Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. PHILIPPIANS 4:6–7 THE MESSAGE 

Plant ladies will say that all plants are pretty. (It’s kind of an unwritten rule.) While this is (mostly) true (weeds don’t count), some plants really show off in glory depending on their environment. Calathea Triostar is one such plant. These feather-shaped beauties are streaked with shades of green, pink, and cream on top. They are a sight to behold, but as if those vibrant colors didn’t make them beautiful enough, God gave them even more resplendence: Calathea Triostars are “prayer plants,” meaning they fold up at night, revealing dazzling shades of magenta, rose, and red on the undersides of their leaves. The colors are breathtaking. It’s as if they come alive and raise their leaves to the heavens in praise to their Creator. 

Glorious things happen in prayer. When the prophet Moses spoke to God, the skin on his face shone with such radiance it appeared as if he was glowing. While our skin doesn’t physically light up in prayer, talking to God makes our hearts come alive, and we can feel its effects long after uttering “amen.” 

Think about the last time you felt overwhelmed and cried out to God for help with sincerity. Even if your circumstance didn’t resolve right away, you probably felt a sense of peace. That’s because prayer’s effectiveness doesn’t depend on us and our ability to “pray well.” It doesn’t even depend on how big or small the things we’re praying about are. God says when we make supplication, the act of asking earnestly and with humility, He is faithful to wash over us with peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6–7 ESV). Let that be reason enough to bring a smile to your face today! 

God, thank You that I can come to You anytime in prayer. Thank You for hearing me. Help me bring You not only my concerns, but also my praise. You are worthy and able to handle it all. 

This is an excerpt from Playing in the Dirt: 90 Devotions for Crazy Plant Ladies – a new devotional journal now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.