Did you know you don’t have to wait until bedtime to talk to God? And you don’t need fancy words either! In the Bible, there was a man named Nehemiah who had a great habit. Whenever he needed God’s help, he would shoot up a quick little prayer right in the moment—kind of like firing an arrow straight up to heaven. You can call these “arrow prayers”!

An arrow prayer is short, fast, and can happen anywhere. Nehemiah might be standing in front of a king, and he’d whisper a quick prayer in his heart before he spoke. He didn’t have to stop everything, get on his knees, and pray for an hour. He just sent up a quick “Help me, God!” and God heard him.

You can do this too! Before a test, you can pray, “God, help me do my best.” When you’re scared, you can pray, “God, be with me.” When you don’t know what to say, you can pray, “God, give me the right words.” Telling God your problems is the first step toward feeling hope, because when you talk to Him, you remember that He’s way bigger than anything you’re facing.

Take Action: Try sending up arrow prayers all day today! Any time you feel worried, stuck, scared, or unsure, shoot up a quick prayer right then and there. It can be as simple as “Help me, God!” or “Thank You, God!” You don’t have to close your eyes or say it out loud. Just talk to God in your heart in the moment. By the end of the day, see how many arrow prayers you fired off. And remember, God heard every single one!