Lord God, you are the author of life and creator of all good things. Everything is yours and yours alone. But I don't always (or often) act like it. I try to rely on myself to find success, to find my worth, to overcome challenges, to have control over my life as if I don't or can't trust you to provide what I need. I'm sorry. I have a hard time letting go. Letting go of hurt, pain, sadness, anger, jealousy, and I miss the times that were beautiful and filled with joy and love, laughter and peace. I'm sorry. Help me, Lord, to surrender my control to you. Help me learn to let go and give you all of me, keeping nothing back from you. Take the good and the bad Lord, and through your great grace, blanket me in your love and bless my heart and soul with a profound peace that comes only from you. I don't pray as often as I should and, many times, I talk too much and listen too little. Help me be patient Lord and give you a little time as you have given me this time that I have.

When I pray Lord, take me away to the secret place. Take me to where you are, take me into your most sacred heart. When life is just too much to bear, show me just how much you care. When life is simply too demanding, bless me with peace that surpasses all understanding. When the winds are fair and the seas are still, my soul as well is mirror tranquil. When the storm is swirling mad with rage, you will hold me and my fears you will assuage.

Thank you for this Peace.

Amen

Jesus Lord, you sing your song over me
In your holy loving arms, you enfold me
In your presence, you surround me
And when I was lost, you found me
You breathed into me your very spirit
Call my name and I come to life when I hear it
Jesus, I come alive when I see you
I come alive when I feel you are near
I come alive when I am doing your will
I come alive today and I cannot be still
I was dead in my sin and your grace brought me back
You saved me when I was living under a heart attack
Now, my heart beats for you with love alone
And the light within is finally made known
When I think of you, when I talk about you
My face lights up like a Christmas Tree
I become electrified; I begin to come alive
Jesus, bring me back to life out of the grave I'm in
I come back to you; please cleanse me from my sin
I come to life when I worship and adore
It's a feeling that's too hard to ignore
For, if I leave it, it boils and bubbles
And I soon find myself with many troubles
But if I obey and try to stay the course
I feel I am protected by a supernatural force
I come alive in the one who gave me life
I can have life eternal because he paid the price
I'm alive because He lives in me
I'm alive because He set me free
I'm alive because He loved me
I Come to Life
I'm ALIVE!

God Works when we are doing His Work
He opens doors and windows
When we are not so sure, He will provide
For He is good, and he Adores us
Let us worship and Adore Him Christ our King
He never seems to mind proving us wrong
Or testing our trust by making us wait
But His blessings are perfect, they are never late
Just today, for me, God pulled through
And made this writing possible for you
So, trust in the Lord and give Him praise
Sing to Him a new song for all of your days
Do the work of God with Joy in your heart
Be passionate about His work that you do
Be faithful and He will be more faithful
Be good and He will help you be your best
Be rich in His love and abundantly blessed
Be reconciled and begin to truly heal
Know what you're in for when you seal the deal
But God only opens doors: we have to take action
I am pulled in by some divine attraction
Like a Jesus Christ Moth to a Holy Flame
I am drawn to the light; even compelled
Some might believe I was even enspelled
But if there is nothing else to be gained
I ask that you take this one grain:
That God Work when we are doing His Work

Lord, help me love you enough to be comfortable sitting in silence
Lord, help me trust you enough to know when it is time to let go
Lord, help me listen enough so that I recognize the sound of your voice
Lord, help me be strong enough to fight against temptation
Lord, help me be brave enough to stand up for those who cannot
Lord, help me be open enough to receive you fully into my life
Lord, help me be wise enough to make good choices and speak carefully
Lord, help me find you enough to fulfill the longings of my heart
Lord, help me find joy enough to feel so fully and wonderfully alive
Lord, help me forgive enough by remembering how you forgave
Lord, help me fall enough to be more in love with you each day
Lord, help me be enough to do your will and make you smile
Lord, would you be enough to sit with me for a while?

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

Who am I, that I should stand
That I should speak as though I understand
That I should sing when words fail
That I should live to tell the tale
Who am I, that I should write
Of one beyond our mind and sight
Who am I, that He might save
When I should be the one in that grave
Who am I, that I should look on love
And feel him smiling from up above
Who am I, that I should gaze upon Him
Against whose radiance the sun is dim
In Him I find my identity, who I really am
A child of the king and a precious lamb

He calls us children and loves us the same
He knows us and calls us each by name
Who is He, that He should send His son to die
That He was earthly virtue personified
That He would serve and love and teach
That across the miles and years He would reach
That He would come again one day
Who sent His Spirit to us to stay
Who is He that considers me worthy
Who is He of endless grace and mercy
He is my everything: my beginning and my end
He is my strength and shield in whom I depend
He is mine and I am His
I am a child of Jesus!

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 is nothing greater than a mother's love
I'll move mountains, move heaven and earth
To comfort you and lift you up
To be there for you night and day
And if you are lost it will help you find your way
There is nothing fiercer than a mother's love
They'd do anything to keep their little one safe
They dry your tears and calm your fears
They hold you tight and make things alright
They share your joy and suffering
And they softly sing while you sleep
A song of love, asking the angels to watch and keep you safe
Till the light breaks forth in the eastern sky
To bathe the whole world in its soft yellow dye
There is nothing stronger than a mother's love
They are there when you need to sit in silence
Leave the door open and they will be with you
They know just what to say, they know your every need
They nurture and care and raise you up from the smallest seed
Until one day you bloom and grow beautiful strong and tall
You bring joy to their hearts every time you call
They love to listen, they give sage advice
A little of our time is their only price
There is nothing greater than a mother's love
There is nothing sweeter or more fine
There is nothing better than a mother's hug
And, somehow, they seem to have God's direct line
There is nothing greater than a mother's love
And none so great or perfect as our Heavenly Mother
She is the ladder between heaven and earth
For God became man through divine birth
How great was her love for her son
How great is her love for all of us
And nothing is greater that our mother's love

Lord, thank you for mothers. Our earthly mothers and our mother in heaven. They are such a blessing. You knew that as lost children, we would need a mother to care for us, to lead us and teach us. Thank you for our mothers, Lord. Help us to respect, cherish and honor them always and may we be a blessing to our mothers even as they have blessed us. We pray for those who are still with us and those who have gone before us to pray and intercede on our behalf. Mothers have a special place in your heart Oh Lord. Keep us close to yours. Amen

Lord, help me be open and present
To your will and your love
Even when I only hear silence
Grant my soul peace and my mind calm
As I am before you, open and present
And still, I know you are with me
I know you are near
You are faithful now and always you will be
I will remain faithful to you
It has been thirty-four days on this journey to you
And somehow, I'm still blown away even though I knew
That it could happen that it would happen:
Forty-six days forty-six brand new writings
With twelve days left and Holy week fast approaching
Help me continue to be open and present
That you for this gift that is heaven sent
That you for the trial and transformation of Lent
That you for the preparation and peace of Advent
That you for this daily living
For the breath that you keep giving
For the bread by which we're fed
For the light by which we're led
Thank you for the gifts you bring
Thank you, Lord, for everything
Lord, help me be open and present

Amen

The art of humility is to take the bad with the good
It is being able to see ourselves as only Jesus could
It is accepting us for who we are: darkness and light
It is through embracing both the day and the night
It may not always be what we want, but it's what we need
And in embracing the cross that we find ourselves freed
Our view of life is often narrow and clouded
We see things too close and things are shrouded
From our view. We must step back to see clearly
But finding the truth can cost us quite dearly
For when we see as God sees us
When we take in the bigger picture
We see with the eyes of Jesus
In the lens of the living scripture.
When we are honest about ourselves
And we know that he loves us and always will
We feel the depth of that Amazing Grace
And what we see changes everything
Amen