Prayer is essential to me. I love, love, love talking to God. However, lately, God has been talking to me, convicting me of my prayer life. This morning as I was praying, this question was nagging at me, haunting me as though God were asking, “Are you guilty of praying “safe” prayers?” I pray “God, bless my children… but I don’t pray that God would keep them from evil. I pray for God to increase my faith… but I don’t want him to take my job. I pray for God to show me ways to witness… but I don’t want him to ask me to do something awkward. I ask for healing… but rarely consider that the illness might be making me more like him. Yes, I realize I often want safe answers to prayers. I want sunshine and rose gardens and warm fuzzies. But I also recognize that, as Christians, what we need to grow is not the safe prayers but the risky ones. The ones that may involve loss and suffering, standing alone. Lord, you are Go