Stonewall Jackson on the Practice of Prayer

The following quotes are taken from pgs. 72 & 73 of Ted Baehr and Susan Wales book "Faith in God and Generals."

"Once a friend asked [Jackson] how he understood the Bible's command to "pray without ceasing." Jackson said that the habit of prayer had become like breathing with him: "I have so fixed the habit in my own mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without lifting my heart to God in thanks and prayer for the water of life. Then, when we take our meals, there is grace. Whenever I drop a letter in the post-office, I send a petition along with it for God's blessing upon its mission and the person to whom it is sent. When I break the seal of a letter just received, I stop to ask God to prepare me for its contents, and make it a messenger of good. When I go to my class-room and await the arrangement of the cadets in their places, that is my time to intercede with God for them. And so in every act of the day I have made the practice of prayer habitual."

I also found the following quote helpful, as Jackson perfectly describes the way that I pray:

"I find that it greatly helps me in fixing my mind and quickening my devotions to give utterance to my prayers, and hence I am in the habit of going off into the woods, where I can be alone and speak audibly to myself the prayers I would pour out to my God. I was at first annoyed that I was compelled to keep my eyes open to avoid running against the trees and stumps; but upon investigating the matter I do not find that the Scriptures require us to close our eyes in prayer, and the exercise has proven to me very delightful and profitable."