Cloud of witnesses, champions of the faith
Warriors of prayer on our behalf
As we are sitting in the most holy walls
The song of salvation echoes in these halls
Such wonder I can hardly take it in
And now I stop so You can truly begin

Oh Mother Most Holy, Oh Mother Divine
To my prayers and petitions thine ear incline
Strengthen me in my weakness
In my darkness shine your light
In your graces ever flowing
Grant a heart of peaceful knowing
Though I am small, I need not be afraid
For great is the work they hands have made
Who am I that my Lord would choose me
So that I might become his blessed sanctuary

Lift high the Cross of Christ: your sword
Gird your waist with the shield of faith
Bind the devil with Heaven's holy cord
The most holy Rosary, Mary's great grace

There is beauty that makes my heart ache
There is beauty in every breath I take
There is beauty every time I come awake
There is a beauty so profound that it can't be fake
There is a drop of grace in every little step
There is a bit of hope in every word I write
There is a little love in every child's eyes
There is a hint of heaven in the miracle of life
There is joy that defies all reason
There is peace that passes all understanding
There is hope that burns eternally
There is love that transcends even death
There is the truth deeper than this reality
There is the way which brings me to life
There is the life, and it is so beautiful
And oh, how I love, this Beautiful Living!

Lord, won't you come and quiet my soul
Help me to give you all of my control
Once again, I am kneeling at the foot of the cross
In the flood of mercy and love I get so lost
In the shelter and shadow, I hide and rest
And I sit at your feet, and I am so blessed

Open my heart to feel you
My eyes to see you
Open my ears to hear you
My mind to know you
Open my soul to draw near you
My lips to praise you
Open my hands to hold you
My arms to welcome you
Open my love to be for you
My life to adore you

From the fount of life eternal, springs the water and the blood
Grace and mercy overflowing, spilling over: Holy Flood
Sin and shame, they have no power
At the mention of the name
Of King of Kings in whom salvation brings

Behold, for today, I give you a new commandment:
To love each other as I have first loved you
I gave my life for love of you
Sacrifice to help those most in need
By this, you show your love indeed

When the battle lines are drawn, and the horn of war has sounded
When you are outnumbered, and the enemy has you surrounded
When your heart is beating madly inside your chest
Summon up the hope that springs eternal in the human breast
And go, once more, unto the breach!

When the walls fall, and the defenses are shattered
And you are bruised and broken, ****** and battered
Fight with all your being and brave the sea of foes
Fight for God and for family, fight for the love of those
And go, once more, and stand in the gap

We are called to stand in the gap, and even give our lives
We are called to intercede for our children and our wives
Lay down your sword and take up the arrows of love
Pierce the dark and fill the void with light from above
And go, once more, and stand in the gap

Christ has come as the Holy and Annointed One
To stand in the gap that our sin had begun
The chasm that separated us is no more
For the cross has become the bridge to the far shore
And Jesus, once more, stands in the gap

Since the fall and by the sins of mortal man
We find it difficult to truly understand
That our hearts are broken and there stands a void
We struggle to find the peace we once enjoyed
Only the love of God can fill the void

The angels' battle is relentless and eternal
Against the forces of darkness infernal
The earth is slick with blood and death
But still, they fight on with every last breath
And go, once more, unto the breach!

We live in a place somewhere between two worlds
One the physical and one the spiritual
They are separate and distinct
But they can coexist, they can be linked
To be practical and active
And still live contemplative
Living with one foot in the sea and the other on dry land
We fight to maintain equilibrium and meet every demand
So how do we reconcile one with the other?
Is it even possible to do so?
Maybe we don't have to, maybe it's already been done
For a baby born of a ******: God's own precious son
Jesus was of two worlds, and he bridged that divide
Became bread and wine so he could live inside
Let all you do be a prayer, and all your work give him glory
All you say be with love, and all your life lived with joy
This is how we can live in two worlds

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

If you ever feel that you are all alone
Your eyes cloudy and your heart a stone
If you are drowning in sorrow, sinking in despair
If people mistreat you and life has been unfair
If your sky is full of storm-clouds and rain
And all you have known for so long is pain
If you experienced loss and your heart is achin'
And you feel like you have been forsaken
You can't understand why the sun isn't breakin'
If this is your story, if this sounds like you
I want you to know everything sad is coming untrue
Perhaps there is a deeper purpose
Hidden just beneath the surface
Maybe there is a good reason
Why you're going through this season
Maybe they prepare you for something ahead
And rather than falling you can rise instead
Your story is one that must be told
To bring someone in from out of the cold
Like a ray of hope in a sea of regret
An encounter they won't soon forget
Don't give up for this is not the end
I'd like you to meet my closest friend
His love is perfect, his goodness forever
Smart and resourceful and incredibly clever
He is my Father, my brother and my guide
And no matter where I go, he is at my side
I never have to worry, I never have to fear
For, when I call him, he will always hear
His name is Jesus and he has never let me down
Most of all, he makes me smile, so now I can't frown
Someone out there needs to hear this right now
Someone needs to know it'll be alright somehow
Someone desperately needs to hear your story
To live life again in all its wonder and glory
Someone needs to see the cuts the marks the scars
To know that true beauty cannot be marred
They need to listen to the stories that they tell
Of battle fought and battles won, the times we fell
Of triumphs and victories and all that make us up
The things that satisfy and fill our plate and cup
A journey of forgiveness and grace and healing
And through it all you still are feeling
Don't give up and hold on tight
Every little thing gonna work out alright
Someone out there need to know
And cling to Jesus, 'cuz Jesus won't let go