I’m not writing this post so that I can boast, but rather I’d like to show just how human this challenge made me feel.
At the end of September I felt like I was stuck in a rut. I kept getting rejected by potential employers and was wondering what I should do next. I felt like my Spanish was plateauing and that frightened me. Who would present me an opportunity with another internship or full-time job? I didn’t know the answer but I figured God would. I needed a challenge and it was almost the beginning of October. A new month, another chance to start over. To do something new. So I decided to develop a new habit: pray in Spanish at least once everyday for the next month.
If you speak another language besides your native one, be very careful when praying in your second language. It’s great practice and will definitely help you build fluency but don’t take it lightly. Be prepared to experience extreme opposition and challenges each step of the way.
It’s nearly the end of October. That is the best piece of advice I can give anyone who might consider trying this challenge. I have gone about praying in Spanish once a day for the last 28 days. Here is what I have learned: expect your life to get harder, not easier.
A short list of things I observed:
*My first prayer was short and during my lunch break. And it was slow. I reverted back to thinking in English because I was unsure of what to say and how to say it. I felt like a child.
*I missed a couple days praying in Spanish.
*A couple times I prayed more than once in Spanish.
*I fell asleep during one of my prayers at night.
*I literally cried out to God in one of my prayers and prayed the fastest I’ve ever prayed in Spanish.
*I prayed for two strangers who had no idea I was praying for them.
*Other people were mentioned in my prayers – it’s not just all about me.
*I prayed for my Spanish skills to continue to grow in Spanish.
*One of my prayers was in Spanglish. Another had just one word in English and the rest in Spanish. I had blanked on the word in Spanish
*I’ve noticed in the past couple days the speed in which I pray in Spanish is nearly comparable to that in my English prayers.
And lastly…
It was not and has not been an easy task. This coming from someone who is absolutely in love with speaking this beautiful language…
Only a few days remain in this challenge.
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