2 Corinthians 3:18

And we, who with unveiled faces all [contemplate and] reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I need Your grace more than ever. I am so offended and irritated by the children I came across at Driftwood, and I am so frustrated for Isabel, who along with Lily is my heart.

I'm sorry that I wasn't kinder and more helpful, that I was judgmental, that I complained. Even as I was doing it, and knowing it was wrong, I was too angry and frustrated to change. I want to be better. I want to be transformed into Your likeness. It's so hard, Lord, when I'm sleep-deprived. It's so hard when my racing mind and fast-beating heart won't let me sleep. I worried that would happen, and it did, self-fulfilling prophecy.

With unveiled face I contemplate and reflect Your glory. You kept me healthy--I didn't come down with illness like I thought I might. You had me right there with Isabel, so she didn't have to deal with loneliness and those hateful girls by herself. The situation wasn't ideal--this world isn't--but You provided me for her, and You provided health for me. It was just enough to get me through.

Thank You for the bonding time with Jodi and Lauren. Thank You for the little things, like Isabel seeing how much I love her. Thank You for the gorgeous weather, and for getting us there and back safely. Thank You for the beautiful world You created, and the glimpse we got of it at Cumberland Island.

Thank You for my wonderful husband, who was so good with Lily while I was away. Thank You for everything he did for me in  my absence. Please show me how I can be a good wife to him, and please bless him at work, Lord.

In Your son's name I pray,
Amen

1 Corinthians 4:1

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servantsx of Christ and as those entrustedy with the mysteriesz God has revealed. 

Lord, I am Your servant. Show me Your way. I pray that You will use me at Driftwood, preserve my health so that I'll be of use to You! I pray that You will equip me and give me opportunities to show Your love to others.

I pray for peace about the Driftwood trip. I pray that I will trust You, and rest in You, whatever You have planned for me. I pray that I will go forth in Your strength and remember You.

I pray that Katharine will read Your book. I pray that You will guide the process forward, and that Your book will be published and find just the right audience. I pray that I will get out of Your way, and allow You to do what You're going to do.

I pray for people who desperately need You right now:

Katharine's cousin

Leigh's mother Donna

Cindy's son

Linda's son Jonathan

Kitty

I pray for Lee, that You would pour blessings upon him at work.

I pray for my children, that You would draw them to You and show me how I've been remiss about teaching them and show me the way forward in showing them Your love.

I pray for the VBS skits that I'm planning to finish today.

I pray that You would send Your spirit to hover over me, as I am Your servant.

In Your son's precious name I pray,

Amen

Galatians 3:11

The righteous will live by faith.
Galatians 3:11

Lord, I want to keep my eyes trained on You, and yet they are so tempted to stray! To my to-do list, to the trip I'm chaperoning, to my book, to the VBS skits I'm writing, to articles in the NYTimes.

I pray that You will redirect me when I look away.

I pray today for Katharine's cousin, for healing and spiritual healing.
I pray for Donna's son and for Donna, that You would show them both the way forward.
I pray for Leigh's mother, for healing, and for Your love and Your spirit to hover over Leigh and her family as she tries to help.

I pray for Sara and sweet little baby Max, that You would protect them and watch over them.

I pray for Isabel and Lily, that I would be able to teach them and raise them up to love You.

I pray for Amy Moor, that You would heal her and that she would know you are near her throughout her post-divorce days.

I pray for Isabel and her relationship with Hannah Moulton, that Your love would triumph, and that their friendship might resume.

I pray for my health and for Isabel's health in these days leading up to Driftwood. I pray for Driftwood, that You would use me powerfully as a light, following Your light.

In Your son's name I pray,
Amen

Psalm 3:8

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Lord, I ask for Your blessing as I do my best to bless others today. I pray that You will use me to love and care for each of the children in my group: Katie, Savannah, London, Hannah, Holly, Victor, Ryder, Joshua, Charlie, Izzy, Howie, Peyton and Elizabeth.

I pray for Cindy Moran's son, and for Cindy herself, that they would both focus their eyes on You, and that Your abundant and abounding love would envelop them. I pray the same for Leigh and for her mother Donna. I pray for healing for Donna and for Your peace.

I pray for Dad, that he'll know how much I love him. I pray for all of my family members, for your peace and protection over them.

I pray for Katharine, that she will feel Your peace, and that she will read Your book and get back to me.

I pray for the VBS skits I'm writing this week, that You would drive, and that Your words would bring the skits to life.

I am so worried about coming down with a cold or some other virus before Driftwood. Lord, I beg You to protect me from germs today and over the course of the week to come. Lord, I know that I've prayed this before, and that this isn't like a magic trick. I've gotten sick anyway. Lord, I still beg You this time to protect me from germs.

I pray that You will use me powerfully at Driftwood, leading the children with competence and kindness, providing a good example to them, listening to their concerns and helping them. I want to be Your emissary. Will You help me?

Please, Lord, I beg for Your divine protection and help. I pray that I'll be able to get enough sleep, especially the night before, but even if not, that You will use me anyway.

In Your son's precious name I pray,

Amen

Colossians 3:4

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Lord, I am Yours. I can shake off my old self. I can figure out airfares to San Diego and Houston, and do it happily and willingly. The best way to spend money is to spend it on loving my family.

Thank you for my family! 

I pray that You would lead me forward. That You would love others through me.

I pray that Katharine will find time to sit and read Your book, not rushed, and that I will hear back from her soon, and that she will like Your book, love it.

I pray for Lee, that You would continue to work in his life to heal him physically, spiritually and emotionally.

I pray for Sara and her new baby Max, that she would feel You drawing her near to You.

I pray that You would pour Your blessings out on her and Andy, and on Mom and Dad this month while they are visiting them.

I pray for the health of Max, and that he would come to know You.

I pray that You would work on me, Lord. Fill me with Your love and patience!

In Your son's name I pray,

Amen

Matthew 3:1-2

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

I am sorry for the way I am, everything about me, myself, my book. I talked to Katharine, and she's deeply upset by the sickness and soon to be death of her cousin, an atheist. 

Lord, there is nothing more important than our prayers for those we love. I pray now that Your spirit will rouse Katharine's cousin. If Katharine's a person through whom You might speak, I pray that you would soften her cousin's heart to her. My motives are not pure. They never are. I need to throw myself at Your mercy. I need to pull away from all this self-interest. I cannot do it myself. I need You to do it for me. Yesterday I prayed that You would do that, and I prayed for the next phase of this book to begin, and within hours I had a call from Katharine and some hope by looking on LinkedIn. Lord, I continue to pray for this, and I continue to pray that You will have me stand firm for You.

Katharine is a Christian like I'm a Christian. I pray that You'll guide her to read my book and see what You want to be in there, and what not.

I pray that she'll read my book earlier than even she thought she could, and I pray that You'll grant me patience to wait on Your timing.

I pray for the upcoming trip to Driftwood, that You would pour love into my heart for the children, and for the other parents. Thank You for providing Lisa to be with me--another gentle soul in the fray. Lord, I want to be my best so You can use me. Please show me the way.

I pray for my children, that they would develop a love for or even the self-control to do more piano practice.

I pray for Lee at work, who has to deal with the degradation of other people getting promoted while he doesn't. I pray for Your blessings upon him at work.

I pray for Isabel, that she would blossom as she grows and that she will thrive in middle school.

I pray that You will make me into a novelist who points people to You.

In Your son's holy and precious name I pray,
Amen

1 John 3:1

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. — 1 John 3:1


Lord, You know me. You know my heart and my thoughts. I long to be Your spirit-filled child, and yet and yet I don't act like it. It doesn't come naturally to me.

Thank you for the book! Thank you. I know that this book is Your book, not mine, and that it came from You. I want to do what is right in Your eyes.

Lord, this is Your book. I'm not in charge of what/when/how this is going to move forward. You know my heart. I want this very badly. But I also want to be Your obedient child, and maybe that means waiting patiently on Your timing. 

I can worry that Katharine won't get back to me, that she didn't see my email, or is too busy or uninterested. Or, I can push those thoughts aside, and pray. Lord, I pray that You will use this book to reach others, and that You would show me how to just be still and know that I'm OK. I pray that You would calm my heart. I pray that You would redirect my gaze to You. Please show me what I am supposed to be doing. You are a lamp to my feet. 

I pray for the future editor I will have on this book, and for the publisher, and for great things! 

1 John 5: 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.