Write your blessed name,
O Lord,
upon my heart,
there to remain so indelibly engraved,
that no prosperity,
no adversity
shall ever move me from your love.
Be to me a strong tower of defense,
a comforter in tribulation,
a deliverer in distress, a very present help in trouble.
Shepherd me through the many temptations and dangers of this life. Lead me to your kingdom.
Amen.
(THOMAS À KEMPIS (1379-1471) ADAPTED BY DOUGLAS MCKELVEY FROM PRAYERS ANCIENT AND MODERN (1900)
Provider of food, Outfitter of lilies, Painter of sunsets, you offer us joy in the simplicity of your creation, and peace in your presence. Protect us from the allure of abundance. Help us find contentment, not in things, but in our relationship with you. Draw our attention to those who are in need and we can help. Give us today our daily bread, and help us to be thankful for it. Amen.
Faithful Lord,
Grant me the courage to step out of my comfort zone.
Lead me as I adapt to new situations and challenges.
Bless me as I pursue the dreams and passions you have placed in my heart.
Help me trust you, overcome fear, and take risks as I walk with you.
May I find strength in knowing that you are with me.
I give you praise and honor as I walk with you.
Amen.
Dear Father God,
Thank you for the new mercies that I experience each day.
Teach me to be a vessel and conduit of your divine spirit.
Praise you for new strength that you give each morning.
Help me to use that strength to bless others today.
I am in awe of the way that you have forgiven me.
By your grace, cause me to be a reconciler and a healer.
May your name be glorified in all I say and do today.
Amen
Lord of all creation, I thank you for the gift of life and the many blessings you've given me. I sometimes feel overwhelmed and distracted by earthly demands and forget what truly matters.
Help me, Lord, to seek first your kingdom and trust you for good outcomes. Give me the wisdom to discern what is urgent from what is truly important, and the strength to focus on Your will for my life.Align my heart with Yours, so my priorities reflect your will. Help me honor you and grow spiritually. Guard my mind from distractions, and remind me to find peace and joy in the life you've given me.Thank you for being my heart, my guide and my strength in hard times. Help me to simplify my life as I love you with my whole heart, mind and strength. To you belongs all glory. In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord Jesus, you promised that you would be with your people when they
meet together. We claim that promise right now.
We know that you are with us, but even so, Lord, we pray, that you will
give us a sense of your presence all together and individually, that we may
have a fresh experience of the living God.
We worship you for rescuing us from death and condemnation, for giving
us Christ, for life, peace, and your eternal love.
May we hear your voice speaking clearly to us today.
Make us more sensitive to you, and to the awfulness of turning away from
you.
Lead us into a deeper joy as we look to you.
Bring life to your people; purify your church, cleanse us from our sin
as we turn back to you; revive us spiritually. Renew us, not so that we become
even busier people, at church still more evenings in the week, but so that we
become more involved with people in our community.
Spirit of God, give us a burden for souls, Lord, souls who without you
are perishing.
Lord, we pray for the church, your people, that we will truly become the
people you intend us to be, that we will really look upward to you, and that we
will look outward to others, not simply look to ourselves.
Lord, make us a distinctive people, to bring you our praise, worship,
and adoration, and to lead lives of godly consistency and integrity.
May we all pull together, working as one strong and resilient team, to
bring you a symphony of worship and praise and to take you to the community and
the wider world.
May our energies be clearly focused and our lives inspired and directed
by your power at this time.
We pray in Christ’s name.
Prayer is much more
than the words of our lips;
it is the desires of our hearts,
and our hearts are constantly
"desiring" before Him,
even if we never speak a word.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Heavenly Father,
I long for the day when your glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. This great hope moves me to worship you as the God of... (add a trait of God on your heart right now)
Father, I am so thankful Jesus is coming back to our world to finish making all things new. As I think about our coming life in the new heaven and new earth, I'm most looking forward to …(add your own hope for what heaven will be like)
But as I look at our broken world and the presence of so much darkness and evil, I confess, Father, that sometimes I feel... (add your own emotions around what is happening in your world right now.)
Lord Jesus, knowing you have defeated Satan, I pray with great joy and confidence, but realizing the devil remains a roaring lion seeking to devour many, I pray with earnestness for the following missionaries and ministries... (add those organizations that are in your life and on your heart.)
Give me hope, Lord. Lift my own heart, and the heart of those I've prayed for today. There is always hope, and what we seek in You will not return void.
Amen.
Lord God,
My heart is broken, my spirit is crushed and I hurt so bad.
Please fill me with the knowledge that you are here.
Give me a peace that goes beyond my understanding.
Fill me with a joy that only can come from you.
Walk closely with me as I continue to heal.
Help me to trust and have hope again.
I believe that you love me and care about me.
I cry out to you for help.
In your name I pray.
Amen.
Lord of all Hope and Mercy,
I am weary and worn down. Depressed. Lethargic. And searching.
I feel that I know you. I believe that you are good and loving.
Please renew my spirit, transform me and help me to feel alive.
Lead me in ways that awaken my faith and cause me to feel alive.
Help me to know that I can make a difference in the world this new year.
Inspire me to take on each new day with hope and optimism.
Fill me with Your life, that I may have joy in my life and relationships.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of this new year, a chance to start fresh.I pray for your wisdom and guidance as I step into this new beginning.Help me to release past burdens, regrets, or old ways that hold me back.Strengthen me to face challenges with patience, kindness, and integrity.Use me as a vessel of hope, to uplift others and be your light in the world.Align my heart with Yours, transform my mind, and restore me to be like you.Bless me not to dwell on yesterday but focus forward with faith.
I am trusting in your mercies that are new every morning.I surrender this year to you, knowing I do not walk alone.
Amen.
A fourfold Benedictine BlessingMay God bless you with a restless discomfort May God bless you with anger May God bless you with tears And may God bless you with enough foolishness - Sister Ruth Fox |
