I was in the valley of sin. You called me and lifted me a little higher. I got to my knees, you called again and lifted me even higher. I rose to a stoop, you called again and lifted me to greater heights. I stood tall, you called me louder and lifted me to the gate of heaven, forgiven. You called one last time and lifted me to your throne completely saved. I could not help myself. I descended again. Only this time it was to the foot of your throne where I worshipped you, and worship still.

Yesterday I said words that were offensive to the people I was addressing. At first, I thought it was funny but when I looked into their eyes, I saw that I had hurt them. Forgive me and help them forgive me.

I rush like the wind to give my deepest thanks for all you did to save me from Satan’s trap.  He wanders in and out of my thoughts enshrouded by the darkness of his light.  His wisdom gives me permission to flaunt my will over yours. His lies cover up my willfulness so that I think I have won eternity without you. I rely on your Words to tell me what is truth. I rely on your Words to warn me of the shadows of his laughter. I rely on your Words to lift me up and carry me away from the Great Destroyer to safety in your everlasting arms. Only in you is there strength. Only in you is there wonder and beauty and everything magnificent that Satan does not want me to know of. Only in you is there true life.

The wind rushes anxiously down the mountains to worship you. The waters pound the shore so the sands will move aside and worship you. The snow falls in silence to purify the ground so it will worship you. All things worship you. They exist because of you. You are their Creator and their life force. Let me shout it to the world both now and in the infinity of forever.

Lord, I am jealous of my friend who was given an award for doing something I can do even better. Why not me? Why couldn’t I have received the award? Forgive me even now, and help me be happy for my friend.

Lord of all that exists, I bow to you because I never can live up to your perfection. I am weak. How can you love me so? When I fall, you lift me up. When I stray, you run after me and bring me back. When I weep, you wipe away my tears. When I collapse, you make me fly. Always you make me better than I am. You delight in me and make me your own. I lift my eyes to you in deepest gratitude.

Holy! Holy! Holy! Because of you, Lord God, thieves stop stealing and rise up to call you holy.  Because of you, liars stop lying and raise their voices to call you holy. And drunks stop drinking and stand up to declare you holy.  And murderers stop murdering and lift their hearts to announce you holy. And the selfish stop hoarding and release all they own to you, the holy one. You are life in its purest form.

Lord, I have been so busy lately, I have little time to think of you and worship you. Forgive me and make me slow down, eliminating the unnecessary to make room for you to re-enter my life.

Oh, Jesus, that cross was intended to be an instrument of torture and shame outside of Jerusalem but turned into a tower of light for the world. That crown of thorns was intended to be a mockery but turned into a crown of gold that pronounced you king of the world. Those nails were intended to pierce human flesh; instead, it pierced the heart of the world. How can I thank you? How can any of us thank you for rescuing my wounded soul and making me a child of the King of kings?

Your love, oh God, appears from the most unlikely and impenetrable places. Like water out of a rock. Like life from a long-dead seed.  Like a pin of light in a deep and dark cave. Let your love burst forth and astonish mankind with a love that refuses defeat. Let your magnificence soar to the uttermost parts of the heavens. Let your victory chain Satan in his hell and shout your glory.

I was insolent toward a clerk in the store. I acted as though I was better and more important. It was my place to respect that clerk’s decision about the price I paid.

As I ride in cars and buses and trains, I thank you for what my grandparents and great grandparents did not have. I can go places in hours that took them days.  Life was slow then, but now is fast. So much more can be done in a day. And communication: Telephones and radios and televisions and the internet. Impossible to even imagine for them. Thank you for modern inventions. More, thank you for helping me see that the impossible is possible. That the unimaginable is imaginable. The unreachable is reachable. Not just in my world, but in the hidden worlds and the heaven of heavens where you dwell.

The deepest reaches of my soul praise you, Lord God.  I would burst if I could not.  When I awake, night merges into morning and I extol you for a new dawn. When I walk about through my day, I exalt you. When I lie down to sleep at the end of the day, I worship you. You are my breath, my heart beat, my reason for being.

Someone told a joke the other day making fun of impurity and I laughed at it. Why did I do that? I know better.  I guess I didn’t want to look like a prude, even though that is what I am ~ a prude who respects my Lord God and defies Satan.  Why should I care what they think of me? Forgive me and help me to at least walk away next time.

Ah, my glorious God, you give me all things that I need and more. Above all, you gave me salvation from hell. With that I have all things. Though I grow depressed sometimes over human events and material things that do not work out, I remind myself that I still have heaven with You.  That is worth ten thousand times ten thousand more than earthly concerns. At the end, I will rise up and be always at your service as you rule supreme over all worlds. Thank you.

I adore you, my God.  You envelop the earth with grandeur. You soar through the cosmos stepping on planets and touching each star. You call them all by name and they join you in the song of the universe. I am passionate about you. May you forever be my obsession that keeps me lunging forward toward you, unable to stop myself because of the power of your love.

Yesterday I had immoral notions. I shocked myself. I had thought I was above all that. Help me get rid of those thoughts for good. And forgive me.

Ah, my Lord and God, how I love your Book.  You tell me so many things in it. They are so exciting. That is because you are so exciting. We are fickle but you remain the same. When things are going well, we take credit for it, then you bring us low. Then the cycle begins again. In your Book, you tell of the ebb and flow of our devotion to you. You tell of the depths of despair mankind lowers itself to when forsaking you, then you tell of the mountains of glory we can have when we return to you. You are my light and life. Sometimes I feel selfish because I feel as though I have you all to myself.  I must tell others. I must share your Words, your Loves with the world.

I adore you, Lord God. You are majestic and your glorious splendor soars through the universe to my heart. In your hand are all my daily blessings. You sprinkle them around the earth and make me glad. The stars sing of your glory, the mountains quake at your power, the meadows whisper your kindness, the fish in ocean depths slip silently around their world revealing your mercy. I worship you.

Father, if I worship anything besides you, make me see it so I can get it under control. Do I worship power or fame, riches or things?  Do I worship my television, my telephone, internet games? Make me see if I do, so I may repent and get rid of them.

Thank you, Father of all mankind, for loving me. Thank you for making me well when I become sick. Thank you for keeping my mind clear so I can remember things that make my life smoother. Thank you for being my hero.  Thank you for opening hearts of those wo are truly seeking you. Thank you for opportunities to meet them. May I realize who they are and open up your love to them so they, too, may become grateful recipients of your blessings and live with you in your eternity.

Oh, how I adore and love you, dear God. You are so large and I am so small but you love me still.  You are strong and I am weak but you love me anyway. You are perfect and I am sinful but your love embraces me. I run from you sometimes and you run after me. How I love and adore you. Life is never complete without you.

Lord, it is so hard to forgive and turn the other cheek so I can be attacked again. Such a coward I am. Make me bold with love and forgiveness.

Thank you for your Word which I love. You poured out your heart to me. I know the pain and laughter, the disappointments and triumphs you have gone through since making mankind. You bare your soul to me in your Word.  You, the God of the universe and Maker of my soul, revealed all of yourself in your Bible. I read it in wonder and awe. I absorb it and it fills my heart and my being. Thank you for showing yourself to me one way in your Bible and in another way by materializing in the form of Jesus.

You are my comfort, my shield, my protection. When in danger, you send your angels to stand between harm and me. When I weep, you wipe away my tears.  When I laugh, you laugh with me. When I am sick, you hold me in your arms.  When I walk bare footed, you place my feet on delicate sprigs blades of grass that tickle my toes. When I am tired, you carry me. Though you are far away in your realm, you are in my thoughts, my words, my heart.  You hear my thoughts spin, my words tumble out, and my heart beat.  I praise you for all that you are. I long to understand more.

Yesterday I got on the telephone to talk to someone and heard voices in the background. I could tell my friend was busy with other people, but I had nothing else to do, so kept talking and keeping my friend from whoever was there. Lord, when I become idol, rather than ruin someone else’s day, help me find something constructive to do for someone.

I thank you for the rainbows.  You must love color. You made so many things with colors of rainbows in them ~ flowers, fruit, vegetables, gemstones, birds. I do love color, just like you do. When my eyes absorb all the color around me, they dance and flutter.  Color fills my heart with joy. You even made the foundations of heaven many-colored gemstones.  You have a red glow over your throne and an emerald green bow above that. I am so glad you love color too. Thank you and help me to not ever take it for granted.

Oh God, I adore you above all others. You are my bright light of truth, wellspring of life, the way of love to me. You are so amazing that you keep all your followers sorted out. You even make me feel as if I am the most special one in the world.  Your love spans the universe and beyond. Your light races through the cosmos and into my heart.  My heart bursts with inner joy at your mercy, patience, and love.  Then I rest in you.

Lord, you condemn homosexuality, but you also condemn adultery. Why the double standard where I sometimes condemn the one and tolerate the other. Help me judge as you do, no more and no less.

It is spring and the air is full of the aroma of blossoms that soon will begin turning to fruit to give us joy in the tasting and health in the eating. The hummingbirds are back, enjoying the nectar of flowers, and flitting around for my enjoyment. The gentle rain falls and softens the earth. The raindrops dance around the new leaves on the vines. The breeze swirls from branch to branch. I walk in the warm rain and feel you smile.