Dear Jesus, I enjoy helping the poor, but my past attempts have been a bit on the clunky side. I donate to the needy because I care about them, yes, but also because I relish the praise. And maybe too, I experience a little less guilt when I head out on my next shopping spree. Ha! Oh dear. Please clean up my motivations. May my future gifts be wise, quietly done, and genuinely helpful to others rather than spotlighting me!

Oh Lord, I have done it again! I have sinned a sin that I promised I would never do again. When you tell us that our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak, well, I feel the painful truth of that statement. How can You forgive me? Again, and again, and again? Thank You for Your presence in my life and Your mercy. As I grieve and repent over my transgressions right now, I can sense Your care and welcoming arms once again. Ahh, yes. Forgiveness feels so good. Like times of refreshment. Like coming home…

The chase is on. Every day, every hour, I know I’m always hurrying after something. Whether it is to have a marriage and family, pleasurable activities, purpose, a better lifestyle, or whatever. Some of the things I run after are good, but some, maybe not so good. Lord, make me humble, guide me, teach me Your ways, and give me the courage to chase what is right and good. Otherwise, all that bad stuff will begin to chase me!

Oh Lord, why do my grudges keep festering like wounds too deep to heal? Am I not compassionate enough, guileless enough, or humble enough? Show me how to heal from this spiritual ailment. I know You have forgiven me for my sins. Over and over and over. Too many times for me to count. But I keep forgetting about your many tender mercies. Remind me daily of the restoring loveliness of Your forgiving ways. Even though it is hard sometimes, I long to extend more grace to people.

Dearest Lord, I love to organize things. In fact, I find that sometimes it is tempting to try to put You in a neat and tidy container too. I have even noticed that some of our houses of worship reflect that box-shaped packaging that we feel compelled to place you in. Forgive us for You are too majestic, too mysterious, too staggeringly beautiful to contain. And I must say that I am so very glad for it!

Almighty God, the words real and fake have come up a lot lately. I admit I am beginning to wonder what is authentic and what is counterfeit. You have proven Yourself to be good and true through the ages, Lord, and You have told us that truth will set us free. Please flood our lives with truth, and set our nation and world—and me—free from this terrifying tyranny of lies. We need Your truth, Your discernment. In Jesus’ powerful name I pray. Amen!

Dear Jesus, I have felt the sharp edges of doubts about You this week. I know You can handle all my questions, but they might be keeping me from growing in my faith. May these doubts strengthen my love for You and not diminish it. And when some of my questions are not answered in my timeframe, help me to trust You with the things I don’t fully understand. I know that You are my best friend, but You are also The Great I Am—full of unfathomable mysteries, too glorious for us to even take in.

Dear Lord, You have told us that we are created in Your image. I get the feeling that the enemy of our souls—Satan—does not want us plumb the depths of such wonders—for it would change everything. Like the way we see each other and interact with each other. Yes, I want to acknowledge the absolute exquisite uniqueness and irreplaceability of every single life, born and unborn. All made in Your Divine image. What a thing to ponder indeed…

Wow, another broken promise today, Lord. Mankind churns out promises like cheap toys on an assembly line, but they break before someone can even box them up and ship them out! I could try to put a positive spin on this unhappy predicament; except I can’t find one. Have I told You lately, Lord, that I am grateful that You don’t break Your promises. You truly fail not. You may not give me all that I ask for, but I know You are faithful to give me all that I need.

Oh Lord, I rushed ahead of You today, and even though I thought You’d approve of my shiny new goals, I sense that the glitter of it distracted me and took me off Your path. Give me wisdom. I want to return to You as my loving Shepherd. Otherwise, I become a sheep thrashing in the prickly brambles and bumbling off cliffs. Thank You that You have a much more glorious plan for me than I could ever have for myself…

Today—deep in my soul—I caught a glimpse of the beyond, Lord. I know You have set eternity in our hearts, and even though I can’t comprehend the richness of this truth or have an understanding of all Your unfathomable workings, I am seriously thrilled to catch hints of this mystery when my spirit is quiet with You…

Some of my days are so noisy busy crazy that I cannot focus on You, Lord. I need Your calm in the midst of chaos. In other words, I need more of You. Fill my head and my heart with Your clarity, quietude, and tender compassions. Then together we can joy our way right through any kind of day!