When will I pray? First thing in the morning? After my workout? At night? On my lunch break? When the kids are napping? Many people find first thing in the morning to be best, but not always. As a general rule, give God your best time of day, when you are most awake and aware.

Where will I pray? Most of us find it incredibly helpful to choose a dedicated space for prayer — a room in our home, a corner in our bedroom, a park bench near our house, or a literal prayer closet. This place can become a kind of modern-day altar, where you go to open to God. Not because God hears us better at an altar, but because we hear God better!

How should I pray? What posture is best for me? Sitting on a chair, a couch, or the floor? Kneeling? Standing? Walking? Lying down? Out loud or quiet? Does it help to begin with deep breathing first? How do I get my body to work with my heart’s desire for God, not against it?

How long should I pray? There’s no “right” answer (to this or any of the other questions), but as a general rule: long enough to become present to God. And that may take a bit longer than you expect. If you have a newborn child or some other extenuating circumstances that make 30 minutes too hard, that’s fine. Start where you are and take the next step forward in your journey.

In general, if we can’t pray for 30 minutes a day, we’re simply too busy. And we need to take a serious life audit of what we believe is most important to us. After all, we’re not trying to layer on more Christian busyness to our already over-maxed lives; we’re trying to slow down and simplify our lives around what we most deeply desire — God.