Drazannshire

“Jesus, thank You for who You are. And thank You for remaining here with me. You’re awesome and good. Thank You that You never change. I believe You have plans for me and are watching over my path. Please guide me and keep me covered in You.” ~ October 13,2007

“Jesus, be in me and cause me to think and act in the consciousness of Your presence.” ~ February 18, 2007

“Draw me to You, Father. Please forgive my constant distractedness and my lack of a desire to get closer to You. Help me to not let my physical and mental fatigue be an excuse for slacking. Keep me strong. Thank You for Your Amazing Grace!” ~ February 21,2007

“Lord, thank You for Your many and faithful promises which flow from an abundant love. Thank You, Jesus, that because of You I am never alone. And thank You that I have freedom in You because of Your sacrifice.” ~ September 15,2007

“I believe we can rest assured that we are invulnerable so long as God does not give permission for us to be hurt. If He gives permission, He will not leave us alone. He goes with us through the valley, the deep water, the furnace. He will never, absolutely never, leave us or forsake us.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

“Whatever thy grief or trouble be, take every drop in thy cup from the hand of Almighty God. He with whom ‘the hairs of thy head are numbered,’ knoweth every throb of thy brow, each hardly drawn breath, each shoot of pain, each beating of the fevered pulse, each sinking of the aching heart. Receive, then, what are trials to thee, not in the main only, but one by one, from His all-loving hands; thank His love for each; unite each with the sufferings of thy Redeemer; pray that He will thereby hallow them to thee. Thou wilt not know what He thereby will work in thee; yet, day by day, shalt thou receive the impress of the likeness of the ever-blessed Son, and in thee, too, while thou knowist not, God shall be glorified.” ~ E.B. Pusey as quoted in Keep a Quiet Heart

“[I]t is through the tender austerity of our very troubles that the Son of Man comes knocking. In every event He seeks an entrance to my heart, yes, even in my most helpless, futile, fruitless moments. The very cracks and empty crannies of my life, my perplexities and hurts and botched-up jobs, He wants to fill with Himself, His joy, His life. The more unsatisfactory my ‘performance,’ the more He calls me to share His yoke. I should know by now that mine makes me tired and overburdened. He urges me to learn of Him: ‘I am gentle and humble in heart.'” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

Psalm 105:4
Look to the LORD and his strength;
       seek his face always.

This song has been running through my head a lot lately, and this is the path along which many of my prayers run.

Wisdom
I see a multitude of people,
some far away and some close by
They weave together new religion
from tiny remnants they have found
A bit of truth, a greater lie
And all the prophets stand and sing a pleasant song
A million cords that bind the spirit growing strong
My heart is breaking I must remind them

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
You are the only way
Give us wisdom, give us wisdom

There is a moment of decision but all the days go rushing by
An undercurrent of confusion to threaten all that we believe
With little time to wonder why
And all the prophets sing the same familiar song
Even the chosen can be led to sing along
These hearts are breaking will You remind us

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
You are the only way
Give us wisdom, give us wisdom

You choose the simple things to overcome the wise
Wisdom is granted in the name of Jesus Christ
In the name of Jesus Christ

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
We need You here today
~ Twila Paris

Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Psalm 34:17-18
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 43:3-5
Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 71:19-21
Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
you who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like you?
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.

Psalm 57:2(ESV)
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

Psalm 138:8
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.

“One cannot be deeply responsive to the world without being saddened very often.” ~ Erich Fromm

“Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether.  It does not hate tragedy.  It never denies reality.  It stands in the very teeth of suffering.  The love of God did not protect His own Son.  That was the proof of His love—that He gave that Son, that He let Him go to Calvary’s cross, though ‘legions of angels’ mught have rescued Him.  He will not necessarily protect us-not from anything it takes to make us like His Son.  A lot of hammering and chisling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. ~ The Book of Common Prayer