Prayer: Dear Lord, help me understand that the work I do each day is part of my witness to those around me and to the world. Whether I am a stay at home mom or one who goes to a 9-5 job each day, show me the influence that my work may have on those around me. Help me to do what I do with love, care and reverence… from the simplest task to those tasks on a larger scale. Clothe me with a sweet, serving Spirit.  Amen.
 

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you that you supply me with everything I need and that my life is filled with abundance so that I am able to extend a helping hand and a listening ear to those who need a friend. It is through you that I understand the meaning of friendship because your love for me is so filled with Grace. Give me opportunities to serve out of my abundance. Show me ways to lend a helping hand. Awaken me to opportunities to turn my ear toward someone who needs a friend. Thank you Lord. Amen.

 
Prayer: Lord, I realize that hard work is indispensable to success of any kind. Let me not pray that you would do the work for me, but that I will have the power, strength and the faith to accomplish that which you put before me. Help me make the best use of my time and resources Lord. I desire diligence and balance in all things. I pray for your wisdom to prevail upon me as you lead me in your  power and strength. Amen.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that while you are an all-knowing God, you allow me to learn for myself through trial and error,  mistakes and hardships. Thank you for being such a patient and understanding teacher. Through your loving kindness I grow and learn about myself and the world around me. Show me through my experiences, what works for me, what lifts me up, what I can offer the world and what I should expect of others. Thank you that I know forgiveness and gentleness and I practice it on others and myself. Amen.

Prayer:Lord, may my words bring life and wisdom. Guard my heart and mind from those things that would cause insult, harm or injury to others. There is power in the tongue—in the words that we use; they can bring life or death. Lord, I want to bring life. I want to speak blessings upon those around me. Guard my heart. Help me recognize thoughts that are contrary to your goodness Lord. Amen.

I close my office door to drown out the voices around me–to find the center of myself–the place where I meet with God. There with closed eyes and clasped hands the darkness of emptying myself meets the Light.

The hard stuff either grows us deeper or makes us search for answers in things that can never satisfy. Activity fills the silence of our souls with noise to mask the uncomfortable feelings of change, pulling…tugging at us. We resist change at all cost, running, ignoring, fighting, turning our backs, making ourselves busy, heard, loud. The humdrum of the keyboard on the computer, our ipads, phones…drown out the quiet whispering of God, “Come to me“, he invites. “When you search for me with all your heart, there you will find me“…

Our yearning, aching for recognition, acknowledgement, affirmation are signs of the soul crying out to believe in something greater. When I try to do something for the applause of others I lose myself. A life lived this way is a life without Hope. Hope reflects belief. Hope quiets itself to listen for God’s voice in the stillness. Hope is in the wind, His voice in the falling leaves, the sprinkling wet that comes down, in a gentle pitter-patter on the roof.

There are seasons during our lives when we feel we have little control over the events that are happening to or around us, rendering us hopeless. I too, have belly-ached through long seasons like this.

Hope says, “I have you covered“…Hope believes that there is a God who can change our circumstance in an instant. During my time of hopelessness, I memorized a psalm of David when he was in the desert:

O god, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. my soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:1-8

Our souls thirst for God and without Him…we.lose.hope. A culture of busyness has robbed us of silence and it is only through the silence of the soul that we truly commune with the Light of God. In silence we wonder at the beauty of His creation, the beauty of struggle, hardship…moments…simplicity. Just as the snow falls silently, beautifully graceful and blankets the world with a wintery coat, so the wings of God do also. He says, “I have you covered “…