God of love,Help us to use the gifts you give us for the people who need us.
Help us to see their need and, inspired by your Son, reach beyond ourselves, beyond our institutions, to the very margins and bring all to you, the center.May all we do be in preparation to serve more fully, seeking you in the world that we are invited to create with you.Send your Spirit to keep us aglow with the desire for justice.
Amen
Lord God,
Help us to remember those who tonight will go to sleep unfed and unwelcome, strangers in foreign lands, people who have fled for their lives and are far from their homes.We lift up to you those who are escaping persecution and conflict, having fled death, torture or ruthless exploitation.
We remember those who have hopes for a better future for their children.So many carry wounds, mental and physical. So many have suffered greatly.Lord Jesus, give us more of your compassion for their plight, soften our hearts to their situation, and help us follow your lead in seeking justice and mercy on their behalf.We pray for an end to the wars, poverty and human rights abuses that drive desperate people to become refugees in the first place.We give thanks for people working in troubled countries and ask for more of your blessing so we can bring life, dignity and hope to those that remain.We thank you that you are Lord of all the earth and all its people are loved by you.We pray these things in the name of your Son who was himself born into the troubled life of a refugee.Amen
Dear Lord,Life is often thought of as a journey.Help us each day to show kindness to those who come our way.Keep our hearts tuned to the heavenly voice.
Where the path is dark, shine your light through us.
On the uneven and rocky paths, make us sure footed.
In all times and in every way cause us to encourage fellow travelers.
Amen
You alone, Lord, are mighty; you alone are merciful;whatever you make me desire for my enemies,give it to them and give the same back to me.And if what I ask for them at any time is outside the rule of charity,whether through weakness, ignorance, or malice,good Lord, do not give it to them and do not give it back to me.You who are the true light, lighten our darkness;you who are the whole truth, correct our errors;you who are the true life, give life to our souls.Fulfill my prayer, Lord, not only for my friendsand the enemies for whom I have prayed,but distribute the healing of your mercywherever you know it may help anyoneand not be contrary to your will,both to the living and the departed.Amen
Father,
I struggle to feel understood.
And when I am misunderstood,
I feel cutoff and isolated from those around me.
This isn't how is should be, right?
You created us for one another
and yet people don’t want to understand who I am.
Do you see me trying to fit in,
in a world and a system that doesn't seem to fit me?
It wasn't made for this... I wasn't made for this.
Do you see me trying?
Why am I trying to bend to everyone else's will
and why does it seem that no one is trying to bend to mine?
Selah
How long, O Lord?
How long must I feel lonely,
misunderstood,
boxed in?
When will I be able to feel like myself in a world that doesn't accept me?
Lord, please help them see me.
Reveal to them their own selfishness and shortsightedness.
Please help me in my sorrow to not become bitter.
Show how to offer grace to those who do not seem to know what to do with me.
Amen
Please visit The Prayer List and pray with us.
Ah, Lord God, Holy Lover of my soul,
When you come into my soul, all that is within me will rejoice.You are my glory and the exultation of my heart.You are my hope and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Set me free from all evil passions,and heal my heart of all inordinate affections, cure and cleanse me within,that I may be made fit to love, courageous to suffer, steady to persevere.
Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing more courageous,nothing fuller nor better in heaven and earth; because love is born of God,and cannot rest but in God, above all created things.
Let me love you more than myself, and love myself except for you,and in you all that truly love you, as the law of love commands,shining out from yourself.Amen and Amen.
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and the all blessing,To You alone, Most High, do they belong,and no human is worthy to mention Your name.Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun,Who is the day and through whom You give us light.And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor;and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,through whom You light the night,and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,who sustains and governs us,and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,and bear infirmity and tribulation.Blessed are those who endure in peacefor by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,from whom no one living can escape.Woe to those who die in mortal sin.Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,for the second death shall do them no harm.Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanksand serve Him with great humility.
Amen
Lord,You know better than I, that I am growing older.Keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject.Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy.Keep me sweet, that I might have a few friends at the end.
Keep from reciting endless details; give me help to get to that point.Seal my lips on my aches and pains - help me to listen to people who hurt.
I pray for a growing humility when my memory seems to fail.Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet and easy to live with.Give me the ability to see good things in people and places.
Amen
When the valley is deep ...When the mountain is steep ...When the body is weary ...When we stumble and fall ...
In Jesus' name, we press on.When the choices are hard ...When we're battered and scarred ...When we've spent our resources ...When we've given our all ...
In Jesus' name, we press on.Dear Lord, with the prize ...Clear before our eyes ...We find the strength to press on ...
In Jesus' name, we press on.Amen
I am struggling to forgive Lord.
Enlarge my heart that I may have compassion and mercy.
Each day bitterness tries to take hold of me.
Teach me to let go of the past and forgive people who have wronged me.
Help me to remember to forgive as you have forgiven me.And find a way to love others the way that you love me.Amen
In difficulty and ease, our hope is in you Lord Jesus.In weakness and pain, our strength is in you Holy Spirit.When times are tough, we choose to wait for better days Father.We pray asking to see our lives from the perspective of an eagle.Help us to run in a way that brings honor to your name.Teach us to walk in integrity and humility.We commit ourselves to the ways of patience and perseverance.We say amen believing that Jesus is Lord.
Dear Father of All Peoples,It is hard to understand why people choose to discriminate based on skin color.It is puzzling how folks fixate on, and judge, things like homosexuality.It is odd that we choose to divide over religious preferences.It is even harder to understand why we often choose hate over love.So much of our behavior is based on years of bad training.May we be open to learning the ways of love, acceptance and friendship.Help us to find ways to build relationships with people who are not like us.Cause us to be bridge builders and peacemakers.Give us grace that our children might know more about love than hate.Amen and amen.
This is my prayer in the desertWhen all that's within me feels dryThis is my prayer in my hunger and needMy God is the God who providesI will bring praise, I will bring praiseNo weapon formed against me shall remainI will rejoice, I will declareGod is my victory and He is hereAll of my life in every seasonYou are still GodI have a reason to singI have a reason to worshipAmen
Dear Father,We live in a world where we sometimes hurt and offend others.Help us to be people who forgive and seek forgiveness.Give us grace to flow, and not try to control, when things are messy.Teach us to trust you in the midst of messy situations.Cause us to find ways to share your love with hurting people.Mostly, bless us to be peacemakers and reconcilers in a chaotic world.Amen and amen.
We welcome your light Lord Jesus.Come to us and help us to see with inner vision.When darkness prevails, we ask for help to see clearly.In confusion and distress, we pray for clarity of mind and heart.Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light on our way.May we cling to the scriptures, and follow the way of love.To you we commit ourselves, that your light may shine to the world.Amen and amen.
We come to you in pain and disappointment Lord.Life has been hard and we are in need of a helping hand.Cause compassionate friends, family and strangers to come our way.Help us to be humble enough to ask them for assistance.In these difficult times, open our eyes to the blessings in our lives.Teach us anew, what it means to persevere and be patient.We thank and praise you for being present with us. Amen
Thank you Father for our new hearts.Give us wisdom so that we might help our hearts grow.Cause our hearts to be strengthened as we love each other.
Help us to know how to train and nourish our innermost beings.Give us grace that we might live from the new creation.Amen.
Dear Lord,Help us to know that you are the giver of rest.Lead us in ways that cause us to cease from striving.Remind us to come to you when we are weary and overwhelmed.Teach us to be a people who are not fixating on working.Bless us Spirit to follow you in ways that bring us peace.Refresh us Lord that we might release our cares and find rest.
We surrender ourselves to you and your love.
Amen
Compassionate Father,Give us grace that we might be extensions of your heart to the world.Bless our hands to help and our feet to walk your paths.Give us eyes to see those who are in need of mercy and compassion.In all we do, help us to be agents of your love to the world.Amen
Dear Lord,
Sometimes we feel exhausted and spent.The days seem hard and long.We need your grace to strengthen and encourage us.Grant us rest and help us to let go of the day.Give us opportunities to exercise trust.Mostly, help us to rest and relax in your love.Amen
Dear Lord,So often we are reminded that we lack the virtue of patience.We are frustrated with ourselves and others when things go awry.Our tempers flare even when we have to wait in traffic or at a store.Disappointment appears with the lack of personal growth and advancement.Help us to find a way to accept life, others and ourselves.Cause patience to arise and grow in us each day.We thank you for all good things and say Amen.
