We asked Kara to share a little bit about her prayer life with us:

“I’m a doer. I’m a fixer. But there have been a lot of situations in my life where I haven’t had the control I would like. The Lord has led me to James 5:16, which says, ‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.’ I've learned I can go to Him first and that’s the most effective action I can take. I’m able to do something that aids my circumstances when I can’t physically can’t do anything to change them.

Over the years, prayer has led me more quickly to surrender. We face a lot of breaking points in life, and God has taught me to use prayer as a first resort and not a last resort. I’ve learned from the fruit of prayers that prayer is a catalyst for breakthrough. And this has given me expanded endurance, capacity, and character."

How do you pray?

"My prayer is very conversational. I begin and end with gratitude. I think it's important to thank God first and praise Him. This aligns my spirit with hope. This way, my struggles are bookended by hope - things I’ve seen God do and things He will do."

What would you say to someone new to prayer?

"Don’t be afraid to pray prayers that are already written like the Psalms. If you need a place to go and get structure, the Psalms provide comfort, guidance and hope. They were written by people who have already experienced the things you are going through.

Praying without ceasing is new in the past two years to me, but something I would recommend. Worship him in every breath and everything you do. I'll pray walking into a new space, while folding laundry, etc. It could be as simple as, “Okay, God, show me what you want me to know here,” or after an event or interaction, “Thank you, Lord for allowing me to have insight into your wisdom and will.”