Toward A New Dawn
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 5
I trust you have found this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for the day, for the winter season, for the year.
“I have no other helper than you, no other father, I pray to you.
Only you can help me. My present misery is too great.
Despair grips me, and I am at my wit’s end.
O Lord, Creator, Ruler of the World, Father.
I thank you that you have brought me through.
“How strong the pain was — but you were stronger.
How deep the fall was – but you were even deeper.
How dark the night was – but you were the noonday sun in it.
“You are our father, our mother, our brother, and our friend. Amen.”
--An African prayer
--Ben Keckler
01.14.11
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Daily Devotion - Thursday, January 13
Toward A New Dawn
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 4
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“Help me to let go of my preoccupations with the future.
Give me the strength to stop my futile attempts
to predict and control the future.
Let me see no value in my plan of what the future should be.
Rid me of my senseless questions about tomorrow
and of all my desires to exercise control of others.
“Remind me that my fears and uncertainties of tomorrow
are only related to my unfounded fear of You.
“Help me be still; help me listen and love.
“Let me feel Your Freedom within me,
And let me laugh at the illusions that my ego
once made me feel were so real.
“Let me be the Light; let me be joy;
let me know that I am the reflection of You
wherever I am, and wherever I go.”
--Gerald G. Jampolsky
--Ben Keckler
01.13.11
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 4
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“Help me to let go of my preoccupations with the future.
Give me the strength to stop my futile attempts
to predict and control the future.
Let me see no value in my plan of what the future should be.
Rid me of my senseless questions about tomorrow
and of all my desires to exercise control of others.
“Remind me that my fears and uncertainties of tomorrow
are only related to my unfounded fear of You.
“Help me be still; help me listen and love.
“Let me feel Your Freedom within me,
And let me laugh at the illusions that my ego
once made me feel were so real.
“Let me be the Light; let me be joy;
let me know that I am the reflection of You
wherever I am, and wherever I go.”
--Gerald G. Jampolsky
--Ben Keckler
01.13.11
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Daily Devotion - Wednesday, January 12
Toward A New Dawn
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 3
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t compromises
and presents aren’t promises.
“And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a woman or a man, not the grief of a child,
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
“After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
if you ask too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to buy you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure,
that you really are strong,
and you really do have worth.
“And you learn. And you learn.
With every difficulty or failure you learn.”
--Anonymous
--Ben Keckler
01.12.11
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 3
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t compromises
and presents aren’t promises.
“And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a woman or a man, not the grief of a child,
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
“After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
if you ask too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to buy you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure,
that you really are strong,
and you really do have worth.
“And you learn. And you learn.
With every difficulty or failure you learn.”
--Anonymous
--Ben Keckler
01.12.11
Daily Devotion - Tuesday, January 11
Toward A New Dawn
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 2
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“Infinite Spirit, when I pray each day for shelter for the homeless,
let me not ignore the pet without a home;
“As I ask for protection for those in areas of turmoil and unrest,
let me not forget endangered species of life;
“When I pray that the hungry be fed,
let me be mindful that all God’s creatures have need of sustenance;
“As I ask Divine assistance for those afflicted
by fire, flood, earthquake, storm or drought,
let me remember that this includes every living thing;
“In seeking miracle cures for human disease,
may I also speak for the well being of the planet itself.
“Let the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart
and the actions of my life be as one,
that I may live each day in harmony with Mother Earth. Amen.”
--Jennie Frost Butler
--Ben Keckler
01.11.11
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 2
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“Infinite Spirit, when I pray each day for shelter for the homeless,
let me not ignore the pet without a home;
“As I ask for protection for those in areas of turmoil and unrest,
let me not forget endangered species of life;
“When I pray that the hungry be fed,
let me be mindful that all God’s creatures have need of sustenance;
“As I ask Divine assistance for those afflicted
by fire, flood, earthquake, storm or drought,
let me remember that this includes every living thing;
“In seeking miracle cures for human disease,
may I also speak for the well being of the planet itself.
“Let the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart
and the actions of my life be as one,
that I may live each day in harmony with Mother Earth. Amen.”
--Jennie Frost Butler
--Ben Keckler
01.11.11
Daily Devotion - Monday, January 10
Toward A New Dawn
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 1
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“This being human is a guest house.
Every morning is a new arrival.
“A joy, a depression, a meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
“Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house
Empty of its furniture,
Still, treat each guest honorably.
The Holy One may be clearing you out for some new delight.
“The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
Meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
“Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.”
--Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks
--Ben Keckler
01.10.11
A Week of Prayers for the year 2011, Prayer 1
I trust you will find this week of prayers beneficial for your journey for today, for this winter season, for the year.
“This being human is a guest house.
Every morning is a new arrival.
“A joy, a depression, a meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
“Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house
Empty of its furniture,
Still, treat each guest honorably.
The Holy One may be clearing you out for some new delight.
“The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
Meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
“Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.”
--Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks
--Ben Keckler
01.10.11
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