--- title: When Satan Tricks You Out of Prayer Time by Katie Kimball description: When Satan Tricks You Out of Prayer Time by Katie Kimball --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2010/05/12/when-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball#) # When Satan Tricks You Out of Prayer Time by Katie Kimball May 12, 2010 12:00:57 PM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) *[![kimball_katie](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/kimball_katie-150x145-20.jpg?width=150&height=145&name=kimball_katie-150x145-20.jpg "kimball_katie")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/kimball_katie-19.jpg)If you’ve read my last few columns, you know that I found naptime to be the perfect time for a 5-minute power prayer session.  I shared with you my novena trick to keep me motivated to regular prayer.  Sometimes, even the best laid plans don’t end up working so well…* When I had a second child, the naptime thing no longer worked for me, since someone always seemed to be awake.  **Satan tricked me into thinking that I didn’t have the energy to pray. **I fell off the wagon, hard, and lost the rhythm of my Ordinary Time novenas. When my daughter turned about six months, I found motivation for try anew for regular prayer time.  I had lost the momentum of my novenas, so I tried something new:  I made a list of** daily prayer intentions, my "most important people," along with a saint to pray to for each one of them. **I quickly implored each saint to pray for this person, and if I had a particular intention for them, I added that at the time. I can get through the list in 5 minutes, plus ask God for help in my day and even add another prayer for my marriage sometimes. Here is an idea of my current list: - St. Joseph – for my husband - St. Paul – for my son - St. Katharine Drexel – for my daughter - Mary, Mother of God – for patience in parenting for myself - I offer up my: time, money, parenting, daily duty - St. Monica – for my parents and in-laws (I figure she prayed for her son, but she can pray for my parents, too. I don’t know if there is a patron saint of parents!) - St. Michael the Archangel – for my brother in the armed forces - St. Maria Goretti – for my sister and brother-in-law, newly married - St. Benedict – for my work, my writing, discernment about jobs - St. Martin de Porres – for the USA and the conversion of President Obama - For an end to abortion and contraception - St. Gerard – for all my pregnant friends (16 at one point – too many to keep track of!! God knows my heart…) - Blessed Mother Teresa – for all sick, especially…(here I can add people as I learn of illnesses) You can do this, too. God wants to talk to you, even if it’s just 5 minutes. When you’re lucky, the timer will beep and you’ll ignore it because you’re enjoying your time with the Lord so much. This is how we grow in holiness…one 5-minute step at a time. *I don’t only pray 5 minutes a day, but that’s the time I spend on my knees.  Here is [how I incorporate prayer into my busy work in the kitchen](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/03/01/mary-and-martha-capturing-kitchen-prayer-moments/).* ***Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball** * ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fwhen-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fwhen-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fwhen-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=When%20Satan%20Tricks%20You%20Out%20of%20Prayer%20Time%20by%20Katie%20Kimball) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fwhen-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fwhen-satan-tricks-you-out-of-prayer-time-by-katie-kimball%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Profile%203.jpg) ### [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) We welcome guest contributors who graciously volunteer their writing for our readers. 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