The beginning of the year is always the most exciting. It's when we're most optimistic, waiting for all our great declarations to manifest. It's when we're most dedicated to getting focused and making the best of the days to come. We become refreshed from the previous year's offsets and restored enough to tackle this year's.

Around this time new habits are formed that promise to make this year better than the last. And if prayer is on top of your list, this post is for you!

Prayer is your constant communication with God. It's how you talk to Him about your problems, how you surrender them unto Him, and how you speak to Him about your wants and needs. Though He knows them all already—He's not the all-knowing for nothing—He wants you to confide in Him. He wants you to trust Him.

While the beginning of a new year often brings restored faith, there will be battles that this year may offer that you're not sure how to deal with. Much like last year, unforeseen obstacles may arise; however, unlike last year, following the following tips will help you ignite your prayer life to create the atmosphere for a better year.

Be consistent.

Many of us have a bad habit of only praying when we want something. We drop to our knees when we've tried everything else, and are at our wit's end. Prayer, for many, is a last resort, not a first option. We pray one time, for five minutes, when we really need it, and afterward, God doesn't hear from us again. Not until the next time we run out of options and decide to pray again.

The key to a prosperous year, and an even better prayer life, is to create a habit of praying; create a habit of talking to God. Speak to Him about your life. Chat with Him about your greatest victories. Let Him in on your most taxing problems, and give Him space and opportunity to resolve them. To fight for you. To be there.

Creating a habit of praying allows God the 'in' He needs to move the mountains He's willing to move in your life. When you let Him in on everything, rather than one thing, you give Him the chance to shift everything—rather than that one thing. Instead of running to your friends to disclose your information (then worrying about whether or not they told anyone else), run to God. He'll always keep your secrets, and He's the only one that truly knows how to solve them.

Be intentional

When I first started praying, I asked for simple things. "Lord, let me get paid more. Lord, let me get all A's. Lord, let me find a man." But with those basic prayers, came basic shifts.

God is all-powerful, which means He is able to do all that you ask of Him. Get specific. Don't just ask for a raise or a new job, ask for the right job; ask for a career you're passionate about. Don't just ask for all A's, ask for overall academic success that leads to professional triumph. Don't just ask for a man, ask for the right man; a God-fearing one that will love you like Jesus loved the church, and honor you like you honor God.

If there is a battle you want God to fight for you, ask Him to. Ask Him to step in on your behalf. Ask Him to silence your nay-sayers. Ask Him to create in you a clean heart. Ask Him to shift your perception so you can see things as He does. God can handle more than just your carnal wants, He can handle your spiritual needs. He can shift your mental and spiritual self. He can do things within you just like He can do things outside of you; He can even do things within others. All you have to do is ask. 

When you pray, be cognizant of what you're asking for, and intentional in how you ask.

Believe.

Prayer without belief is useless. You cannot ask God for something and continue to worry about whether or not you'll get it. Whether or not He'll do it in your life. Many of the mighty works in the Bible have been satisfied by faith. And so it is by your faith (belief) that your prayers come to pass.

When you pray, walk away with relief. Leave all the challenges you've prayed for at His feet, and trust that He is going to pick them up and handle them. Know that the very thing you prayed for, God will do, deliver you from, provide, and give you an answer to.