Restore

Restore is a prayer ministry that helps you get clarity and resolution about what holds you back and weighs you down.
Our team is ready and willing to walk through a session of prayer with you to break down the road blocks in your life and discover the freedom to become who God made you to be.

Above all else, Restore sessions are an incredible way to connect with God and gain tools to pray more effectively and creatively in your everyday life.
Sessions are confidential, and you’ll set up a time to meet with our team in advance.

Restore is an affiliate of Wellsprings of Freedom.

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Testimonies

"My faith grew more in three hours than it did my entire life! I’m no longer suffocating in guilt, anger, loneliness and shame. Those dark feelings have been wiped away by Jesus’s perfect blood. They were replaced with absolute joy when I saw how pure and real his love is for me."

"The group setting was warm and welcoming. I felt safe to cry, speak the lies, and embrace the truth. It’s really cool to do that in a community."

"The best part of the session was seeing and hearing all the ways God confirmed what He was showing/speaking to me, through the words and verses shared through the Restore members. I walk away with no doubt in mind that He is real and that I heard from HIM."

"So glad I went through the Restore session when I did. Finally feel free of more baggage from the past. I also appreciate the tools I learned there to stay free. I will not go back! This ministry is invaluable!"

"I have seen God working in more ways than I ever have. I have been told since I entered college that you are able to have a personal relationship with God and I never really knew what that meant. I thought I was doing it wrong. I saw in the session what that actually means."

Prayer

Do you find yourself anxious or distracted? Perhaps what used to help you feel connected to God is gone, or simply isn’t fulfilling any longer. Often when our routines are disrupted or we’re at a turning point in our growth with Christ we can become consumed by emotion or uncertainty and forget our grounding in Him. Contemplative Prayer is one discipline that serves as a great way to be intentional about seeking the face of Jesus.

PRAYER REQUEST

Tips

Below you will find resources to guide yourself through ancient and modern prayer practices. If you have any questions, or want to know more about prayer ministries at Ransom email restore@ransom.church.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Find a quiet place to practice these alone or with a partner (bedroom/closet/deck/etc.)
Go into each practice with no expectation besides to spend time with Jesus.
If you find you have trouble focusing right away, start by playing a favorite worship song that helps you transition from the chaos of life to being alone with Jesus.
Keep your eyes closed as much as you can and silence your phone. Avoid distractions at all costs.

practices

Breath Prayer

Pray aloud and simply ask Jesus to make himself known to you in the following practice.
Close your eyes and recall the line “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Be still, calm, peaceful, open to the presence of God.
With your eyes closed, imagine that God is calling you by name. Imagine that God is actually asking, “(Your name) what do you want? Like the blind man on the road to Jericho, Jesus kindly looks you in the eyes and asks, “What do you want from me?”
Give God a simple and direct answer that comes honestly from your heart. Hold that answer in your mind. If you have more than one answer, remember as many as you can. Your answer may be one word such as peace or love or help. It may be several words or a phrase such as “I want to feel your presence” or “lead me into life.” Whatever your answers, they are the foundation of your breath prayer.
Select the name that you are most comfortable using to speak with God. This could be “Father,” or “Holy God” for example.
Combine your answers - this will be your prayer.
Breathe in the first phrase/word - the version of God’s name you are using - and breathe out the second phrase/word - your request or need.
Continue in this practice for the next few minutes. We suggest setting a timer on your phone for at least 2-3 minutes.

TIP: If you revisit this practice, challenge yourself to go for longer and longer periods of time.

Yahweh Prayer

The recording is taken from a Contemplatio session where wepractice Yahweh prayer regularly.
For more information on Contemplatio and other prayer ministries at The Ransom Church click here.
Close your eyes and settle into a supportive, yet relaxed posture.
Pray and ask for God to remove any distractions before you begin the practice.
For this prayer, we will use the name Yahweh to bring attention to our breath. As you inhale, think/pray the first syllable - Yah. As you exhale, think/pray the second syllable - Weh.
The intention of this practice is to untangle ourselves from anything that might be pulling our attention away from God. Each time you sense something demanding your attention, you get to choose to bring your attention back to your breath and simply be in God’s presence. One surprising twist is that we’re not necessarily even looking for some divine insight from God, we’re just looking to be with him.
Set a timer on your phone for at least 3 minutes and practice this prayer.
TIP: If you return to this prayer practice, challenge yourself to go for longer and longer periods of time. Don’t feel guilty any time you get distracted, simply use it as an opportunity to return to your breath and to God each time.

AUDIO RECORDING

THE EXAMEN

DiscipleshipPath.com

This content was originally published as a Discipleship Pathway resource at DiscipleshipPath.com. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to share this content with others. You may copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, as well as adapt, remix, transform, or build upon the material for any purpose. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under these terms, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

LEARN MORE AT DiscipleshipPath.com

DiscipleshipPath.com provides an outcome-based pathway for one on one discipleship. This guided journey through the basics of the Christian faith is a mix of original and curated content created by the church for the church.
DiscipleshipPath.com was created by pastors Phil Wiseman and Megan Koch at Table Church in Des Moines, IA. You can contact them directly at hello@tablechurchdsm.org.
Table Church exists to invite people to the way of Jesus. We pursue God, create belonging, do justice, and make disciples. Find more discipleship tools at tablechurchdsm.org/resources.

THE EXAMEN

THE PRACTICE:

Practice this way of prayer nightly for a week. The point is not to produce anything, but to be present with Jesus and aware of what he wants you to see. If you love the rhythm, add it at noonday, too.
TURN ON THE LIGHTS: Become aware of Jesus in the room with you. Close your eyes and see him there. Invite him to light up your day and guide you through it however he wants.
NAME WHAT’S GOOD: Practice gratitude. Consider your day. What are you immediately grateful for? Name it. Get creative. There’s more than you think.
REVIEW THE DAY: Ask Jesus to step you through the main points of your day, from the moment you woke up until right now. Invite him to reveal it to you from his perspective. Pay attention, and don’t skip over the parts you’d rather not revisit.
OWN IT: Did any part of that review trigger hurt, confusion, anger, or regret? Own what wasn’t good. Offer it up to Jesus. Ask Jesus why you did what you did, or why that thing bothered you so much. Once you think you have an answer, pause for a minute, in case Jesus wants to show you something under the surface. Do what you need to do to hand over control, forgive others, and get forgiveness yourself. Text an apology if you need to. Don’t leave it for later. And remember: not all problems can be resolved by the end of the night, but they can be surrendered. Do that now.
LOOK FORWARD: Look ahead to the next day in light of Jesus. Anticipate coming challenges or the things you’re excited about. Remember that tomorrow night you’ll return here again to review the day. How will you want to have lived it? Decide to live that way right now. Surrender the coming day to Jesus before it’s even happened, and go to bed.

Beloved Prayer

In this practice, you will read three segments of scripture, each followed by a brief statement. Sit on each one for a couple of minutes, praying it from your perspective. What sticks out? Talk back and forth with Jesus about what comes to mind or what gets stirred up in your heart. The bell tone over the speaker will mark the end of the practice, but don’t feel as though you have to open your eyes right away - take your time.
READ: [21] Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, [22] and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21–22 ESV)
SAY: Jesus, you are the Beloved.
(close your eyes and be still for 2-4 minutes)
READ: [1] See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3:1a ESV)
SAY: Jesus, I am the Beloved.
(close your eyes and be still for 2-4 minutes)
READ:[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)
SAY: Jesus, we (all) are the Beloved.
(close your eyes and be still for 2-4 minutes)

Be Still Prayer

Get into a supportive posture and close your eyes. Position your body so that you are both relaxed and alert. If your mind is attempting to wander, gently bring your attention to your breath to rein your thoughts back to this moment.
Pray that Jesus would simply make himself known and clear to you during this practice.
Making the switch over to inner solitude, silence, and stillness may feel like torture at first - that’s normal, stick with it!
Read a short passage of scripture in diminishing segments. As you do, let Jesus share good things with you. Rich words, simple truths, everything he wants to share. Don’t feel any pressure to do anything correctly or clean something up before receiving this. Set your intention to simply be with Him.
Be still and know that I am God. (be still for 1-3 minutes)
Be still and know that I am. (be still for 1-3 minutes)
Be still and know. (be still for 1-3 minutes)
Be still. (be still for 1-3 minutes)
Be. (be still for 1-3 minutes)

Show Me Something

Get into a supportive posture and close your eyes. If your mind is attempting to wander, gently bring your attention to your breath to ground your mind back in this moment.
Ask Jesus to show you something that he wants you to see. Don’t assume it’s something bad you’ve done, or something you need to clean up. Jesus sees more than that, and wants us to also. Maybe there’s something great about you that he wants you to see in the same way he does, or something amazing about him that you need to marvel at. If he shows you something and you want more, ask him to show you something else.
TIP: It’s always helpful to set a timer on your phone for 3-5 minutes so you aren’t constantly checking the time. If you repeat this practice, challenge yourself to go for longer and longer periods of time.

LECTIO DIVINA

This content was originally published as a Discipleship Pathway resource at DiscipleshipPath.com. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to share this content with others. You may copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, as well as adapt, remix, transform, or build upon the material for any purpose. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under these terms, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

LEARN MORE AT DISCIPLESHIPPATH.COM
DiscipleshipPath.com provides an outcome-based pathway for one on one discipleship. This guided journey through the basics of the Christian faith is a mix of original and curated content created by the church for the church.
DiscipleshipPath.com was created by pastors Phil Wiseman and Megan Koch at Table Church in Des Moines, IA. You can contact them directly at hello@tablechurchdsm.org.
Table Church exists to invite people to the way of Jesus. We pursue God, create belonging, do justice, and make disciples. Find more discipleship tools at tablechurchdsm.org/resources.
Making Room for God to Speak
Lectio divina (Latin for “divine reading”) began with St. Benedict, and eventually evolved to include four distinct movements: Read (lectio), Meditate (meditatio), Pray (oratio), and Contemplate (contemplatio). The purpose of this practice is not simply to know more of God’s Word or to memorize it (though that will happen as you practice), nor is it to study the context and make complex observations and connections as we do when we read inductively. The purpose of lectio divina is to position yourself for an encounter with the Living God; by slowly, methodically, dwelling on one small passage of scripture. Eugene Peterson would tell you to eat it—to devour it intentionally, to savor it bite by bite.
In lectio divina we stop on just one verse, or a small group of verses, for a sustained pause. This does not seem productive, nor does it promise a particular outcome. That is the point. Divine reading is a kind of “holy leisure” you can enjoy with God. You’re not in a hurry, and you don’t have to force this exercise to be meaningful. This is a practice. The only goal is to make room to be with God. This might be very new to you, but go all in anyway. Don’t take this too seriously, but do engage yourself in the experience. Think of this as an experiment in faith.

THE PRACTICE
Set aside 20 minutes for this exercise.

Have your journal ready. Choose one of the suggested passages, or select your own, and locate it in your Bible.
Genesis 16:6-15, 2 Kings 6:8-17, Psalm 22, Psalm 73, Isaiah 43:14-19
Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 5:24-34, Luke 11:1-13, John 10:3-14, Ephesians 3:14-21
READ. Start by reading through the passage once, then again. Read it out loud if you can. Stretch out with it, get to know it a little. You might notice a few things as you do, but resist the urge to pull much from it right now; you’re just warming up. Which words stick out to you as you read? If something resonates with you, stop on it before moving on.
MEDITATE. Now begin again, this time even more slowly. Do something different this time. Follow the words with your eyes, but imagine God reading the passage to you, word by word. Listen as he does. Hear his voice, how it rises and falls as he speaks. This might sound strange to you, but try it anyway. You’ve got nothing to lose. You’re trying something new. Dwell on the words and phrases bit by bit. Perhaps you’ll see something
new you didn’t expect. What do you feel? What’s going on in your heart? Engage your imagination: what do you see?
PRAY. What do you need to say to God? Say it, then listen for his response. Give God room to answer. Talk back and forth together. Interact with God. If you need to give something up, cut it loose. If God is giving you something, take it. Don’t rush.
CONTEMPLATE. Now tie a bow on what just happened. Take out your journal and write out the verse you’ve meditated on, then write down what God has been saying. Record the conversation so you can return to it later. Perhaps God is prompting you to do something: to send someone an encouraging text, or to make something right. Let what just happened in this practice move you to action today. God has spoken. What now? This is where the mysterious interaction of lectio divina gets practical. Take what God is doing and make it concrete somehow.

RESTORE

Interactive Prayer For real life Change.

Restore

Testimonies

Prayer

Tips

practices