Before You

Oh Father! You are indeed merciful. You speak with kind and gracious words to us and about us. Though You have spoken calamity over those who are evil, You have always been gracious to those who are called by Your name! Father, great are You above everything! Holy and righteous! You have formed this earth in perfection. Evidence of its former perfection can be seen daily. You have made us for relationship with You. You want to know us and You want to be known. Father You are beautiful and You are glorious. And yet You still love us....love me!

Father, I ask this day for what I need to make it through. I ask for wisdom and discernment in every moment. I ask for a heart like Yours as I interact. I ask that You would guide me towards You. Your portion is just what I need. I surrender my hopes, fears, anxieties, desires, and doubts to You. I know Your plan is perfect. I trust in Your will. 

Your will be done Lord, above all. Your Kingdom come. We anxiously await You! We  desire the day when our faith may be complete.

We praise You for the glorious God that You are. A God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Have mercy on me today!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Rise

Father, a beautiful day You have made. I feel anxieties coming my way; I pray You wouldn't let them touch me. I pray that my fears about work or my worries about moving out would melt away. I'm ready to see what You have for me. I'm ready to be fully devoted to You. I think I need to pour more of myself into my classroom. I think I need to set higher standards. I don't think my students are where I want them to be. 

This is all well and good, but I need You wisdom to guide me in this. Guide me Lord in Your wisdom. Show  me what You want from me. In all parts of my life. I don't just want to seek You, but I want to find You. I know You want to be found. Oh Father, beautiful Savior! I can't stop loving You. You have done such good and miraculous things. You have shown me so much and I pray You would be present in my actions today. I pray that Your will would be done. Put Your Truth on my lips. 

I surrender my day. I surrender my life. Less of me. More of You. Mi alma a tí entrego. Tuya soy Señor. 

Te amo más que mi vida entonces toda mi vida doy para todo que eres. 

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Incense

Father, my heart is not troubled but it is full of many thoughts. I pray that You would keep my thoughts pure and focused. Help me be discerning among them. Father, You are so glorious. When I think about all You have done even today, I'm am amazed by Your goodness. When I reflect upon how holy You are, I cannot stop. You are so much more than I deserve to have love me. I truly am made right by You. Father let me live in Freedom and adoration today. Let me be floored by Your goodness and full of Your Spirit. I pray that the woman I want to be would be around today. I pray that You would guide me in Your will. Give me the courage to forgive and discipline. Give the courage to seize the authority I have been given. Give me my daily portion. I praise You for the needs that I have already been met by You. My tasty oatmeal breakfast. The lunch I made last night. The dinner prepared by the loving hands of my mother. I pray that You would never let me forget the blessings. I pray not only that I would forget, but that I would be voicing my thankfulness to others. Let Your Words be on my lips and Your truth be in my heart. Praise You Father for everything You are. Let Your will be done today!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Dear Beloved,

Dear Beloved,

Come away with me. It's never to late for you. I have a plan for you. It's gonna be wild. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be for me.

So open up your heart, and let me in.

Love,

I Am



This is God's invitation. This is what He wants for us. He wants us to leave our lives (metaphorically) and come away with Him. We are to be a part of the great adventure He is on. We don't have to live a boring life. As a woman, I hate boring. I long for adventure. I am restless to be something. I think most girls can relate. Probably most guys too, but I'm no expert there. I want to be more than just bland. I want to be a part of a plan that is wild and great. A plan that is full of God. My heart is open because it is longing for more.

Lord, my heart is open. I am longing to let You in. I want more of You. I want to be a part of the plan. I want to be with You. I want to run away with You. I want to flee into You arms. I open up my heart to let You in.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Stronghold

The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.

My God is powerful. It is good to never forget what he is capable of. He is strong. He makes the earth shake. He is a loud roar. He is a stronghold for the people.

Lord, I take refuge in You. I know that You are strong. I know that You are mighty. I know that You will not leave or forsake me. I know that You will come in justice, but I need not fear. You are a gracious and loving God who has mercy on those who call on His name. Father I call upon You. I know You are ready to love me. I know You love me. I am ready to love You. Father, be my strength. Have mercy on this sinner and smile upon me.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Take me to the river

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.

I'm not really sure what this metaphor is for, but it's pretty awesome. A river flowing from God's sanctuary to all parts of the earth. A river too deep to pass. A river filled with healing and fruit. A river that is life-giving. A river of love. It's the river. The one we sing about in all our songs.

Take me to the river. Pull me off the shore. Here within your freedom, I have found my reason. I am yours. Let the waters rise, far above my head. Baptize me in wonder. Spirit take me under once again.

Lord, fill me with the water. Fill me with hope and courage. Send me downstream. Send me in the current. Let the waters rise above my head. I don't want to fear the currents of Your love and of Your Truth. Spirit take me under. I need You. I need this cleansing flow. Father, let Your river flow!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Relation"sheep"

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Maybe I'm the sheep. I know I'm a sheep. I know I need to respond accordingly. I should let my Shepherd lead me instead of trying to do things for myself. I am after all just a sheep. Sheep are pretty dumb. I think that fits me well.

So how do I be a sheep? How do I follow my Shepherd? How do I worry less about getting it right and more about getting it? Going deeper. I don't just want to talk about knowing the Lord, I want to know Him. I don't want to be Israel...

Lord, help me to follow You and nothing else. Help me to let go of my desires to be perfect or to feel like I've gotten it. Help me let go of my want to be something. Let me be satisfied with being who I am. Show me who I am. Guide me in where You want me to go. Send mercy to me and make me whole. I feel broken and frazzled. Life is going great and I'm trying to find problems. Take that away and fill me with pure joy. That won't go away :]

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Blood guilt

If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do no speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

I sometimes like to avoid verses like this because it provides a lot of conviction...

I can just hear Ray Comfort on "Way of the Master Minute" telling me to go share my faith while I still have time. I think on a whole, most Christians struggle here. Especially Christians who grew up in the Church. We don't see the power or necessity of evangelism. Those who came to Christ late in life from a life o complete darkness are much more eager to share the light. They know that one witness can save souls.

But we "lifers" are much more complacent. We don't know that power first-hand. Yes we know that power of God's grace. Yes we know that Christ changes lives. And deep down, we also know that the lost need us. But we still go about our days more or less in fear.

Maybe it's just me. I hope it is. But I reckon you feel it too...

Lord, help me to be bold. Give me urgency. Give me words to speak and places to speak them. Let me not shy away from opportunity, but let me boldly approach those in need of You. Let Your words be ever on my lips and Your Truth ever on my heart. Let me not forget the lost.

Amen. Amen. Amen.