Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Dear God

Dear God,

It's Mother's Day.
Oy.

Can you comfort those who are hurting? There are so many in pain; those that are grieving the passing of their moms, those that long to be moms, those that have difficult relationships with their moms (or with their kids), those that are feeling guilt for not doing it better ...  Could you calm their tortured minds and give them peace?



By the way, thanks for hand-picking my mom for me. She's awesome; I've learnt, and am still learning, so much from her. Could you help her with the pain she deals with every day? Give her doctor some wisdom on how to treat it? Or even better, just touch your healing hand on her knees, hips, back, fingers, shoulders... and make it go away?



And thanks for the opportunity to be a mom. Whoa. Way harder than I ever expected. Where ever I fell short in preparing them for life, I'm trusting that You've find a way to fill in the gap. They're pretty awesome, I'm grateful you've allowed me a ringside seat to all that you're doing through them.



Please be with those who're struggling with drug and alcohol addictions/abuse. BE THERE, RIGHT BESIDE THEM. Speak words of life into their hearts so loudly that it drowns out the pain and fear they're trying to bury. Surround them with people of your choosing to help them heal. Send your angels to protect them from hurting themselves or others while drunk/stoned. Provide them with messengers of hope who'll walk alongside. God, I pray, You will supply them with all that they need as they journey towards a life of sobriety. Bring healing to them, their families, their relationships. Equip the local AA and NA chapters so that as new hurtin folk arrive, they will find what they need.



And God? Cancer is pure evil. Can you just get rid of it? Please heal those who've been diagnosed with it. No really, just heal them, OK?  Some miracles in this department would be awesome. And if that's not part of your plan, then, I pray You would use cancer for Your good will and purpose. Show us how You work through those who have it. Please dispatch Your angels to sit alongside those who are scared or in pain. Comfort them. Give them relief. Wrap them in Your love. Dump a barrel of hope on their heads.



Waiting. You are a God who works in the waiting. So for those of us who're waiting, have at 'er. While we wait to hear if we passed that test, if we got the job, if we got into that school, if the e-xrays are clear, if the operation went as planned, if he wants to stay married, if that manuscript was accepted, if that guy will text back, if the offer will be accepted, if that treatment will work, if she will acknowledge your apology, if they'll remember, if she'll approve, if he'll be OK ... while we wait, I pray You will teach us about the important things, and comfort us when we fall apart if it doesn't turn out as we hoped. Use the waiting period for Your purposes.



Wisdom. Oh God, we need it. For those of us who lead, teach us to be better, more effective, more caring, more approachable, more dependable leaders. For those of us who follow, show us how to be supportive, encouraging, and wise in our roles. For those in new jobs or new positions, please be generous with courage and confidence. Help us to figure things out quickly, and if we need assistance, please provide a helpful mentor or role model to show us the way.



Emptiness. Some folks' lives just grow bigger and wilder with the addition of each new inlaw and grandchild. On the other hand some folks' lives get smaller and family members move way, pass away, choose not to stay connected. For those who are feeling alone, God I pray You would bring new meaningful relationships into their lives. Provide them with a sense of community. Give them friends to journey through life with. Open their eyes to the opportunities to serve others.



I pray for our world leaders. Please provide them with wise counsel and prevent them from doing stupid things.



I pray for the pregnant ones. Give them patience while new life grows inside them. I pray for healthy pregnancies, uneventful deliveries and strength as they endure weeks of little sleep. Thank you for babies. Thank you that people still have them. Protect those little lives, please. And equip the new parents with wisdom and patience as they face the inevitable challenges.



I pray for those who are engaged as well as those who are newly wed. Protect these marriages, I plead. Set your angels on their rooftops and doorways, bouncers who turn away evil. May their love deepen and grow as they experience the intimacy that comes with sharing one's life with someone. May forgiveness reign in their home.


And I pray for me and all my usual requests. Some days I must sound like a broken record, continually at You about the same things. Do I sound like an annoying mosquito in your ear? Or are you OK to hear me ask for Your intervention and Your guidance and Your direction over and over again. Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for knowing my name,
Amen.







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