Table of

Contents
Introduction 1

Study Guide Purpose and Format 2

Best Practices 3

The Prayer Process 4

SESSION 1:
Let’s Start Here 5

SESSION 2:
The Unexpected Life 6

SESSION 3:
My Spiritual Journey 8

SESSION 4:
Life’s Essential Habit 10

SESSION 5:
Six Powerful Spiritual Lessons 11

SESSION 6:
The God Who Gave Us Laughter 12

SESSION 7:
Walk Together 14
Introduction
Something brought you here. Maybe a friend This study guide is just that: a guide to help
invited you. You might have been intrigued by you encounter God in a powerful way and to
the title of the book. Does God really laugh? help you start a habit of daily prayer. Our hope
Have others heard him? How can I hear him is that, by reading this book and going deeper
too? Or maybe you have this feeling that with this guide, you truly learn how to pray.
something is missing in your life. In many ways
you are flourishing, but in other ways you As you begin this journey, ask God to help
are experiencing dissatisfaction. We all feel you desire the transformation only he can
dissatisfied at one point or another. help bring about. Our aim here is to not know
everything about prayer, but rather that
God is speaking to you through that you have a powerful experience of prayer
dissatisfaction. over the next six weeks. We are grateful for
your willingness to respond to this profound
This is the invitation of a lifetime. For you to invitation, join intentionally with others in your
flourish and thrive like never before. parish (or experience this guide on your own),
and seek answers to your deeply personal
You’re a human being, made up of two parts: a questions.
body and a soul. Your soul plays a part in every
aspect of your life—physically, emotionally, The Catholic Church needs people like you
intellectually—but, just like your body, you have doing things like this. Thank you, God bless
to take care of your soul. When your body is and good luck!
hungry, your stomach growls. Your soul can’t
growl when it’s hungry. It’s time to start paying
more attention to your soul.

And what’s the best way to get in touch with

your soul’s needs? Prayer!

pg 1
Study Guide
Purpose and
Format
The purpose of this study guide is to: (a) help
you delve further into I Heard God Laugh by
exploring your personal prayer journal, your
reaction to Matthew’s insights, and your own
attempts to apply what you’ve learned to your
life; and (b) build authentic community in the
parish by allowing discussion about the book’s
themes. This guide was written for small groups
and book clubs, but can be used by individuals
as well.

The study guide is broken into seven sessions.

These sessions can take place once a week or
once a month, at the discretion of the group.

Each session follows the same format:

• Opening Prayer
• Read Aloud
• Discussion Questions
• Activities
• For Next Time
• Closing Prayer

We recommend that a group session last

from sixty to ninety minutes, but the content
is flexible and can be adapted to fit your
needs. It is assumed that participants will have
completed the reading assignment before
attending each session, except for the first
session.

pg 2
Best
Practices
Never led a small group? Don’t sweat it! Here 4. Allow room for silence. It’s okay if there
are five tips for creating a great environment are moments of quiet in the group. It may feel
for small groups! uncomfortable or awkward, but people need
time to process or to summon the courage to
1. Keep your meeting time and place speak up.
consistent. Once a week, at a time convenient
for all participants, in a location that has 5. Begin and end with prayer. Start every
accessible parking is great. session with the opening prayer (found at the
beginning of each section), and close each
2. Communicate in advance. If you’re session with the closing prayer (found at the
meeting at someone’s house, let people know end of each session). You can also give people
beforehand where they can park. If you’re the opportunity to offer personal prayer
meeting virtually, make sure everyone has the intentions.
correct software installed.

3. Get to know each other. Even if you have

already been meeting for some time, it can
be beneficial to begin your time together as a
group with a fun, lighthearted question. Starting
sessions this way helps individuals get to know
each other a little and feel more comfortable
together. Here are some fun suggestions:

• Which fictional character would you

want to be your best friend?
• If you could eliminate one food so no
one could eat it ever again, what would
you destroy?
• If you could live anywhere in the world
for a year, where would it be?
• What is your favorite, funniest, or most
awkward childhood memory?
• What is the last movie you saw in
theaters?

pg 3
The
Prayer
Process
For years, Matthew encouraged people 1. Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a
to commit to a habit of daily prayer. Over personal dialogue for whatever you are most
time he realized they needed more than grateful for today.
encouragement. They needed to be taught how
to pray and they needed a method of prayer. 2. Awareness: Revisit the times in the past
twenty-four hours when you were and were not
And so he created the Prayer Process (found in the-best-version-of-yourself. Talk to God about
Part Three of I Heard God Laugh). This simple, these situations and what you learned from
seven-step method of prayer can be used by them.
anyone, anywhere, at any time, regardless of
your experience in the spiritual life—and it is 3. Significant Moments: Identify something you
designed to grow with you. You will experience experienced today and explore what God might
the Prayer Process together throughout this be trying to say to you through that event (or
study guide, but we encourage you to start person).
using it in your daily life too!
4. Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong
you have committed (against yourself, another
person, or him) and to fill you with a deep and
abiding peace.

5. Freedom: Speak with God about how he is

inviting you to change your life, so that you can
experience the freedom to be the-best-version-
of-yourself.

6. Others: Lift up to God anyone you feel called

to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide
them.

7. Finish: Pray the Our Father.

pg 4
SESSION 1:

Let’s Start
Here
Opening Prayer Activities
Dear God, as we begin this small group Pick someone else in the group (or the leader
experience, we ask that you open our minds can assign them beforehand if there’s an odd
and our hearts. Help us to grow in relationship number of people) to be your prayer partner.
with you and with each other. Bless this You will connect with this person to swap
group. Inspire us to pour ourselves into this prayer intentions during each session.
book and the ideas it presents. Encourage us
to persevere, even when it’s inconvenient or For Next Time
difficult. Thy will be done. Amen.
Read Part One of I Heard God Laugh. What
stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
Ice Breaker
the ideas that most resonate with you.
Say who you are, how long you’ve been at the
parish, and answer one or two of the “Get to Closing Prayer
Know Each Other” questions.
Allow people to offer personal intentions and
then pray one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and
Discussion Questions
one Glory Be.
Question 1: How would you rate the health of
your soul 1-10? Where would you like to be?
What do you do to intentionally take care of
your soul?

Question 2: What do you think of when you

hear the word prayer? Write down some
different prayers that you learned as a kid, or
some different ways to pray. Discuss as a group.

Question 3: If you had to pick three words to

describe God in this moment what would they
be? Write them down and share with the group.
The leader can give examples if needed.
How do you address God? Is He Father, Lord,
Dad, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Wisdom, King of Kings,
etc? If you don’t have a specific name that’s
OK. Is there a certain person of the Trinity that
resonates with you?

pg 5
SESSION 2:

The Unexpected
Life
Opening Prayer we learn how to love and be loved, because
Soul Note from I Heard God Laugh Part One: we discover that we have been loved, are
loved, and will continually be loved by God.”
Soul, You have the heart of a lion, strong How have you experienced the love of God?
and courageous. Let nothing distract you, Do you believe that God loves you as Matthew
let nobody discourage you from your daily describes?
communion with the one who created you. • Share a story of someone who loves
Amen. unconditionally like God does in your
own life.
Read Aloud
Question 4: We each experience storms in
Ask someone from the group to read this
our lives; how have you weathered storms in
passage from Part One of I Heard God Laugh.
the past? After reading this part of the book,
Start on the bottom of page 10 with, “At the
how do you think you will handle storms in the
beginning of a journey…” and end with “I pray
future?
you are blessed with an abundance of courage,
• So often we think that we can fix
patience, and wisdom for the journey we are
the storms in our own lives by just
embarking on.” on page 11. Reflect on that for a
burrowing down from the wind and the
moment. Then discuss what sticks out to you.
rain. But if we have strong roots we will
endure the storm. Do you feel like your
Discussion Questions
faith has strong roots?
Question 1: Matthew says that some dreams
we had when we were younger were ill suited Activities
for us, and we were ill suited for them. Can you
Do Lectio Divina on the Bible passage below
think of a dream you had or something that you
(which Matthew mentions in the book). Lectio
really wanted when you were younger, but are
Divina stands for “Divine Reading”. Ask three
glad it didn’t come to be?
people to take turns reading the passage
slowly, with a minute of silence in between for
Question 2: What do you remember being
the group to reflect.
taught about prayer?
• Did you learn prayers in school? At
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
home? Did anyone teach you how to
pray? If I speak in human and angelic tongues but
do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a
Question 3: Matthew says in the book “In prayer clashing cymbal.

pg 6
And if I have the gift of prophecy and For Next Time
comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if Pass out Prayer Process Cards and encourage
I have all faith so as to move mountains but do everyone to at least try this method of prayer a
not have love, I am nothing. couple of times this week.
If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my
boy over so that I may boast but do not have Read Part Two of I Heard God Laugh. What
love, I gain nothing. stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
the ideas that most resonate with you.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous,
[love] is not pompous, it is not inflated
Closing Prayer
it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over Allow people to offer personal intentions and
injury. then pray one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and
one Glory Be.
It does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices
with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all

things, endures all things.

Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they

will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they
will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to
nothing.

For we know partially and we prophesy partially,

but when the perfect comes, the partial will
pass away.

When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,

think as a child, reason as a child; when I
became a man, I put aside childish things.

At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but

then face to face. At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the

greatest of these is love.

• Is there a word or phrase that sticks

out to you? What do you feel that God
is trying to say to you through this
passage?
• After reading the passage and taking a
minute of silence, ask the group to share
anything that sticks out to them. Repeat
this twice more.

pg 7
SESSION 3:

My Spiritual
Journey
Opening Prayer Question 3: When was the last time, if ever, that
Soul Note from I Heard God Laugh Part Two: you asked the question: God, what do you think
I should do?
Soul, Set the worries of this world aside and
allow yourself to soar like a bird on the wind. Question 4: Matthew’s high school motto was
Listen to the whispers of your Creator calling Luceat Lux Vestra or “Let your light shine.” Do
you gently to you, inviting you to remember you have a motto for your life? If so, what is it
that just as the body needs food, so too your and how did you develop it?
soul needs to be nourished. Amen.
Question 5: Matthew says that when God
Read Aloud invites us to trust in him, he promises that
everything will work out in the end, but he
Ask someone from the group to read this
doesn’t promise that everything will work out
passage from Part Two of I Heard God Laugh.
the way we want it to.
Start on page 23 with, “God, what do you think
• Is there a time you have seen that
I should do?” and read to the bottom of the
happen in your life? Share with the
page.
group.
• It has been said that God answers
Discussion Questions
prayers in 3 ways: 1) Yes, 2) Not yet, 3) I
Question 1: Who is someone you’ve gone to have something better for you. How do
advice for in the past? you interpret that thought?
• Did their advice help you?
• Do you go to God with these concerns, Activities
asking for advice and guidance? Why or
Write a thank you note to someone who has
why not? Do you want to?
impacted your faith journey in a significant way.
If you don’t necessarily have someone who
Question 2: When did your spiritual journey
has impacted you spiritually, write a thank you
begin? Was it at a conference, an event,
note to a mentor or coach who has significantly
through a mentor, a family member?
impacted your life in a positive way.
• Is there a moment when you
encountered God, Jesus, or the Holy
Make a gratitude list of all the things that you
Spirit in a powerful way? Think about
are grateful for. This is just for you, you don’t
it as a transformation in one’s life that
have to share this with the group.
redefines your mission or purpose. Share
about your experience of conversion.
Write down a prayer to God about something
that is worrying you.

pg 8
For Next Time

Read Part Three of I Heard God Laugh. What

stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
the ideas that most resonate with you.

Closing Prayer

The Prayer of Transformation

(from Rediscover Jesus)

Loving Father,

Here I am. I trust that you have an incredible

plan for me. Transform me. Transform my life.
Everything is on the table.

Take what you want to take and give what you

want to give. Transform me into the person
you created me to be, so I can live the life you
envision for me. I hold nothing back; I am 100
percent available. How can I help? Amen.

pg 9
SESSION 4:

Life’s Essential
Habit
Opening Prayer • How could your morning routine
Soul Note from I Heard God Laugh Part Three: become better?

Soul, Come to the silence and learn what it Question 4: If you had to pick three words to
is that you need to thrive. Embrace what it is describe God in this moment what would they
that makes you dance for joy. And share with be?
everyone you meet the love that Love himself • This was a discussion question from
has filled you with. Amen. Session One. Have these words changed
since then? Why or why not?
Read Aloud
Activities
Ask someone from the group to read this
passage from Part Three of I Heard God What obstacles have you encountered while
Laugh. Start on page 42 with, “One of the real building your daily habit of prayer? Share with
treasures the Prayer Process offers” and read the group. Brainstorm how you can overcome
until the middle of page 43 that ends with “It’s these obstacles together.
time to wake up!’”
Write down the What, When, Where, How, and
Discussion Questions Why of the basics of building a vibrant daily
prayer life (found on pg. 49 and 50 of I Heard
Question 1: Questions play an important role in
God Laugh).
our spiritual journey. If you could ask God for
one thing right now, what would it be?
For Next Time

Question 2: Matthew says, “The Prayer Read Part Four of I Heard God Laugh. What
Process requires no mentor, no guide, and no stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
instructions.” Have you tried praying with it by the ideas that most resonate with you.
now (Prayer Process Cards were handed out
two sessions ago with no instructions). How did Closing Prayer
it go? Spend the last ten minutes of your group time
together going through the Prayer Process step
Question 3: How do your best days start? What by step.
are the habits you have created that if you don’t
do, the day just doesn’t go as smoothly?
• Maybe it’s a run, prayer, a morning cup
of coffee. Share with the group.

pg 10
SESSION 5:

Six Powerful
Spiritual Lessons
Opening Prayer Question 3: Matthew says that we “need so
Soul Note from I Heard God Laugh Part Four: much less than we think we do.” And that often
we take spiritual detours by filling our lives with
Soul, As you stumble and fumble onward stuff. Reflect on one thing you could remove
toward ecstasy, learn to listen to the voice of from your life to help make yourself available to
the one who created you. He speaks gently to God. Share with your prayer partner so they can
you throughout the day, and delights in those help hold you accountable!
moments when you sit with him in solitude.
Amen. Question 4: Matthew muses that the spiritual
life is not a straight line. Have you experienced
Read Aloud that in your own journey? Share with the group.

Ask someone from the group to read this

Question 5: Can you name a time when God
passage from Part Four of I Heard God Laugh.
has answered your prayers? What was that
Start on page 75 with, “Every honest human
experience like? Now reflect upon a time when
activity can be transformed into prayer.” and
it felt like God hadn’t answered your prayers.
read to the end of the first paragraph on page
How was that different? What did you feel?
76 that ends with “ Guide God around your life.”
Reflect on that for a moment and then discuss
Activities
what sticks out to you.
Make a list of how you can transform your
Discussion Questions everyday activities into prayer.
• Examples: mowing the lawn, having
Question 1: Have you ever been on a
dinner with your family, commuting to
pilgrimage? What was that experience like? If
work is prayer.
not, what do you imagine is the purpose of a
Make yourself available to God this week: Go to
pilgrimage? Where would you like to go? Why?
church outside of Sunday Mass to pray.

Question 2: Let’s talk about the Six Seismic

For Next Time
Shifts. They are: Begin the Conversation, Ask
God What He Wants, Give Yourself to Prayer, Read Part Five of I Heard God Laugh. What
Transform Everything into Prayer, Make Yourself stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
Available and Just Keep Showing Up. Does the ideas that most resonate with you.
one of these resonate with you more than the
others? Which seismic shift do you feel you are Closing Prayer
experiencing right now? Spend the last ten minutes of your group time
going through the Prayer Process step by step.

pg 11
SESSION 6:

The God
Who Gave Us
Laughter
Opening Prayer • Name a time when you really had to
Soul Note from I Heard God Laugh Part Five: be patient. Maybe it is a memory from
childhood, or your teenage years. Maybe
Soul, Until you discover God’s playfulness you it was waiting for a dream to come true,
will not enter into the depths of the spiritual life. or a prayer to be answered.
Until you discover the playfulness of the child
within, you will not discover the playfulness of Question 3: Think about the intentional
God. Dance in the rain, play in the mud, lose conversation Matthew has with his daughter
track of time, and maybe then you will find Isabel in this chapter.
yourself lost in God, and found once and for all. • When is the last time you took the time
Amen. to have an intentional conversation
with someone you love? Share with the
Read Aloud group. (Note: you don’t have to disclose
confidential information. However, you
Ask someone from the group to read this
can share the period of time, who it was,
passage from Part Five of I Heard God Laugh.
and how it felt to really dive deep in
Start on page 90 with, “Modern medicine has
conversation with that person.)
discovered that laughter strengthens your
• Has this study group and your last few
immune system, ” and read to the top of 91
weeks of daily prayer helped change
ending with “Does God have a sense of humor.”
your relationship between you and
Reflect on this passage
God? Have you been able to perceive
your times in prayer as an intentional
Discussion Questions
conversation with God, a father who
Question 1: Matthew says in the book “The delights in you, his child? Why or why
more we get to know God, the more we desire not?
to know him.” Have you experienced that since
we started this journey together? Can you think Question 4: Busy is not your friend. It makes us
of a specific moment in this journey? feel burnt out, overwhelmed and inadequate.
• Matthew says there is a difference
Question 2: Matthew doesn’t promise that you between being busy with the right
will hear God laugh, but he says he can show things and being busy with the wrong
you how to wait patiently and ready yourself for things. Name a time when you had a
an unforgettable encounter with God. busy day filled with the right things.

pg 12
 How did you feel? Did you feel proud, your command I will lower the nets.”
accomplished, satisfied? When they had done this, they caught a great
• Matthew talks about how he decides number of fish and their nets were tearing.
what events and commitments to They signaled to their partners in the other
participate in. Do you have a way of boat to come to help them. They came and
discerning what to be involved with? Or filled both boats so that they were in danger of
do you say yes to every opportunity? sinking.
Do you feel pressured into doing things?
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees
Do you feel like you have the freedom to
of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I
say no?
am a sinful man.”
» Do you think Matthew’s approach
to considering adding things to For astonishment at the catch of fish they had
your schedule or taking them made seized him and all those with him, and
away could work for you? Discuss likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
as a group. who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to
» What is one commitment you Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will
currently have that is life-giving? be catching men.”
What is one commitment that is When they brought their boats to the shore,
draining? they left everything and followed him.

Activities Go through your next week’s schedule in

In Luke 5: 1-11, Peter is called to trust in regards to commitment. Use Matthew’s process
the Lord to catch fish and then to leave his to help you gain clarity.
belongings and follow him. Read the following • Do I feel free to say no?
passage three times and reflect on how the • How will I feel on the way to this
Lord may be asking you to trust him more than commitment?
you did yesterday. • How will I feel while I am there?
• How will I feel on my way home?
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and
listening to the word of God, he was standing For Next Time
by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats Read Part Six of I Heard God Laugh. What
there alongside the lake; the fishermen had stands out to you? Highlight or make note of
disembarked and were washing their nets. the ideas that most resonate with you.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging
to Simon, he asked him to put out a short Closing Prayer
distance from the shore. Then he sat down and
Spend the last ten minutes of your group time
taught the crowds from the boat.
together going through the Prayer Process step
After he had finished speaking, he said to by step.
Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your
nets for a catch.”

Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked

hard all night and have caught nothing, but at

pg 13
SESSION 7:

Walk
Together
Opening Prayer

Dear God, as we finish this small group

experience, we ask that you continue to
open our minds and our hearts. Help us to
keep showing up and meeting you in prayer.
Encourage us to persevere, even when it’s
inconvenient or difficult. Thank you for all the
blessings you poured into our small group.
Amen.

Read Aloud

Ask someone from the group to read this

passage from the Epilogue of I Heard God
Laugh on page 111.

Discussion Questions

Question 1: What surprised you the most about

this book?

Question 2: How are you doing with your

daily habit of prayer? What graces have you
received? What obstacles have you overcome?
What obstacles may you encounter on the road
that you can prepare for now that you have
read this book?

Question 3: Who are you going to share this

daily habit of prayer with? How will you share
why they should pray/why you pray?

Closing Prayer

Spend the last ten minutes of your group time

together going through the Prayer Process step
by step.

pg 14
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