Father God,
This morning I want to thank You for all You have done and are doing in my life. I want to thank You for being so merciful and gracious toward me. I am sorry for all my sins and short-comings. And I thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Although I know that I, in my own righteousness, am unworthy of Your goodness and grace, You have never left my side. You have never stopped loving me and teaching me which way to go. Thank You, Lord. I have been blessed so much more than I deserve. And that is all because of Your grace. You have kept me with Your love and guided me with Your word. It has just occurred to me that You said that You "make all things work to the good of those that love You"; as I was just thinking of Your discipline. I have often thought of discipline as sort of a "loving punishment" so that we will learn what not to do. While this is true sometimes, I think it also refers to Your correction. And when I think of Your correction, I think of how You make our mistakes - our "wrongs" - into Your planned steps to making us who we are. You truly do make all things, even our mistakes, work toward the good of those who love You! You are awesome, God! I love You!
While I'm here, I ask that You will help me to keep my focus on the things that really matter to You. While I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with social media, I believe I've been getting distracted from what really matters by it. Jesus, I know that You already know what I am referring to, so I won't bother rehashing it. But I do ask that You will help me keep my eyes on You. I ask that You will renew the vision and calling of all Your children too. Help them also, to place their faith in You. Help us all to pay more attention to Your Word than to the media. Help us all work to reconcile the strained and broken relationships with each other and start acting more like You, Jesus. Help us be more like You. Teach us, Lord. We need You now more than ever.
We love You, God.
Amen
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
A Prayer for Michelle's Grandmother
Dear Jesus,
We're not sure what happened or is happening to Michelle's grand mother, but we are sure that You do. We are also sure that You are our healer. We ask You, Lord, to heal Michelle's grandma. Steady her breathing and restore her vitality and health to her. We thank You for being with us. We thank You for letting us know that You are always in control and nothing takes You by surprise. And we thank You, God, for Your comfort in distressing times. We love You, Lord Jesus.
Amen
We're not sure what happened or is happening to Michelle's grand mother, but we are sure that You do. We are also sure that You are our healer. We ask You, Lord, to heal Michelle's grandma. Steady her breathing and restore her vitality and health to her. We thank You for being with us. We thank You for letting us know that You are always in control and nothing takes You by surprise. And we thank You, God, for Your comfort in distressing times. We love You, Lord Jesus.
Amen
Thursday, July 11, 2013
A Prayer for Guidance
Dear Jesus,
I want to thank You for being so near to me. Thank You for leading me through this life safely thus far. You've been so good to me. And in my own merit, I don't deserve to be blessed the way You have blessed me. Thank You. As You know, I'm still going through some trials. And my family is still not sure how we all should feel about the loss we've recently experienced. I ask that You would continue to lead and guide us through this time. I ask that You would use this to call my brothers and sisters back to You and even back to each other. I know that all of us, at some point, have made a decision and commitment to live for You. Please help us get back to that point. Please help us renew that commitment. Help us to grow together as a family. And press forward into the destiny You've set before us together - as a family. Help us to find the common ground between us so that we may rebuild strained relationships. And help us to feel the peace that You alone give in all things. Remind us to do everything with prayerful consideration. And help us serve others as we serve You, Lord.
I love You, my Lord and my God.
Amen
I want to thank You for being so near to me. Thank You for leading me through this life safely thus far. You've been so good to me. And in my own merit, I don't deserve to be blessed the way You have blessed me. Thank You. As You know, I'm still going through some trials. And my family is still not sure how we all should feel about the loss we've recently experienced. I ask that You would continue to lead and guide us through this time. I ask that You would use this to call my brothers and sisters back to You and even back to each other. I know that all of us, at some point, have made a decision and commitment to live for You. Please help us get back to that point. Please help us renew that commitment. Help us to grow together as a family. And press forward into the destiny You've set before us together - as a family. Help us to find the common ground between us so that we may rebuild strained relationships. And help us to feel the peace that You alone give in all things. Remind us to do everything with prayerful consideration. And help us serve others as we serve You, Lord.
I love You, my Lord and my God.
Amen
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Grieving Prayer
Dear heavenly Father God,
You know what's on my heart and mind. You know how sad I am inside. I'm not even sure if it's "OK" that I am as sad as I am over my Uncle Mark. I know we were never really close. But I would've liked to be closer. And I'm afraid for my dad. I worry about him a lot. He and Uncle Mark haven't been very close since they both left high school, according to my dad. But I know they were the closest and best of friends growing up as little kids. I know they've shared many memories, both good and bad. And because of the emotional distance that has come between them, I know this loss hasn't really sunk in and hit my dad yet. I pray that You will help us all get through this. I know that there has to be a grieving process. And I pray that You help us through that process. Help us not only to grieve but to heal. Give us peace through this. Give us constant reminders that You are in control. Help us to find the answers to the questions that lie heavy on our hearts. And teach us the lessons You have for us. Help us to learn the most from this. Help us to reconcile the relationships with our own relatives that have grown strained. Let us not waste time on things that don't matter. But invest ourselves in the things that do. Help us to build up each other. Remind us, especially me, to focus and build upon, our similarities and other things we have in common. Do not allow me to dwell on our differences and things that divide.
Lord, we love You. And we trust You with our present even as we trust You with our future and eternity. Be near to us. Let us feel Your presence.
Amen
You know what's on my heart and mind. You know how sad I am inside. I'm not even sure if it's "OK" that I am as sad as I am over my Uncle Mark. I know we were never really close. But I would've liked to be closer. And I'm afraid for my dad. I worry about him a lot. He and Uncle Mark haven't been very close since they both left high school, according to my dad. But I know they were the closest and best of friends growing up as little kids. I know they've shared many memories, both good and bad. And because of the emotional distance that has come between them, I know this loss hasn't really sunk in and hit my dad yet. I pray that You will help us all get through this. I know that there has to be a grieving process. And I pray that You help us through that process. Help us not only to grieve but to heal. Give us peace through this. Give us constant reminders that You are in control. Help us to find the answers to the questions that lie heavy on our hearts. And teach us the lessons You have for us. Help us to learn the most from this. Help us to reconcile the relationships with our own relatives that have grown strained. Let us not waste time on things that don't matter. But invest ourselves in the things that do. Help us to build up each other. Remind us, especially me, to focus and build upon, our similarities and other things we have in common. Do not allow me to dwell on our differences and things that divide.
Lord, we love You. And we trust You with our present even as we trust You with our future and eternity. Be near to us. Let us feel Your presence.
Amen
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
A Prayer for the Hotshot Firefighters
Dear Lord Jesus,
We lift up the firefighters and their families to You. We thank You for all these heroic men who, when put to the test, gave all they could give. They gave their lives not only for the ones they love but for many they don't even know. They illustrated Your kind of love to and for others by paying with their lives so that many may be safe.
We ask now that You would watch over and provide for their families in their absence. And help us all keep our focus on You, Lord. Move Your people to care and provide for these families. Remind us all that You are with us and have not forsaken us, even during these struggles. Guide us as we keep pressing on and moving forward into Your promises.
We love You, Jesus.
Amen
We lift up the firefighters and their families to You. We thank You for all these heroic men who, when put to the test, gave all they could give. They gave their lives not only for the ones they love but for many they don't even know. They illustrated Your kind of love to and for others by paying with their lives so that many may be safe.
We ask now that You would watch over and provide for their families in their absence. And help us all keep our focus on You, Lord. Move Your people to care and provide for these families. Remind us all that You are with us and have not forsaken us, even during these struggles. Guide us as we keep pressing on and moving forward into Your promises.
We love You, Jesus.
Amen
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