Start with praise

You want God to hear your prayers? Praise him first. God suggests the context of praise if we want to enter his presence; He knows that if we focus on his goodness instead of our own resourcefulness, we will have faith to endure and conquer the hardships of life. Praise builds faith. Self-focus undermines faith and places us on a path of never-ending anxiety. So praise the Lord for who he is. It will determine who you become!

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.