Most peacemakers I know are better at talking and listening than they are at praying. Certainly, wise speech and attentive listening are fundamental peace practices. But so is prayer. In fact, the discipline of prayer is a key component of peacemaking.

Another school shooting. A suicide bomber. Partisan politics on steroids. The daily news can be a real peace-robber. So we need to learn how to pray down peace into our world.

I’ve met a lot of world-changers and activists in my life. And one thing I’ve noticed is that they all need to be focused in one specific direction in order to be most fruitful! That’s why I think learning to pray the Serenity Prayer as a way of life is so revolutionary.

Reinold Neibuhr’s serenity prayer is revolutionary! These three short petitions about serenity, courage and wisdom create a prayer that can be a life-changer. Praying this prayer will make you more peaceful and productive. Who doesn’t want that?

When I was a young leader one of my favorite sayings was, “There are three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.”

Will you wage peace with us? Let’s pray in the new year by praying for Syria, South Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic, and Afghanistan! 

Like most Americans, I am frustrated by the government. Polarization and gridlock of congress; attack ads and uncivil discourse; inability to stop the economic meltdown. What a mess! I feel like Nathanael did when he heard about Jesus for the first time: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” I have to ask, “Can anything good come out of Washington, DC?”