Lord, we all have our demons, but you can make us clean
In temptation help me open my heart and eyes to see
Your presence and the goodness that lies within
That you would fill our needs helping us not to sin
It is so hard for me to accept both good and bad
To embrace this light and dark with everything I have
The flesh is not bad but the picture is altered
And, as a result our perception has faltered
You came to call sinners to restore us by your glory
We are yours Lord: a special part of the story
You bind the wounded, heal the sick and lame
Eyes, ears and hearts are opened at the sound of your name
You are Lord over our life and our death
Keep us close to you and, when the time has come,
Bring us home to you when we take our final breath
To live forever in fullness and love singing praises to the son

Jesus healer of our every ill
Let all things be done according to your will
You heal our broken hearts and, once more, make us whole
You are an oasis to the desert of our soul
You are Lord over all creation: water, earth, and sky
When I am weak and worn, into your arms I fly
You are the divine physician; healer of what ails us
We look to you for healing when this world fails us
I would be lost if I didn't know that you are by my side
I dwell in the safety of your shadow when I am terrified
I love you my Lord, take pity on my state
Have mercy on me in your love so great
If it please you Lord, take this pain and suffering
That, of your power, I might sing
But if you don't and this is my cross to bear
I am reminded of your suffering there
Let this be my sacrifice pleasing unto you
Hear the prayers of your servant; faithful and true
I offer it all up for the intentions of those people today
Especially those who need healing in some way
Look on us with eyes of love; hide not your face
We call you now: let your presence saturate this space

Lord, sometimes I get discouraged and I start to question why
Especially when things don’t work out no matter how hard I try.
When the words won’t come and the thoughts don’t flow,
When minutes feel like hours and time moves painfully slow
When I am challenged, you use these moments to teach.
I know you are here even though you feel out of reach.
Lord, I trust that my being with you is good enough:
You take my awkward feeble attempt and edges rough
You make it something beautiful and polish it to shine.
Even in our brokenness, you are still divine.
Lord, help me when I feel that what I give is not enough
You love me when life is good and when times are tough.
My worth isn’t measured by what I can or cannot do,
My worth is measured by who I am to you:
Cherished, and beloved until the end of days.
Often you work in mysterious ways
But I trust you Lord, even though I don’t always see
At least not right away, the lessons you are teaching me.
So, in the challenges Lord, I thank you; I bless your Holy Name
And I pray that every day, you help me do the same.

Amen

My child just be silent, just be still
Just because I can, doesn’t mean I will.
Sometimes silence speaks volumes when words can fall flat.

The rich and the poor, greatest and least
Are seated together to enjoy the feast
Here at the table of plenty the water never runs dry
You’ve been invited to the wedding of the Most High
His blood becomes the most precious wine
His body becomes food; most divine
Joyful music fills the air
And suddenly we become aware
Christ unites himself to us in the most intimate way:
He enters every part of us and dwells therein today.
To be so close to this purest form of love
Is a little bit of heaven come down from above
And, once exposed to such energy, it must be expressed
To create new life in the flesh and in the soul.
So often, we try to put other things in a God shaped hole
We are left empty and wanting more
Our vision is clouded, but God came to restore.
True love conquers fear, and death loses its power
It is a safe shelter and, forever, your strong tower.
We have this crazy love that transcends both time and space
And from this love; we receive mercy and grace.
The love of God is greater far
Than the sands in the sea and every star.
He looks at us with warm, bright eyes,
I pray that we would soon realize:
That love conquers all, not war or hate
And that we would act accordingly before it’s all too late.

My life is a reflection like a piece of mirrored glass
The sands of time creep on and one day I will pass
From this world to the place of angels and saints
And for the joy of perfect wonder my soul faints
In my life may I reflect on God, reflect with God
May I reflect God himself and shine his eternal light
May I be filled with hope and love and find the strength to fight
What do I mirror and do my words match what shows
Between good and evil in moments of decision I froze
Was I good enough for God and does it even matter
Such doubts cloud my heart and make Him even sadder
The old is gone away and behold a new creation
And the clean start fills my heart with elation
It is a time to reflect on the events of the past year
To count our many blessings and recognize He was here
A time to thank God for all he has graciously given
And to be grateful for another year of livin’
When people look at me do they see the Lord instead
Do I live in a way that follows what Jesus in the Bible said
I pray that each of us would reflect love, peace and truth
That we would support the elderly and build up our youth
May our lives be good examples for our children to follow
That our promises and words would not ring hollow
Let us be careful for our youth are watching carefully
And in all answers great and small let us give them prayerfully
Help us see beyond the surface to the secret place inside
To the ember of life that never dies and where darkness hides
Shine in us shine through us and shine within our hearts today
Help us Lord reflect you more and more each day

How often do I want to give you my whole self
And yet, many times I find things to pull me away
Oh that I would choose the best good
There are so many things to take my attention
Some small and insignificant and others more severe
Even in the one place I can focus and be with you
I am bombarded with distractions and noise
The call of earthly things, sins, and even other good things
Leave me wanting more
But you satisfy the hungry heart
You quench my thirsty soul
You are an oasis in my desert
And you breath life into my dry bones
I wish I could hear and feel you when I get distracted
But you love me so much that you wait patiently
You want my choice to be completely free
When we are in sync and our hearts beat as one
I laugh with the birds and with the wind I run
I sing sweet sweet songs with the flowers in the air
I am one with nature with creation everywhere
I am united to Christ as I am with my brother
With love and compassion the whole world is covered
Seeking a path to the father above
I am a precious child of the one who loves
The ties that bind us are greater by far
Than the threads that threaten to tear us apart
Willing to work to understand my fellow man
To think and ask not judge and react
The things that separate us are distractions on the road
Let us keep moving not be stopped or slowed
There will be days when things aren’t great
And days when the road is everything but straight
There will be times when no progress was made
And times when your spirit seems to fade
But keep holding on to the one who is holding
You in his strong gentle arms loving enfolding
We know in our hearts that things will work out
We believe and have faith and we don’t need to doubt
The distractions won’t go but they are easier to leave
When we come to a place down on our knees
It takes practice and patience and still it’s not easy
There is truth there even if it’s simple and cheesy
Time has passed and here we are once again
I finish the prayer and then say Amenn