This Is My Prayer

THIS IS MY PRAYER

by HELEN STEINER RICE



BLESS ME HEAVENLY FATHER,
FORGIVE MY ERRING WAYS,
GRANT ME STRENGTH TO SERVE THEE,
PUT PURPOSE IN MY DAYS...
GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING
ENOUGH TO MAKE ME KIND
SO I MAY JUDGE ALL PEOPLE
WITH MY HEART AND NOT MY MIND...
AND TEACH ME TO BE PATIENT
IN EVERYTHING I DO,
CONTENT TO TRUST YOUR WISDOM
AND TO FOLLOW AFTER YOU...
AND HELP ME WHEN I FALTER
AND HEAR ME WHEN I PRAY
AND RECEIVE ME IN THY KINGDOM
TO DWELL WITH THEE SOME DAY.





CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, O GOD,
AND RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME.



PSALM 51:10
NIV



HE WILL NOT FEAR EVIL TIDINGS;
HIS HEART IS STEADFAST,
TRUSTING IN THE LORD.



PSALM 112:7
NAS



POUR OUT YOUR UNFAILING LOVE
ON THOSE WHO KNOW YOU!
NEVER STOP GIVING YOUR
SALVATION TO THOSE WHO
LONG TO DO YOUR WILL.



PSALM 36:10
TLB



BECAUSE YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
IS BETTER THAN LIFE,
MY LIPS WILL PRAISE YOU.



PSALM 63:3
NRSV



MY HONOR AND SALVATION COME FROM GOD.
HE IS MY MIGHTY ROCK AND MY PROTECTION.



PSALM 62:7
NCV



YOU GUIDE ME WITH YOUR COUNSEL,
AND AFTERWARD YOU WILL TAKE ME INTO GLORY.



PSALM 73:24
NIV

Thy Will Be Done

"THY WILL BE DONE"

by HELEN STEINER RICE



GOD DID NOT PROMISE "SUN WITHOUT RAIN"
"LIGHT WITHOUT DARKNESS" OR "JOY WITHOUT
PAIN"- HE ONLY PROMISED US "STRENGTH FOR THE DAY"
WHEN "THE DARKNESS" COMES AND WE LOSE OUR WAY,
FOR ONLY THROUGH SORROW DO WE GROW MORE AWARE
THAT GOD IS OUR REFUGE IN TIMES OF DESPAIR...
FOR WHEN WE ARE HAPPY AND LIFE'S BRIGHT AND FAIR,
WE OFTEN FORGET TO KNEEL DOWN IN PRAYER,
BUT GOD SEEMS MUCH CLOSER AND NEEDED MUCH MORE
WHEN TROUBLE AND SORROW STAND OUTSIDE OUR DOOR-
FOR THEN WE SEEK SHELTER IN HIS WONDROUS
LOVE AND WE ASK HIM TO SEND US HELP FROM ABOVE...
AND THAT IS THE REASON WE KNOW IT IS TRUE
THAT BRIGHT, SHINING HOURS AND DARK, SAD
ONES, TOO, ARE PART OF THE PLAN GOD MADE FOR EACH ONE,
AND ALL WE CAN PRAY IS 'THY WILL BE DONE"!





THE LORD WILL COMMAND
HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE DAYTIME;
AND HIS SONG WILL BE WITH ME IN THE NIGHT,
A PRAYER TO THE GOD OF MY LIFE.



PSALM 42:8
NAS



THE LORD HAS HEARD MY SUPPLICATION:
THE LORD WILL RECEIVE MY PRAYER.



PSALM 6:9
NKJV



LISTEN TO MY PRAYER FOR MERCY
AS I CRY OUT TO YOU FOR HELP,
AS I LIFT MY HANDS TOWARD YOUR HOLY SANCTUARY.



PSALM 28:2
NLT



FOR MY LOVE THEY ARE MY ADVERSARIES:
BUT I GIVE MYSELF UNTO PRAYER.



PSALM 109:4
KJV



FROM THE END OF THE EARTH I CALL TO YOU,
WHEN MY HEART IS FAINT.
LEAD ME TO THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I.



PSALM 61:2
NRSV



TURN YOUR EAR TOWARD ME.
RESCUE ME QUICKLY.
BE A ROCK OF REFUGE FOR ME,
A STRONG FORTRESS TO SAVE ME.



PSALM 31:2
GOD'S WORD

Today's Joy Was Born Of Yesterday's Sorrow

TODAY'S JOY WAS BORN OF
YESTERDAY'S SORROW

by HELEN STEINER RICE



WHO SAID THE "DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT"
WOULD NEVER TURN TO DAY,
WHO SAID THE "WINTERS BLEAKNESS"
WOULD NEVER PASS AWAY,
WHO SAID THE FOG WOULD NEVER LIFT
AND LET THE SUNSHINE THROUGH,
WHO SAID THE SKIES NOW OVERCAST
WOULD NEVERMORE BE BLUE-
WHY SHOULD WE EVER ENTERTAIN
THESE THOUGHTS SO DARK AND GRIM
AND LET THE BRIGHTNESS OF OUR MIND
GROW CYNICAL AND DIM
WHEN WE KNOW BEYOND ALL QUESTIONING
THAT WINTER TURNS TO SPRING
AND ON THE NOTES OF SORROW
NEW SONGS ARE MADE TO SING-
FOR NO ONE SHEDS A TEARDROP
OR SUFFERS LOSS IN VAIN,
FOR GOD IS ALWAYS THERE TO TURN
OUR LOSSES INTO GAIN,
AND EVERY BURDEN BORN TODAY
AND EVERY PRESENT SORROW
ARE BUT GOD'S HAPPY HARBINGERS
OF A JOYOUS, BRIGHT TOMORROW.





AS FOR GOD, HIS WAY IS PERFECT.
ALL THE LORD'S PROMISES PROVE TRUE.
HE IS A SHIELD FOR ALL WHO LOOK TO HIM FOR PROTECTION.



PSALM 18:30
NLT



MAKE ME WALK IN THE PATH OF THY COMMANDMENTS,
FOR I DELIGHT IN IT.



PSALM 119:35
NAS



HE WILL KEEP HIS AGREEMENT FOREVER;
HE WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES ALWAYS.



PSALM 105:8
NCV



THEREFORE I LOVE YOUR COMMANDMENTS
MORE THAN GOLD, YES, THAN FINE GOLD!



PSALM 119:127
NKJV



THEREFORE MY HEART IS GLAD,
AND MY GLORY REJOICES;
MY FLESH ALSO WILL DWELL
SECURELY.



PSALM 16:9
NAS



FOR OUR HEART SHALL REJOICE IN HIM,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUSTED IN HIS HOLY NAME.



PSALM 33:21
KJV