May 1st is the National Day of Prayer. This year's theme from the White House is "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield."  This theme is taken from Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my hearts trusts in him, and I am helped." God has created us so that we naturally hunger and long for a relationship with Him. Prayer is the bridge between Heaven and Earth. It is the connection through which the spiritual realm is brought into our everyday lives. Prayer is the way our spirits breathe. Just as our lungs seek out oxygen, our spirits require the presence of God and are designed to seek Him out. Prayer is fully developed through a close relationship with God. Just as we talk to our friends and family about our problems, prayer is talking to God and getting answers that our friends and family perhaps can not answer. Why should we pray? Does prayer really work? Why isn't God answering my prayer? Ephesians 6:18 says; "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." And Romans 12:12 says; "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Jesus also teaches us in Luke 18 "to always pray and not give up." Prayer is the method God uses to provide not only our daily needs from food to shelter but also comfort, strength and guidance. We should pray without ceasing, which is to continually talk with God throughout our daily lives, good or bad. He wants us to include Him in everything we do. Some of us may feel odd or strange talking to God at all times, but I guarantee that the more you include God the more your prayers will be answered. We also need to forgive each other, before God can answer our prayers. If our hearts are closed and unforgiving and we pray to be blessed, God will not hear us until our hearts have been cleansed. Some of us may need to pray to God in our "prayer closets". This is a special place and time that we should have on a daily basis designated just for God. Prayer starts with the relationship. And God is seeking a personal relationship with all of us who seek Him. If you find that prayer does not work for you, then maybe you need to start with the relationship first.