Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home

1.Foster describes 'Simple Prayer' as prayer in which we come to God just as we are — with our self-centered wishes, mixed motives, and cluttered hearts — rather than waiting until we feel spiritually ready. Does this give you permission or make you uncomfortable? Why?

1.Foster describes the Prayer of Examen as a daily practice of reviewing the day with God — noticing moments of consolation (when we felt drawn toward God) and desolation (when we felt pulled away). Have you ever tried anything like this? What happened?

1.Foster describes 'Formation Prayer' as prayer that is specifically oriented toward character transformation — praying not just about our circumstances but for the renovation of our inner life. How does this differ from how you most commonly pray?

1.Foster describes adoration as the 'noblest activity' a human being can engage in — pure, undiluted praise that seeks nothing from God but God himself. Is this kind of prayer natural to you, or does it feel forced? What makes pure adoration difficult?

1.Foster describes Contemplative Prayer as a form of resting in God — moving beyond words, thoughts, and even images into a loving, attentive silence. How does this form of prayer strike you? Does it feel accessible, suspicious, or simply foreign?

1.Foster describes Sacramental Prayer as prayer that is anchored in and flows from the physical sacraments of the church — baptism and communion in particular. How does your church background shape your understanding of the sacraments? Do you experience them as encounters with God, or more as symbolic ordinances?

1.Foster describes intercessory prayer as 'the most altruistic activity' we can engage in — a form of love that is both deeply personal and profoundly costly. Does intercession feel like love to you, or more like an obligation? What has shaped your answer?

1.Foster affirms that praying for physical healing is a normal, expected part of Christian community — not a special gift for a few, but a practice for all who follow Jesus. How does your church background shape your comfort (or discomfort) with this claim?

1.Foster describes 'Authoritative Prayer' as prayer that speaks directly to situations, circumstances, and spiritual forces — not just asking God to act, but praying as one who has been given authority to act in Jesus's name. How does this feel different from typical petition? Does it feel presumptuous or faithful?

1.Foster describes confessional prayer as one of the most liberating and healing forms of prayer. He draws on Psalm 32 — David's experience of concealing sin and the physical toll it took — as a picture of what unconfessed sin does to us. Does that resonate with your experience? What has it felt like to carry unconfessed sin?

1.Foster returns to meditative prayer in a deeper form in these later chapters — prayer that involves imaginative engagement with Scripture, especially the Gospel narratives. He draws on Ignatius's practice of placing oneself within a Gospel scene. Have you ever tried this? What happened?

1.Foster closes by returning to his opening theme: prayer as the heart's true home. Having journeyed through twenty-one forms of prayer, does that image feel more real to you now than when you began? In what ways?

1.Foster organized the book around three movements: Moving Inward, Moving Upward, and Moving Outward. Looking back, which movement received the most attention in your prayer life before this study? Which received the least? Has that begun to change?