End of the Year

I look back on the past year and rejoice in both my mistakes and my achievements.  They have taught me well.  I look forward to the new year with fresh eyes.  I breathe in the stillness before time begins.  (Rokelle Lerner, Affirmations for the Inner Child, 31 December)

Guide us to peaceful solutions in all our endeavors.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 26 Dec)

Lord, give me the courage to put the old year and all its mistakes [and concerns] behind me.  (Daily Wisdom for Women, 31 Dec)

Help me accept and be grateful for middles, endings, and new beginnings.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 29 Dec)

Lord, show me the answer You already had in mind for me.  (Carol Knapp, Daily Guideposts, 22 Dec 1988)

Save me from the kind of daring which destroys me.  (Food For Thought, 22 Dec)

Lord, guide me in my giving.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 13 December)

Merry Christmas

No one has affected the human race as dramatically and significantly as Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate today.  He was born poor and lived a relatively short life, but he touched many people, and he continues to give meaning to the lives of millions of people.   (Good News Day by Day, December 25th)

Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, if he's not born in thee, thy soul is still forlorn.  (Johann Scheffler)

Winter Solstice

God of all light, as the birthday of Christ approaches, may I pause a moment on this solstice and thank you for the gifts of light and warmth, and especially the gift of your Son, to enlighten my life.  (Good News Day by Day, 21 Dec)

Allow the spirit of love to reign at ... Christmas ... [time].  As you get together with family and friends, make no judgments and put all grudges aside.  Celebrate what you have in common!  Accept all just as they are.  (after Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, Vol. II, 25 Dec., a.m.)

Lord, let me never underestimate the power of even the smallest prayer, and the great mountains it can move.  (Walter Harter, Daily Guideposts, 7 Dec 1988)

Advent Thought

[Remember during Advent that] overdoing because of family traditions, or whatever, is not what God had in mind for His son's birthday celebration.  (Rosalyn Hart Finch, Daily Guideposts, 17 De 1981

May I always help those in need, especially family, Father.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 2 Dec)

God, help me to keep on the course that will change my life for the better.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 4 Dec)

Christmas Prayer

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and the wisdom of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.  Amen.  (Robert Louis Stevenson)

Thomas Merton

... death in war ... is a kind of execution for nothing, a meaningless extinction, a swallowing up by zero.

Father, help me reflect Your generosity to those I meet today.  (Susan Williams, Daily Guideposts, 30 Aug 1991)

Lord, show me Your way through my difficulties.  (Daily Wisdom for Women, 22 Nov)

God, help us to be generous people.  Let us share whatever we have with others, confident that good will return to us.  (Good News Day By Day, 15 Oct)

Help me bear the trials of life with dignity, Lord Jesus.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 5 Nov)

Lord, help me find creative ways to be a better person.  (Daily Guideposts, 23 Oct 1981)

Lord, this year help me turn the holiday commercialism into holiday spiritualism by creating Christmas for others.  (Patricia Lorenz, Daily Guideposts, 6 Dec 1991)

Thank you, Lord, for naps.  (Julia Attaway, Daily Guideposts, 19 Oct 2004)

Lord, help me to do the best I can.  (Rick Hamlin, Daily Guideposts, 22 Nov 1985)

Advent Question

What will you do to make this Advent a time of preparation that goes beyond shopping, wrapping gifts, and eating?  (After Good News Day by Day, 3 Dec)

Seasonal Prayer

Give me a second sight, Lord, one that helps me see beyond the tinsel, to Your majestic glory this Christmas season.  (Fred Bauer, Daily Guideposts, 1 Dec 1985)

Christmas Season Prayer

Dear Lord, may the spirit of hope and expectation find new birth in me this Christmas.  (Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 1 Dec 1991)

Touch me Jesus, mend my brokeness and make me whole!  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, p. 200)

Father lead me day by day, ever in Thine own sweet way; Teach me to be pure and true; Show me what I ought to do.  (John P. Hopps)

Every day is a gift, Lord, each moment a treasure.  (Fred Bauer, Daily Guideposts, 12 Jun 2004)

Let me always be ready.  (Daily Guideposts, 11 Jun 1981)

Look at me.  See the state I'm in.  Help me!  (George Macdonald)

All Good Gifts

All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above; then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all His love.  (from hymn of Matthias Claudius (1740-1815))

Thanksgiving Day - 2005

Lord, Thou hast indeed been bountiful.  As we look back over the years, how gracious Thou hast been, how tender Thy mercy, how warm and constant Thy love.

Create within us, our Father, that true gratitude that shall make this day of Thanksgiving one of rededication, when we shall think not of how much we can eat but of how thankful we ought to be.

So may we -- all across this land today -- act as recipients of God's richest mercy and bountiful blessing, as we share with others.  May we, in gratitude, get on with the job of creating not only a nation but a world in which all men shall have the right to seek happiness.

Help us to make that dream come true in our homes day by day, in street and office and school, and so to live that Thou shalt be able to bless us and bless the nation for which we pray.

In His name, who created us as a nation.  Amen. (The Prayers of Peter Marshall, p. 83)

 

 

Thanksgiving

Thanks for comfort in despair!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow.  (from a hymn by August Ludwig Storm)

Thanksgiving

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered.

Thanks for all Thou dost supply.  (from a hymn by August Ludwig Storm (1862-1914))

Make me sensitive to the state of my emotional and spiritual health, I pray.  (Food For Thought, 15 June)

Thank You

Thank You, Lord, for everything and fill me with gratitude for the hard things as well as the good things.  (Harriett and Floyd Thatcher, Daily Guideposts, 15 Nov 1988)

Dear God, help me to learn from the examples of the good people You've put in my life.  (Tim Williams, Daily Guideposts, 16 Nov 2004)

Lord, grant me the perseverance to finish that which I have started and the courage to seek help when I need it.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 15 Nov)

God, alert me to the destructive force of my tongue.

Dear God, thank you for the little things, like smiles, that You have given freely to all of us to share with one another.  (Good News Day by Day, 20 July)

Lord, open my eyes, that I may see my Savior present with me.  (Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 29 October, p.m.)

Lord, help me keep in mind how uncertain is my hold upon my bodily life.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 15th day, adapted)

May Christ's strength restore me to harmony when sadness, depression or anger engulf me.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, Vol. II, p. 424)

Clear my mind and heart, Lord, of the dust of distractions so that I can clearly see "the way."  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, p. 388, adapted)

Clear out the cobwebs in my thinking, Lord.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, p. 404)

Thank you for all the people who have brought good into my life; help me to be somone who passes it on.  (Good News Day by Day, 20 July)

Help me to guard against vain and unnecessary words... (Susanna Wesley in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, 23 July)

Lord, give me the courage to stand firmly in my convictions.  (Daily Wisdom for Women, 18 July)

Please guide my footsteps.

Help me to encourage and affirm those around me.

I pray for the honesty to follow the rules.  (Food For Thought, 21 July)

Holy Spirit, give me the words I need to help others ... (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 22 July)

Let me have the wisdom to avoid and keep out of peril.

Forgive me for living the hard way.  (Norman Vincent Peale)

Anonymous

Many words do not a good prayer make; what counts is the heartfelt desire to commune with God, and the faith to back it up.

Help me to remember those who came before us and be grateful for their sacrifices ... (Marilyn Moore Jenkins, Daily Guideposts, 17 Sep 1988)

Jean Paul Richter

Let prayer be the key of the day and the bolt of the night.

Help me to remember that things are not always as they appear.  (Good News Day by Day, 15 Sep)

Lord, I don't know why I'm here.  I used to know, but now I'm not sure.  But I remember that You know why and will help me.  (Daily Guideposts, 12 Aug 2004)

Dear Heavenly Father, let me be willing to learn from others and not so quick to judge.  (Samantha McGarrity in Daily Guideposts, 4 May 1985)

Food for Thought

The highways of history are strewn with the wreckage of nations that forgot God.  (Our Daily Times with God, p. 241)

Restrain my tongue and quiet my thoughts.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Day Break and Day's End, Vol. II, p. 367)

Thank You, God, for the gift of life.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 12 June)

Deliver me from my negative personality.  (Food For Thought, 6 July)

God of healing, God of light, come and heal what is broken within me.  (Good News Day by Day, 18 Oct)

Albert Einstein Quote

There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Lord, help me to persevere when things go wrong.  (Daily Guideposts, 2 Jul 1988)

God, help me ... let go of my defects of character.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 6 June)

Grant me the ability to practice rigorous honesty in all areas of my life.  (Food For Thought, 13 October)

Father, I'm in over my head with problems and I'm ready to give my case over to You.  (Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Glimpses of God, 19 August)

I'm ready, my God, for the journey I will take with You to Your kingdom.  I trust Your travel plans completely.  (Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Glimpses of God, 21 August)

Help me find You, Lord, in the silence of this day, as well as in its confusion.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 19 Aug)

Take my thoughts, Lord, and straighten them out.  (Food For Thought, 11 Aug)

Divine Healer, so often we turn to you in times of illness, and we want to be healed quickly.  Thank you for all the times you have healed us through the natural healing wonders that you created in us and thank you for the special graces you send.  (Good News Day by Day, Oct 8)

Some Bible History

It's October 6, the day on which I say a prayer for the soul of William Tyndale, an Englishman whose short life has made my life a joyful and happy one.  For it was he who, in 1526, make the first English translation of the New Testament.  He had decided that the Bible should be read by everyone.  Until then the marvelous words of that great book were in Latin, a mystery to the average person, and priests jealously guarded them and their meanings.

Forbidden by the bishops to print this translation in Henry VIII's Catholic England, Tyndale fled to Europe.  But he persisted with his dream that all his countrymen should be permitted to read God's words, and eventually hundreds of copies of his translation were smuggled into England.  Even after King Henry broke with Rome, he still proclaimed Tyndale a heretic, and demanded that he return to England for punishment.

And the priests didn't forgive the man who had torn the veil of mystery from God's words.  They hounded and hunted him until he was captured in Belgium.  There he was tried for heresy and condemned to death.

On October 6, 1536, he was strangled, then burned at the stake.

That's why, whenever I open my Bible, I think of the man who gave his life so that people like you and me could find solace and God's love in its pages.  And why, on the anniversary of his death, I say a small prayer of thanks for his strength and conviction to perform a spiritual service that has changed infinite lives now and in the ages to come.

(Walter Harter in Daily Guideposts, 6 October 1988)

 

Fill me, Holy Spirit, with a desire to bring the best that is in me to all I do.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 5 May)

The words of our prayers are not as important as the condition of our hearts.  (Our Daily Times With God, p. 162)

Take away my resentments, Lord.  (Food For Thought, 19 May)

Lord, when I'm tempted to jump to conclusions, please hold me back.  (Mary Ellen Uthlant, Daily Guideposts, 31 Jul 1981)

No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it.

(Guy H. King in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, 30 August)

God's Army

God has an army marching in this land.  If we band together, we can prevent the wickedness in high places from ruling our nation.  The time has come for us to pray.  So, put on your full armor and take your place in the ranks of the faithful in intercession for our country and the nations of the world!  (Kenneth Copeland, From Faith to Faith, 27 Sep)

God, help me solve the problems I can solve today.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 6 August)

Prayer For A Hurricane

O Lord, take care of me.  The sea is so vast.  I am so small.

Heavenly Father, I pray for Your children everywhere, especially those whose sufferings are brought to my attention ... (Daily Guideposts, 28 Aug 1981)

Lord, help me be quick to listen actively, slow to judge or give advice.  (B.J. Conner, Daily Guideposts, 25 Aug 1991)

Lord, help me to let go of the trival things that clutter my life.  (Marilyn Morgan Helleberg, Daily Guideposts, 19 Aug 1981)

Lord, never let me imagine that my satisfaction with life depends on what someone else may [or may not] do.  (One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 21 August)

Take away my envy, I pray.  (Food For Thought, 23 August)

Help me to accept change in my life.  (Daily Guideposts, 20 August 1988)

Father, help me to see beyond my own inconvenience.  (Daily Guideposts, 25 Aug 1981)

Lord, give me the courage and strength to accept life as it is.  (Food For Thought, 27 August)

I'm ready, my God, for the journey I will take with you to Your kingdom.  I trust Your travel plans completely.  (Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Glimpses of God, 21 August)

Norman Vincent Peale

... this country will have to get back to a strong belief in the authority of government under God and have an enormous spiritual buildup if it is going to survive the confusion of our time.  (Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 23 August)

Heavenly Fatehr, we know You hear our prayers.  Help us to accept Your answers, whatever they may be.  (Ruth Stafford Peale, Daily Guideposts, 6 May 1991)

Protect me from those who would divert my focus.  (Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Glimpses of God, 21 May)

Give me the strength to go on.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 9 June)

Get the Picture

If we have a distorted picture of the Christian life, [it's because] we've allowed the world to develop the film.  (Our Daily Times with God, p. 246)

Lord, I pray for discernment in my own life that I may prosper and not selfishly hurt others.  (Daily Wisdom for Women, 7 June)

May I avoid extremes and learn moderation.  (Food For Thought, 4 June)

Calm me down!

Let me take nothing for granted.

The Highways of History

The highways of history are strewn with the wreckage of nations that forgot God.  (Our Daily Times with God, p. 241)

Lord, help me to understand the meaning of such afflictions and disappointments as I myself am called upon to endure.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 27th day)

The Reaping Principle

We must remember the reaping principle.  Woven into the fabric of life, it applies to individuals as much as to nations.  It's both a warning and a promise.  When we do evil, we reap judgment.  But when we do good, we reap the blessing of God's approval.

(Our Daily Times with God, p. 242)

Thank You for the life You have given me to live.  (Food For Thought, 30 May)

Lord, help me to accept all my responsibilties, not matter how difficult they may be.  (After Dorothy Minchin-Comm in Glimpses of God, 29 April)

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
(Traditional children's nighttime prayer.)

As I waken from my sleep
This brand new day of Yours I greet.
Safe You've kept me through the night
I'll serve You now with all my might.
(Companion children's morning prayer by Karen Langford Brown)

Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation's joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.
(The Psalter, 1912)

 

Brother Lawrence

A little lifting up of the heart suffices; a little rememberance of God, one act of inward worship, through upon a march and sword in hand, are prayers which, however short, are nevertheless very acceptable to God; and far from lessening a soldier's courage, they best serve to fortify it.

Keep my thoughts on the new possibilities which You have opened for me.  (Food For Thought, 25 April)

Give me the grace to see You in all things.

Holy Spirit, grant me the bravery to face failure, risk and change.  Remind me that You are always here for me.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 17 April)

Lord Jesus, grant me good health and a positive outlook.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 21 May)

I ask for the help of my Higher Power in making my little victories into bigger ones by living each day as well as I can, for myself and everyone I encounter.  (One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 1 April)

Please help me get back on track.  (Carol L. Fitzpatrick, Daily Wisdom for Women, 10 May)

By Thy grace, protect me from gluttony.  (Food For Thought, 14 April)

Help me let go of feeling excessively responsible for those around me.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 17 April)

Help me shed bad habits.

I need the grace of self-control.  (Good News, Day by Day, 25 April)

 

Lord, take from my thought all ill will, grudges, hates, jealousies.  (Norman Vincent Peale, Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 14 Apr)

Independence Day

Today Americans celebrate the birth of the United States, a nation that has traditionally allowed people to practice religion freely.  What does it mean to be openly Christian?  Does freedom of religious expression make any difference in the way you live?

Prayer:  God, thank you for the ideal of religious freedom.  May I use this right to openly spread the Good News through my words and my way of living. (Good News Day by Day, 4 July)

 

Teach me humility, Lord - to know that 'my' answer is not always 'the' answer, and teach me restraint so that I will not force my expectation on others.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, Vol. II, p. 275)

God, remove every ugly thought or scheme.  (Charles Swindoll)

Giver of all gifts, may I be grateful for my special gifts and use them for good in every way.  (Good News Day by Day, 14 April)

Let me keep in mind how uncertain is my hold upon my bodily life.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 15th day, a.m.)

Take from my life the strain and stress.  (Food For Thought, 17 Apr)

God, help me accept the work I have been given to do today.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 24 April)

Help me guard against deceiving myself.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 14 Apr)

After John Baillie

Help me to understand and accept the meaning of such afflictions and disappointments as I am called upon to endure.

Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day.  (Norman Vincent Peale)

Help me to rid my life of its clutter.  (Samantha McGarrity, Daily Guideposts, 17 Apr 1985)

Protect me from ... negative thoughts and feelings which block the flow of Your divine grace.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, p. 133)

"He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry."  That has comforted me often, more than any promise of answer; it includes answers, and a great deal more besides; it tells us what He is towards us, and that is more than what He will do.  And the "cry" is not long, connected, thoughtful prayers, a cry is just and unworded dart upwards  of the heart, and at that "voice" He will be very gracious.  What a smile there is in these words!  (Frances Ridley Havergal - 1836-1879)

God, put Your strong arm of compassion around each one who is ill.  (found in Roberta Messner piece in Daily Guideposts, 26 Mar 2004)

Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord.  (St. Augustine)

Let my speech be the product of a pure heart or let me remain silent.  (Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, Vol. II, p. 265)

Lord, please lock my lips!  I no longer want to yell when I'm angry, beat up on myself when I think I am wrong, swear when I'm afraid or talk just because everybody else is talking.  (Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 257)

God who is with us, thank you for bringing the gift of peace into my life, especially when I am feeling the saddest and most empty.  Help me to keep my heart open so that I can experience that peace when I need it most.  (Good News Day by Day, 19 May)

This day, O Lord, give me sincerity of speech.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 3rd day)

Recommended Reading

I took a few days break from posting anything to the Blog.  I'm going to try to resume making a daily entry.

If you are concerned about the health of our country and the future of democracy I'd like to recommend a book that I recently read, "Healing the Soul of America - Reclaiming Our Voices as Spiritual Citizens," by Marianne Williamson.

 

I pray for the wisdom to know that no other person's salvation depends upon me, but [only] on himself and God.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 8 April)

God, guard me from hidden arrogance.  (Charles Swindoll)

I pray that I will not fail in my responsibilities.

Lord, let me slow down and appreciate the people You have brought into my life.  Help me find some time for them today.  (Eric Fellman, Daily Guideposts, 13 Apr 1988)

Make me brave to face all the changes in my life.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 12th day)

Lord, I thank you for little things.  (Anonymous)

 

Help me simplify my life, Lord God, so that I may remain focused on what matters.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 13 April)

Earth Day 2005

Lord, help me to be a more faithful steward of this astonishing earth.  (Mark Collins, Daily Guideposts, 22 Apr 2204)

Let the healing touch of the Heavenly Father be upon any who need it.  (After Norman Vincent Peale in Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 11 April)

Lord, give me daily strength for daily needs.  (Jo Petty in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, 5 April)

Teach me to embrace the ordinariness of life, Lord.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 10 April)

Lord, let me not focus too much on ... things that are getting me down.  (Good News Day by Day, 8 April)

Please give me the good sense to know when to speak and when to keep silent.  (Good News Day by Day, 1 Apr)

Strengthen my belief, I pray.  (Food For Thought, 1 Apr)

 

Tax Day 2005

It's Income Tax Day!  Perhaps today is a good day to stop and take stock.  Are our time and energy focused upon what is most important to us?  (Anne Wilson Schaef, Meditations for People Who Worry, 15 April)

Lord, let me give to the government not grudgingly but out of obedience to You.  And please assist those in authority over me to direct wisely the use of these funds.  (Carol L. Fitzpatrick, Daily Wisdom for Women, 15 April)

Lord Jesus, help me never to fall asleep when You tell me to watch.  (Eleanor Sass, Daily Guideposts, 28 Mar 1991)

Faith keeps the sails of life filled with the breath of heaven.  (Our Daily Times with God, p. 109)

Lord, help me to remember my plan.

Teach me to pray.

Dear Lord, I care.  Remind me to back up my caring feelings with caring acts.  (Norman Vincent Peale, Daily Guideposts, 15 Mar 1981)

Lord, give me the courage to try new things.  (Patricia Lorenz, Daily Guideposts, 25 May 1988)

Today, God help me let go of negativity.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 16 March)

Stick with me when I'm discouraged.  (Patricia Lorenz, Daily Guideposts, 25 May 1988)

May I see this day as a blessed collection of hours.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, p. 114)

Francois de la Mothe Fenelon

If you have not much time at your disposal, do not fail to profit by the smallest portions of time which remain to you.  We do not need much time in order to love God, to renew ourselves in His Presence, to lift up our hearts towards Him, to worship Him in the depths of our hearts, to offer Him what we do and what we suffer.

A Longer Prayer

Dear God, Please remind me that my days are numbered.  Teach me that my time here in this life is precious so that I will not waste it.  Help me to recognize how precious every moment is so that I spend it doing those things that will bring me closer to You.  In the time I have left, please teach me how to serve You, Dear God.  Teach me how to give joyously, share willingly, and love totally.  Remind me that I cannot serve in greed, doubt, fear, or anger.  Fill my soul with Your light, so that Your bountiful blessings will shine through my soul into the world.  Each day that I awake, I pray that You will be present in my thoughts, my words, and all of my deeds.  I ask that every moment that I have left in this life be a channel through which some measure of Your love and light may reach those with whom I come into contact.  Amen.

(Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 186)

Arrows of the Lord

... nothing is so serious, including ourselves, that it can't be instantly deflated by the well-aimed arrow of divine realism.  (Taylor & Crain, Angel Wisdom, 1 April)

Lord, help me to have an honest purpose in all my deeds.  (Daily Guideposts, 24 Mar 1989)

Guide me as I ... leave behind the useless thoughts and habits I have accumulated.  (Food For Thought, 20 March)

O Lord, help me to not despise or oppose what I do not understand.  (William Penn)

Make me steadfast in prayer, so that I may be calm in affliction.  (After Joseph Parker in Thoughts for the Quiet Hour, 24 March)

Lord, help me to ignore obstacles and focus on possibilities.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 24 March)

Lord Jesus, help me to put You first in my life, always.  (Eleanor Sass, Daily Guideposts, 26 March 1991)

God, help me let go of ... needless fears... (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 27 March)

Show me, Lord, how to best live each day.  (Food For Thought, 25 March)

O God, give me grace to profit by Your word.

Easter Sunday

Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
O! Sometimes I feel like shouting glory, glory, glory!
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?

O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble!
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Lord, give me a creative and imaginative spirit to let go of the old in order to grasp the new.  (James McDermott, Daily Guideposts, 9 March 1985)

Prayer for Our Leaders

Lord, shine Your beacon of truth on those who are in leadership, that they may never lead others astray.  (Daily Wisdom for Women, 16 March)

First Anniversay of Arrow Prayers WebLog

Today marks the first anniversary of this Arrow Prayers weblog.  I am very pleased that I have been able to maintain my interest in posting to the log for an entire year.  I remembered to make a posting on most days.

I've written each of the short prayers on Rolodex card.  At this point I have enough cards to fill two and a third Rolodex trays.  From time to time, when I haven't had a new prayer to post I have reused prayers that I posted previously.  I'll probably do more of that as I continue the blog.

The visit counter counts my visits to post as well as those of folks reading the weblog so it is impossible to tell exactly how much interest others have shown.  There is no doubt that many visits have been made because as of this morning the visit count was, 1,190.

Thanks to everyone who posted their own comments to the weblog or who sent me private Email messages of encouragement.

In your personal battle against Satan, spare no arrows.  (Richard E. Henthorn, 24 Mar 2005, after Charles H. Spurgeon)

Dick Henthorn

 

 

 

Help me to see through my own distortions of reality.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, 7 August)

Lord, help me to master the soft answer.  (Good News Day by Day, 11 March)

Keep me optimistic in the face of difficulties.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 9 March)

Lord, give me the patience to wait.

Lord, help me discover other people's strengths and my own weaknesses.

 

I pray that I may not fall into the error of anticipating trouble.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 13 March)

God, keep me from magnifying my troubles by harping on them continually.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 15 March)

Martin Luther

The fewer words, the better the prayer.

Help me to come to You first in a crisis.

Lord, let me give cheerfully, unhesitatingly, all that I've been given.  (Rick Hamlin, Daily Guideposts, 15 Mar 2004)

Help me to build reserves through prayer Lord, so that I may have faith even in the darkest hours.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 1 March, adapted)

Lord, I'm powerless over my need to interject my advice without being invited.  [Remind me that often the best way to help is to say nothing at all].  (Keith Miller, Daily Guideposts, 7 Feb 2004, with added line by Richard E. Henthorn)

I pray that I may learn it is not my function to direct or control another person, however close to me.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 12 March)

God of grace and mercy, may I stop dreading the lossses of age, and accept with thanksgiving the special gifts You have provided for this time in life.  (Marilyn Morgan King, Daily Guideposts, 6 Feb 2004)

Arrows of God

All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts.  (Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 6 March p.m.)

I pray that my thoughts and feelings may be purified.  (Food For Thought, 5 March)

Jesus, my Lord, please guide me in Your perfect plan today.  (Marabel Morgan in A Gentle Spirit, 5 March)

I am grateful for my many blessings, generous God, for I know that I am well cared for.  May I always be mindful of those who go without and of my duty to care for them.  (Good News Day by Day, 1 March)

Dear Lord, thank You for the healing You do through Your power at work in the hands of our doctors, and in the miracle of our bodies.  (Eric Fellman, Daily Guideposts, 8 Mar 2004)

Lord Jesus, help me to simplify my life.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 7 March)

Give me the courage to make changes.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 4 March)

Calm my mind.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 8 March)

Free me, God, from compulsive busyness... (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, 28 July)

From a New England Sampler

God bless all those that I love,
God bless all those that love me,
God bless all those that love those that I love,
God bless all those that love those that love me.

Give me the words to help others grow, not to tear them down.  Give me the courage to actually challenge others when it it good to do so.  (Good News Day by Day, 24 Feb)

Heavenly Father, forgive me when I focus on what I lack instead of what I have.  (Gail Thorell Schilling, Daily Guideposts, 24 Feb 2004)

Father, help me to be eager to arise each morning to accomplish the things You've given me to do.  (Harold Hostetler, Daily Guideposts, 28 Jan 2004)

Father, teach me to keep my spirit healthy with positive thoughts.  (Sue Monk Kidd, Daily Guideposts, 28 Feb 1988)

Deliver me from narrow-mindedness, from bitterness, from prejudice.  (Liturgy of Reformed Church of France)

O Lord my God, ... give me grace, I beseech Thee, to understand the meaning of such afflictions and disappointments as I myself am called upon to endure.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 27th day)

Help me stop making unrealistic demands on others.  (This New Day)

Dear Lord, help me to shut the door on dark and negative things, and open the windows of my mind to the sun light of beautiful things.  (Lee Webber, Daily Guideposts, 23 Feb 1988)

Grant me the strength to persevere in trying times, Merciful Savior.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 20 Feb)

Father God, teach me to use music, meditation and prayer rather than relying on harmful habits.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 33, 21 Feb)

Lord, thank you for my family.

Lord, I pray that my Bible study and my method of study will be pleasing to You this day.  (Kathie Kania, Daily Guideposts, 17 Feb 1991)

Lord, let me pray without hesitation.  (Daily Guideposts, 17 Feb 1981)

Teach me when to be silent and when to speak.  (Fred Bauer, Daily Guideposts, 15 Jan 2004, adapted)

I ask that You might help me work through all my problems; to Your glory and honor.  (Alcoholics Anonymous)

Lord, I know you keep me in mind all day long.  By Your grace may I keep You in mind all day long too.  (Richard E. Henthorn, 20 Feb 2005)

Lord, help me to live and love each moment of my life.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 14 February)

Give me grace, Lord, to begin again.  (Food For Thought, 15 February)

Give me, O God, this day a strong and vivid sense that Thou art by my side.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 16th day, a.m.)

Patience is one thing I could use more of, Lord.

Deliver me from my negative personality.  (Food For Thought, 6 July)

Today, O Lord, let me put others before self.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 14th day)

Father, use my daily devotions to bring light and warmth into my life.  (Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 4 Jan 2004)

Thank You, Father, for teaching me how to use my tongue wisely.  (Marion Bond West, Daily Guideposts, 11 Jun 2002)

Lord, I need to be more tolerant.

God, help me to be all I can be.  (Zona B. Davis, Daily Guideposts, 12 February 1985)

Teach me the use of silence. (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 12 February)

Show me what my next step should be.

I pray that I will leave nothing undone that could change the course of my life for the better.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 7 February, adapted)

I pray for wisdom to make the right decisions.  (Food For Thought, 8 February)

Sustain me, Lord, when I am tempted to give up.  (Food For Thought, 4 February)

Today, and whenever possible, God, let me be gentle with myself and others.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 9 February)

Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults... (St. Augustine, The Confessions of)

 

Dear Lord, help me ... to receive a steady inflow of Your power and strength during days of calm, so that I will be able to stand in days of crisis.  (Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Heart of God, p. 224, adapted)

I pray to be lead into a new way of thinking about the difficulties I have to face.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 8 February)

Grant me the wisdom, Lord, to respond to the folly around me with humor and integrity.

Lead me, Lord, one step at a time, from compulsive behaviors to freedom.  (Mary Sue Taylor, Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, 14 July)

Help me to see Your love in my loved ones.  (Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Heart of God, p. 199)

John Cosin (1595-1672)

O God, the Father of lights, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift: mercifully look upon our frailty and infirmity, and grant us such health of body as thou knowest to be needful for us; that both in body and soul we may evermore serve thee with all our strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord, help me make something positive out of painful experiences.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 1 February, adapted)

For the gift of free will and the courage to make right choices, I thank You Lord.

Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of distress.  (Psalm 24:17)

Lord, may I decide today to be happy and joyful.  (Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 4 Sep 2002)

Dear Lord, expose those areas of my life that I need to work on.  (Daily Guideposts, Roberta Messner, 26 Nov 1996)

Never let me get discouraged, O Lord, but rather give me the strength to keep pushing on.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 29 January)

 

Abide with me all night, so that when I awake, I may still be with you.  (Charles Spurgeon)

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come:
Be Thou our guide while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
(Isaac Watts (1674-1748))

Jesus, send Your Holy Spirit to comfort me.  (Three Minutes a Day, 28 January)

May I be content with enough instead of grasping for more.  (Food for Thought, 27 Janauary)

Lord, make my heart a place where angels sing.  (John Keble)

I pray God to keep me from being proud.  (Samuel Pepys)

Lord, let me cast the beam out of my own eye before I complain about the mote in by brother's.

By Thy grace, Lord, may I follow my food plan today.  (Food For Thought, 26 January)

I pray for faith that my future will be good if I live today well, and in peace.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 28 January)

Save me from fretfulness and anxiety.

May I replace my negative feelings with those of love, compassion and gratitude.

Help me to have realistic expectations today.

 

I pray for the steadfastness to read, every day, something that will help me to gain understanding.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 23 January)

I pray to remember, every day, every hour, and especially in times of crisis, that hostile behavior on my part will only add fuel to a fire.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 24 January)

Help me let go of my resentments.

O Holy Spirit of God, visit now this soul of mine, and tarry within it until eventide.  (John Baillie)

Guide me through the dark valleys of my life until I come home to Your kingdom.

Thank You, God, for helping me do this chore.

May I keep a realistic perspective on myself.

Guide us God, that we may teach our children, to honor their heritage and [that] of others.  (Three Minutes a Day, 15 January)

Lord, I am happy to be able to give back.

Let us now sing the praises of ... our ancestors.  (Sirach 44:1)

 

Take my anxieties, Lord, I pray that They will may be done.  (Food for Thought, 19 January)

Give me, Lord, a new vision of what You want me to become.  (Daily Guideposts, Floyd & Harriett Thatcher, 15 Jan 1988, adapted)

I pray for the wisdom to take a rational and tolerant attitude toward whatever troubles I must face today.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 15 January)

Dear God, inspire me to set a good example.  (Good News Day by Day, 18 January)

Lord, give me the wisdom to recognize the long-term consequences of my actions.  (Good News Day by Day, 16 January)

Thank You, Lord, for this present moment.  (Food for Thought, 17 January)

My Lord, lead me in seeking Your will, in doing the right thing.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 18 Janauary)

Direct my thoughts, feelings and actions this day.

Lead me to expect the best of others and myself.

Grant us a peaceful day.

 

Enable me to focus on what I should do and to do that on which I am focused.  (Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Heart of God, p. 93, adapted)

The entire day, Lord, has been a celebration of gifts.

Lord, remind me of Your presence throughout the day.  (Wisdom for Women, 15 January)

Dear Jesus Christ, I believe that You came to give me power.  I hereby repudiate my fears.  I am from this minute on a person of courage.  (Norman Vincent Peale, Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 13 January)

God, guide me to make right decisions and give me the fortitude to cling to them against all pressures and persuasions.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 13 January, adapted)

Charles Spurgeon

Short prayers are long enough. (Morning and Evening, 14 January evening)

Lord, I know about that and I'm working in it!  (Iyanla Vanzant, Acts of Faith, 14 January, adapted)

Appetite and Hunger

Lord, today I'll remember if I want others "to put up with me," I must be willing to "put up with them."  (Thomas a' Kempis)

I pray for the wisdom to distinguish between appetite and hunger.  (Food for Thought, 19 November)

Lord, may I quietly do my best.

Grant that with each day that passes I may more and more be delivered from my besetting sins.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 9th evening)

Lord, give me the wisdom to not spoil this day.  (Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 11 Jan 1988, adapted)

Phillips Brooks

Prayer, in its simplist definition is merely a wish turned God-ward.

Lord, give me the wisdom to face failure and move on.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, 10 January)

Grant me freedom from grudges and resentments over hurts in the past, and from double standards that require more of others than, of myself.  (Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Heart of God, p. 67)

Lead me on new paths.

Inspire me today to do my work willingly and eagerly, Lord ... (Joni Eareckson Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 30 December)

Lord, may I find, and share, comfort in small things.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol .37, 6 January)

 

May I value the gift of life today and every day, Spirit of God.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 37, January 9)

Free my mind, Lord, from the memory of past failures.

May I be willing to pay the price today.  (Food For Thought, 8 January)

Father, bring Your harmony into my life... (Ruth Stafford Peale, Daily Guideposts, 5 Jan 1988)

Give me strength to be patient with those I meet today.  (Shorter Christian Prayer, p. 89, adapted)

O Lord, let me not live to be useless!  (Bishop John de Stratford)

God, save me, from myself.  (Food For Thought, 2 January)

Lord, help me stay faithful to my daily quiet time with you.  (Marilyn Morgan Helleberg, Daily Guideposts 1985, 4 January)

God, help me trust that the path I am on has been perfectly and lovingly planned for me.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 29 December)

Inspire me to persevere, Lord God.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 31 December)

I pray that all goes well for you.  I hope that you are as strong in body as I know you are in spirit.  (3 John 1:2)

Dear God, help us to be mindful of the needs of the people with whom we will interact.  (Moravian Daily Texts - 2001, 19 December)

Dear God, thank you for providing my every need.  (Iyanla Vanzant, Acts of Faith, 19 December)

Grant Your blessing upon every member of this household, and upon all our loved ones, wherever they may be at this hour.  (Rev. Charles George Smith, adapted)

Help me meet the challenges that will move me forward and upward.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 27 December)

Thank you God, for each precious moment of my life.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 21 December)

Help me to stop creating crisis and chaos.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 27 December)

Prayer for the New Year

God we thank you for the year just past,
For the good times and bad,
We thank you for your mercy and your grace,
That tempers memories of the sad.

Now grant us wisdom for the coming year,
Obedient minds that listen still,
Trusting hearts that conquer fear,
Steadfast love to do Thy will.
(Fred Bauer - Daily Guideposts, 31 Dec 1994)