“Why, then, do I set before You an ordered account of so many things? it’s certainly not through me that You know them. But I’m stirring up love for You in myself and in those who read this so that we may all say, great is the Lord and highly worthy to be praised. I tell my story for love of Your love.” ~St Augustine of Hippo
The pages of the journal have been scribbled with these prayers. And there are more. It’s my prayer today that one of these may give you comfort, give you companionship, give you boldness to add your own words.
When you hunger for something more than what this world offers:
For only You, dear Lord, can bolster me and strengthen me to stand against the enemy and his cunning words that feel so good to my weary broken nature.
When you wonder what heaven will be like:
I wonder if some of the tears will be of amazement, of awe. The way a starving soul cries when carried into a feast, or a deaf person cries when they hear for the first time.
When you long for your hands to do good:
I think of how easy it is to get caught up in the trappings – a nice home, a good job, even the notion of being “loved by many.” And how honestly, without a heart broken and knit together again in love, none of it matters.
When you need to be reminded that you are safe:
Even when I walk through
the dark, scary, lonely places
I won’t be afraid.
When you need something to destroy the shame you feel:
We so often declare ourselves worthless, but He stamps us with the seal of “worthFULL” and gave his life for us to prove His affection.
When you wish the weapons could just be laid down in love:
You sat with strangers and risked comfort and came unarmed to a table filled with folks who wielded weapons of deceit and betrayal.
When life – and God – disappoint you:
Maybe it will always be like this, with life selling You as an irregular or obsolete model or missing pieces. Maybe there will always be days I simply want to say, “Screw it and screw You – You’re a disappointment.”
When you’re afraid you’re wasting time:
I don’t want to get to the end of the day and wonder where it disappeared or find that it waited for me but I never noticed.
When you need a prayer spoken over you – and you need to be reminded that God speaks through friends:
“…just share this one you prayed for me last year. It will resonate. Share as is. It needs nothing more.”
Saturdays are for gathering up the words of the week and putting them in basket for you. This takes you to the beginning, and ends with the prayer a friend shared with me – one I had actually written to her a year ago. Do you need prayer? As much as I believe in its power, I also believe there’s something supernatural when we speak prayers over others. I would love to pray for you. Send a message my way.
Last year, I shared the stories about pictures I’ve taken. This year during the month of October, I’m opening up my journal and sharing prayers. They’re not eloquent or poetic – they’re simple honest talks with God. Some prayers are joyful and some are screams. Some are said in the morning and some at night. It’s my hope the words might help someone else find the words.
