40 days of praying and fasting,
40 days for life everlasting
40 days to stand up and say
We are here and here we will stay
It’s a time to answer a calling
Down to our knees we are falling
40 days of peaceful presence
Standing here is solemn vigil
40 days for hope and healing
40 days in faith revealing
The greatness of our God and King
When to his mother our prayers we bring
Open our eyes to see you moving
Open our hearts to what you’re using
40 days to change ourselves
Even as we pray for their change
40 days to discover the value of a soul
40 days to realize how we play a role
40 days for Life 40 days to wander
40 days to invest not squander
40 days to make your love known
40 ways to say you’re never alone

Good morning AB
I hope you have a good day
We go home at 3

Open and broken
Love was spoken

Come back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace

Come back to me and be healed
Come to me and find truth revealed

I will always take you back
Find in me what you lack

I am crazy in love with you
I'm not too good to be true

It is the greatest story ever told
Already more than 2000 years old

You just met me and this is crazy
But I love you. Please call me daily

You are my beloved, you I want to bless
It's a love story, child just say: Yes

My love for you is fiercer than a hurricane
Once you feel it you will never be the same

I was broken so I could make you whole
I will heal your beat up and broken soul

All for you I was crucified
Because of you I freely died

I can lead you to the living water, but I can't make you drink
In faith, walk on water. I'll catch you if you start to sink

I am dying just to meet you
I pray that one day, I will greet you

I love you now and forever without end
In courage and compassion, to the world I send

I am in your corner; I will help you fight
And when you are lost, I will be your light

I rejoice for you are alive, no longer dead
In your hunger, I will keep you fed

The blind will see, the lost are found
The lame will walk, mute are filled with sound

The angels sing a heavenly chorus
When we pray for others as they pray for us

The act of forgiveness is truly freeing
Know the unbearable lightness of simply being

It is enough for me just to glow in your presence Lord
As, for an hour or so, I sit, and we are of one accord

For a moment our hearts beat in harmony
As with saints and angels I am in your company

Lord, please come fill this longing deep inside
Flood me with you, as you break me open wide

Full of mercy and compassion
Abundant grace and blessing
Justice and peace are never out of fashion
Focus on what we can do and stop stressing
Rest easy and be quiet as we go about living
The Lord rejoices in cheerful giving
Giving some of our time or money or skill
We use what we have been given for good will
The humble and the broken are graced
The lonely and oppressed are lifted
Those who mourn will have a taste
Of hope and joy and all will be gifted
We are to be light for a world that is blind
We are to be love in a world often unkind
We are to be warmth in a world now cold
We are to be courageous when so few are bold
We are to be strength to lift up the weak
We are to be gentle in a world that is not meek
We are to be pure in heart for a world that is broken
We are to be the truth that must be spoken
Be a blessing for others and a blessing for the Most High
Help others, do your best, and always try
Allowing God to bless what little we bring
We find that this can be a wonderful thing
Whatever you did for the least ones
Whatever you did for my daughters or sons
You did for me says the Lord God of Hosts
Help us be humble and honest lest we should boast
You gave us everything we could ever need
You are like good water to our seed
You gave us all we could want and ask
You will aid us in all of our tasks
Be with us Lord when we are burdened and  worn
Keep us safe through the night and wake us in the morn
Let your love go before us strengthen us while we pray
Let us bring your kingdom here this very day
There are so many who suffer in spirit and in physical pain
Give us the grace to bring them back and there, remain
Bring me to your heart and help me love with all I am
Take my hands and use them for your healing
Remind me why I do good with this wonderful feeling
To praise you with all that is in me
Bless and glorify so everyone can see
This is what I hope to do
And serve your people the best that I can
Let me not be prideful in me but rest in you
Continue to refine me in your perfect plan

You are a special person in many, many ways
Loving and patient for all of your days
Your smile means everything (though you may never talk)
And your heart soars on the wind (though you may never walk)
You might not express yourself like I can
Or explain what you mean like I can
But I learn from you.
“Oh yes, I do”
I learn how to Love
Like the One From Above
I learn how to Care
Helping others and ourselves through the talents that we share
You are the feared, the looked down upon
But we are the ones who are the real cons
For everything is here for a reason
The world is so cruel and cold it’s like its freezin
We need to warm it up start a fire
No time to sleep, we can’t retire
Light it with love, compassion is our kindling
Keep it in our hearts till to all the world we bring
This revolution starts with two
It starts with me and it starts with you!

Draw me close to You Lord and never let me go
Arms outstretched on the cross to love me so
Open my eyes Lord to see the beauty around
Place my feet upon the rock and on holy ground
Open my ears to hear the voice of the one who saves
For love of you the dead will rise from their graves
Put a joy in my heart that can’t be contained
A fire, a passion that can’t be dimmed
Your word lights my way through the dark place
And everything is brighter in the light of Jesus’ face
With peace flowing like a river
From the throne of the giver of life
You have shown us the way to the father
You know us and call us by name
You see us as we are and you love us the same
And when the day comes for this life here to end
Lord protect us and let sweet sleep descend
Grant us the peace and the comfort
Wrap us once more in your gentle loving arms
Bring us home to be with you in the fullness of your glory
To be in your presence a saint among the saints of history

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A life of joy and wonder and grace
And here we are: running in place

The miracle of a rainbow, the beauty of a blade of grass
Finding untold treasure where others see only trash
Listen. Here the thrum of wind on golden strings
The bells sounding clear and pure in the trees they sing

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A life of joy and wonder and grace
And here we are: running in place

Feel the complex dance around you come alive as you are filled
With a racing spirit and feet that won't be stilled
A song bursts forth just like the morning sun
And overflows and covers you until you and it are one

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A life of joy and wonder and grace
And here we are: running in place

We lose sight of what's important as we fight to survive
But if we stop to look through a child's eyes we learn to truly thrive

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A life of joy and wonder and grace
But here we are: running in place

A life of joy and wonder greets the sun in morning sky
A life of joy and wonder will run free and learn to fly
A life of joy and wonder finds gladness in the rain
A life of joy and wonder finds healing amidst the pain

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A life of joy and wonder and grace
But here we are running in place

A look at life through a child's eyes
Is pure and honest; without disguise
A child's eyes are bright and strong; they don't dull or dim
You might hear their quiet song if you stop and listen

There is a life of joy and wonder and grace
But here we are running in place
A life of joy and wonder takes patience, love, and care
It takes a long time, many years till we get there

But a life of joy and wonder is a precious thing I'm told...

Because a life of joy and wonder far surpasses the value of gold!

We fall down at your feet Lord
Humbled in your glorious presence
We fall down in awestruck wonder
When you split the sky with lightning and thunder
Before you we lay down all we have and are
And arise with so much more by far
There are walls built up around us
In our hearts and in our lives
Brothers from sisters husbands from wives
Some to keep in, some to keep out
Some because of fear, others in doubt
But these barricades provide little comfort
No way to leave, communicate, relate
And walls close in on us siphoning life
Lord let the walls crumble let them all fall down
Turn our world and our thinking all the way around
Break down these walls find the cracks in our armor
Leave us vulnerable and needy
Let us build from the rubble bridges instead
Let out minds and hearts in harmony be wed
Joshua marched for 9 days around Jericho’s wall
And on the power and mercy of God Joshua would call
Let us march and pray for 9 months and 9 days
And sing songs to our Lord who is worthy of praise
We trust in you Lord, but in all things, your Will be done
And we give glory to the Father, the Spirit and the Son

He made the sun to shine for you
The grass, green and the sky so blue
He made you the stars to point the way home;
There for you wherever you roam.
He made the wind to dance in your hair
He gave us a love that we could share
He gave you the sea to ebb and flow
He gave you the rain to make life grow
He gave you the trees to heaven reaching
He gave you the wisdom for little ones' teaching
He gave you a heart made of pure gold
He gave you a Spirit strong and bold
He gave you this gift so we could adore
He gave you His life and so much more
He gave you all this from a love so divine
Let us give to him our heart, soul, and mind

Lord God we pray for all souls on this day, especially those whom we have lost recently. Have mercy on their souls and bring them into the fullness of Your glory to be with You forever in Heaven. We pray for our souls that those lost or in the dark may find their light once more. We are all sinners and have turned away from You and Your love. Have mercy on our souls. For all the unborn for all those who never saw the light of day, take special care of those precious souls in your presence Lord. We pray that, by Your gracious will, we may all be reunited with the ones that have gone before us that one day we may all glorify You in Heaven forever.

You Oh Lord are the Alpha and the Omega
You Oh Lord are the beginning and the end
You Oh Lord are the counselor and healer
You Oh Lord bring us here and now you send
You Oh Lord are the word and the light
You Oh Lord are God of the day and the night
You Oh Lord are the wind and the rain
You Oh Lord are God of my joy and my pain
You Oh Lord are present here and now
You Oh Lord give me the strength to stand and to bow
You Oh Lord are God of my life and my death
You Oh Lord allow me to take my next breath
You Oh Lord are the life blood that flows
You Oh Lord stir a fire that grows
You Oh Lord are my rock and stronghold
You Oh Lord are the anchor to which I hold
You Oh Lord are my Shepherd my Master
You Oh Lord make my heart beat faster
You Oh Lord hold me in your hand
You Oh Lord are firm footing in shifting sand
You Oh Lord are my peace and provision
You Oh Lord help me make a good decision
You Oh Lord help make me complete
You Oh Lord have made me a seat
You Oh Lord are good when I am not
You Oh Lord love me a lot
You Oh Lord are the reason I get out of bed
You Oh Lord are where I lay my head
You Oh Lord are knocking at my heart
You Oh Lord love my every part
You Oh Lord of my good, bad, and fair
You Oh Lord are inescapable, you are everywhere
You Oh Lord love me even when I fall and sin
You Oh Lord you come running to take me back in
You Oh Lord are my shield and my sword
You are my Savior my King and my Lord

By the light of a million candles burning
A million hearts, for you, are yearning
A million stars up in the heavens shine
As you tell me "I love you, and you are mine"
You are my Light and you are my Love
You are my Life: my Lord above
Come and find rest, come and find peace
Come to the table and join in the feast
For the Lamb that was slain is alive in us once again
No one left in darkness and sin can remain
In the light of grace and in glory resplendent
Behold, the triune God, fully ascendent
My soul shakes as the light breaks
Over the hills that come alive with song
And I know in my heart, this is where I belong
Here with you in prayer and praising
In silent wonder at Christ my Savior gazing
Grace and mercy, water and blood
Drown me in this Holy Flood
Streams of life from love outpoured
When they pierced the heart of Christ my Lord
In your great goodness may I never grow tired
Of looking upon you, and being inspired
To look with awe and wonder as a child
Come back to you and be reconciled
You do not condemn me, but you say "Sin no more"
A chance to come clean: what are you waiting for?

Why must they take my Lord from me?
Why, oh why, can they not see
What it is they have really done?
They have killed God's only son.
I know he came to suffer and die
But I hold him in my arms, and I cry:
"Abba, my father, why must this be true
For Jesus, he was my son too.
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Father, my father, if only they knew"
Let these tears that fall be as sweet perfume
As I lay our son in a borrowed tomb
Father, my father, cleanse them from their sin
Father, I beg you, don't let Satan win.
In my heart I knew this day would come,
But part of me, to this fact, was numb.
I am pierced by sorrow so deep and wide
Your cousin and I alone stand at your side.
My heart is broken on the altar of love
As my tears mix with the rain from above.
In an instant, I would trade my life for his.
I would die so that he might live.
But may it be done according to Your Will
You were my God, and you are still
My faith remains steadfast even in this darkest night
I believe that we will once again see your Holy Light

Amen

I felt no shame I did not cry
When I shouted: "Let him be crucified!"
And you forgave me
It was I who turned away and denied
Who swore to all I did not know you
Only later did I realize all along you knew
And you forgave me
It was I who betrayed you with a kiss
After all this time it has to end like this
And still you forgave me
I could not watch so I ran away and hid
I was a coward a scared little kid
And you forgave me
It was I who slept when you needed me most
It was I who foolishly abandoned my post
And you forgave me
It was I who mocked you and I who jeered
I who rent your clothes and plucked your beard
And you forgave me
It was I who condemned you out loud
To appease the maddened mobbing crowd
And you forgave me
It was I on your left that told you to prove
If you are the Christ, then stop this and move
And you look at me with love
It was I on your right who asked "Remember Me"
And in spite of everything, all of my history
In that moment I was free

It was I who shared the burden on the road
Helping you to shoulder that heavy load
It was I who stayed close to the very end
Why you would suffer though I could not comprehend
It was I who tenderly wiped your face
A small act of love, and mercy and grace
It was I who anointed and dried your feet with my hair
Sparing no cost to show you how much I care
It was I whom you saved from a life of sin
You would die to make new life begin
It was I whom you called from the sleep of death
And I watch as you now give your last breath
I who gave you life now mourn and weep
My heart is pierced with sorrow so deep

It is you who took our sin and shame
It is you who took on all the blame
It is you who died so I might live
It is you who said to me: "I Forgive"
It is you who looked with loving eyes
It is you who saw past all disguise
It is you who make me reconciled
It is you who call me beloved child
It is you the pure spotless sacrificial lamb
It is you my Lord my Savior, the Great I Am

I sit in stillness in this silent, dark room
Lit only by candles and the soft glow from the moon
I sit before Jesus, drawn in by his gaze
My heart is filled with a silent song of praise
I can hear my heartbeat: it beats for you
How my spirit aches to be united to you
The stars above- a hundred billion tiny lights
Comfort me even on the longest of nights
In your arms you lead me through a heavenly dance
You chose me to be a part of this sacred romance
Together we glide across the celestial dance floor
I am dancing with the one whom I most adore
I am taken by a love so profound I am shaken
And when I turned away, I was not forsaken
I sit with you and watch my worries disappear
You open my eyes, and it all becomes clear
All I need, all I want, is to be right where you are
I need you so close: please be never far
I am here just to burn in your presence
To bear witness to you in life's little moments
Just once, I want to spend an evening
With my Lord, just being and receiving
Not talking, but listening not rushing, but waiting
Being filled with courage and confidence, not hesitating
I sit here and surrender my heart for you gave me your own
Spending an evening with Jesus is like nothing I have ever known
It brings me in my weakness, down upon my knees
But there is strength and peace and the whisper of a breeze
The feeling of this fleeting moment
My soul holds now and forever
A memory so powerfully potent
To strengthen it in spiritual endeavor

Today I have found a new reality
A truth that shatters the common fallacy
It lies hidden just below the surface
It gives my life new meaning and purpose
There is a God: he's alive and moving
The mystery of life itself is proving
He is risen alleluia, and he is lifted high
Let the trumpets blare as his glories fill the sky
I am free to dance and free to sing
Praise and honor to the God and King
I am a new creation; I'll never be the same
For you called me and gave me a new name
I cannot live now the way I once did
But I'll keep the joy and wonder of a kid
I have a spirit of courage both gentle and bold
This Gospel of Life is ever new never old
It can't be sold, it can't be bought
A promise honored that wasn't forgot
It is the very word of God coming alive
It is to live this new reality that I will strive

The angels bow in reverence to the Lamb upon the throne
Through his suffering and death the love of God was shown
We who walk upon this Earth that we call home
Are never very far from Him wherever we roam
There are no words that I can say
No prayers that I dare to pray
That should ever reach your ears
But you reach out and calm my fears
You hear me, you see me, like only you can
I am waiting, contemplating, trying just to understand
Help me Lord to learn to be still and to discern
Transform my heart so my desire is your Holy Will

(Angel Warriors)

Angel Warriors by our side
Be our lamp, our light and guide
Guardian Angels hear our prayer
Keep us in thy loving care

Guardians of light of love and of truth
Unseen warriors fighting for you
Though you can't touch them they are always close by
No need to fear so wipe the tear from your eye

Angel Warriors by our side
Be our lamp, our light and guide
Guardian Angels hear our prayer
Keep us in thy loving care

They guard and protect you they'll keep you from harm
Though you can't see them don't be alarmed
There is never a moment when you are all alone
They are present always; even when they aren't shown

Angel Warriors by our side
Be our lamp, our light and guide
Guardian Angels hear our prayer
Keep us in thy loving care

They walk right beside you wherever you go
I feel a calm, a peace; and in my heart I know
Watching over you all day and when you sleep at night
Surrounded by the enemy they stand and fight

Angel Warriors by our side
Be our lamp, our light and guide
Guardian Angels hear our prayer
Keep us in thy loving care

The sun peeks through my window

I yawn and stretch and wake up slow

Get ready for a new day of adventure and surprise

Hear the birds greet the brightening sky

A smile on my face and a song in my heart

A good day and a great start

A day a work and a day spent with family and friend

Talkin' 'bout life, love, and good times by the day's end

The sun is slowly sinking in the sky; setting eart on fire

The air cools and the colors inspire

Soon the sun is asleep and with it the women and kids

A yawn escapes, a wolf howls, and heavy are they lids

The day is through, a new one will greet you soon

You fall asleep under the blanket of stars and the moon

Before you know it you are roused from sleep

By soft rays of light, the golden wamth penetrates deep

I thank God and look forward to another glorious day

Kneeling at the foot of your cross
Before your presence I am at a loss
I seek your heart as you seek mine
I am bathed in your love divine
As I gaze upon your lovely face
I am drowned in the sea of your great grace
I look no further for you are here in this place
Lifting my heart and my hands to heaven so far above
I can feel the gentle power of your love
I'm asking please help me be quiet so I may hear and listen
Help me find the part of me that, so long, I've been missin'
Help me love you more and more
Remind me some things are worth fighting, even dying for
I am so weak Lord, I am so frail
But over sin and even death, still you prevail
Make my soul as a dove in flight
On the breeze of hope, the air of joy, and the winds of love alight
May your love be the song that I sing
And like a fire on the earth joy and peace I might bring
I yearn to know you more your heart your soul your mind
And I ask that I might know more in time

Lord right now I’m lost and confused
Hear my cries Lord I’m begging you
My life was going so well and you turned it upside down
And now I can’t tell which way is up and which is down
Lord I’m trying so hard to understand
How this all fits into your grand plan
I feel you calling me to be to be a husband or wife
I feel you calling me to married life
I know I ought to trust but right now my heart is as dust
To follow you I’ve tried and tried
But what you want I can’t decide
I’m hurting Lord can’t you feel my pain
And world is gray and my sky is all rain
Help me Lord I don’t know what to do or where to turn
What is it Lord that you want for me to learn
Part of me should feel happy but part of me feels dead
The days are painful reminders and most nights I cry in bed
Oh Lord my God why must you wound me so
Please hold me close and never let me go
There are moments when the pain is too much to bear
And when I pray I don’t seem to feel your presence there
I know you love me and you are by my side always
And, if you chose, could turn this protest into praise
But even if you don’t right now I know I’ll be alright
And from this darkness deep inside will come a brilliant light
I’ll be there eventually, but right now what I really need
Is your patience, your guidance, your love, and your lead

At this moment Lord, I am feeling a little uncomfortable, a little irritable, a little restless. It's not bad, but it certainly isn't pleasant, and I don't know just why. So, Lord, I ask for peace. I ask that you make it go away for I know that you are able, but if it is not your will Lord, help me offer this up for the salvation of souls and that you would ease someone else's discomfort. I unite this moment to the moments when you were also distressed. I offer these prayers and this feeling not for myself, but for the many others who, at this very moment, are in far greater need of your comfort and peace than I.

Wild weary wanderer come to me rest your heavy head
Tired hungry travelers all come to the table and be fed
When the burden is too heavy and the load too much to bear
Stay with me and know just how much I care

Come give me your doubts and worries and fears
Be assured I will answer and that I am all ears
Listen now, be still and hear the whisper faintest voice
Earnestly I seek you I call your response is a choice

Come Saint come sinner come young and old
The ends of the earth and the four winds are the flock of my fold
Come together in love and unity
Strive for greater peace and harmony

Out of the many we find a place all as one
Together turning from darkness and learning to face the sun
In a beautiful family so many strong
All find a place they can belong

There is a peace and love far beyond compare
To which, when exposed, you cannot help but share
Caught up in the world there is never enough time to do
Because it was not for the purpose of doing that I created you!

I created you for love, with love, in love from the dawn of creation
You see, I created you to be: be with others and with me in right relation

You are my children and I love you more than you can conceive
Enter into the song, join in the feast, receive and come to believe
Sense the love coursing alive and warm through your veins
In the final analysis love has won; only love remains.

You who are lost, you who have found
You who are seeking find your feet on sacred solid ground
Here there is a place of truth and light
Light a blazing beacon in the blackest night
Here is a place of refreshment and rest
Here I take you in my arms and hold you close to my chest

I have written my name upon your heart burned my word into your mind
In the Father Son and Holy Spirit you have been SIGNED

Just relax and try to let go of the ill you feel
Let me in and slowly begin to heal

I have set my SEAL upon your heart I have marked you as my own
From now on you will never be alone

I died to conquer sin and death and so DELIVER
Life in abundance and healing river

So SIGNED SEALED and DELIVERED now I SEND
Send you out to be fishers of men

You are mine and I AM YOURS
Always and forever from present day to eternity's shores

As a flower blooming gently
Opens up to greet the sun
The soul that feels His warmth
Opens up to God's own Son

As a spring river runneth over
Pregnant with melted snow
Filled with seed of love and life
Our lives burst forth and overflow

As a bird so sweet rejoicing
Sings forth in joyful chorus
The spirit sings divine melody
In the gifts that He has for us

As love is expressed and given flesh
As new life comes from the womb
So is His life, now born within us
We: the bride, and He: the groom

Traveling along down that long dusty road
Carrying within a heavy load
You journeyed far as Christ in-dwelt
A warmth that would cause ice to melt
You went forth to Bethlehem: house of bread
With no guarantees only Spirit led
From there he came forth to shine the light
That pierces even the blackest of night
Born in a stable not a place to call your own
But that night love itself came home
Shepherds and wisemen and animals send
Honor to the king as on knees they bend
They came from fields both near and far
Following the radiant wandering star
They pay their respects and you hold it in your heart
Could you have known the truth right from the start?
You son would come to redeem and save
But to do so, he would first be in a grave
Was it quiet and still on the first night was all the world at peace
For we received the presence of the one who frees
As a mother you wrapped him in your loving arms
As a mother you tried to keep him safe from harm
As a mother you danced when he laughed and wept when he cried
You held his body in your arms again when he died
As a mother you walked beside him as he went
You trusted his plan even if you didn’t see at the moment
As a mother you were present and you cared
You comforted your son when he was scared
As a mother, show us your son that we too may know
Him and follow him and likewise grow
May our faith be strong and may it never die
May the well run deep and the living waters never be dry
As our mother, we look to you for compassion and healing
As our mother intercede on our behalf as we are kneeling
Be with us always and give us the grace
To look around us and, everywhere, see Jesus’ face
Bless and protect us and forgive us I pray
As we battle to move forward day by day

Crowned with glory like the sun
In robes of dazzling white
He is lifted up; the Holy One
Behold, the Ascension of Christ!

You have seen and you have heard
Bearing witness to the Living Word
Live your lives to reflect the change
And some people will think you strange

What hope to know Jesus goes before us
To intercede and prepare a place for us
Then sending down His love made manifest
His Holy Spirit by creation blessed

He empowers us to boldly proclaim
And do great things by the power of His name
Our hearts too small to keep the love inside
And must be shared high, far, deep, and wide

As Christ ascends to Heaven above
We too are ascended by His love
He lives within and we are lifted high
And on the wings of hope we fly

So shine upon the world so that all may see
Your true joy and come to believe
Go therefore and preach the good news
Be instruments for your God to use

A flower dances under a sky of blue and white
Petals outstretched to take in the sun’s great light
A bloom so beautiful and pure that none can match
No words can contain nor brush that can catch
The radiance of this single solitary rose
Of how it came to be, no one truly knows
But here it stands tall and strong
Blessing all those who happen along
Is it just a hardy stubborn thing or is it something more?
Is it a message for someone and, if so, who is it for?
For myself it is a reminder of all that life can be
And a statement of all that we can achieve
We can overcome heartache and sorrow and pain
We can be an example and stand strong in the rain
With patience love and kindness we can cultivate the seed
And with grace and peace and quiet strength, be what people need
But like the rose we must open to the sun
And by our living lead others to the Holy One
He is our strength he has given us this gift
So let us now sing out and our faces lift
How Great is our God who alone can save
Whose death and resurrection brought vict’ry o’er the grave

Ask of me what you want
What does your heart truly desire?
I delight in providing for your needs
Even when you do not ask me.
Come to me in your weakness and strength
Seek my aid each morning.
Offer me your day and everything in it
And ask me to bless it and give you graces
I rejoice in your asking, and I love to give
Open yourself to me and receive
Receive my love and affection
Receive my presence and do my will
Receive the gifts I have prepared
Believe that I live within you
In all you think and speak and do
Let me help you do more good
What would you do if only you could?
Have faith in me
For, with me, all things are possible
If you are truly doing my work
Do your best and I will make it work
Give it to me that I may bless and multiply
Walk with me faithfully
and I will teach you how to fly
When this happens, and it will, be assured,
Be not proud, but rejoice and give me thanks
Everything you do, do it for the greater glory of God
For you have been chosen to bring
A bit of heaven down to the earth
You are a beloved Child Of The King
Called to a purpose before your birth
Call me up: I'm always free
For you, I'm never too busy
But when you are done, stop and listen
Be patient, persevere even if I seem silent
Sometimes I speak through things
Sometimes what you want is not what you need
Sometimes I have something better
Sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder
So often you take for granted
The many blessings you are given
You don't appreciate their value as much
Until it is taken away
My spirit longs for you
As a desert longs for rain
How long must I wait
To feel your presence again
Let your face shine upon me
Take not your spirit from me
Open my eyes to truly see
As I live out this new reality

You never said it would be easy

You never said life would be fair

But You said You'd never leave me

You said You'd always be right there

And when I stumble on life's road

Lord You catch me when I fall

When the weight is heavy and I'm burdened by the load

You help me and You answer when I call

I am weak and can't do much on my own

But You said I can do all things though You who gives me strength

And whatever I do, wherever I go, I know I am never alone

With You by my side I know I can go to great lengths

I come before you now and I lay down at your feet
I come before you now with the weight of this day
I come before you now in Humble praise and joyful Adoration
I come before you now to show honor and thanksgiving

I praise you for your goodness and for another day of living
I praise you for your love and mercy brand new every sunrise
I praise you for your grace and peace that stills my restless soul
I praise you for the gifts you give and blessings from my life's role

I sit at your feet and listen to all you have to say
You walk by my side and give me the spirit to illuminate my way
I sit at the table and take in the great feast and try to go out and to share with the least

I lay down my burdens my stresses my troubles and tears
You raise me up with strength and peace give me rest and quiet my fears
I lay my heart before you bruised, broken and unclean
You lift my eyes towards Heaven and to yourself bruised and broken so I could be redeemed

I fight surrender even though surrendering is the only way to win the fight
I don't let go of the chains that bind me
When you don't let me go and I cling to the one who sets me free
I don't trust you enough to completely be open
But you can be trusted completely, trust me, I know

With all of my faults I try to run away and hide
But you love me the same and run to me to bring me by your side
How great this love that I don't deserve
It's painfully obvious how much you love us if we stop to observe!

So often, my love is shallow or fake
Unwilling to do what I know it takes
I am too wrapped up in my self-love
Self-interest and self-pity
To see that my vision is itty-bitty
I miss the sunset staring at the ground
Tenser than a spring, I'm so tightly wound
In the war between the spirit and the flesh
Caught in the middle, I'm a hot mess
So easy to say I love you
But so difficult to really prove
You love me without condition
And you send me out on a mission
Jesus; source of love in pure perfection
In your love help me be a reflection
Imperfect as I may be, shine through me today
Grant me the grace to turn back to you
And the discipline to obey

For freedom is found in following
The law of the Lord is the light of love.
Perfect peace and power pass over
When we watch with awe and wonder
What happens when, in our need, we kneel.
Sorrow and sadness in the savior's shadow
Are arrested in authentic love's atoning act,
Shed for sinners in the ultimate sacrifice.
Body and blood broken and beautiful
We are given the gift of God's great grace.
Recall the wretched reign, be reborn; renewed
For Christ has come to call his child.

So often my love is shallow or fake
Unwilling to do what I know it takes
I am too wrapped up in my self-love
Self-interest and self-pity
To see that my vision is itty-bitty
I miss the sunset staring at the ground
Tenser than a spring I'm so tightly wound
In the war between the spirit and flesh
Caught in the middle, I'm a hot mess
So easy to say I love you
But so difficult to really prove
You love me without condition
And you send me out on mission
Jesus; source of love in pure perfection
In your love help me be a reflection
Imperfect as I may be shine through me today
Grant me grace to turn back to you
And the discipline to obey

For freedom is found in following
The law of the Lord is the light of love.
Perfect peace and power passes over
When we watch with awe and wonder
What happens when, in our need, we kneel.
Sorrow and sadness in the savior's shadow
Are arrested in authentic love's atoning act,
Shed for sinners in the ultimate sacrifice.
Body and blood broken and beautiful
We are given the gift of God's great grace.
Recall the wretched reign, be reborn renewed
For Christ has come to call his child.

A new year is upon us, another time around the sun
A year full of faith and fellowship and fun
A year of family and friends and joy and dreams
Laughter and tears, hopes and fears.
Every year there is a cause for hope for things to come and things to change
Some things we do differently, but most just stay the same.
This year is  a year of Hope! A year to believe in miracles and dreams
A time to walk by faith and not by sight; to quest for the unseen.
It is a year of big things happening, changes great and small
The year may not reveal all the answers, but leads us all to hope.
Hope for families, hope for peace, hope for jobs, for freedom and release
If we come together in love and unity
We can make this world a little better and a little brighter than when it first arrived
Come to the water, let it wash over you and take the dive.
The spirit is moving swiftly and roaring like a lion
Stirring our hearts and starting fires in our souls
Breathing the spark of life back into these flickering coals.
Dry bones will come alive and the earth itself shall cry out
And God's people will have no doubt:
He is Risen, He is Alive, we have been set free
And that knowledge alone is Hope enough for me!

Amen!

Go back to baby steps back to one foot at a time
Live in the moment and you are in your prime
Remember that before we walk we have to crawl
And before we can stand, sometimes we fall
It’s not how often you fell it’s how often you got back up
It’s not the mistakes you’ve made it’s the lessons learned
Baby steps start small and uneasy
But they get there just the same
Before we run we have to walk
Before we fly we have to run
It might look bad now, but one day you’ll be lifted up to soar
Free from what binds you, clips your wings
You were born to be free,
to sing and dance and play
With faith in yourself and our faith in you
You’ll be there soon one day
You’ve been shaken and you’re frightened
You feel the scars it left behind
They don’t define you they remind you
Just how far you have come
Find once more that inner light
The fire inside your heart
Let me remind you how it looked to me
I saw the strength, I saw the hope
I saw the courage and the pain
I saw the love I saw the caring
I saw what life had done and what remained
And I loved it. It was beautiful, it was raw
It was real: this I saw.
It is special just like you
a treasure through and through.
What you see before you is not a fixed thing
It may be part of your story so learn and grow
Please remember we are here and you are not alone
We may not be able to carry your burden
But we can carry you
The line between space and too much space
Is often gray and hard to find
We worry because we care, we care because we love
If we can be faulted for anything it’s loving you too much
Although I don’t know that it’s possible
Before we walk, we have to crawl
Before we stand we sometimes fall
Step by step we’ll see it through together
Because we are your friends forever

Life is like a great big balancing act
When we can't find our center, things are out of whack
Too many irons in the fire and too much on our plate
Its chaos truly, but if anyone asks, things are great!
Life is playing a tug-of-war, and I seem to be the rope
To finally step off this wild ride there seems but little hope
My priorities are a mess, and my life is out of order
And I can't call for help, 'cause I just put in my last quarter
The world is spinning sideways, my life is upside down
I don't know which way is up; my head keeps spinning round
I know I've lost the rhythm, help me find the perfect beat
And when I find that groove again, I'll put it on repeat
If I looked the world over there is one thing I would miss
That would put color in a life that is currently so colorless
Something not of this world; some celestial force
To some, it is quite alien, but it's Jesus Christ of course!
With Jesus at my center I feel, at last, made whole
And now I can truly say that this is the story of a soul
That once was lost and in chains
But has been found and set free
Through the suffering and the pains
My Lord and Savior died for me
As all things come from Him, He is the center of all things
And so, from Him, to all my life, joy and peace He brings
He is there when life's demands I'm juggling
He is there when it's clear I'm struggling
But when I focus and don't look to do too much
Then, I find sometimes I can have the perfect touch
So, Jesus be my center; my rock, my cornerstone
You are the best balancing beam I have ever known!

There are demons and evil spirits
Lurking in the shadows of our minds and hearts
Some small forgotten corner is where it starts
It only takes a single little crack
For the evil to take root and attack
It eats away slowly, carefully biding its time
And until it's too late you think you are fine
It starts small: softening the edges
Bit by bit, shifting, driving wedges
It is a poison sweeping through
A silent deadly killer it is true
But worst of all it affects the greater whole
It takes a soul as pure and white as snow
And works to turn it black as coal
There is no cure for this disease
It is part of our Human Condition
But with careful care and treatment
This cancer can go into remission
There is a way that we can fight
Tools and medicine to battle the blight
The Rosary: a blazing cord of burning truth
Evil screams and flees in proof
Prayer and praise are armor and shield
To protect us on the battlefield
Calling down Great Heaven's Might
Saints and Angels put foes to flight
Holy men and women we have known
Show us always we do not fight alone
Commanding the evil in the name of The Lord
We Rebuke, Renounce and Cast Out
And by the Mercy and Grace of God's own Son
May goodness and peace be restored

Be patient
Be kind
Be generous
Be loving

Be helpful
Be merciful
Be slow to anger
Be quick to forgiving

Be peaceful
Be prayerful
Be hopeful
Be cheerful

Be not afraid
Be amazed
Be bold
Be gentle

Be meek
Be mild
Be saved
Be reconciled

Be found
Be healed
Be on solid ground
Be sealed

Be soil
Be sun
Be rain
Be the one

Be builders
Be makers
Be movers
Be shakers

Be you
Be true
Be genuine
Be mine

Be faithful
Be trusting
Be reaching
Be preaching

Be walking the walking
Be talking the talking
Be walking the talking
Be talking the walking

Be humble
Be blessed
Be remade
Be at rest

You work all things for the good of those who love you. You don't waste anything Lord: there is nothing that you won't or can't use. Suffering being chief among them. Perhaps our suffering will lead us to even more amazing graces and take us to greater unimagined places. Maybe our sufferings (at least some of them) are truly blessings in disguise and later we will see the purpose. Maybe we ask for the wrong things, maybe we aren't asking the right questions. We can't know your mind Oh Lord, but in your mercy, help us begin to understand: the reason for the suffering and the glory you have planned. In all things, help us have the right attitude and adopt a proclivity for profound gratitude. Hear us and help us Oh Lord of all to carry out this (Be)Attitude call.

Amen

How beautiful this sacrifice
Of prayer and love that is our Christ
For we were once bent down in shame
Now we bend to praise your name

Empty and open
Beautifully broken
Sweetest surrender
Holy Spirit sender
Lost are found
Last are crowned
Heavenly Bread
Keep us fed
Forever in our heart
There from the start
Aways on our mind
Hand of the divine
Sit in sacred silence
God's holy presence
In humble adoration
From this lowly station
Sing a hymn to him alone
Be blessed and find shalom
Holy Mary mother dear
To our prayer incline your ear
Hold us closely to your chest
In your arms we will find rest
Holy Queen be ever true
As we place our trust in you
To intercede on our behalf
And bring us home to Christ at last
In love and Christian charity
And full of ardent sincerity
Loving God and our neighbor
We seek the face of the creator
Hidden, yet revealed in glory
Called to be part of the story
We come empty and broken
But we leave with love beautifully spoken

Your beauty is more than a rainbow
Shines brighter than the stars in the sky
It surrounds you with a tangible glow
More powerful than to see an eagle fly
All the treasure in the world could never match
A brilliance that the sun can’t even catch
All you do and all you are
Is made with love crafted with care
We have our scars and our pain
Broken and ugly still you remain
We are beautiful in your loving eyes
Once we finally see and realize
Everything changes. A new way to see
To know, through it all, I’m still beautifully me

I may be imperfect and I fall into sin
But I learn, get up again, and it’s a win
The outside matters less that what is deep inside
He loves my heart and looks at me with pride
Here is my child my beautiful work of art
Crafted carefully by hand every single part
No being can fathom no mind comprehend
The beauty in creation causing the soul to ascend

You say you want to be happy
You say you want to live well
You say you want to be satisfied
But you’re not I can tell
If you only had this one thing
More time, more money, more of that
But, when you do, peace it doesn’t bring
No matter what you have
It never seems to be enough
I want you to be happy
I want you to live well
I want you to be satisfied
I want to give you peace
Be content with who I am content with who you are
Be content with what you have and where you are
I am the one who can be your true happiness
I can help you see how much you are blessed
I have you right where you need to be
I have a plan a future that you don’t yet see
You worry about what lies ahead
But you miss what I’ve just said
Be okay to live in today to live right now
Things tend to work out someway somehow
Be content to stay with me
Place your hand in mine
Listen grow and learn to see the sign
Be content to walk with me
As we travel along the way
Be content to rest in me
To be silent and to pray
Lay your burden down place your troubles at my feet
Trust that I am in control I will give you what you need
Be content to sit with me
To speak not, but be still
Be content to cry with me
For I too cried upon the hill
Be content to laugh with me
To dance and sing and run
And celebrate with me when I find the lost one
Be content with me for I am more than enough
I won’t leave you when things get tough
I softly call your name in the middle of the storm
Cry out to me and I will keep you safe and warm.
When you wonder when you doubt
That there is any way out
Cling to me and you will see
The sun slowly begin to appear
You will know and you will grow
There is nothing you need to fear
Be content with me my child
Let me be enough for you

You’ve been hurt and broken I’ve been there before
Beaten, bruised, and mocked: you can’t take it any more
Stripped of possessions and dignity, feeling less than poor
I felt the nails as they were driven so deep
I knew the sorrows as my own and I would weep
I remember the long days and longer nights with no sleep
The pain you feel now, I intimately understand
I cover you with love and hold you in my hand
You can’t see it now, but I have something planned
Rest now my child. Rest in my merciful heart
Be at peace my child. And in peace healing can start
And I will mend and piece together every broken part
Run into my arms and there you can begin to heal
With my love surrounding you, begin once more to feel
Cling to me when the nightmares come back and seem so real
My love for you will never fade nor will it dim or die
And when you are overwhelmed come to me and cry
I will dry your eyes and fill you with a happy sigh
Keep your eyes on me and you will see the sun come shining through
What will come out of the storm is a better stronger you
I will see you through whatever I have brought you to
Trust in me, rest in my love oh my sweet little one
My grace in you and with you and through you has just begun
Rejoice, there is so much left to do before our work is done!

You alone Lord truly know our pain when no one else can. Too often we suffer in silence and solitude. Remind us that we are never alone. You suffered the same. May we find comfort and solace in our sharing and find the strength to carry our cross with your help. And although suffering is hard, there are blessings still in being able to help others who are hurting. When we can lift others up, we are lifted up as well. In your merciful heart and endless love, help us find peace and begin to heal from our brokenness and pain. May our hearts find the peace and refreshment that only comes from resting in Your healing heart Oh God. Amen

Be silent. Listen. Breathe. Easy enough to say, but much harder to put into practice. Sometimes I talk to fill a void. I talk to avoid having to feel the weight of silence like judgement, so I don't have to go down deep and see what actually lives there. Help me deal with my emotions, help me feel my emotions, especially those that are uncomfortable or unnatural to me. Be silent. Listen. Breathe. Maybe the hurts and sadness, the hungers and scars deserve to be recognized for what they are. They are part of life. The help me know and feel I am alive. They help me remember and be more grateful for the many wonderful blessings I have in my life. There is a time for talking, but now it is time To Be Silent. To Listen. To Breathe.

I am tired Lord and my thoughts drift
Incomplete and jumping one to another
I am safe and warm in your presence here
I feel my body relaxed and drifting to sleep
I will sit with eyes closed and breath deep
And pray that you would help still my mind
My heart my mind my soul find their rest
And in your abundant love I am so blessed
Let me be the one to quench your thirst
For love and souls until you burst
Let me be the one to care for you and dry your tears
Let me be your hands and feet, eyes and ears
Let me rejoice in my weakness and glory in my suffering
That I would lean on you for every single thing
Unite my heart to yours and bring me deeper still
I pour out myself so that you can enter in and fill
The missing piece the hurt deep inside
With love so deep and arms so wide
If it is your will then by your grace allow me to lead
Your children your sheep your people in need
To bring you the love and souls you so desire
With the help of the Holy Spirit to truly inspire
In Mary’s hand I place my own
To walk with her; faith is grown
The quickest way to the heart of the Son
Is through the heart of his mother
Their hearts are connected in more ways than one
The bond they share is like no other
Let me be the one for Jesus with you
And serve Him who is holy and true

No matter what, in our lives, we do
Everything is better when I work with you
He created us to be together, created us to share
In His Glory and feel his presence everywhere
On our own, we try to create a song, a work of art
It's simple and awkward, but filled with such heart
We were not supposed to go it alone
But as iron sharpens iron to help and hone
We try to do the will of God
We try to hear what He is saying
Our attempts are small and feeble at best
But he sees us and quietly he smiles and nods
He whispers in our ear "Don't stop. Keep playing"
And transforms our sad solo into a divine duet

When we find ourselves taken by bitter sorrow
When we don't know if the sun will rise tomorrow
When we drink with Jesus the cup of suffering
When we think about his blood that is covering
When we recall the seven sorrows of Mary
And how, her son's lifeless body, she would carry
Midwives used myrrh against pain in childbirth
Mary, of all women, knew how much it is worth
Her very name is from Myrrh: meaning bitter
And through it all she wasn't a quitter
It is costly and rare, signifying suffering and death
But it is also used to prepare and purify
The bodies of those who had died
She shares our sorrows, and she dries our tears
She listens and prays for us; she understands our fears
We can run to our mother and be safe in her arms
To find healing and peace away from all that harms
She knows the value of suffering
And she knows just what it cost
A gift of love transcending everything
Her son hung on a rugged cross

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death
Through our suffering, prepare our hearts and purify
That we might be an acceptable offering to God when we die
Take us back home to Heaven where we belong
When we are together, we are better; we are strong

Beyond

Look beyond the surface to see the deeper beauty
Look beyond the act to find a sense of duty
Look beyond the words to see the message they contain
Look beyond the fear and see that I still remain
Look beyond the weakness to see the strength within
Look beyond the death to see where life begins
Look beyond the sound to feel the timeless melody
Look beyond the healing to know the one true remedy
Look beyond the noise to the inmost quiet prayer
Look beyond your helping to find out why you care
Look beyond what you see with your eyes
Look with your mind and soul and heart
Look outside and see the morning sun rise
Look and see what was there from the start
Look beyond blind hate and rage to see the time for love
Look beyond yourself and fix your eyes on things above
Look beyond the cross to see the bridge it made
Look beyond the suffering to see the cost was paid
Look beyond the body and blood to the redeeming sacrifice
Look beyond the anger and do something nice
Look beyond your own little world to find a bigger place
Look beyond apology to see forgiveness and grace

Love one another as I have loved you
I came to the world to speak the truth
Sinners all and fallen; death should be the reward
Your eternal life: proof that Jesus Christ is Lord
Justice demands retribution mercy pays the cost
Love has come to be a light for the ones who are lost
Justice doesn’t solve the problem, doesn’t make it right
It can’t heal the hurt and it’s often done in spite
Mercy forgives and mercy loves, it stops hate in its tracks
It is disarming as a weapon and confuses potential attacks
Forgive them for they know not what they do
Forgive us our sins and help us return to you
You opened your arms to take us in one and all
Quietly you knock and softly do you call
What will be our answer as we quest for peace
Beyond Justice to Mercy can the violence cease
Our vision is clouded in the heat of the moment
Help us Lord to reconcile to seek atonement
Beyond Hurt to Healing beyond Sadness to Joy
Beyond Death to New Life to create not destroy
When we try to understand we build a bridge to span
The river raging fast and wide and cross it if we can
Beyond Justice to Mercy in the Sacred Heart Of Jesus
It is with eyes of love and compassion that He sees us
In all our sin and death, still he found us worthy to save
We should cherish the undeserved gift He gave
And strive in gratitude to do the same
To forgive and to love in Jesus’ name
Beyond Justice to Mercy is the key takeaway
And we can improve if we work together and pray