Come, let us sing for joy
Let us shout aloud to our King
Come, let us worship God
Lifting holy hands, bless His name

Lord, we come to meet with You again
To worship with one voice in adoration
You deserve our every praise
That echoes in this place
You’re the worthy One

Lord, we come with gratitude that flows
From deep within our souls
We rejoice in You
(And) We will glory in Your name
With a shout our lips proclaim
The praises stirring in our hearts

Every creature in Heaven and Earth below
Bless His name, bless His name.

Lord, my soul is in turmoil.
I am stricken with grief.
I have no answers,
only sadness
and unrest.

But, as Henri Nouwen once wrote,
“in the midst of much inner turmoil and restlessness,
there is a consoling thought:
maybe you are working in me
in a way I cannot yet feel, experience, or understand.”

I know that’s true.
I don’t much like it, but I know it.
So in faith I cling to you.
I know that you are God.
I know you are not sleeping.
I know that you see into my heart,
and that you do some of your best work
in darkness.

So work, Lord.
Lead me.
Teach me.
Soften me.
Mold me.
Break me and put me back together,
as you wish.

I will do my best to submit,
to listen,
obey,
and glorify you,
by your grace.

I will not give up on you,
I will not stop praying,
I will not hold back in worship,
I will not blame,
I will not judge,
I will not lash out…
by your grace.

Let this little death
I am experiencing now
be for me (as it was for Jesus)
a path to resurrection life,
in whose name I pray, amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

God, I don’t know what you’re thinking,
but I know you’re thinking.

I don’t know what you’re doing,
but I know you’re working.

I don’t know where you’re leading,
but I know you are.

I don’t know how you’ll turn evil to good,
but I know you will.

Amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

I do not claim to be a perfect Christian, confident in Spirit and steadfast in my faith. Actually, I am a Christian and I suck at it. I know it’s not an occupation but it is who I have become because I love what Jesus did for me. I love my God deeply and when I think about that, I want to serve him with all that I am. In church I sing out my love for God and my desire to do His will, but when the rubber hits the road and Monday morning shows up, its not the same song I am singing anymore.

Apparently Paul sucked at being a Christian as well. Yes, I said it, with no disrespect however. In Romans 7 Paul mentions, “For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.”

I have browsed so many Christian websites and blogs, especially the apologetics ones and it seems that a lot of these Christians have answers to all kinds of lives problems with opinions to top things off. I know that the bible gives us solid direction but I am amazed at these people seem to know it all. Even Paul, the great preacher and teacher says, “I don’t know what I am doing”. I humbly agree with him, I do not know what I am doing either.

The Christian life is where two opposites attract. One is the desire to live a life that honors God, a life that reflects his character and attracts people that do not believe in Him. And the other is a life, that repels all things good and holy and is drawn into the crap that dishonors His name and makes an unbeliever say, “I told you so”.

It sucks, doesn’t it? But maybe this is a good thing. Sucking at being a Christian force me to depend on God, recognizing my failures, my sins and knowing that I can’t do anything to deserve His approval. Sucking at being a Christian force me to get close with my God in prayer, praise and reading His word. The beauty at sucking is that Jesus can show me Mercy and give me Grace. So be encouraged you Christians that suck and get close with God today!

Loving God,

We thank you for the love of the mothers you have given us,
whose love is so precious that it can never be measured,
whose patience seems to have no end.

May we see your loving hand behind them and guiding them.
We pray for those mothers who fear they will run out of love
or time, or patience.

We ask you to bless them with your own special love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end,
I praise you as my constant helper,
And call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom,
Correct me with your justice,
Comfort me with your mercy,
Protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
My words: to have you for their theme;
My actions: to reflect my love for you;
My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me:
In the way you ask,
For as long as you ask,
Because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
Strengthen my will,
Purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
And to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
And to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
Greed by generosity,
Apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself
And reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
Courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
Temperate in food and drink,
Diligent in my work,
Firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear,
My conduct without fault,
My speech blameless,
My life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me,
Keep your law,
And come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
That my true future is the happiness of heaven,
That life on earth is short,
And the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
With a proper fear of judgment,
But a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death
To the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Pope Clement XI