These two models for prayer are described in the Upper Room Prayer Center by Mary Lou Redding, editior of the the Upper Room. The first model for prayer is built on the acronym ACTS:

A - Adoration (worship, praise)
C - Confession
T - Thanksgiving
S - Supplication (requests)

"We begin by adoring God, acknowledging who God is. Then we confess our failures and our need for God and ask for forgiveness. Next we express thanks, acknowledging God as the source of all we have, all our blessings. Finally, we state our requests, supplications, to God for what we need and want. This model can help us to pray more freely by giving us a way to search our hearts for what we want to say to God.

Another pattern for our praying can help us as we pray for others. We often say, "God bless you," which is a sort of prayer. This phrase draws on biblical blessings such as Numbers 6:24-26. Dr. Alvin VanderGriend has created a helpful model that can guide us in praying for others by building on the word B-L-E-S-S:*

B - Body. Pray for health/healing, for "daily bread"/physical needs to be met.
L - Labors. Pray for God's help in the person's work, school, daily tasks.
E - Emotional needs. Pray for comfort, reassurance, hope, joy, peace, etc.
S - Social needs. Pray for healthy relationships with family, friends, associates.
S - Spiritual needs. Pray for continually deepening relationship with God.

Patterns like these can encourage us to exercise the privilege of prayer and to pray more freely and faithfully."

*The B.L.E.S.S. acronym is adapted from Dr. VanderGriend's book, Love to Pray: A 40-Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life, and is used by permission.