Piano Guidance
Photo by Arina Krasnikova Pexels Logo Photo: Arina Krasnikova

Is praying silently OK?

There's nothing wrong with silent prayer. On the contrary, the Bible depicts Hannah being judged by others (a priest, no less) as she prayed silently—but her prayer was heard and answered by God (see 1 Samuel 1). Still, there are some good reasons to pray aloud, even when no one but God is around to hear you.

How can I download music for free?
How can I download music for free?

10 Best Sites for Free Music Downloads Bandcamp. Bandcamp may have plenty of digital and physical media for sale, including vinyl, CDs, and...

Read More »
How do you transport a piano?
How do you transport a piano?

Upright piano moving Cover the piano keys and pedals with bubble wrap to protect them from damage. Close the piano lid and wrap a foam packing...

Read More »

There’s nothing wrong with silent prayer. On the contrary, the Bible depicts Hannah being judged by others (a priest, no less) as she prayed silently—but her prayer was heard and answered by God (see 1 Samuel 1). Still, there are some good reasons to pray aloud, even when no one but God is around to hear you.

1) Focus

Maybe, like me, you’ve nodded off while praying silently. Maybe (again like me) you even prefer to end your day by climbing into bed and praying until you fall asleep. But I don’t believe I’ve ever succumbed to sleep while praying aloud. Like David, who wrote, “I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy” (Psalm 142:1, NIV), I find that praying aloud focuses my mind and heart on what I’m saying, and my voice reinforces my thoughts while also preventing distraction.

2) Emphasis

Asaph urged God’s people to “Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!” (Psalm 81:1, NIV). Some thoughts and emotions are almost antithetical to silent prayer; they must be spoken, even shouted. Joy, rage, confession and confusion are expressed and emphasized best, I think, when the vocal chords and tongue join with mind and heart in the act of prayer.

3) Memory

I remember some of the things I pray silently, but I recall far more of what I pray aloud. It’s simple math: thought + word = more memorable. And writing a prayer as I’m speaking it often adds more action to the equation, particularly when I’m praying for the needs of others. It’s easier to remember to pray for someone when I’ve already prayed aloud for that particular need.

4) Faith

I was once so overcome with disappointment and discouragement that I lay on the floor of my home office, face down, and prayed aloud for more than 30 minutes, “My help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (based on Psalm 124:8). I prayed those words aloud, over and over, sometimes softly and sometimes loudly, until I found myself believing them. Praying aloud—especially when combined with praying Scripture—can revive and increase the faith of the person who is praying.

5) Health

David sang, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” He said God’s hand was heavy on him, and “my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3, 4, NIV). It’s not healthy to hold in our emotions, and sometimes silent prayer just doesn’t give full expression to the things we’re feeling. Praying aloud can relieve our burdens and release our emotions in healthy ways. Why not try it? If you’re accustomed to praying silently, it may take some effort—but praying aloud even when you’re alone might also be just what your heart, mind and soul need.

What's the number 1 song on Spotify?
What's the number 1 song on Spotify?

Blinding Lights 100 most-streamed songs Rank Song Streams (billions) 1 ""Blinding Lights"" 3.358 2 ""Shape of You"" 3.345 3 ""Dance Monkey"" 2.735...

Read More »
Do you need to tune a piano after moving it?
Do you need to tune a piano after moving it?

Generally, a piano should be tuned with each change of location, unless the move is within a single building. In most cases, a move from one room...

Read More »
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.

Learn More »

Who is Hillsong owned by?

Hillsong Church Says Brian Houston, Its Founder, Breached Code of Conduct. The board of the global megachurch, which got its start in Australia, apologized “unreservedly” to two women who had accused Mr.

SYDNEY, Australia — Hillsong, the global megachurch that cultivated an image of cool, urban Christianity for years, has apologized “unreservedly” to two women who had accused the church’s Australian founder, Brian Houston, of inappropriate behavior. Mr. Houston, 67, stepped away from all ministry duties in January. He declared at the time that he needed time to fight a criminal charge of concealing child sexual abuse that the Australian police say his late father, who was also a pastor, committed decades ago. But in a statement published late Friday, Hillsong’s board said that Mr. Houston had been under investigation by the church for his own actions and that he had breached the church’s code of conduct at least twice over the past decade. The revelation further tarnishes the reputation of a church that had attracted celebrities like Justin Bieber with compelling music and an upbeat message that many described as if it were a brand: comforting Christianity, adorned with pop music and chic fashion.

What key has all black keys?
What key has all black keys?

Depending on where you place the root note, the pentatonic scale that involves all the black keys is either called the E♭ minor pentatonic scale...

Read More »
Why are TikTok songs only 30 seconds?
Why are TikTok songs only 30 seconds?

It has a trimmer, wide selection of texts, and others that can help improve a simple video to a masterpiece. However, even if you can edit your...

Read More »
What foods improve memory?
What foods improve memory?

11 Best Foods to Boost Your Brain and Memory Fatty fish. When people talk about brain foods, fatty fish is often at the top of the list. ......

Read More »
What do you do in your first piano lesson?
What do you do in your first piano lesson?

During your first lesson, your teacher will introduce you to the piano, talk about how to identify the different notes and keys, and introduce you...

Read More »