Prayer has faithfully comforted me through many a dark moment. During my most painful, isolated times when my heart was breaking and confusion reigned I felt such despair and desperation. I had no clue as to how to lesson the suffering. My fumbling for meaningful words was just not good enough. I sought comfort in traditional prayer and gratefully adopted the prayers of others that resonated in my heart.

The prayers crafted by Stormie Omartian in her many books (refer to Favorite Authors) provided a blanket of comfort I could not achieve on my own. Slowly I began to recapture my balance, restore my faith and renew my spirit.

During this same period of time I religiously attended Al-Anon and Codependent's Anonymous twelve step programs. 

Every twelve step meeting I have attended opened, and frequently closed, with:

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the
Serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.

Eventually I was able to author my own prayer, which I faithfully recite at the beginning of each new day. Although The Serenity Prayer and Stormie Omartian's prayers continue to bring me peace on a daily basis, my own prayer grounds me as I start my day.

Dear God,
I pray for Your divine assistance as I surrender my will and daily life to You.
I pray for the knowledge of Your will for me,
And the courage to carry it out.
I surrender the results to You.
I pray that the Holy Spirit directs my thoughts, actions, feelings, wants and needs
And I pray that the Holy Spirit guides my communication
Giving me the words to say and the courage to say them
That I may speak diplomatically, directly, calmly and compassionately
Always speaking my truth.
Amen.

In June of 2002 I began the ritual of a weeklong annual retreat. I travel to the beautiful, serene Nestucca Sanctuary. It is there that I can personally slow down and more deeply, peacefully, spiritually connect with the rhythms of the earth and my soul. It was at my first retreat that the prayer Spirit of the Living God was shared with me by the loving, gentle Alexandra whose smile lights the world with joy.

Spirit of the Living God

Spirit of the Living God
Present with us now
Bless ___________ in body, mind and spirit
And heal ________ of all that harms ______
In Jesus' name.
Amen.

Other prayers that ground me in peace and blanket me in comfort are:

Jabez
I Chronicles 4:10

Oh, God (my insert) that You would bless me indeed,
And enlarge my territory,
That Your hand would be with me,
And that You would keep me from evil,
That I may not cause pain!

A Prayer for Peace
(A Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi)

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive -
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled
to thy protection, implored they help, or sought
thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by
this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Virgin of
virgins, my Mother, to thee we come, before
thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother
of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but
in thy mercy hear and answer us. Amen

Other Paths to Peace... Gratitude | Affirmations | Journaling