Prayer – Page 3 – Woodsmoke and Cardamom

Help Me to Believe

by Lucy M. Young

Help me to believe, Lord,
For there are times
When hopes and dreams are crushed,
When my world, turned upside down,
Is crashing 'round my feet,
That life looks meaningless and empty.
I wonder sometimes if You're really there,
If You can hear my prayers,
Or if You even care.

Forgive me, Lord, and help me to believe.
I'm sorry for my weakness
And my lack of steadfast faith.
When You see me falter, hold me up.
I dare not look ahead.
Without Your love I'm lost, I have no hope.
Forgive me, Lord, and help me to believe.

Dear Lord, Forgive Me

by Lucy M. Young

For all the bad mistakes I've made,
For all the thoughtless words I've said,
For all the selfish prayers I've prayed,
Dear Lord, forgive me.

For taking Your precious name in vain,
For failing to see another's pain,
For working selfishly for gain,
Dear Lord, forgive me.

For questioning Your perfect will, 
For arguing when I should be still,
For failing some heart with joy to fill,
Dear Lord, forgive me.

For all my errant, sinful ways,
For wasted hours and empty days,
For angry thoughts and vengeful ways,
Dear Lord, forgive me.

For sins of which I'm unaware,
For pain I've caused someone to bear,
For ignorance, negligence, lack of care,
Dear Lord, forgive me.

Lord, Lift Me Up

by Lucy M. Young

Lord, lift me up.
Help me achieve a feeling of self-worth.
I must be good for something
For Your love put me here on earth
For some good reason known to You alone;
But being constantly put down and criticized
Has made me feel so worthless.

It seems I can do nothing right,
But, Lord, You know I've tried.
Deep down inside,
I know You care for me;
I never could have lived
Through all these years of nagging and complaints
If You did not.

Lord, lift me up.
Help me to feel my life is not in vain;
Grant me the courage 
To ignore the taunts and criticisms,
The groundless accusations.
Help me to know what's right for me to do,
Then grant me strength to do it.

I am so weak and cowardly;
I fear displeasure, hatred, anger.
Help me to rise above these things
And be what You would have me be.
Forgive my weakness, my despair,
And lead me toward the life You've planned for me.

With Your help and guidance, Lord,
I'll do my utmost to fulfill my destiny,
Whatever it may be.

A Good Example

by Lucy M. Young

Lord, help me live according to Your plan.
Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.
Help me to judge not, lest I, too, be judged;
And give me strength to turn the other cheek.

Help me forget about tomorrow's woe,
Remembering only what today may bring;
And if perchance some sorrow may befall,
Help me to hide it well behind a smile.

When trouble comes may I remain serene,
And, trusting in Your power to cure all ills,
Walk calmly through the day with perfect faith
That all things sent by You are right and good.

Lord, help me to be to all a good example
Of what Your perfect love may do for them;
And let Your light so shine through me that others
May follow You with faith and joy and love.

God Grant Me Patience

by Lucy M. Young

God, grant me patience
Throughout the days and nights
Of waiting for my broken bone to heal.
Relieve the inner turmoil,
The frustration with the awkwardness
Of struggling with these infernal crutches.

God, grant me patience
With those around me who can't understand
Why I must rest so often.
Slow me down and keep me walking
When I want so much to run.

God grant me serenity, tranquility;
Relieve my feverish anxiety.
Speak quietly to me and calm my jangled nerves.
I know that I must crawl before I walk,
And walk before I run,
But oh, it is so difficult to wait;
So please, Lord, grant me patience yet awhile

Your Plan for Me

by Lucy M. Young

Dear Lord, what do You have in mind for me to do?
What menial task,
What act of love or sacrifice is in Your plan for me?
I'm tired of the daily round of meaningless activities.
I need a reason for existence.
A goal to strive for.
Give me, Lord, a dream,
And strength to work toward it to completion.
It need not be a great earth-shattering project -
Just help me feel my life is not in vain.
If nothing else, Lord, let me be a good example
Of usefulness in spite of handicap;
And cheerfulness despite whatever pain
May fill my waking hours;
Then when at night my body cries for rest,
I pray that you may feel I've done my best
Your purpose to fulfill;
And then, Lord, grant me peaceful sleep
And quiet, happy dreams throughout the night.

To Help A Lonely Man

by Lucy M. Young

He's temperamental, hard to please,
Unreasonable and cranky;
He's always on the lookout for
Some form of hanky-panky.
Trusts no one, judges harshly,
Believes the worst of all,
His views are warped, his vision short,
His bitterness a wall
Around his sadly barren heart.
He does not understand
The joy of unselfish love,
Nor want a helping hand.

Dear Lord, watch over him I pray,
Forgive him, soothe and heal
His cold heart, his suspicious mind.
And teach him how to feel
Compassion and forgiveness.
Please show him how to love
And trust his friends and family,
And believe in Heaven above.
Then show me how to help him.
With You to lead the way,
We'll both find greater happiness
As You guide us day by day.

A Prayer for Many

Lucy M. Young

Dear Lord, there are so many people
In my thoughts tonight:
The little girl who's losing weight
For no apparent reason;
The little boy who can't retain his food;
The lovely lady,
Lying on her bed of pain,
Ravaged by cancer;
The dear young man whose body, filled with tumors,
Struggles to continue functioning;
The brother fighting for each breath
Despite the spreading cancer in his lungs;
The lonely little mother,
Hard of hearing, nearly blind,
Waiting patiently for someone, anyone
To show a little love and tenderness.

Dear Lord, be with these people.
Place Your healing hand upon them.
Hold them in Your everlasting arms.
Comfort them and love them.
Let them know 
That they are not alone,
And that Your love and strength
Will hold them fast
Forever.

Help Me Let Go

by Lucy M. Young

Help me let go, dear Lord, and let You lead me.
My feeble strivings
Are like a puff of smoke before the wind
Without Your guidance.
Show me Your will and what You'd have me do,
For Lord, I cannot see beyond the limits
Of my narrow selfish mind.
I close my eyes and wait
To feel Your presence near me, guiding me;
And with Your hand upon my shoulder,
I'll walk with courage, strength and confidence
Into the unknown future,
Knowing You are with me to the end.