G=Goals O=Outlook A=Authentic T=Truth (#coateisaGOAT)
I have always been a believer.
Faith has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I believe in God, I trust Him, and I know His promises are good. But if I’m being really honest, one area I know I’ve lacked in is building a relationship with Him—especially when it comes to prayer.
Over the last year, maybe even the last two years, I’ve felt a strong pull to grow in that part of my spiritual life. Not just believing in God, but actually walking with Him. Talking to Him. Listening. Learning how to pray in a way that’s less routine and more relational.
If I’m being transparent, my prayers have looked pretty much the same for years. At night, when I lay down, I go through what I think is the “right” way to pray—probably how a lot of people do. I thank God for my day and for all the things I’m grateful for. I pray blessings over my family and friends, asking for protection over each of them by name. I ask for forgiveness for the things I’ve done and the things I’ve left undone. I pray for strength. And more recently, I’ve been intentional about ending with, “Thy will be done.”
There’s nothing wrong with that structure. Gratitude matters. Confession matters. Asking for strength matters. But I’ve started to realize that prayer isn’t meant to be a checklist—it’s meant to be a conversation.
Lately, I’ve been trying to slow down and be more honest with God about what I need. Not what I think I’m supposed to say, but what’s actually on my heart. I’ve been asking Him to remove things that don’t align with His will and to redirect me when I’m going my own way. I’ve been praying less polished prayers and more real ones.
Today at church, we wrapped up a series on miracles, and the focus wasn’t just on the miracles themselves—it was on transformation. Transformation that comes through a relationship with Him. That part hit me deeply. Because miracles are powerful, but lasting change happens when you truly know the One performing them.
That’s what I want more of.
As I look ahead to the coming months—and really, the rest of this year—I want to be intentional about growing my relationship with God. This ties directly into the word I’ve chosen to focus on: community. The people we surround ourselves with matter. And I want to surround myself with people who are more practiced, more comfortable, and more rooted in their relationship with the Lord. People who stretch me, challenge me, and remind me to prioritize that part of my spiritual life—not out of obligation, but out of love.
I’m learning that prayer doesn’t have to sound perfect. It just has to be honest. God already knows our hearts. He’s not asking for fancy words—He’s inviting us into relationship.
And that’s the transformation I’m praying for.
— Coate Mindset ✨
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