Brooklyn Nets point guard Jeremy Lin said that in order to "experience God more abundantly in prayer," he began addressing God as "Dad" -- and that simple change has allowed his prayers to become "more natural, vulnerable and engaging."
In an email sent to his digital prayer group titled, "Jeremy Lin Prayer Requests 35," the Christian athlete revealed that lately, he's been thinking a lot about how to experience God more abundantly.
"This has been a theme at the church I attend in Brooklyn, as well as something that God has put on my heart for quite some time now," he said.
Lin said he realized that to experience God more abundantly in prayer, he simply needs to "come and connect with God."
"I don't need to pray in church lingo or with the most extravagant vocabulary," he said. "I just need to come as I am because He loves me as I am."
"One way I've practically made this change is instead of addressing Him as 'God,' I say 'Dad,'" Lin continued. "I'm someone who says 'God' throughout my prayer, but I'm actively trying to replace it with 'Dad.'"
This simple change, the athlete said, has helped him foster a deeper relationship with God and "constantly reminds" him that prayer is just talking to God.
"There's no magical words or formula," he said. "He just wants time and relationship with me!! As a result, I've found my prayers to be more natural, vulnerable and engaging!"
In an earlier email sent to his digital prayer group, Lin said the book "Prayer" by Pastor Tim Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has helped improve his prayer life and intimacy with Christ.
Lin said that in his 2014 book, Keller discusses how prayer is a response to the conversation with us that God has already started through Scripture.
"I'm going to keep reading this book and wrestling with the concepts, but continued prayer that conversation with God would be second-nature," the athlete said. "If anything happens in my day or if I interact with someone, that immediately I would go to prayer instinctually and just converse with God."
In his latest email, the the Nets guard went on to reveal he is now walking without crutches following his knee surgery in October. While he's focused on his recovery, Lin asked fans to pray he continues to keep God as his top priority.
"I'd also like to praise God and thank you guys for all the prayers regarding my knee. Things have been quite positive so far," he wrote. "Please continue to pray that my knee and body recovers well, and that my mind doesn't allow rehab to become a bigger priority than Christ. That's always a temptation whenever I approach a big challenge -- that I lose sight of prioritizing God as #1."
Finally, Lin asked his followers to pray for the group of people that work with him on all of his off-the-court ventures.
"At times, we don't see eye-to-eye or feel misunderstood, so please pray that we'd have humble hearts to love each other graciously and find ways to improve as a team," he said. "And lastly, please pray for the Nets. Please pray that we would continue playing hard and the right way. -- unselfish basketball."
