Prayer

Joyful God,

We often equate joy with a positive feeling or exterior happiness, when in reality it is far deeper than either of those can contain. Joy lies deep within our souls, and we often miss it if we focus too much on the exterior emotions. Guide us to experience that undercurrent of understanding that comes with your goodness each day, that we might experience true joy and share it with others.  Amen.

Prayer

Creator God,

The peace that comes from being in nature brings a solace to the soul. It pushes troubles aside for a time in order to experience and return to the present moment. Guide us more and more to those times of solace, where we can collect our thoughts and hear your voice in the whisper of creation, leading us through our troubles and back into a life of peace.  We ask this in your name, Amen.

Prayer

Joyful Spirit,

You brought joy into this world by all that you created. Precious animals, green foliage, beautiful flowers, and the air we breathe; signs of your love for us. Today, we often experience people who come into our lives that illuminate joy just by walking past us. The kind of joy that catches the soul, because of the love within them. We pray that this love continues to flow from person to person until the world is filled with an unending joy. Amen. 

Prayer

God of all that is good,

There is so much delight in our world, even amidst so many challenges and trials. We all have so much coming at us each day, that we often forget to take time to stop, breathe, and look around.  When we allow ourselves to do just that, we come to recognize all that you have given to us, that we truly do have much to be thankful for in our little “stream” of the globe. Thank you for all the good in our world. Amen.

Prayer

God of Grace,

Often, we feel so small in a universe of eight billion people. With so much happening around our nation and world, we can sometimes question whether our little portion of help is worth the effort. But the truth of the matter is, when we put our hands and actions together, we build community, and through your grace, many blessings result from that work, spreading out to make a better world. Help us to remember that no service to others, regardless of how big or small, goes unnoticed by you. With your grace, we pray. Amen. 

Prayer

God of New Life,

We are called to live a baptismal life in and through the work we do each day, and in the personal lives that we lead.  Guide us to be sacramental people, ready to become outward signs of your love to all those we meet.  As we care for the sick and dying this day, let our words and comforting touch make your love and compassion tangible for others. Help us to remember that though we may not always be able to cure, we can always care. Amen. 

Prayer

Guiding Light,

Wise Men from the east, upon hearing of the birth of the King, set out and followed a star to the place where Jesus laid by his mother.  Overcome with great joy, they did him homage and offered gifts of thanksgiving. So often in our lives, we too, are given signs and wonders, but sometimes miss the opportunities to follow your Guiding Light. Help us to be more aware of the signs and wonders around us, there to guide us through life, so that we too can experience great joy and thanksgiving. We ask this in your name, the Light of the world, Amen.