Dr Kelly Fleming

As an Orthodox Christian, our lives include a Rule of Prayer. Each person’s varies according to time, lifestyle, etc.

In the Orthodox world, almost anyone you ask – “what is the hardest thing in your life?” – will say the same thing – how to follow my Rule of Prayer.

The things of the outside world can attract our attention so much that we “forget” or rather “forgo” our Rule of Prayer.

I know sometimes I become involved in a movie or YouTube or playing a video game or my French studies and rather than put things down and go to me Prayer Corner, I continue to do whatever holds my attention at that time.

Then there’s the guilty feeling of “why didn’t I”? But what is stopping me when I think that, I should go to my Prayer Corner and PRAY!

I have a book that I’ve started reading – A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: the Orthodox Way to Draw Close to God. Although it says for a Beginner, such as a convert to Orthodoxy, it is also written for people have been Orthodox their entire life.

This book is very encouraging and points out difficulties that every Orthodox person experiences in their prayer life.

It has gotten me back to my Prayer Corner, bit by bit and has helped me get “back on track”.

Orthodox life is not just going to Church, although that’s very important. It is a lifestyle that must be lived.

So the skill I want to learn is really how to fully live the Orthodox life.