A Prayer for Over Caffeination

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God of Boundless Energy,

Today, I had too much caffeine.
My heart is fluttering.
I am about to bounce off of the walls.

I overestimated the my body’s response to this morning’s cuppa joe.

God, I appear to be speaking a mile a minute.
As my hands type, they shake.

I confess to allowing my body to be off balance.
The choice I made were not exactly horrible, but slightly unhealthy.

But while I have this extra energy,
May I serve the church and this world more faithfully.
May spend my uber-focus time on what you need
Before this afternoon’s big crash arrives
And I’m left staring at instead of bouncing off of walls.

Amen.

A Prayer for Freedom to Use My Voice

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Beloved God, Divine Tongue-

As the years pass,
I’ve kept my mouth quite closed.

You have asked me to share the Good News,
And I kept your love to myself.

You have asked me to share your message of justice and equity,
And I worried about what others would think.

You have asked me to be to be the most authentic version of myself,
To share the truest me with the world,
But I kept that self hidden too many times.

It would have been lovely to speak my truth along the way-
To those who downgraded me,
To those who have doubted me,
To those who tried to destroy my soul.

Yet as I learn about my worth,
And continue the journey of healing and growing,
My voice continues to be freed by the constraints of this world.

The song I sing in this new chapter
Reflects a version of myself that has hidden in the depths of my spirit
That once fled to the Sheol of my mind.

And now I stand in the warm sunlight with you, Spirit of Wonder-
On top of the escarpment overlooking the lands I’ve previously walked.
I know what needs to happen now
As I warm my voice at dawn of this brand new day.

Amen.

A Prayer for Rest

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Holy Deliverer of Downtime,

As the evening takes its place within the skies,
And the winds cool after the sun sleeps for the night,
May I find my rest.

The day has been long.
I often wonder, Holy One,
Why I no longer have the mental energy
To create profound writings
Or even clean the kitchen.

My energy comes from you, God.
But maybe you’re telling me to rest.

So, I pray what is closest to my mind and heart.
The words fail to be painted in a multitude of colors-
Instead appearing in neutrals and grays.

Thank you for this day.
Forgive me for the ways I fell short,
And may I know your grace.
Bless this evening.
Bless the ones I love.
Comfort the hurting.
Bring peace to the ones who struggle.
May each of us know your love and light.
May I rest well tonight.
And may I rise tomorrow feeling your strength.

Amen.

A Prayer for Times of Twigs and Ashes

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God of the sticks, the dry grounds, the damp tears, and the gritty ashes:
Oh how we yearn for the spring to arrive.
The days of the sweet mild breezes carrying the scents of your creation.
The boldness of the sunrise which will awaken our souls
Instead of the chilly winds swirling below the thick cloud cover.

But for now, God, we sit under the tree full of twigs and surrounded by ashes.
We sit with the grief that comes from unbearable losses.
We settle knowing that today may not go well, that tomorrow is not guaranteed-
Yet hope still illuminates the sky in the distance.

So we live with that hope:
The hope that the phoenix will rise from the ashes
And Christ will rise from the tomb.
We live with the hope that the twigs on the trees
Will bear leaves when the time is right.
We know that after the longest nights of our lives
That the sun will rise again,
And that you, Holy Comforter,
Will follow us to the depths of Sheol if we flee.

Even when hardships encroach our space
And afflictions invade our bodies,
The hope found in the realm of God-
The dirt-filled, ash smeared
Tear-damp realm of God
Is still hope.
This is the hope that drives away despair,
That warms our hearts,
That give us moments of cheer.
And in that we offer God our praise.

Amen.

A Prayer for Fogginess and Focus

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Divine Dweller in My Heart,

As we abide together in the middle of this week, the grayness has plunged from the skies to accompany me on earth. The fogs from above are wrapping themselves around my tired brain.

Focus! I tell myself again – FOCUS!

And yet, my skull is filled with haziness instead of the concentration that’s much desired.

God, I ask you again to help me focus. And help me stop criticizing myself for fogginess that’s taken over my brain. My body is human, my mind is human. May I realize that my humanity is needed and which you have created to be a superpower.

Amen.

A Prayer of Gratitude for Nostalgia

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God of Yesterday, Holy Hope for the Future,

Running through my head throughout today is a moment from years ago.
I was young with friends I had left in the past.
The laughter was loud and our smiles were widening across our faces.

As a song from yesterday lifts my spirits-
It’s reached into my soul in a way that I just can’t explain.
But it’s transported my mind back to being a young one again.

These are the moments that are worth more than gold.
But I can’t abide in yesterday-
Otherwise I’m gonna turn into a pillar of salt.

Today I thank you for the flashes from yesteryear,
For the joys of nostalgia, and the stories which I carry.

Help me to savor the joy of memories but to leave them in the past.
Give me the drive to live fully into today’s realm
And to dream about a future with hope.

Amen.

A Mid-Winter’s Prayer

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Divine River of Light,


As days expand and the colors stretch upon the horizon, my spirit celebrates the growing glow across the hours. This light fills our spirits with gentleness as the chilly winds whisper while it whips throughout its frigid path.

May we ignore the chill and the shadows. Even when the nights are cold, may we turn to what warms us: love, laughter, friendships. May your glow expand in our hearts- even when nights are long.

When extreme weather shoves milder temperatures out of the way, we know you are here to warm our souls and cool our spirits when needed.

Amen.

A Blessing on the Last Days of Christmas

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Divine Glimmer-

The strands of lights are unhooked from the eavestroughs,
And the metallic garland removed from tree’s branches.
January’s shadows prevail when Christmas is removed.

Yet you are the Great Light.
When the brightness of Christmas has been erased from our sight,
The Epiphany glow in our souls brightens.

May the Epiphany Glow expand from our hearts
to reach our neighbors hurting from the cold nights,
short days, and seasonal silence.

May the Epiphany Glow draw us together
even greater than the parties of December
and the hustle of Advent.

May the Epiphany Glow kindle kindness,
knowing that the Christ is present in our midst,
as you, Holy Light, are eager to build your bright realm in our shadowed world.

Amen.

A Prayer When Delighting in Hope

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Holy Cultivator of Visions and Dreams-

As the sun rises on this new season, we seek your presence in the ordinary and extraordinary.
We gaze to the light growing in the east, knowing that hope is beaming in our world.
We look for the warm rays of hope to thaw our frost-glazed hearts.

So we celebrate cautious optimism-
Even when the chills of winter have slowed our souls,
Even when the disappointments of frigidness have turned us against the hope of the Holy Winds.

Warm us to your visions, God.
Kindle the spark of your dreams in our hearts.
May your presence refresh our weary spirits again.

Amen.

A Prayer of Gratitude

Divine Creator of the Universe-

Creation blossoms as your breezes build around us. The snow descends to earth, and you are there.
The flowers bloom in various hues, and you are present. The sun welcomes the daytime with warmth, and you abide with us. The leaves of browns and greens and reds and yellows find their way to earth, and your image is reflected.

In this season of gratitude, our attention is drawn to those who love us. We gather around tables lifting laughter and carrying conversations.

For filled dinner plates, we sing our praises to you. For a person or two who will never let us go, we honor your care in our lives. For the beauty of the world and the ones who care for all of creation, we give thanks.

Amen.