Are you finding it difficult to focus on prayer? Are you easily distracted? Fr. Mike Schmitz has some solutions for you! This Ultimate Guide will improve your prayer life and help you rediscover your relationship with God.
The Power of Prayer
Do we need to pray? What exactly does prayer do? Fr. Mike lays down the reasons we should pray and offers a few spot-on examples of how real life reflects the nature of prayer. Learn more about the power of prayer by watching this 6-minute video.
Why Is Prayer So Hard?
Have you wondered how the saints could pray for hours? In this video, Fr. Mike explains why praying is challenging yet important. Find out what he means when he says, “Prayer always presupposes effort.”
Fr. Mike’s Prayer for Beginners
Are you new to the whole “prayer” thing? Fr. Mike has an easy acronym for you: T-A-R. You need TAR to help pave your path to the Lord! Learn what it means and how to use it during prayer time with this easy tutorial for beginners.
Tips for Praying
In this video, Fr. Mike explains the when, where, what, and why of prayer. In just 6 minutes, he can transform your prayer life and offer practical tips on how you can make prayer a necessity, not an option.
Pray as You Can, Not as You Can’t
Are you honest with yourself in prayer? Do you truly desire the things you’re asking for in prayer? St. Ignatius of Loyola has some advice. Listen as Fr. Mike explains what it means to pray honestly and what it means to pray as you can, not as you can’t.
How to Pray a Novena (the Right Way)
In the previous video, Fr. Mike explained why you should dedicate a “season” to a specific type of prayer. Here’s an example of a novena as a season. Can you pray a novena the wrong way? In this 7-minute video, Fr. Mike tells us what to do if you miss a day.
When You Pray: A Clear Path to a Deeper Relationship with God will help you begin your journey of prayer, rejuvenate your prayer life, and strengthen your relationship with God so that you can give God your entire heart.
Does God Need Me to Pray for What I Need?
Do you pray for things you need or trust that God will provide? Is one version better than the other? If God knows everything, shouldn’t he know best? In this 7-minute video, Fr. Mike explains why both are correct. Find out how to “double trust” in God’s plan.
Battling Dryness in Prayer
Don’t panic! When dryness or distraction in prayer occurs, don’t overcompensate. Fr. Mike describes what you should do when battling dryness in prayer, how you should react, and what adjustments you can make when experiencing this. Learn how to bring prayer’s fruitfulness back into your life!
Praying in a State of Mortal Sin
Contrite prayer can be an act of courage because the Lord knows there’s no more challenging time to pray than right after we realize we’ve sinned. Fr. Mike outlines 3 basic steps for you to follow when praying in a state of mortal sin.
Is it Possible to Pray Too Much?
Are you praying too much? Can you spend too much time with God? Our relationship with God is the most important relationship we will ever have. But what about when our devotions clash with our responsibilities to our loved ones? Watch Fr. Mike’s video on how much time is too much time in prayer.
3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to “pray constantly,” but how do we do that? Is it possible to pray unceasingly? According to St. Francis de Sales, yes! Fr. Mike outlines 3 steps to put God at the center of everything you do. Watch this 5-minute video to close this Ultimate Guide to Prayer!
Were these videos helpful? For more help growing in your prayer life, Dr. Sri’s new study, When You Pray: A Clear Path to a Deeper Relationship with God, is perfect! Sign up for a free preview now!
Meet Fr. Mike Schmitz
Fr. Mike Schmitz serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and as chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
He is a presenter in Ascension’s Chosen, Altaration, and The 99 programs, and has a channel on Ascension Presents. He is also the host of the Ascension podcasts The Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year.
I’m so grateful to Father Schmitz for making these videos they are a wonderful tool that I (all his messages are really) know is going to make a difference in my praying ability …as a new Catholic I find this support immeasurably helpful…thank you Ascention and thank you Father Mike!