My New Book

 

Lord, it's release day for my new book! Look how beautiful it is! 

Please shower your favor on it. 

Let it be a blessing to many. 

Use it to make children smile 

and feel secure in the knowledge of your love

and the love of their families. 

Use it to draw families closer

and help adults express their hopes and dreams for the children they love, and turn those hopes and dreams into focused, purposeful prayers. 

Thank you for granting me the honor of writing it

and seeing it published...and, I hope, purchased, 

in Jesus' name, amen. 

O God, My Help

O God, my help in ages past,
My hope for years to come,
My shelter from the stormy blast,
And my eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And my defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

O God, my help in ages past,
My hope for years to come,
My shelter from the stormy blast,
And my eternal home.

O Lamb of God

Clasp

Lord, I would clasp your hand in mine,

And never murmur or repine,

Content, whatever lot I see,

Since it is your hand leading me.

(from the hymn, He Leadeth Me, by Joseph Henry Gilmore, slightly updated)

True Humanness

God forgive us
that we have imagined true humanness,
after the Enlightenment model,
to mean being successful,
having it all together,
knowing all the answers,
never making mistakes,
striding through the world as though we owned it

(a prayer of N. T. Wright, from The Challenge of Jesus, p. 193; photo by Amazos7 via pixabay.com).

Fearless as the Sun

Lord, I pray today
that I would be
"like the sun when it rises
in its strength" (Judges 5:31b).
May I bring light in a dark world;
may I show people the way.
Help me to bring warmth and energy,
and to be strong, bold and fearless as the sun.

(a prayer of @nickygumbel; photo via everystockphoto.com)

Apples of Gold

Father, let my speaking today

be like apples of gold 

in settings of silver, 

in Jesus' name, 

amen.

(based on Proverbs 25:11)

Desires

Dear God,

Sometimes my desires are so strong that they keep me from thinking straight. Like Samson in the Bible, I can become so obsessed with what I want that I forget to ask for your guidance and wisdom. Help me to know whether the objects of my desire are consistent with your will.

(an excerpt from the book, 365 Pocket Prayers, by Ron Beers)

On Miles's Birthday

Lord, the mind reels. 

The heart swells.

How is it even possible that my first grandchild, my oldest grandson, this young man after my own heart, Miles Jacob Hostetler, turns seventeen today?

Thank you for all you have made him to be:

healthy, strong, charming, sweet, sensitive, smart, wonderful.

Thank you for all you have given him:

caring, wise, attentive, loving parents,

a sister who loves him and even says so,

a family that loves to be around him and spend time with him,

an active and brilliant mind,

a fascination with bugs and beasts and birds,

and a warm home, good school, and lovely church.

Thank you that he's so great as to make missing him so hard.

Thank you that he's growing so fast and learning so much 

as to make me insanely jealous of those who get to watch it happen day by day and week by week.

Thank you that for the earliest years of his life I got to see him so often, almost daily at times.

And thank you that even with the physical distance between us, we still enjoy a closeness that brings tears to my eyes. 

Please bless him mightily on his birthday, and on every day that follows it.

Please shine on him, smile on him, and slather him with your favor.

Please preserve his sweetness even as he grows up.

Please give him a great summer this year, and a blessed rest-of-the-year.

Please grant that he may grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Give him backbone, confidence, solidity, centeredness, and a feeling of comfort in his own skin.

Please draw him and keep him close to you, 

grant his every need 

and make even his biggest, boldest dreams come true, 

in Jesus' name, amen.

You Deserve

Day of Travel

Father God, 

please grant me and the lovely Robin 

safe and successful travel today. 

Make smooth paths 

(and flight schedules) for our feet. 

Grant safe and timely travel to the airport. 

Help us to make our flights 

and safely reach our destination. 

Protect us from coach cabin and airport terminal infections. 

Guide our steps, 

guard our thoughts, 

and give us sweet communion with you and

pleasant interactions with others. 

Make us alert to any opportunity to be the means of blessing

to our fellow travelers,

or those who serve them,

in Jesus' name, amen.

Prayer for My Kids and Grandkids

Today's prayer from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad...and my prayer today for my kids and my grandkids.

I Come Quietly to Your Door

Gracious One, I come quietly to your door needing to receive from your hands the nourishment that gives life.

Amen and Amen.

(a prayer of Bernard of Clairvaux)

Good Morning, Lord

The sun is risen; 

Me too. Birds are on the wing. 

My spirit takes flight. 

(photo by Danish Upadhyay via unsplash.com)

Anniversary Prayer

O Lord God, 

with each passing year it becomes more amazing to me 

how long--

and how high and wide and deep--

you have blessed me with my bride, 

my wife, the lovely Robin:  

through forty-seven years of marriage, 

and fifty--FIFTY!--years as a couple.

Thank you for yet another year of life together.

Thank you, thank you for her faithful,

giving,

loving,

kind,

passionate,

sweet,

constant heart.

Thank you for all

the happiness we've known together;

the sorrows we've faced,

the struggles we've survived,

the children we raised,

and the grandchildren we've been so wonderfully given.

Thank you for our home, 

health,

laughter,

hopes and dreams,

our yet-unfinished plans,

and our small accomplishments.

Thank you that she has stuck with me, never wavering in her support.

Thank you that I can still make her laugh, usually.

Thank you that she grows more beautiful every day.

Thank you for all of her perfections,

and all of my improvements.

Spare us another year to walk together,

and grant that for us it may be true

that the best is yet to be,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Las Vegas

 

Lord, 

isn't it strange that I live in Las Vegas? 

I would never have guessed. 

And yet here I am, and the lovely Robin. 

I love our comfy home here, 

our neighbors,

our church family, 

the hikes, 

and the trips to see our kids and grandkids.

Thank you for where we live, 

how we live, 

that we live, 

in Jesus' name, amen. 

(photo by julianpaefgen via unsplash.com)

Holy Forever

June

Thank you, God, that 

"There is no price set on the lavish summer, 

And June may be had by the poorest comer." 

(from "The Vision of Sir Launfal" by James Russell Lowell)

On This My Steadfast Soul Relies

 

You Struck the Rivers

Lord, I praise you
because you struck the rivers
and parted the sea;
you sent your chariots of salvation for your people.

You commanded your weapons of power!
You split open the earth with flowing rivers!
The mighty deep cried out, lifting its hands to you.
You are mighty, and worthy of praise!

(from Habakkuk 3:8-10)

Heavenly Wisdom

O God of the ages, grant that I, who am the heir of all the ages, may not fail to profit by the heavenly wisdom which in time past Thou didst grant to Thy servants.

A wise man wrote,
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise man wrote,
Our wills are ours to make them Thine.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise king said,
Nothing for me is too early or too late which is in due time for Thee.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise man said,
Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise man said,
In His Will is our peace.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise woman said,
The divine moment is the present moment.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise woman said,
He asks too much to whom God is not sufficient.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise man prayed,
Give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

A wise man wrote,
My past life hide; my future guide.
(Quod vixi tege, quod vivam rege.)
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.

Grant, O Father, that I may go about this day's business with an ever-present remembrance of the great traditions wherein I stand and the great cloud of witnesses which at all times surround me, that thereby I may be kept from evil ways and inspired to high endeavor. So keep me until evening in the might of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

(a prayer of John Baillie, from the book A Diary of Private Prayer; photo via everystockphoto.com)

Whether Friendly or Adverse

Purify my soul,
make my eyes keen and watchful,
in order that I may discern your purpose
at every turning of the way.

Help me to hallow all my circumstances
whether they appear friendly or adverse,
and may I subdue them all to my King's will.
Amen.

(from J. H. Jowett, The Whole Armour of God, p. 152; photo via everystockphoto.com).

A Memorial Day Prayer

 

In the quiet sanctuaries of our own hearts, 
let each of us name and call on 
the One whose power over us
is great and gentle, 
firm and forgiving, 
holy and healing…

You who created us, 
who sustain us,
who call us to live in peace,
hear our prayer this day.

Hear our prayer for all who have died,
whose hearts and hopes are known to you alone…

Hear our prayer for those who put the welfare of others
ahead of their own
and give us hearts as generous as theirs…

Hear our prayer for those who gave their lives
in the service of others,
and accept the gift of their sacrifice…

Help us to shape and make a world
where we will lay down the arms of war
and turn our swords into ploughshares
for a harvest of justice and peace…

Comfort those who grieve the loss of their loved ones
and let your healing be the hope in our hearts...

Hear our prayer this day
and in your mercy answer us
in the name of all that is holy.

Amen.

(from the Concord Pastor blog)

This Poor Man Cried

Fortress

 

Watchful Eye

Lord, I know there are millions of travelers on the roads and rails, on the seas and in the skies today, 

and you love and care for them all. 

But please keep a watchful eye on me and the lovely Robin, 

in Jesus' name, amen.

Dread Warrior

Dread Warrior,
please defend us
and mend us
and superintend us,
in Jesus' name,
amen.

(based on Jeremiah 20:11, ESV;
photo by mamjodh via everystockphoto.com)

Whole Heart

 

Showers and Streams

Lord God Adonai,

please send to me and mine

showers of blessing

and streams of refreshing

today,

in Jesus' name, amen.

Boat So Small

Another Pentecost

We need another Pentecost, 

Send the fire!

(from a song written by William Booth, founder (with his wife) of The Salvation Army; photo by music4life via pixabay.com)

My Great Strides Effort

Gracious God, thank you for all those who gave--and so generously--to my Great Strides effort this year, to fund a cure for cystic fibrosis! Thank you for your favor in meeting and exceeding my goal! Please let these funds be used well and speed the day when CF stands for "Cure Found!" 

Less, More

Gracious God, 

grant that I may 

eat less, and move more, 

buy less, and save more, 

stress less, and trust more, 

hurry less, and relax more, 

take less, and give more, 

do less, and be more. 

Amen.

(photo via everystockphoto.com)

All Yours, All Yours

 

Honor and Praise

 

Nothing Too Hard

 

At Rest

 

Your Consolation

 

On Mother's Day

Abba, Father,

how blessed I am

by the wife you've given to me,

and the kind of mother she has been--

and is--

to our children.

She walks in beauty, like the night

of cloudless climes and starry skies

(to quote Byron).

She showers blessing, like August rain,

on every dry and needy place.

She denies herself, like the pelican of myth,

feeding her loved ones with her own lifeblood.

She fights with passion, like a badger,

to defend and protect her home and family.

What a gift she is to me and to this family.

Lift her up in our love,

encourage her with our gratitude,

and let her feel your favor

flowing through ours,

in Jesus' name, amen.

Whole Heart

Praise and Petition

Adonai, I praise you with my lips
and with my mind,
and ask that you bring my heart along,
so that I can praise you with my whole self.

I praise you for your majesty,
evident in the skies;
your artistry
evident in the clouds;
your power
evident in the storm;
your gentleness
evident in the breeze;
your beauty
evident in the trees;
your grace
evident in the fawn that feeds by the tree;
your strength
evident in the firmness of the earth beneath it all.

I praise you Lord, Adonai,
for your greatness and your goodness,
for all splendor and majesty,
glory and power belongs to you,
and you are the sum
and the source
of all that is good, amen.

Nepsis

Lord, teach me nepsis:

to be watchfull, alert, vigilant,

to control my thoughts

instead of being controlled,

in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo by elmaurer via unsplash.com)

Ever Sounding

Make my life to be like a melody,

Ever sounding out the message of the Cross.

(from a hymn by John Wells; photo detail by Gift Habeshaw via unsplash.com)

All Ague

Lord, how I am all ague, when I seek

What I have treasur'd in my memory!

Since, if my soul make even with the week,

Each seventh note by right is due to thee.

I find there quarries of pil'd vanities,

But shreds of holiness, that dare not venture

To show their face, since cross to thy decrees:

There the circumference earth is, heav'n the centre.

In so much dregs the quintessence is small:

The spirit and good extract of my heart

Comes to about the many hundredth part.

Yet Lord restore thine image, hear my call:

And though my hard heart scarce to thee can groan,

Remember that thou once didst write in stone.

(by George Herbert; photo by kentro via unsplash.com)

To Your Holy Mountain

Lord, bring me today to your holy mountain, 
to Mount Zion, 

to the city of the living God, 
the heavenly Jerusalem, 
to God himself, to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives.

(based on Isaiah 66:20, Hebrews 12:22-24; painting: Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, by David Roberts in 1842, Library of Congress)

Be Thou My Vision

Tumult

Take me often from the tumult of things
into your presence.
There show me what I am,
and what you have purposed me to be.
Than hide me from your tears.
O King and Savior,
what is your gift to me?
And do I use it to your pleasing?

(a prayer of Hild of Whitby)

I Bow

At Thy feet I bow, adoring,

Bending lower, lower still;

Giving up my all to follow,

Just to do my Master's will.

(photo by Jeremy Yap via unsplash.com)

A Prayer in Sadness

O God, come to my assistance;

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Look on me, Lord,

look on my sad heart,

look on my low spirit.

Come to me where I am,

and carry me out of here.

You are the Lifter of my head.

You are my Shield and Strength.

You give me songs in the night.

Gracious God, please turn my mourning into dancing,

and replace this shroud of sadness

with the garment of gladness,

with a crown of joy.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with your Holy Spirit,

in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo by Lasse Møller via unsplash.com) 

Evil Man

 

Filled

 

Hard Work and Small Rewards

Lord Jesus....Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

I accept hard work and small rewards in this life. I ask for no easy place. I shall try to be blind to the little ways that could make life easier. If others seek the smoother path I shall try to take the hard way without judging them too harshly. I shall expect opposition and try to take it quietly when it comes. Or if, as sometimes it falleth out to Thy servants, I should have grateful gifts pressed upon me by Thy kindly people, stand by me then and save me from the blight that often follows. Teach me to use whatever I receive in such manner that will not injure my soul nor diminish my spiritual power. And if in Thy permissive providence honor should come to me from Thy church, let me not forget in that hour that I am unworthy of the least of Thy mercies, and that if men knew me as intimately as I know myself they would withhold their honors or bestow them upon others more worthy to receive them.

And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven.

Amen.

(a prayer of A. W. Tozer; photo by jzoerb via unsplash.com)

Source

True Home

God before and God behind,
God for us and God for your own self,
Maker of heaven and earth,
creator of sea and sky,
governor of day and night.
We give thanks for your ordered gift of life to us,
for the rhythms that reassure,
for the equilibriums that sustain,
for the reliabilities that curb our anxieties.
We treasure from you,
days to work and nights to rest.
We cherish from you,
days to control and nights to yield.
We savor from you,
days to plan and nights to dream.
Be our day and our night,
our heaven and our earth,
our sea and our sky,
and in the end our true home. Amen.

(from Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: The Prayers of Walter Brueggemann)

Temper My Dysfunctions

Abba, Father,
please temper my dysfunctions,
align my disjunctions,
cleanse me from sin,
repair me within,
and grant the remission
of all unsubmission
to you, in Jesus' name, amen.

Overflow

My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad.

You Know the Way for Me

O God, early in the morning I cry to you. 

Help me to pray 

And to concentrate my thoughts on you: 

I cannot do this alone. 

In me there is darkness, 

But with you there is light; 

I am lonely, but you do not leave me; 

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; 

I am restless, but with you there is peace. 

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; 

I do not understand your ways, 

But you know the way for me…

Restore me to liberty,

And enable me to live now

That I may answer before you and before me.

Lord, whatever this day may bring,

Your name be praised.

(a prayer of Deitrich Bonhoeffer)