Baseball Tees and Prayer Books

I used to think of books of prayers the way I used to think of baseball tees-a last resort to be used only after you'd realized you couldn't do what you should be able to do on your own. After all, I'm a Cristian (and an informed one at that), so shouldn't I have enough knowledge and thoughts and feelings in my heart and in my head to be able to pray a heartfelt prayer to my God? Well, my son is a baseball player, so shouldn't he be able to hit a ball that's pitched to him? Ideally, yes, but sometimes he needs a little help; sometimes he needs the tee. He's still using hand-eye coordination, and he's still swinging the bat and feeling it connecting with the ball. When I pray a prayer I've read in a book, I'm still connecting with my Father in Heaven. My perspective is still changed, and my heart is looking Heavenward-I just needed a little help, a little nudge in the right direction. There is no shame in a book of prayers. There is no s...