This month, our devotions are taken from Stephen Shead’s book “Growing in Prayer: Learning to Pray with Dependence and Delight”, published by Matthias Media.If you have gone through Stephen’s book before, you can either redo these devotions or choose something else to do for this month. And if you don’t have the book, we would love you to buy it to support the ministry of Matthias Media. (Stephen doesn’t get any royalties from the sales – though he can get you a special price, so ask him!)These devotions will be different to our previous series. They are a program of reflections to help you grow in your prayer life and develop a more intimate relationship with God through the Lord Jesus. Instead of starting with a Bible passage, there are Bible verses sprinkled through the devotions, and some suggestions for other passages you could read and pray through on days when you have a bit more time.One final request: Please don’t share these devotions with people outside of St Barnabas. Matthias Media have very kindly allowed Stephen to do this, but they own the copyright.Let’s beginIn our hectic lives, it is easy to get so caught up in the next thing we have to do. We forget that Jesus said: “…life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:23).Spend a moment thinking about the question: What were you made for?Read the following verses as you reflect on this question:“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt 6:33)“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt 22:37-38)Then I will go to the altar of God,  to God, my joy and my delight.  I will praise you with the lyre,  O God, my God. (Ps 43:4)Of course, often you might not feel like praising God. That’s okay – our feelings are unreliable, and will only be perfectly renewed in heaven. But as we begin our journey in prayer, it is important to remember that we were made to praise. Or, as John Piper said in a sermon on Psalm 43, “we were made to enjoy God with overflowing praise”.*Tell God how you feel about praise, and that you want to become a person of praise. Then throughout the day, bring to mind Jesus’ promise in Matthew 6:33 (above), and ask God to help you seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.Verses for further prayer if you have time: Psalm 100*John Piper quote from https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-will-go-to-god-my-exceeding-joy.