My Prayer Book

Words to help me when I don't know what to say to God

[woodsandhearth]

[voiceforjesus]

Today's Prayer 🙏

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the precious gift of my family. You know their hearts even more deeply than I do, and You see everything they face right now. I can't always be by their side, so I ask You to be their shield, their comfort, and their guide. They are not defined by the world's standards, but they are unique treasures in Your eyes. Please keep them safe in every way and lead them along the path You have destined for their lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.

[myprayerbook]

Meditation

Gracious and Holy Father,

Give us wisdom to perceive you diligence to seek you patience to wait for you eyes to behold you a heart to meditate on you and a life to proclaim you

through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen

(~Benedict of Nursia, 480-543)

[myprayerbook]

No Fear

Lord, Today I do not Fear:

                Any Danger                 for you are my shield

                Any Loss                 for everything belongs to you

                Any Suffering                 for you help me to overcome

                Any Disappointment                 for you want to give me something better

                Any Enemies                 for they are also loved by you

                Any Difficulties                 for you help me face them

[Communauté de Pomeyrol, translated from French]

[myprayerbook]

Tidal Island

Leave me alone with God as much as may be. As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore, Make me an island, set apart, alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond, the world that rushes in on me till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

Aidan of Lindisfarne

[myprayerbook]

Creation

Maker of heaven and earth, your creation speaks and sings of your greatness. May I neither despise nature, failing to care reverently for its integrity, nor worship nature, failing to let it point me beyond itself to your glory, which even it only “fitfully reflects”. Amen

(Tim Keller in “My rock my refuge” on Psalm 19, 2015)

[myprayerbook]

Genoeg

Heer, U brak het brood en er was genoeg voor al die mensen

Ondanks uw eigen verdriet deelde u zichzelf uit uw lichaam dat voor ons verbroken werd en het was genoeg voor de wereld

[myprayerbook]

Heart & Mind

Lord, help us to pray with our hearts and work with our minds through your holy spirit enlighten our minds light fire in our hearts make us creative that we may contribute to your work and your kingdom come

Amen

[myprayerbook]

Easter

Easter is the day we remember

The central event of the Christian faith

Power revealed that reversed death

Now accessible to all

Incredible

[myprayerbook]

Temptation

Lord Jesus, you resisted the temptation to be anything other than a suffering servant

Help us to resist the promises of this world to look to you and follow in your footsteps

Amen

[myprayerbook]

Promises

Gracious God, you have prepared for those who love you good things which no eye can see, and which surpass our understanding; pour into our hearts such longing for you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ who is alive with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

[myprayerbook]

A free, growing compendium of collects; prayers shared in common with the majority of Christians throughout history, and the bulk of Christians today.

[myprayerbook]

Change

Waiting God, you know us all too well. We listen to this episode in the life of Jesus. We hear the astonishment of the people gathered in worship as Jesus proclaims the mandate and scope of his ministry. It is what they had hoped for and also what they have feared.

Change and challenge are always difficult. We are more inclined to turn our backs on opportunities of service than pitch in to affect the needed changes that will promote healing and wholeness. Forgive us when we give lip service to you and then slip into inaction. Give us courage to be willing disciples. Help us to be people of promise and hope. In Jesus' Name, we offer this prayer. Amen.

(inspired by Luke 4:14-21)

[myprayerbook]

Advent

To you O Lord we bring our lives Troubled, broken or at ease A sacrificial offering For you to use

Take away our selfishness And teach us to love as you loved Take away our sense of pride And show us the meaning of humility Take away our blindness And show us the world through your eyes Take away our greed And teach us how to give as you gave

Show us your ways Teach us your paths That we might walk with you more closely Our hand in your hand Our feet in your footsteps From the baby in a stable To eternity, Amen  

[myprayerbook]

You

By what name can we invoke you? You surpass all names

What hymn can sing your praises? What words can speak of you?

From you proceeds all that is spoken but you are beyond all speech

From you has issued all that is thought but you are beyond all thinking

You are the object of all expectation of all silent aspiration On you converge all the murmurings of your entire creation

Glory to you, God in the highest!

(~Gregory of Nazianzus , 329-390, translated from french)

[digitaldion]

‘Our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, daydream, or dream. There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking. You might say our thinking is “unceasing.” Sometimes we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that would save us from many worries, guilt feelings, and fears. Our ability to think is our greatest gift, but it is also the source of our greatest pain. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love. Let’s break out of our isolation and realize that Someone who dwells in the center of our beings wants to listen with love to all that occupies and preoccupies our minds.’

- Henri Nouwen, Bread for the journey (14 January)

[theepiscopalchurch]

World Refugee Day: Gracious God, we pray for our newest neighbors, that those families who have sought refuge from the ravages of war and violence may find not only shelter and sustenance, but also a loving and supportive community in which to create a new beginning with dignity.  We lift our prayer to You, Lord, hear us. ~ Alyssa Stebbing, Outreach Director, Trinity Episcopal Church, The Woodlands, Episcopal Diocese of Texas