Creative Prayer: Make a Joyful Noise

Focus: Joy in prayer

Before You Begin:

For this adventure you’ll need a digital recorder. (You can use the voice memo function on your cell phone.)

The Prayer Time!

Gather family members together and have everyone sit around your digital recorder(or cell phone).

Next, record each family member laughing with joy for 10 to 15 seconds. This may test your joke telling or tickling abilities! Leave a break of about three seconds between each person. Be sure to include yourself as well. Finish the recording with a segment that includes the entire family laughing together.

Begin a time of prayer yourself by completing this prayer, “Lord, something you brought into my life that brings laughter and joy is . . .”

After you’ve completed this prayer, turn on the voice recorder and play the laughter of the first person you recorded. When you come to the break, turn off the tape. Hearing the tape is sure to bring more laughter as family members recognize their own voices and guess as to who is laughing.

Then have another family member complete the same sentence prayer, thanking God for someone or something that has brought laughter and smiles to his or her life. After this person has prayed, play the voice of another family member laughing.

Repeat this until each family member has prayed, and each voice has been heard laughing. When you’ve said “Amen,” play the segment with the entire family laughing.

Let your voices of merriment be a joyful sound to God!