This prayer practice is a tool I developed to use with the Intergenerational VBS and Sunday School at First Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Platte. I am also currently using it as a part of the Intergenerational Worship workshops I am presenting in 2023-2024.
Leading the Practice
- Notice the spiral. This fish is crocheted in a spiral pattern that we can trace in and out as we pray. Hold it in your open palm and use a finger from your other hand to trace.
- Connect to your breath. As you expand your lungs, trace the spiral out. As you exhale, trace the spiral in. Do this for 3-5 breaths.
- Think about the prayer prompts as you continue to breathe and trace the spiral. As you breathe out and trace in, how has God been generous to you? As you breathe in and trace out, in what ways do you want to be generous to God and others? Do this for three to five breaths, to give people time to consider these questions.
- Offer your thoughts to God in prayer. Turn what you have been thinking about to God in prayer, thanking God for God’s generosity, and asking for help in the ways in which you want to be generous. The leader may offer less and less words of instruction as you cycle through this round of breaths, for instance, “How has God been generous to you?” becomes “How has God been generous?” then “God’s generosity” then “God to me.” “In what ways do you want to be generous to others?” becomes “How do you want to be generous?” then “My generosity” then “me to God and others.”
- Conclude this time of prayer. After a few more breaths with no added words, add an “Amen.” People may share what they prayed about, or keep the conversation between themselves and God.
Here is the pattern to make your own Fish Prayer Squares: https://goodgodideas.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/fish-prayer-square-crochet-pattern.pdf
Good God Ideas 
One thought on “Fish Prayer Squares”