A necessary prayer from Frank Borman

Give us O God, the vision which can see thy love in the world

In spite of human failure
Give us the faith to trust goodness
In spite of our ignorance and weakness.
Give us the knowledge to continue to pray with understanding hearts.
Show us what each of us can do to set forth the coming of the day of universal
Peace

Frank Borman

A powerful meditation from Thomas Merton

A Meditation

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I’m going
I cannot see the road ahead
And I do not see for certain where it will end
Nor do I know myself
And I think I am following your will
Does not mean I am actually doing so
But I believe my desire to please you
Does in fact please you
And I hope I have that desire in all that I do
You will lead me by the right road
Though I may know nothing about it
Therefore,I will trust you always
Though I may be lost in the shadow
I will not fear
For you are ever with me.

Thomas Merton

Tonight we pray for the momma who is worried...

I think that the following prayer comes from the Midnight Mom Devotional that I used to draw from often on this blog.

Tonight we pray for the momma who is worried. Her heart is heavy. She's having trouble sleeping. She may even be crying inside but putting on a smile for others. Lord, there are so many things that we as mommas worry about daily and even nightly. You asked us to give it to You. Tonight, we give You our worries. We ask for Your peace. We thank You for taking care of all our needs. Please help this momma to find community and any help that she needs. Please grant her sleep tonight. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

This photo comes from Ward Weems on Facebook. The accompanying caption says, "A tenant family who lived in the Camp Croft area and was removed, The man was employed working for a neighboring farm and loses employment when moved. Near Pacolet, South Carolina, March 1941 in photograph by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration, Library of Congress."

This photo also comes by way of Ward Weems. The caption reads, "Decosta famile mother and children, Portuguese immigrants, and Farm Security Administration client borrowers, Little Compton, Rhode Island, December 1940 in a photograph by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration, Library of Congress."

Millions of people the world over are leaving their homes in search of safety and work. Many are fleeing the effects of global warming and climate change and must take their children with them as they go. Some never find what they are looking for and perish along the way and only God and their families know their names. 

These photos remind us that it was not so long ago that many families in the United States were forced to move, traveling north or west in order to escape bad conditions. Political and economic refugees from fascist governments came as well, and are still coming. We should remember their struggles and trials when we consider the mommas and families seeking sanctuary in the United States today and include them in our prayers.

Some helpful suggestions...

 

Damar Hamlin and the spirit of the times we are living in

I previously posted on what happened to Damar Hamlin and how his injuries and his determination to fully recover have brought forward some positive thinking and actions by people who may not have previously thought that the had much in common with one another. The two different items below are very much in the spirit of my previous post. I don't believe that we have the time or the luxury to put off praying for Mr. Hamlin or working for justice for all workers. The United Steelworkers union would likely not have been able to win the contract that they did with the United States Football League (see below) if there was not a strong spirit stirring among working people and in the labor movement at this point.

 

USW: Players Ratify First Contract with USFL--January 9, 2023

Contact: Tony Montana – (412) 562-2592 or tmontana@usw.org

PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that union-represented players have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new agreement with the United States Football League (USFL) covering roughly 350 professional athletes.

USW International President Thomas M. Conway said that football players, like all workers, deserve fair treatment on the job and that the new agreement empowers individuals to speak up.

“Our union is committed to working with players to improve conditions and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect by the league,” Conway said. “The contract provides a much-needed voice for players, whose jobs and earnings also will be more secure under the ratified agreement.”

USW International Secretary Treasurer John Shinn, who represents the union on the AFL-CIO Sports Council, said the new contract provides important improvements for players from last season.

“Through standing together in unity, players successfully bargained for enhanced economic and medical provisions, including a newly negotiated five-week injured reserve,” Shinn said. “Throughout the league, from training camp and through the season, players will receive better pay and have more security.”

Ryan Cave, an executive with the United Football Players Association, said that collectively bargaining for better treatment and working conditions is an important step toward raising standards of living in the future.

“From experience, we know that working together is the key to getting results,” Cave said. “Players throughout the USFL stood together, and we achieved a strong first contract as a direct result from that solidarity.”

The USW and the USFL announced tentative agreement on a first contract for players on December 15, 2022, about five months after their representation election in June, which was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number in tech, public sector and service occupations.

From Midwives of the Soul

 ~ This year, dear friends, may we all lose weight!

The weight of expectations. The weight of self-criticism. The weight of disconnect that fills us with a deeper hunger. The weight of not always loving. The weight of a worn and weary world. Of not always accepting, seeing and inhabiting this precious and sacred body, that we're in.

~ This year, dear friends, may we all exercise!

...our holy will! Our sacred sense of purpose. Our vision and hard-earned wisdom. Our discernment and our shining hearts. In ways that enrich connections, with our bodies, our souls and those we love. And even to the world. 

~ This year, ah yes... may we all start the work of quitting...

...that collective Kool-Aid. The negative self-talk. The small-a**ed living. That cacophony of cockatoo-voices that drown out our souls. And old habits: Those used to stop us hearing our pain, our disappointments, and all things much better loved, seen and accepted right down to the very bottom ~ and to find true freedom, through a connection with our deepest souls.

And...

~ This fine new year, (well, here's the best...) May we all be rich!

Yes, utterly and completely rich. Wildly and unapologetically. Rich in love. Life. Connection with one another and all that really matters. Filled to the brim and bubbling over; more again and spilling over that. Full of laughter, acceptance, joy, and less of worry. Less of sorrow ~ Rich in renewed experience, of a whole new year!

Happy 2023, dear friends!

~Rachel Alana (R.A Falconer)
Midwives of the Soul
art | John Collier

From Annie Lambert

 

Lord,

As these next couple of weeks close the calendar year out…help us pause and be still. Help us reflect on Your faithfulness throughout the year, the times of Your unfailing love when we cried, the times You gave strength when we were unable to stand, the times of joy and hope.

During this last month of 2022, I pray You would heal the pieces of our hearts that need restoration from painful circumstances of the past.

What a blessing that we can come to You, the One who spoke the stars alive, the One whose throne endures forever.

Please hold us all close in the safety of your loving arms.

In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

It has been my experience that walking with God does not mean that I never weep. It means that I never weep alone.

Because there is a presence with me, and I can't explain it to you. But if you have ever felt that presence that cannot be named, in moments that you've felt afraid or alone…that is God wiping your tears away, covering you with a grace that only He can give.

God is still with us and He always will be. God is bigger than any sadness or any fear that we may be feeling.

There is power in the name of Jesus.

Call on Him.

A Prayer For Freedom---From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who wants more freedom. Lord, she might want more freedom in her schedule. She might need more freedom in her finances. She might be desperate for freedom from past hurts or regret. She might just want more freedom to be herself or to do what she really wants to do. Tonight, Lord, we pray that this momma would find fresh hope, opportunity, and freedom as 2022 comes to a close. We pray that freedom would flood into every trapped and frustrated place in her heart and life. Give her an anticipation of hope to replace every anxiety. We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.

Steven Cline

 

 

This is Steven Cline in West Virginia. You can find him on Facebook, and I recommend that you do that. He is singing from some inner places that I think the two of us share. I'm going to try to take more from him now and then because he has a compelling testimony and I can see that he and some of his friends tell it like it is. Readers know that I respect homemade beauty and I think this is an example of that. He's doing the necessary work in his life, so please say a prayer or think a good thought for him. And the thing is that the more of us who commit to doing that work then the easier it gets for all of us. Resurrection, salvation, or whatever you call it is not just open for every individual, but it's our collective and cooperative life project. It's social.

Brother Cline wrote the following prayer or testimony. It's the kind of thing that could inspire us to write down our prayer of testimony and whisper it to ourselves, whether you're a believer or not. I will be doing that.

PRAYER OF A REPEAT SINNER

O Lord God Almighty, YHWH(YAWEH) The Most High God, I boldly come before your throne in the mighty name of Jesus the Christ. I am a sinner unworthy of you, unworthy of your love,patience, mercy, and grace, also unworthy of the calling you have called me to do and unworthy of life in general. You gave your only begotten sons life so that we all can review forgiveness. Jesus died for the remission of our sins, his blood was shed so that our sins could be washed away. He became sin and died a horrible tragic death by crucifixion, by the very people he died to save. 3 days later you raised him from the dead and seated him at your right hand and I KNOW HE IS STILL ALIVE to this day. Then you sent your Holy Spirit to guide and correct the paths of thos who believe, so that we can have a heavenly salvation, an eternity where there is NO SADNESS, NO PAIN, NO SIN, NO BAD AT ALL ONLY GOOD.

You have called me to do your will while I am here, but right now I'm struggling to let go of the Old me, so that you can make me new You have been molding me since before I even knew you were, while I was in the wilderness, my whole life!!! I know I am your child, you continue to speak to me in so many ways.

I have learned to be content in whatever situation I find myself in because of your Holy Spirit.

I also know you didn't give me the spirit of Fear or Weakness. but I am so weak without you, but with u I am strong, you have put the boldness of Christ within me and are making me new.

help me to let go of the old and step into the man u designed me to be, the man u called me to be, a worshiper, a singer, a new creation in Christ. I can't do it without you, now would i ever again want to try. You are life, my life, the only life.

Help me to be worthy of the calling in which you have called me for and shown me.

I have no doubts when it comes to u but I know I can't trust myself ever. but I know I can trust you with every aspect of the life you have chosen to share with me. I will glorify and praise the name of Jesus every day that I am able to for eternity. help me to never stray from our relationship Lord. keep me plyable strengthen me o Lord, even if I don't like the methods you choose. you know me better than me. I trust you and I love you help me to always stay in your will Lord. help me to know and love you more everyday. help me to be a light and a blessing to your flock.

I ask you to continue the good work you begin in me until the day on Jesus Christ. hello me to live in the spirit and grow closer to you everyday. you have told me I am a man after God's own heart just as David was, I ask you to help me with my Giants. I know there is reason for the struggles we go through thank you for allowing me to know your right there with us the whole way through. thank you for loving a sinner like me. praise Jesus, praise God praise the HOLY SPIRIT
in Jesus name I pray. amen

A Prayer For Workers On Labor Day

Lord God, Master of the Vineyard,

How wonderful that you have invited us

who labor by the sweat of our brow

to be workers in the vineyard

and assist your work

to shape the world around us.

As we seek to respond to this call,

make us attentive to those who seek work

but cannot find it.

Help us listen to the struggles of those

who work hard to provide for their families

but still have trouble making ends meet.

Open our eyes to the struggles of those exploited

and help us speak for just wages and safe conditions,

the freedom to organize, and time for renewal.

For work was made for humankind

and not humankind for work.

Let it not be a vehicle for exploitation

but a radiant expression of our human dignity.

Give all who labor listening hearts

that we may pause from our work

to receive your gift of rest.

Fill us with your Holy Spirit

that you might work through us to let your justice reign.

Amen.

Taken from the The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Labor Network.

"Our tears and smiles reveal the hope hidden behind our daily life, the quiet need we never express."

"Prayers do not need special times or special words. Our prayers exist unspoken in the

 silent spaces between our actions. They are an expression of our ancient spiritual instinct,

 a reaching out into the other world for any help that may be there. Our heart speaks more

 eloquently than any mantra about the things we long for and wish could happen. Our tears and

 smiles reveal the hope hidden behind our daily life, the quiet need we never express. We are praying every day, whether we acknowledge it or not. And our prayers are being heard every day, whether we believe it or not."

--The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who is pushing thru. Lord, she may be pushing thru pain, thru sickness in her family, thru weariness, even thru grief. She may not be able to stop and rest and process like she really needs to do. So she just carries on. Tonight we pray that You would help her on this difficult journey. She needs an abundance of Your grace and peace and strength. Please help her tonight. We ask in Jesus’s name,

Amen.

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma whose anxiety makes doing everyday tasks feel overwhelming. Lord, sometimes she sits in the parking lot of the grocery store trying to go in and planning the fastest route to get the things she needs. Sometimes she's wants to attend a wedding, or a party, or a dinner and it feels so overwhelming she finds an excuse to stay home. Sometimes her heart races, sometimes she can't sleep, sometimes she literally shakes with fear. Lord, tonight, she needs Your peace. Please calm her heart. Please bring health and wholeness to her heart. We ask in Jesus's name,

 Amen.

If these posts from the Midnight Mom Devotional speak to you, please go directly to the source and check out their website and consider ordering the book. Go here to get in touch with Susan Pitts and Becky Thompson, and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who is a teacher or works in education. Lord, she doesn’t know fully what 22-23 will look like for school with still so many uncertainties. Please help her know that You will help her navigate each change and challenge. We ask for peace and comfort. Please also bless the school board members, superintendents, paraprofessionals, secretaries, principals, school nurses, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians and counselors as they prepare for the days ahead in this new school year. You are with them. Bring them peace.

We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who needs You to step in. Lord, she needs You to make a way. We don’t know what she is asking You to do, but You do. You know that one thing in her life where only You can come to her rescue, provide a solution, bring an answer. It might be relational, or financial, or emotional. It might be something with her family or her marriage or her job. It might be something she hasn’t even whispered out loud. But You know all about it, Lord. So we ask for a miracle. We ask You to do what only You can. You are able and we trust You.

We ask in Jesus’s name,

Amen.

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who has physical pain from her anxiety. Lord, she may have a headache, or stomach trouble, or tightness in her back or any number of other ways that she carries anxiety in her body. Tonight we ask for Your healing grace to overcome all these things. Sometimes it's hard to even think clearly when physical issues add onto the anxious thoughts. We ask for healing for each momma. Help her tonight. Grant her sweet restorative rest. We ask in Jesus's name,

Amen.

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who needs peace. Lord, when the world feels so unsettled, when we feel like we are spinning in circles, we ask for Your Peace to fall like gentle rain on our hearts and minds and swirling emotions. Tonight, we ask for sweet rest for each momma. Please grant us Your Peace. In Jesus's name we pray,

Amen.

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who is just hanging on by a thread. Lord, she has used every ounce of resourcefulness, every bit of energy, every drop of strength and she needs hope. She would like her sense of safety to return and bring with it peace. Lord, she needs the hope and encouragement that only You can provide and tonight she is hanging onto that and believing for tomorrow. Bring us all through and to the other side of this. We ask in Jesus's name,

Amen.

Bishop Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II preaching, "God Given Freedom Is A Wonderful Thing"

 

A Prayer For Mamas From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma with one thing so heavy on her heart. Lord, we don’t know, but You know exactly what it is. You know all sides of the situation. You are with this momma as she thinks it all over and wonders and worries. And in the middle of it all, You hold her close and tell her again and again, “I’ve got it. You’re okay. It’s going to be okay. I have it.” Help her feel You and hear You tonight. You’re louder than the fear, closer than she realizes, and fully able to take care of what needs to be done. Help her step out of the worry tonight. We ask in Jesus's name, Amen.