I just saw this email from you. You ask a very good question. I think it is not so much what we ask for as how we ask. I think it is ok to ask God for specific things: “Please heal this person.” “Help me forgive that one.” “I need a way to pay this bill.” “Help me keep my mouth shut when tempted. by ***” But we need to be open to HOW God might do it AND that God may have his reasons for saying “no” or “later.” We also have to face the reality that God does not do evil to accomplish good, nor does God violate human free will. So God may work out a thoroughly different solution that what we have in mind. An example for myself is that as I got a theology degree I prayed to write for God. Because my work has been in teaching and developing curriculum all my life, I had in mind that I would start teaching adult education in my parish or from my work in helping people return to the church, and from there I would move toward writing for God. That was blocked. I began to write for A Catholic Moment. I did not see that as God answering my prayer (because I had a different picture), but it was God answering my prayer. I was perilously close to telling God what to do, but when the opportunity to write for A Catholic Moment came about, I was open enough to God to take it. I hope this helps. Mary Ortwein