The more we thank God, the less we ask of him.

And I understood that I ought not ask for a prayer language until I could ask without making it the test of my entire faith.

Prayer is not only for answers but a spiritual act.

You don’t go on bended-knee to petition the official culture for your rights. You have to take them.

Be an embodiment of the petition, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Thank you Heavenly Father. You heard my petition. You have answered my plea.May your name be glorified and be praised.

To pray is to make petition.

The truth is, one who seeks to achieve freedom by petitioning those in power to give it to him has already failed, regardless of the response. To beg for the blessing of “authority” is to accept that the choice is the master’s alone to make, which means that the person is already, by definition, a slave.

Prayer in the sense of petition, asking for things, is a small part of it; confession and penitence are its threshold, adoration its sanctuary, the presence and vision and enjoyment of God its bread and wine.

Mom hadn't met Ramon; her advocacy was more arm's length - petitions, the website, letter writing, meetings with politicians. Her friend Hanna had formed a close friendship with Ramon though, visiting him as often as she could. Hanna told me that Ramon's greatest regret was that he wouldn't get to see his daughter grow up.And Jeremy's dad, who had that opportunity, was just throwing it away.It made me furious, and I couldn't let it go.