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Written by Mary Fairchild, a contemporary Christian pastor, writer, and editor.

Dear Jesus, please hear my prayer. I go along each day, trying to run my life my own way. I forget to let go and give you control. I wonder why things aren’t going the way I want them to go. I forget to stop and ask what you want, Lord. Please help me to give you control, Jesus. I want to follow you. I want what you desire for me. Help me to realize that when you close one door, you open the one you want me to walk through. Help me also to realize that what I desire may not be what is meant for me, or what is best for me. Maybe it will lead me away from what your great plan is for me. Lord, let me accept each day as a gift. Let me follow the path you choose for me. Help me to be thankful for what you give me and not to worry about my needs. I trust you will take care of all my needs. Remind me that my role is to care for those around me and focus on those who need my help. Help me not to be judgmental, as we are all equal in God’s eyes. Help me to see the good in all of your creations. Let me leave the judging to you, dear Jesus. Instead, I will concentrate on living to please you! Help me, dear Jesus, be who and what you want me to be. Give me strength, faith and hope, and most of all, give me guidance each and every day. I let go and give you control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” [Psalm 119:105].

Written by Macrina Wiederkehr (1939-2020), a spiritual guide, facilitator, and author.

Slowly
she celebrated the sacrament of letting go.
First she surrendered her green,
then the orange, yellow, and red
finally she let go of her brown.
Shedding her last leaf
she stood empty and silent, stripped bare.
Leaning against the winter sky
she began her vigil of trust.

Shedding her last leaf
she watched its journey to the ground.
She stood in silence
wearing the color of emptiness,
her branches wondering;
How do you give shade with so much gone?

And then,
the sacrament of waiting began.
The sunrise and sunset watched with tenderness.
Clothing her with silhouettes
they kept her hope alive.

They helped her understand that
her vulnerability,
her dependence and need,
her emptiness,
her readiness to receive
were giving her a new kind of beauty.
Every morning and every evening they stood in silence
and celebrated together
the sacrament of waiting.

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.” [James 5:7].

Written by Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930), a Spanish Catholic bishop, Vatican official, and cardinal.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

“Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” [1 PE 5:5].

Written by Meg Meeker, a contemporary pediatrician and author.

Faith can’t just be a tangential part of your life. It needs to be the central part of your family’s life. If faith is a thing you do on Sundays but not a value you carry throughout the week, your child will not latch onto it. Reflect your faith in your behavior. If you tend to be impatient, ask God for more patience. If you have a tendency to fly off the handle, trust God to make you gentler. Once you make faith a value, you can practice what you preach.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” [Micah 6:8].

Written by Rebecca Ruiz, a contemporary spiritual director, composer, and writer.

Holy Spirit, 
open my heart
to understand how precious I am to you,
how loved I am by you.
Open the eyes of my soul,
to see the gifts you have put before me this day.
Give me the grace to recognize each encounter with you.
Teach me to respond in gratitude, to grow in gratitude.
Teach me to be generous, as you are generous with me,
and to collaborate with you in serving my sister and my brother
for your greater glory.

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” [Colossians 3:16]. from his mouth come knowledge and understanding  [Proverbs 2:6].

Written by Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a Spanish priest and theologian. This is an excerpt from his work “The Autobiography.”

As he sat by the river,
the eyes of his understanding began to be opened;
not that he saw any vision,
but he understood and learnt many things,
both spiritual matters and matters of faith and of scholarship,
and this with so great an enlightenment
that everything seemed new to him.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding  [Proverbs 2:6].

This poem is similar to an old Hittite prayer widely known in Turkey. Research indicates that the author is either Orin L. Crain or Wilfred Arlan Peterson.

Slow me down, Lord!                                                      
Ease the pounding of my heart
By the quieting of my mind.
Steady my harried pace
With a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me,
Amidst the confusions of my day,
The calmness of the everlasting hills.
Break the tensions of my nerves
With the soothing music 
Of the singing streams
That live in my memory.

Help me to know
The magical power of sleep,
Teach me the art
Of taking minute vacations 
Of slowing down
To look at a flower;
To chat with an old friend 
Or make a new one;
To pet a dog;
To watch a spider build a web;
To smile at a child;
Or to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day
That the race is not always won by the swift;
That there is more to life 
Than increasing its speed.

Let me look upward
Into the branches of the towering oak
And know that it grew great and strong
Because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down, Lord,
And inspire me to send my roots deep
Into the soil of life’s enduring values
That I may grow toward the stars
Of our greater destiny.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness [Lamentation 3:22-23]

Written by Charles F. Stanley (1932-2023), an American pastor and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Trusting God With Today.”

Sometimes we need to take a step back from the situation and let the Lord refresh us. We may need a physical break like a day away from work or from our burdens. But stopping from all our activities and taking time to simply be with the Lord can help clear our minds, give us perspective on our circumstances, and provide the energy to keep going in the days ahead. So sit down, rest, and be strengthened in the Lord. 

O God, restore us and cause your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.. [Psalm 108:3].

Written by Lisa Loraine Baker, a contemporary writer.

Father, I so love how You are moving in my life, but I am having trouble keeping up. I know You equip us to do Your will, and I am excited about that. I’m expectant to see and experience this growth You are bringing to me. Help me, Lord, to trust Your timing and to lean in to You as You take me places I never thought I’d be able to go in Bible study, evangelism, and in this life You’ve given me to live. Expand my thoughts so I can take it all in, not as an exercise in intellect, but in empowerment for the kingdom work You have for me. I’m in awe of You. Fill me with Your Spirit that I will walk in a manner worthy of being Your ambassador.

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” [Psalm 31:24]

Written by Lisa Loraine Baker, a contemporary writer.

Gardening brings great satisfaction to all our senses. Sowing seeds when the ground is warm allows us to smell and touch the earth as we dig. And when the seeds sprout, we get to see the vibrant green of new plant life springing from the ground. If we add flowers and trees to our garden, the buzz of bees as they cross-pollinate the tree, ground, and vegetable flowers gives us pause to reflect on the One who created all of this. Add our sense of smell once again when flowers open and vegetables and herbs ripen. And then comes a gardener’s pure delight to taste the good bounty of their garden. But with each sensation, we must wait. God our Creator planned the sowing and reaping times of each flower and vegetable we have the privilege to grow. Because He created it all, and since we have enjoyed the fruit of our (or a farmer’s) labor before, we trust God’s timing for fruit, herbs, and vegetables to ripen at their appointed time. How kind of Him to give us such pleasure from His creation, things for which He rewards our anticipation and patience as we wait. Life is like that. We often have to wait as God enacts His perfect will in our lives.

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you.” [2 Peter 3:8-9).