Examen with Kids Step 3: Look Ahead

Looking ahead with the Holy Ghost

Now, we have nearly finished visiting the neighborhood homes of the Examen Prayer. Remember, you are always invited to sit with God in whatever home (or step) you find Him drawing you or your kids. Don't worry about "finishing" all the steps. More on that later. Know that each day will present different promptings from the Holy Ghost. One day, you may move through the entire Examen Prayer neighborhood, but other days you will rest in one of the homes the entire time. Remember, this is a framework for prayer to notice patterns, but not a box to check that you completed a spiritual exercise.

The last home will begin with a prompt to begin a look ahead to the next 24 hours:

• Holy Ghost, will you lead us through the next 24 hours in our minds and hearts right now? What duties are you looking for us to complete? (wait for quiet internal response)

• Now, inquire deeper on behalf of the hearts in front of you and offer a time for each to reflect on upcoming events that may be stressful or even very joyful. Holy Ghost, I am feeling nervous, stressed, or anxious about ...(can child fill in the blank internally)? OR, I am feeling overwhelming joy for ...(an event with a lot of expectations)? Help me see this as you will see it when the time comes or even right now.

• And, that's it! You now have all the prayer tools in your toolbox to go about the construction of the Examen Prayer with your kids... However, perhaps it is a better image to say you have the delicate beautiful instrument of prayer in your hands, and, now you have the technical steps on using that beautiful instrument of the Examen Prayer with your kids to produce moments of understanding and discovery.

  
  

  

  Music and Prayer- both require a daily habit of practice!