Chad Veach - Worried about Everything Because I Pray about Nothing: How to Live with Peace and Purpose Instead of Stress and Burnout

This book, like a couple of my children, was not planned.

That might seem like an odd way to start a book (or a family), but the best things in life are often unexpected.

I thought I was going to write another book on leadership. That was the subject of my last one, and its the focus of my podcast and newsletter. Prayer was not even on my radar. The practice of prayer was, of course, but not writing about it.

Why? Because prayer is one of those fundamental, indispensable things that we tend to take for granted. Like oxygen. Or water. Or Wi-Fi. (Okay, maybe Wi-Fi isnt on the same level as oxygen or water, but judging by my kids reaction when the router goes down for fifteen minutes, youd think it was.)

Something changed in mid-2020, though. I was in Alabama on a family vacation. We were staying in a house by a lake, and one morning, I was out on the deck, enjoying the sunrise, sipping my coffee, and reading my Bible.

And, of course, praying as I started the day.

After all, this is my morning routine, although I normally dont have a lake in front of me while Im doing it. Usually, its just the wall of my living room and maybe the face of a random child who woke up too early.

As I sat there and watched the colors change and the world wake up, God spoke to me. Nothing dramatic or audible, just a whispered thought in my heart. He told me to teach our people to pray.

That surprised me. What is there to teach?

Then I remembered a story in the Bible where Jesus went off to pray, which was a habit of His as well. I doubt He had coffee, but He was God, so He could stay awake without caffeine. He would be gone before His disciples woke up sometimes. Often nobody could find Himneither the disciples nor the crowdsbecause He was wandering the hills or some nearby olive orchard, just praying.

On this occasion, when Jesus finished praying, His disciples were waiting for Him. There was something about His prayer life that captivated them. There was a massive difference between Jesus private, authentic walk with God and the public, all-for-show prayers that often characterized the religious leaders of the day.