I have always been comfortable praying in worship. I come from a background that includes the Pentecostal, and Baptist faith, and prayer is taught freely to the whole congregation. Our church used to have prayer meetings regularly and the prayer room was always open after service.
I have memories of being on my knees beside my mom, and dad listening to the prayers swirling around me. Some would be weeping, some would be joyous as so much of life is a blend of shadows, and light.
When I joined the United Church 10 years ago, I noticed that some ministers use written prayers, and others used free form prayers. I enjoy both, and find that this opens the congregation to pray in whatever way they are comfortable.
However we choose to pray, we are heard, and answered by the Listener of our hearts in spite of our inadequate, and sometimes cumbersome words. The very breath of God fills our lungs, many times each day, giving us life.
We can choose to breathe out grateful prayers, heartfelt petitions, or angry and fearful words of uncertainty, yet God in blessed grace and Mercy holds us all, and hears our every cry, and changes us from the inside out to become aware of our world in new ways.
I think empathy, and compassion are two fruits of prayer that often come as we cry out in our frustration in need, and God shows us something that we can do in our "little way" as Teresa of Avilla writes, to help another along the path.
Sometimes, when I have no words of my own, I turn to written prayers, or the psalms for hope and strength to go on.