Teaching our kids about God, including how to pray, is a big part of what we do. One of the tools we use for this goes by all kinds of different names; and each resident likes to call it something different: “popcorn prayer”, “fill-in-the-blank prayer”, “mad-lib prayer”. This is a tool we use to teach our residents not only how to pray but to overcome their fear of praying out loud (even adults are paralyzed by this!). It’s easy to get stuck in a rut so we work hard to change it up but an example would go something like this:

“. . . . . even adults are paralyzed by this.”

Staff: “Dear . . .”

Resident: “God”

Staff: “Thank you for . . . . . “

Resident: “Today.”

Staff: “My favorite part about my day was . . . .”

Resident: “We had tacos!”

Staff: “I am thankful for . . . .”

Resident: “My clothes and food!”

Staff: “I would like God to help me . . . “

Resident: “With getting along.”

Staff: “And who would you like God to help?”

Resident: “My friends and family and everyone in the whole entire UNIVERSE!”

Staff: “Is there anything else you’d like to talk to God about?”

Resident: “Having a good night’s rest.”

Staff: “And when we’re all done praying what do we say?”

Resident: “AaaaaaMEN!”

Staff: “And what does Amen mean?”   Resident: “SO BE IT!”

This example is a bedtime prayer but “popcorn prayer” can work in any situation – just direct the prayer as it needs to go and ___________!