The legendary Dolly Parton discusses prayer and how she can pray without ceasing.

Reading the Bible is a crucial and necessary activity for every Christian. Through this continual study of God’s Word, we’ll learn more about Him and His plan and purpose for our lives. He’ll also reveal new thoughts, insights and ways to look at select passages of Scripture. It’s possible that while going through verses you’ve read thousands of times, some new thought or way to interpret those verses could suddenly be revealed to you.

But as crucial as getting into God’s Word is, prayer is even more so. Prayer allows us to communicate directly with the Creator of the universe. We are able to share our thoughts, concerns and requests and offer repentance for sins through prayer. We build, maintain and strengthen our relationship with Him through prayer. It’s hard to have a relationship with anyone without regular, consistent communication and God is now different.

God’s Word emphasizes the importance of prayer and communicating with Him in several passages. One passage in the New Testament, a verse in 1 Thessalonians, even instructs Christians to pray without ceasing. In a clip posted on YouTube, Dolly talks about how she can do just that.

“There’s a Scripture in the Bible that says, ‘Pray without ceasing,’ and I used to think that was the silliest thing I ever heard,” Dolly said. “Well, I thought, ‘How do you pray without ceasing?’ But that just means to, to keep that in your mind, to where it’s just planted in there. And then you can kind of always draw from that all through the day.”

She later added how important prayer is in her life.

“And so, you apply that, or I do, to everything I do,” she said. “And so, I think it’s very important to keep that first and foremost, and that keeps you strong, and that keeps you grounded.”

Philippians 4:6 “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”