I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet: Discovering New Ways of Living When the Old Ways Stop Working

by Shauna Niequist

In the New Testament, Jesus prays for his disciples, the group of people he loves, about four specific things: union, protection, joy, and sanctification. I wanted to pray for the people I love in the same way, so I tried doing it like one of Keller’s recipes. The first couple times I did it, I used the specific form Jesus did—union, protection, joy, and sanctification—and wrote out my prayers so I could be specific and detailed. It was very moving to pray for each of our kids, to entrust them to God’s care. I mean, I pray for my kids in general, but the pattern and the specificity were especially meaningful. I wrote about things that would bring joy to Mac, specific situations in which I want Henry to be protected from any harm. I prayed for Aaron, that he would have a strong sense of connection and support from me and from our community. The next couple times, I prayed while I was walking in the city—union, protection, joy, sanctification. After that, I started using my own words that get at the same things—instead of union, support; instead of protection, blessing; instead of joy, delight; instead of sanctification, Christlikeness. I noticed that I felt more connected throughout the day to those I was praying for.