Hook: When did you last beg God for strength to endure a difficult situation?

Book: In His anguish, Jesus did the most sensible thing, He prayed. The Father immediately responded by sending an angel to strengthen Him. Twice Jesus warned His disciples to pray as well so that they would not fall into temptation. Instead of praying, the disciples slept, missing out on the strength the Father could have given them so that they would not have fled when the arrest occurred. Prayer is more about strengthening your dependency on God than informing Him of your needs.

Took: Why is prayer so essential to spiritual strength? How could your prayer life become more about dependence on the Father than a mere list of requests?