hat my random thoughts on prayer fall rather
naturally into four main divisions, each capable of expression in a
question:

I. What is prayer?
II. Why should I pray?
III. How should I pray?
IV. When should I pray?

But now that I have these major headings, I still face the problems of
enriching them and elaborating them so that they will have body enough
to stand. In other words, I build up my sub-headings. Under the first
question, for instance, I group these thoughts:

I. What Is Prayer?
1. It is communion with God.
2. It is the key to God's storehouse.
3. It is the key to God's heart.
4. It is "The soul's sincere desire."
5. It is the great anchor of faith.

Under question two, I group:

II. Why Should I Pray?
1. Because I am commanded of the Lord to pray.
2. Because through prayer I keep in tune with the Spirit of the
Lord.
3. Because it is through prayer that I acknowledge the goodness of
God.
4. Because through prayer I petition for needed blessings.
5. Because through prayer I establish and preserve an attitude of
humility.

Under question three:

III. How Should I Pray?
1. Simply.
2. Sincerely.
3. In spirit.
4. After the pattern of His prayer.
5. In secret as well as in public.

Under question four:

IV. When Should I Pray?
1. Regularly.
2. Morning and evening.
3. To meet special needs.
4. My attitude should always be one of prayerfulness.

This matter of organization may be diagrammatically illustrated as
follows:

_Random Thoughts_ _Organized Thoughts_

The hymn

The song ______________
| |
What is the use | FOCUS | I. What is Prayer?
of prayer? | or |
| AIM | II. Why should I pray?
Are prayers answered? | |
| To establish | III. How Should I Pray?
How often should | prayer as a |
I pray? | life habit. | IV. When Should I Pray?
|______________|
What are the
characteristics of
a good prayer, etc.?

In short, organizing involves the search for thought and the bringing of
order out of chaos. Having selected the aim, the main headings, and the
sub-headings, we now face _step four_--th