Tag: prayer

The Welcoming Prayer

As New Year’s Day 2020 dawned, many expected a year of clear vision. We could clearly see our priorities and accordingly set attainable goals, perhaps in an ambitious list of 20, like walking 20 minutes a day. And then the world toppled sideways. Our intentions for how we’d conduct “normal” life fell out the window … Continue reading The Welcoming Prayer

Five Types of Prayer to Refresh Your Joy

How do you feel about prayer? I’ll admit I have mixed feelings. I grew up in churches. I attended a Christian college and seminary. I have been involved with countless ministries. I have worked at churches. And I have prayed silently and out loud in every one of those contexts.  Still, for much of my … Continue reading Five Types of Prayer to Refresh Your Joy

A Prayer for St. Patrick’s Day

Clover Heart Image by MLARANDA from Pixabay Christ be with meChrist before meChrist behind me Christ with me when I sleep and when I riseChrist with me when I work and when I playChrist surround me with love, grace, and goodnessChrist hold me close Christ with those who can’t sleep and with those who sufferChrist … Continue reading A Prayer for St. Patrick’s Day

Morning Encouragement for Night Owls

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what … Continue reading Morning Encouragement for Night Owls

All Saints’ Day

Still trembling with fear, I grabbed Mom’s arm in wobbly desperation. “Do Not Ever let me ride that again!" I gasped. "Even when I’m a teenager and I come here with my friends, tell them I Am Not allowed to ride that ride!” My mom took me and my sister to Disneyland, an hour-and-a-half drive … Continue reading All Saints’ Day

9 Prayers to Squelch Pandemic Panic (aka, anti-anxiety prayers)

A few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic shelter-in-place, I knew I needed a different kind of spiritual discipline, one that focused my creative writing on Scripture God could use to lift me out of the sudden onset of anxiety. I began searching God’s Word for promises related to anxiety and fear, and what I needed … Continue reading 9 Prayers to Squelch Pandemic Panic (aka, anti-anxiety prayers)

Lent 2020: I Pray…

“Did you know that God is always listening to you? Did you know that God can hear the quietest whisper deep inside your heart, even before you’ve started to say it? Because God knows exactly what you need even before you ask him…. So when you pray, pray in your normal voice, just like when … Continue reading Lent 2020: I Pray…

Lent 2020: We Need Him a Lot

...the people God uses don’t have to know a lot of things, or have a lot of things--they just have to need him a lot. Jesus called out to them, “Let’s go!” My creative collaborator and I created a day-by-day prayer card to guide our church and unify our prayers during Lent. Of course we … Continue reading Lent 2020: We Need Him a Lot

A Daily Prayer

Faith comes easily to me. For as long as I can remember, I have believed down to my toes that God loves me, Jesus died for me, and the Spirit guides me. And yet. As an emotionally-driven individual, my attitudes and actions may tell a different story. Too often, I don't act like I believe … Continue reading A Daily Prayer

Live Lent (2018)

Mom Down! I've been sick for two weeks now. What began as a lousy cold--power through, Mom, as most moms do--and I thought I had and was mostly on the mend--became a painful ear infection and virus v2. Six days on antibiotics and I still have pain and no hearing on my left side. Bleh! Thankfully, … Continue reading Live Lent (2018)