What is prayer, really? Is it complicated? Is it supposed to be eloquent? Do you need the right words?

Hey, Christ Church! I'm Dustin Hacker, the Associate Campus Pastor at our Lake Forest campus, and I'm kicking off this week's "Holy Habits" devotionals on two essential practices: Prayer and Confession.

In this first video, we're going back to the basics. And to help us, I asked my six-year-old daughter for her definition of prayer. Her answer was simple, profound, and exactly what we need to hear.

In this devotion, we explore:

A child's definition: "Prayer is talking to God." That's it. Simple, sincere, regular conversation with your Heavenly Father.
How Jesus modeled a life of prayer—constantly withdrawing to quiet places to be alone with God.
The Lord's Prayer as a model, not just a recitation. Jesus gave it to oppose two wrong ways of praying: praying to be seen by others, and praying with endless words to try to convince God to act.
The real purpose of prayer: It's not about getting God to do things for you like a divine personal assistant. It's about communion—raising your mind and heart to God.
A beautiful definition from John of Damascus: "The goal of prayer is to raise the mind and the heart to God."

Prayer is the foundation of every other spiritual practice. It's how we draw near to God—and when we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.

Whether you're starting a prayer practice for the first time or restarting one that's been neglected, this Lenten season is your invitation to simply raise your heart and mind to God.

Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss the rest of this week's devotionals on Prayer and Confession!