I couldn’t have done this without yoga and meditation.

    Thank you for your message!!!

  • Debbie says:

    Prayer…that is ALL that has gotten me through this last 3 years, or should I say coming on 3 years this Saturday. 3 years since my husband died suddenly of a massive heart attach, when I found him in the bathroom & he never came back to us. 3 years of learning to live again, what a single life is about & what a different life I have now. But Prayer, that is what has sustained me.
    I was raised a Christian, attended Church, raised our son a Christian, & have prayed in the past for guidance & healing. But never have I felt the power of the pray of others I have over this 3 year time frame. I KNOW that the only thing keeping me going some days is the prayers of others. Now I pray regularly, I Thank God for the guidance He does give me & allows me to keep breathing, one step at a time. At at times, I may not pray, but I stop, think, believe, find hope to go on & Hear from my husband “You’re OK, I’m still here for you.” Pray, love & love.

  • Suzanne W. Vignaud says:

    I think my prayers were answered when my husband, Robert and I found each other. I had been formerly battered and emotionally abused but when I found Robert I found a man that absolutely loved me and appreciated me. He was very sick for 14 years of our almost 27 years together but he tried his best to get better. He died 3 and a half years ago. The last words he said to me were, “I can’t thank you enough, I just love you so much…You want to be happy and I want you to be happy.” I try. I have a whole lot of love in my heart and I am a giver. Each day I pray for more time to get it together better for my kids, to finish tidying up more legal tasks, to find myself somehow “whole” again. Each day I pray for more understanding, forgiveness, tolerance and love. Each day my prayers are answered by the Universe and I find some part of each day to be grateful for. Each day I pray that somehow I will be reunited with all my loved ones that have passed but if that does not happen because God only knows I am so grateful for the love I have known and celebrate the many gifts I’ve received from praying and loving and opening my heart to endless possibilities. Put prayer into action and embrace life with renewed interests and have faith that time will heal and there is a reason to live each day with love. Most of our loved ones who have departed would want us to be happy. Each and every day is a prayer answered.

  • christina says:

    thank you for all that you do. part of my lifestyle after the loss of my beloved husband is working the 12 steps through the Al-Anon friends and family program. it has taught me to pray all day, every day. it has taught me that my personal relationship to my own higher power is the most important relationship i will ever have (along with my relationship to myself.) my higher power can help me at the level of a parent, best friend, lover and teacher and is not limited in making magick in my life by my lack of imagination. willingness and faith are what i need to cultivate and bring to the relationship. and just as “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” i have seen that asking for grace and offering our lives and our selves to a higher power, is often what makes miracles possible.

  • Bob says:

    Prayer can also be one of “thanks” and “gratitude. I thank God for the years that I had with my wife. I will never understand why she was taken from this life, but I guess I’ll learn the answer when I pass on.

  • Barb says:

    I have not been on speaking terms with God over this last year. Prior to my husbands accident I did practice prayer. Noe I find myself creating or attempting to create this again. Joining my spiritual beliefs with my Christian beliefs. This will be good for me. It’s time. I can feel it.

Leave a Reply