Prayers and Thoughts for the New Year – 2013

A few days ago I posted this prayer for New Year’s Day 2013. In the last few days however, there have been several beautiful prayers posted on the Light for the Journey Facebook page for the new year which I thought you might enjoy. I normally post all the prayers at once at the end of the week but thought that these needed to stand alone.

Lord Jesus Christ, pierce my soul with your love so that I may always long for you alone, who are the bread of angels and the fulfillment of the soul’s deepest desires.
May my heart always hunger and feed on you, so that my soul may be filled with sweetness in your presence.
May my soul thirst for you, who are the source of life, wisdom, knowledge, light and all the riches of God our Father.
May I always seek and find you, think about you, speak to you and do everything for the honour and glory of your name.
Be always my hope, my pece, my refuge and help in whom my heart is rooted so that I may never separate from you.
(Bonaventure – 13th Century)

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“This is the new year the new you. You can pass through another year, coasting on cruise control. Or you can step out of your comfort zone, trying things you have never done before, & make 2013 as the year that you elevate from where you are & soar high. Make it happen!”
― Pablo (posted by Micha Jazz of Contemplative Network)

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Every moment is a new beginning, every handshake a promise. I know that every quest implicates the other, just as every word can become prayer. If life is not a celebration, why remember it? If life — mine or that of my fellow man — is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this earth?
— Elie Wiesel from “Open Heart”
Thanks to My Soul in Silence Waits.

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The God who breathed this world alive
and sustains it day by day,
whose hands flung stars into space
and controls our destiny
says, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
The God who filled the ocean depths
and set tides on their way,
who caused mountains to be raised up
and rainbows to display
Says, “I have called you by name, you are mine.”
The God who made the fertile earth
and seed within to sow,
whose artistry creates butterflies
and the early morning dew
says, “You are precious in my sight.”

www.faithandworship.com

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God the eternal rock is with us,
From year’s beginning to its end,
In hard times and in good,
God is with us from year’s beginning to its end.
God almighty is faithful,
Present in each day and every moment,
Drawing close in every act and deed,
God is faithful through all eternity.
God is trustworthy,
Yesterday, today and forever,
Sustaining, enlivening, making all things new,
God the eternal rock is with us this day and evermore.

Prayers for the Journey

Speak to me – Bonnie Harr

The beauty of the prayers that continue to be posted on the Light for the Journey site enrich and stir my faith. I hope that they will yours as well.

Let us walk into this day,

God’s love to give us hope,

Christ’s life to give us guidance,

The Spirit’s power to transform us.

Let us walk with joy,

Let us walk with purpose,

Let us walk each step towards God’s new world.

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May we put our hope in God’s unfailing love,

And trust in God’s eternal faithfulness.

May it lead us into paths of justice,

And guide us towards God’s righteousness,

Where we give ourselves to feed the hungry,

And commit ourselves to share God’s healing.

May we always live towards God’s new reality,

A new community with wholeness, peace and abundance for all.

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Let us pray for justice faithandworship.com

God give us this day your hearts desire,

May we love as you love with justice and mercy,

May we live as Christ lived with compassion and generosity,

May we become what the spirit intends filled with peace and joy,

May we this take new steps to be transformed into the image of God.

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Pray for justice – Christine Sine

Lord, we bring to you those ‘almost’ moments.

When the opportunity arose to bring your name

into a conversation and we almost did.

When we were challenged to give to those

who are in need, and we almost did.

When we heard of an injustice and, tempted

to reach for our pen, we almost did.

When challenged by the whisper of your voice

to go where you would send, we almost did.

Forgive our timidity, our reluctance

to live the life that we proclaim.

Fill us with your Spirit of love and power

that by our words and actions

your name might be glorified,

and our ‘almost’ become ‘always’!

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May our ears be attuned – faithandworship.com

In you, O Lord, do we trust,

in your love we delight,

for there is no other

to whom we can turn

who knows our needs

before we ask,

reads our hearts

and answers our requests.

In you, O Lord, do we trust,

in your peace we depend,

for there is no other

to whom we can turn

who calms our souls,

brings release,

and in whose

arms we would rest.

 

(www.faithandworship.com)

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God let us not hold onto what we should release,

Let us not embrace what does not satisfy,

Let us not commit to what is not your will.

May we give up all to follow,

Twighlight burning – Bonnie Harr

Prayers for the Journey

From Mary DeJong http://waymarkers.wordpress.com/

The end of another busy week  and it is time to post prayers from my facebook page Light for the Journey. The richness of contributions from the expanding team of contributors is amazing.  As I mentioned last week, I have enlisted the help of Jamie Arpin Ricci author of The Cost of Community and founder of Litte Flowers community in Winnipeg Manitoba; Phileena Heuertz co-founder of Word Made Flesh and author ofPilgrimage of a Soul; Micha Jazz a contemplative activist in Chichester UK and a member of the Axiom Monastic Community; Bonnie Harr who posts prayers and reflections at In His Footsteps; John Birch who posts Celtic Prayers and Resources atFaith and Worship; Mary Plate DeJong who leads pilgrimages to Iona Scotland and is Forest Steward for one of Seattle’s urban forests and Mark Scandrette author ofPracticing the Way of Jesus and founding director of ReIMAGINE in San Francisco.

There are too many prayers for a single post, so I will post some today and some tomorrow. If you would like to access these prayers and reflections each day (and see  all the beautiful images that accompany them) please “like” the Light for the Journey Facebook page.

God my creator,

Draw me closer.

Christ my redeemer,

Draw me closer.

Spirit my advocate,

Draw me closer.

Let the eyes of my heart rest on you.

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God may I give myself only

to that which satisfies my heart,

May I give myself only

to that which strengthens my soul,

May I give myself only

to that which draws me closer to you.

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God you are love,

All you are expresses love,

All you do flows from love.

Lord wipe the scales from our eyes,

That we might see what love is doing.

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Eternal God, Creator of all that is,

all that was, all that will ever be.

You who made the sun and moon,

Who brought night and day into being,

Transform our darkness into light,

Renew us, restore us, redeem us,

Let your presence shine through us,

That all might see.

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This is your world I step upon

the air I breathe

the food I eat

This is your world I step upon

the sounds I hear

the people I meet

This is your world I step upon

your footsteps

where I place my feet

(www.faithandworship.com)

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Lord Jesus Christ let your words flow into my soul,

Let them nourish me,

Let them grow within me,

Let their truths rise up within me,

Let them give me life.

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Let this moment settle in my heart,

Let all that it holds rest secure in the love of God,

Let the wonder of the holy One

radiate from the centre of my being,

Until the reality of Christ’s inner presence

Spills out into the world around me.

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Bonnie Harr – Aspen Praise

Prayers for the Journey

Flower seller – Pike Place market

 

I am just back from the Pike Street Market, one of my favourite places in Seattle. The flower sellers are everywhere, lifting my spirits with the vibrant beauty of their bouquets which inspired the first of these prayers. If you would like to receive these prayers each day on facebook you can sign up here

Glory be O God almighty, glory be.

Glory be O Christ redeemer, glory be.

Glory be O Spirit advocate, glory be.

Glory to the One who loves us,

Glory to the One who cares,

Glory to the One who hears us,

Glory be.

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Lord Jesus Christ, let the wonder of your love shine forth,

Let the beauty of your image emerge,

Let us magnify your greatness,

And bless the One,

who has given us new birth into a living hope.

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May faith go before us,

May hope reside within us,

May love always surround us.

All else will pass,

These three will remain,

And the greatest of these is love.

(From meditating on 1 Corinthians 13)

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God may I gaze on you and find myself,

May my eye be focused and my body full of light.

May I move forward with the joy of your presence before me,

And the wonder of your love ever within me.

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Let us welcome the good news of the kingdom,

and stand firm in its wonderful truths.

Let us follow its path and not stumble,

And see in it the unfailing love of our Lord.

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Lord Jesus Christ you are the way,

May we turn our our face toward you,

And grow in the beauty of your light.

No apologies for the fact that this is derived from the prayer I wrote yesterday (see below):

Christ is the centre and circumference,

Christ is the way and the destination,

Christ is the beginning and the end.

Before, behind, within, without,

Christ is God’s gift of life and love.

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May the centre of all things be Christ,

May the way of all things be Christ,

May the truth of all things be Christ,

Behind, before, within, without,

May the life of all things be Christ.

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Prayers for the Journey

Sunset in Seattle

The Light for the Journey facebook page is changing. I have asked a number of contemplatives around the world to participate with me in sharing prayers, contemplative practices and their journeys. Mustard Seed Associates is a community based organization and believe that all we do should be a reflection of the gifts and talents of the broader community of which we are a part. One of the strengths of this blog is the diversity of voices that contribute to its content and I want to make sure that the facebook pages associated with it reflect that.

I will continue to post each week the summary of prayers but will also add links to articles, prayers and meditations that this growing contemplative community shares with us.

May the centre of all things be Christ,

May the way of all things be Christ,

May the truth of all things be Christ,

Behind, before, within, without,

May the life of all things be Christ.

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Lord Jesus Christ may we look at you in every moment,

May we centre not on problems but on your resources,

May we run your race with purpose in every step,

And keep our eyes on your enduring love.

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Lord Jesus Christ may we live by your royal law,

May we love mercy not judgement,

Show compassion not indifference,

Practice peace not war,

May we love God with our whole hearts gladly,

And love neighbours as we do ourselves.

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Lord you are the lover of my soul,

Jehovah Jirah you are my provider,

Restorer of all things, you are my redeemer,

Gardener of creation, you are the one who formed made me.

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Tuesday morning’s prayer was an adaptation of one I wrote last year for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

May all of us remember with love and compassion this day.

May we grieve with those who still mourn,

And share memories with those who cannot forget.

May we draw strength from those who bravely responded,

And gave their lives to save others.

May we stand with strangers who became neighbours,

And give thanks for their generosity and hospitality.

May we remember all who have lost loved ones to terrorism and violence,

And commit ourselves to bring your peace.

Above all God may we remember your faithfulness,

And learn to trust in your unfailing love.

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Interesting link shared this week:

How Spiritual Direction Can Make You Feel Closer to God

The Ascent to Assisi – by Contemplative Activist Micha Jazz.

In His Footprints

This is an interesting facebook page. To walk a prayer labyrinth is to open a new connection between God’s heart and your own. . . To walk uprightly, faithfully and lovingly, is to find an uncommon joy and peace in the journey.

In His Footsteps serves as an informational resource for recovering the Prayer Labyrinth as an ancient, yet ever new, prayer experience. In addition, snippets of inspiration are offered for your daily walk with God.

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence.” Psalm 16:11

Prayers for the Journey

Blue moon rising

The end of another beautiful week here in Seattle – 47 days without any rain, possibly setting a record. Not good for the farmers or for the wildfires, but some of us are enjoying it which probably accounts for how upbeat my prayers are this week. Enjoy and if you want to check out the photo prayers that I am adding now don’t forget to like the facebook page

May we be still in your presence O Lord,

And wait patiently for you to act.

May we delight in you O Lord,

And trust in you to help us.

May we commit our day to you O Lord,

And hold onto your faithful promises.

(Adapted from Psalm 37:3-7)

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Show us the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for us to follow.

Lead us by your truth and teach us,

for you are the God who saves us.

All day long we put our hope in you.

(Adapted from Psalm 25:4,5)

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Lord Jesus Christ your yoke is easy, you burden is light.

Help us to lay down what we should not carry.

Help us to let go what we should share.

May we find the joy of always walking yoked with you.

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Drink in the water of life,

Let it quench your thirsty soul.

Feed on the bread of heaven,

Let it nourish your starving spirit.

Be filled with the life of Christ,

Let him sustain and keep you

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“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.”

 

John Wesley

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This prayer was written while thinking about the Wild Goose Festival this weekend. The Wild Goose is the Celtic symbol for the Holy Spirit. The photo is of Canada geese.

May the spirit soar within you and take flight

May it guide you through the day and lead you through the night

May it shine for all to see and give you light.

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Prayers for the Journey

The light of God shines through

Last week I did not have an opportunity to post my weekly list of prayers from facebook and twitter, so I thought that I would get a head start and post them early this week. Some of them are drawn from the liturgies that we used at the Celtic retreat so are a little longer than usual.

God awaken us to Jesus, give us his passion for prayer,

God awaken us to Jesus, give us his passion for people,

God awaken us to Jesus, give us new hearts and new spirits,

God awaken us, may our needs drive us to you and the needs of others drive us to them,

God awaken us, let zeal for your ways consume us.

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Father may we stand,

In the centre of your hope and promises.

Christ may we stand,

In the centre of your love and faithfulness.

Spirit may we stand,

In the centre of your sustaining presence.

One in Three, Three in One may we stand,

In the centre of your eternal purposes forever.

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Life of God be with you this day,

Love of the Creator fill your heart,

Light of the Saviour guide your steps,

Hope of the Sanctifier teach your minds,

Life of the Three sustain you,

Love of the One encircle you,

Now and always, this day and forever.

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Lord, let us walk into this day

Your light before us,

Your shield behind us,

Your friends beside us.

Lord, let us walk into this week

Your life before us,

Your strength behind us,

Your love around us.

Lord, let us walk from this place,

Your wisdom before us,

Your truth behind us,

Your breath within us.

Lord, let us walk into the world,

Gratitude in our hearts,

Thanksgiving on our lips,

Joy in our spirits.

Lord, let us walk into your loving presence,

In the name of the One who loves us,

In the name of the One who cares,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

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(The Rising – one of my favourite Celtic prayers)

Let us go forth,

In the goodness of our merciful Father,

In the gentleness of our brother Jesus,

In the radiance of the Holy Spirit,

In the faith of the apostles,

In the joyful praise of the angels,

In the holiness of the saints,

In the courage of the martyrs.

 

Let us go forth,

In the wisdom of our all-seeing Father,

In the patience of our all-loving brother,

In the truth of the all-knowing Spirit,

In the learning of the apostles

In the gracious guidance of the angels,

In the patience of the saints,

In the self control of the martyrs,

Such is the path for all servants of Christ,

The path from death to eternal life

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As this day begins Christ be with us,

Be in our hearts and in our minds,

Be in our souls and in our spirits,

Be in our thoughts and in our desires.

As the day begins Christ walk beside us,

Show us the love only you can give,

Show us the light only you can provide,

Show us the wholeness only you can reveal.

As the day begins, Christ surround us,

Circle us with your presence,

Protect and keep us,

Bring us the assurance of your love.

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Let us walk into this day

God’s light before us,

God’s shield behind us,

God’s friends beside us.

Let us be filled

With the music of God’s world,

With the wonder of God’s love,

With the glory of God’s presence.

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May the prayers of my heart be acceptable to you O God.

May they be rooted in the reality of your presence,

And grow in the security of your love.

May they blossom in the assurance of your faithfulness,

And bear kingdom fruit, abundant, pressed down,

Overflowing from my heart to others.

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Go into the world today knowing we are touched by the Triune God,

Let your life shine with the holiness of God,

Let your heart be transformed by the peace of Christ,

Let your ways be filled with the joy of the Spirit.

Prayers for the Journey

Earth touches heaven – photo by Coe Hutchison

This week’s round up of prayers. I have added some of the links in yesterday’s post to alternative renditions of the Lord’s prayer too as some of you may have missed those.

Lord you have written your covenant of love

deep within our hearts.

You have written your kingdom ways of peace and justice

into the fabric of our world.

Lead us Lord to the place where evil no longer tempts us,

To where we desire your kingdom purposes above all else,

And reveal them in all we are and do.

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Our Father,

Not mine alone but stretching beyond family, race, class, and religion, reaching to everyone everywhere.

Hallowed be your name.

May we reverence in thought and word and deed your name, your character, the very nature of who you are.

May your kingdom come,

because we seek it above all else and put it in our prayers where Jesus did, first in consideration and allegiance.

(Today’s prayer is in response to meditating on the Lord’s prayer)

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Give us this day our daily bread,

not bread for me alone but for everyone,

not bread for the rest of my life but for today,

For we know that when we seek first your kingdom,

all these things – food, clothing, all we need- shall be added, as and when we need them.

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I love this prayer by Henri Nouwen

Praying is no easy matter. It demands a relationship in which you allow someone other than yourself to enter into the very center of your person, to see there what you would rather leave in darkness, and to touch there what you would rather leave untouched.

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Your eternal word stands firm in heaven O Lord,

Your faithfulness is as enduring as the earth you created,

All you do flows from your heart of love.

May we seek only you this day,

And see that all you do and all you are is good.

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Alternative forms of the Lord’s prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer – An Adaptation - written by the Society of the Sacred Heart

The Lord’s Prayer – How Should We Say It? -

Prayers for the Journey

 

Earth touches heaven – photo by Coe Hutchison

Christ inescapable, inseparable, indescribable,

Why would I flee from you who hold the keys to eternal life?

May I flee to your arms and your ways.

May I walk in your footsteps,

And I find in you the greatest thing that life can hold.

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Living Christ, your kingdom is above us,

May we seek it.

Redeeming lord your kingdom is around us

May we reveal it.

Loving Saviour your kingdom is within us,

May we live it.

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Lord God almighty, may we cherish your love in our hearts,

May prayer become the house we inhabit,

May we speak and listen and wait in silence,

Until we commune with you in every thought and deed.

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All that I am and all that I do I commend to your care O Lord,

I am as transient as a blade of grass, you are eternal.

I am as small as a grain of sand, you are all present.

I am as frail as a fallen leaf, you are all powerful.

My times are in your hands and I place my trust in you.

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God may I always be ready to pray,

May every book become the word of God to me,

May every place become the mount of God for me,

May every new experience and every circumstance,

Become an occasion to make haste towards your heart.

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This is a shorter list of prayers this morning and I thought I would add this one that I found at Prayers for the Earth and posted on my page To Garden With God.

How strong and good

and sure your earth smells,

and everything that grows there.

Bless us, our land,

and our people.

Bless our forests with mahogany,

wawa and cacao.

Bless our fields

with cassava and peanuts.

Be with us in our countries

and in all of Africa,

And in the whole world.

— Ashanti prayer (Ghana, Africa)

You can find more prayers at Prayers for the Earth

Prayers for the Journey

Earth touches heaven – photo by Coe Hutchison

I am a little late with posting last week’s prayers because of our time away but I am sure you will forgive me for that. This week as you can see I have focused particularly on the need to keep Jesus always in our sight, always before us. I am grappling at the moment with what that means and the challenges it continually presents to my perspectives. So I have started with the original “Keep Jesus in your sight” prayer even though I have already posted it last week.

Jesus you are the beginning and the end, the centre and circumference,

You are the word of God, the language of eternity,

Help me this day to begin every thought, every secret longing, every act and project with you,

Help me to keep you always in my sight.

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God may I always be ready to pray,

May every book become the word of God to me,

May every place become the mount of God for me,

May every new experience and every circumstance,

Become an occasion to make haste towards your heart.

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Lord Jesus Christ, may love of you shape our hearts,

May love for your purposes shape our lives,

May love for your kingdom shape our thoughts and words and deeds this day.

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God may we see in others what you see in us,

Image bearers of the living God.

Christ may we be to others what you are to us,

Healer, redeemer, companion and friend.

Spirit may we do to others what you do for us,

Comforter, advocate, empowerer and guide.

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May you live each moment for God today.

Let each breath that you take breathe in God,

Let each step that you make live for God,

Let each text that you write and each word that you type,

Say glory to the One who fills our world with life and love.

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Living Christ I give you thanks for what you reveal,

Something fresh each morning, something new each evening

You are a constant surprise to me,

I hold my breath as new things unfold in every moment,

My soul tingles with expectancy and I thank you.

(Adapted from a prayer by E. Stanley Jones in The Way)

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I thought that I would also include this prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr and posted by the Contemplative Network in response to the Aurora massacre.

 

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardship as the

pathway to peace.

 

Taking this

sinful world as it IS,

not as I would have it.

 

Trusting that He will make

all things right if I

surrender to His Will;

 

That I may be reasonably happy

in this life, and supremely

happy forever in

the next.