Category Archives: National Day Prayers

A Prayer for ADHD Awareness Month

01 Saturday Nov 2025

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Loving God, Ultimate Divine Manager of Time and Space,

It’s taken me until 11:05pm at the end of ADHD Awareness Month to write this prayer.
I’m sure you’re not surprised.

I’ve also put off writing more of my prayers as you see here on this blog.
Why? Because there are 100 tabs open in my brain,
And I’m wondering why I’m overthinking everything.

There’s so much to say in this prayer, Holy One.
So I’ll start here…

I’ve overanalyzed everything, my brain is tired.
I’ve delayed what is needed due to waves of the brain crashing.
I’ve been called many names, splashed in shame, and found myself spiraling.

But now it has a name. Or letters.
And I know this brain mirrors your holy design.

So may each of us – diagnosed by self or a provider
And each of us speculating that we have ADHD,
May all of us whether medicated or unmedicated,
Whether hyperactive externally or internally,
Know that you love us completely.

When the world criticizes or turns their backs,
We know whose child we are
And in whose image we are made.

May we experience joy as we meet fellow ADHDers on the journey
And share our stories with one another.
May this joy extend to naming our greatest strengths,
Our strongest supporters,
And our working therapies.

And because you are the designer of space and time,
May we grow in our relationship with each
And help our neurodiverse kin grow in awareness, grace, and love.

Amen.

(c) 2025 written by Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A Mean Girls Day Blessing

04 Saturday Oct 2025

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God of the Bright Colors, Hopeful Futures, and Messy School Days,

We know the Regina Georges live in our world,
Demanding full reign of whatever earthly empire we’re a part of.
We cringe at her (or his, or their) power filled with piercing words
And a dominance that we can’t name.

We fall to their needs.
We follow their ways because it’s easy,
And more importantly-
We stay in line so that we remain on their happy sides.

They won’t come after us.
They won’t embarrass us. Right?

But mean girls exist.
Telling us what words work or don’t.
Deciding what we should wear
And how to eat and style our hair.

Oh mean girls come in all shapes and ages.
So, Dear Holy One-
Who gives us wisdom like Ms. Norbury-
May we see your image in all the others in our schools,
And in our workplaces, our organizations, our neighborhoods and churches.
May we seek to understand their lives
And judge less as we cringe at criticism.

May we see the ways of Cady Heron,
The good and the ugly.
May we refuse to expose others weaknesses,
Stepping away from the ways of the crowds,
Embracing ourselves and shining our gifts.
Not sabotaging others – even the ones who have sabotaged us.

May we share our crown with our siblings out there
Because our souls are fabulous.
And maybe one of these days.
Mean Girls will be a piece of the past
And we can live in a harmonious siblinghood-
But still wear pink on Wednesdays.

Amen.

(c) 2025 Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.
Image from Netflix South Africa on Instagram
October 3 is considered Mean Girls Day.

A Prayer for National Donut Day

07 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by in Holidays, Life, National Day Prayers, National Donut Day, Pop, Pop Culture, Prayers

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God of the Circle Desserts and Square Breads,

In this Holy and Holely world, we walk the line of the sacred and profane, the healthy and unhealthy, the joyous and morose. We fill our lives with delicious desserts and bland vegetables.

You continue to call us to paths of celebration – even through the wilderness. And even when life discourages us, we mark the deliciousness of today: National Donut Day.

The delightful dough dropped into the fryer, converting bread-like fare into a deceptively delicious dessert. Tables have been transformed into joyous parties. Breakfast has received a pleasure like no other. Coffee has a friend as the bitter and sweet have danced together, creating a treat for many to enjoy.

Bless the donuts and makers of donuts. We know donut-making time is early, and the days are long. Bless the glaze and powdered sugar and all of the miraculous fillings.

And thank you for friends who bring us donuts and coffee to bring joy into our lives.

Amen.

(c) 2024 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.

A Blessing of the Storytellers

21 Thursday Mar 2024

Posted by in National Day Prayers, Poetry, Pop, Pop Culture, Prayers, Vocation Prayers

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Holy Crafter of All Narratives,

As our stories are etched into our memories
And become part of this universe’s great chronicles,
Bless the ones who continue to write and speak the tales of their kins
And the fiction birthed from their souls.

For the stories that derived from holy sources
And the great epic tales entertaining one generation to the next,
We cherish the blessed memories and myths that continue to pave our planet.

For the voices of storytellers,
For their animated faces and expressions with hands,
We share our joy.
For the creative ways they tell a tale,
And the way they keep stories alive,
We celebrate their gifts.

For the creators of the written word,
From ones writing history from the marginalized
to the ones who write in ways with captivating language,
We give our thanks.

May the stories continue from age to age.
May the narratives of our ancestors never be forgotten.
May the stories that were silenced be amplified once again.
May courage empower the narrators and poets.
And may we know the power of passing our stories forward.

Amen.

March 20 is World Storytelling Day

(c) 2024 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A National Backward Day Prayer

31 Wednesday Jan 2024

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God of the Upside Downs,

You’ve created the beauty of chaos, the accidental inside out clothing, the wrong turns, and the incorrect spellings. None of these upset you in the same ways they shake us. Instead, you continue to find light even in the bizarreness of life.

In the moments when we are frustrated by the slowness of computers and drivers ahead of us, we ask for your patience. When we are stopped by each red light along the way and the ultra-slow train, we plead with you for peace.

May we co-create joy in the most unlikely valleys and alleys. May we work together to turn backwards into the most interesting of ways.

May we remember that you are in the passengers seat even when we put the gears in reverse and head in the wrong direction.

Amen.

A Prayer of Gratitude for Thanksgiving’s Deliciousness

22 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Current Events, Holidays, Life, National Day Prayers, Pop Culture, Prayers

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Savory God,

As we bask in the warmth of the radiating heat from our ovens
And the cozy candles of vanilla and pumpkin-something,
We give much gratitude for the deliciousness of the holiday.

From the richness of our conversations-
Some spicy, some smooth-
To the sweetness of the pies and chocolate-something desserts,
We celebrate the flavors of the day.

For our loved ones near and far,
And the ways we connect to one another across the rooms and miles,
We are thankful to live in this time filled with many means of connection.

And for the tables at which we sit,
For the friends and family who warm our hearts,
For the ways we gather together again after a year or two of distancing-
Whether from illness, or strife, or that pandemic-thing-
We are grateful for the people in our lives who support us
Through the peaks and valleys,
Through the burnt pies and undercooked turkeys,
Through the wanted and unwanted political and religious discussions.

May peace radiate throughout our homes,
Across our tables,
Throughout our communities and countries,
And across our war-torn world.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use or repost with attribution.

A Prayer for Bereaved Children

16 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in grief, Life, National Day Prayers, Prayers

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God of Our Falling Tears,

As seasons end, and the winds begin to hurl in a different direction,
Losses fill our once-innocent hearts.

For some of our young neighbors, there is a new hole in their lives-
A new source of wailing,
A new cloud blocking the light of life.

Death has grasped a hold of their future plans,
And the loss of someone close has dampened the laughter-filled air.

How will they learn to live without this person?
Where have they gone?
Why does nothing make sense?
So many questions swirl around their growing minds.

Anxiety grows, and trauma becomes an unwanted companion.
And all of us hope that they can find their mirthful youth once again-
Or something like it.

God of the lonely, the orphans, the mourners, the children of angels-
Grant a comfort that goes beyond words,
A peace that fills their aching hearts,
A strength that pulls them forward when they want to retreat.

May they know they are never alone,
That we walk with them,
And that you are their companion each rainy evening,
Starry night and cloudy day.

And may the joy of life reunite with them a little ways down the road.

Amen.

The third Thursday of November is Children’s Grief Awareness Day. In 2023, this falls on Thursday, November 16. This year, not only do we pray for the young people nearby whose hearts are aching after loss, but the children in Palestine and Israel who have lost family members.

A Prayer for the Day of Forgiveness

28 Thursday Sep 2023

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Holy Fountain of Grace-

Our realm has become arid because of rifts, conflicts, arrogance, and shame. As the blazing winds of blame scorch our world, our souls have become dehydrated.

Like flowers, our hearts are wilting. They have held on to the grudges of the past. Each day, upon waking, they grasp at anything for energy. Yet nothing will quench our thirst of animosity.

Through you, God, we find the relief that comes with mercy. With you we search into our spirits to find ways to forgive. We know that sometimes we must hold a distance between us and the one who you call us to forgive – for the safety of our spirits, and minds, and bodies. Even so, the process of forgiveness is to release something from our souls.

Free us, God, from the grudges of the past, from the ones who wounded us. May the releasing of our resentment create space in our hearts for hope. If we can join together with those whom have hurt us, may peace bind us together and understanding become our companion.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A Teachers’ Appreciation Day Prayer

02 Tuesday May 2023

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God of Knowledge and Wisdom,

As we are the vine and branches, your voice call us to be the community,
to follow your voice,
to embrace the dreams your Spirit has instilled in our souls.

On this day, as well as each day of the school year,
we celebrate the gifts of our teachers.
You grant them energy to educate,
wisdom to know how to lead ,
and to show students how to be members of their communities.

You grant them patience as they watch their students grow
and help students understand ways to walk on life’s path-
no matter the path they are on.

You grant them the spark of inspiration
as they pass that encouragement and enthusiasm along to students.

You grant them peace as they listen and guide students in their toughest moments
and comfort in lockdowns and other times of anxiety.

We give much thanks for the teachers in our classrooms,
the administrators who guide them,
the support staff who accompany them,
and all who work in schools.

May your peace fill their hearts with joy,
their classrooms with well-being for all,
and the hallways with warmth and kindness.

Amen.

All Souls Day Prayer

02 Wednesday Nov 2022

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God of the early morning inhales and the deep evening exhales-

We remember the souls who have gone to the other side of heaven- to your realm, where all souls, or saints as we often call them, bask in your light for all eternity. For your grace which welcomed them from near and far, and your mercy that gave them comfort upon their last breaths, we give you thanks.

We remember the souls who are here among us, dining with us at tables, sharing with us their extravagant love, quarreling with us, challenging us. Through Jesus the Christ, we work to forgive them. And while reconciliation may not happen on this side of heaven, we trust in the healing space of eternity to find everlasting peace.

We nod to the souls of the future who abide with and in the Divine energy. Through their time with God, may they carry wisdom and love into this world when their time comes to abide on this side of heaven. May their love radiate beyond the bounds of heaven to shower our earth with light and love.

Amen.