This Lent, Lean into Prayer for Calm and Connection

Tammy Marino of Unbound reflects on how prayer and purpose help foster a close connection with God while bringing inner peace.

Lent invites us to slow down, look outward, and remember that faith is not meant to stay locked inside our hearts. Whether we pray for friends or strangers, or for ourselves and our families, we participate in God’s work of healing the world.

As our everyday lives become increasingly over-scheduled, our children are often the first ones to develop undue stress and anxiety. Worry concerning relationships, school assignments, tests, health, social media and world news can be a heavy burden for anyone, but especially for our youth.

The Calming Presence of Prayer

In Philippians 4:6 we read, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” Some of our kids may have heard this communicated in the song "Pray About Everything" — written by Jay Stocker and distributed by Lifetree Kids — which includes the lyrics, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything.”

We have all likely experienced unburdening ourselves of our worries simply by saying them out loud to a trusted listening ear. The most wonderful aspect of sharing our concerns with God is that we know we can trust Him to listen without judgment.

As parents, it is so important that our children can see the powerful role that prayer and faith play in our lives. Instead of telling an anxious child to reach out to God with their worries, parents and caregivers might consider kneeling alongside them and guiding them through the process by allowing them to observe how knowledgeable, respected and trusted adults manage their own relationships with God.

The Faith of a Child

On the flip side, far too often we adults can get caught up in our daily to-do lists and struggles and forget how to find the time and the quiet to lean into faith. At times like these, it can be beneficial to watch and learn from our children. The innocence of youth is often accompanied by a deep, abiding faith.

When my four children were very young, they each asked to have a “prayer corner” added to their rooms. Each child then created their own individual spaces, incorporating carefully curated items they had accumulated over various Vacation Bible School experiences.

Just as each of my children has a distinct personality, they also had different ways to communicate with God. Sometimes it was reciting prayers they learned in their weekly Continuing Christian Education (CCE) class. Sometimes it was a more personal appeal. And often it was singing a song or sharing a story. But it was always right before bedtime as it provided them with the inner peace they needed to settle into a good night’s sleep.

Prayers for Others Near and Far

Lent challenges us not just to lift people up in words, but to let those prayers reshape our choices, our generosity and the way we show up for one another. In a season defined by sacrifice and renewal, praying for others becomes most powerful when it moves us toward compassionate action.

Tirsa is a 10-year-old girl who lives in El Salvador with her parents and two older sisters. She is a sponsored child through Unbound, an international nonprofit based in Kansas City, Kansas, and founded by lay Catholics grounded in the Gospel call to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first.

Tirsa is incredibly grateful for the support of her parents and her sponsor, which has allowed her to attend and excel in school. In addition to her studies, Tirsa participates in activities with other children through her church and she is learning to cook and play the violin.

One meaningful church teaching she holds in her heart is to love one’s neighbor, which has inspired Tirsa’s dream of one day becoming a nurse or a psychologist to help others. Tirsa’s faith in God and the power of prayer is strong.

“I like to go to church to have more faith and to have more communication with God,” Tirsa said.

When asked what God means to her, Tirsa said, “It means a friend that we will always have.”

God is indeed a friend we will always have. Regardless of age, turning to God during Lent, and whenever we feel called to share worries or give thanks, is a meaningful first step on a path toward caring for ourselves and the world around us.

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Copyright 2026 Tammy Marino for Unbound
Images: copyright 2026 Unbound, all rights reserved.