Heavenly Father,
This New Year came abruptly, like a tagalong unexpected guest to a party; eyes full of anticipation and wonder about the future. It caught me unawares. It’s wide-eyed face looked at me as if to say, “What will your offering be in this fresh New Year?” I’m slow to catch on. I find myself still wandering around in the old year working on the lessons I began there. I’m not as excited about a new year as I usually am. I want to be dazzled by the new number and the new decade but it hasn’t hit me yet.
So I come to you Lord, humbly, again offering myself completely to you. I don’t have it all together, but this is what I do know: You are my everything. I am nothing without you. I fervently long for your will to be done in my life so that I will bring you glory in this bright and shiny New Year.
Thank you for calling me out of darkness into your marvelous light. Thank you for being my life.
Thank you for the many gifts you’ve given me.
The sunrises, sunsets, the ocean roar, glassy lakes, the sky high evergreens, close family ties, sounds of laughter, the chubby baby hands, tight hugs from loved ones, the birdsongs, eyesight, legs for walking, hands for working and my spirit that melds with yours.
I worship you Lord! I hallow your name!
As I remember your lifelong faithfulness to me, I trust you and yield to your loving hand.
My mind is cluttered with the cacophony of words and images swirling around. I pray for clearer and sharper focus this year. I no longer want to concentrate on unimportant things. I want to focus only on things that concern me; the roles you’ve designed for me.
I’m glad for the inspiration and insight from other peoples’ stories, but, Lord, please help me to not camp out in their lives. Help me to stay in the story you’re writing for me.
You knew all the days of my life before there were any. You’re the author of my story.
I desperately want to grasp every opportunity you give me; to not miss a moment of what you’re doing in my life. Help me to sign up for the opportunities you’ve designed for me and to be savvy about the ones that are for someone else.
My desire to know you grows stronger and stronger as the years whiz by and I grow older.
Help me to always be a learner and for your Word to be the fabric of my being.
Father, I want to be riveted to you—my face set like flint.
Help me not to fear the unknown and unseen. It’s all known by you.
Lord, help me not to worry. Nor to dread the future. You are already there.
Nothing is accomplished by worry but precious time lost.
Help me to bring my wandering thoughts into captivity; to limit their space to roam.
You’ll never leave me.
You gave me the amazing gift of your Holy Spirit to be with me through the hard unknowns. To comfort me when I’m hurting and to empower me when I’m weak. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead!
I love you, Lord!
Amen