+ The Good Life

Grace For This Day

Oh, God, give me grace for this day.
Not for a lifetime, or for next week, nor
for tomorrow, just for this day.
Direct my thoughts and bless them,
Direct my work and bless it.
Direct the things I say and give them blessing, too.
Direct and bless everything that I think and speak and do.
So that for this one day, just this one day,
I have the gift of grace that comes from your presence.

A Prayer of Confession

Lord, replace my blindness with Your vision

My deafness with Your healing voice

My insensitivity with Your understanding

My sinfulness with Your love. Amen.

(Marion Wright Edelman)

Jesus is Calling Sarah, Patti, you and me!

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, first published in 2004, offers a gentle and comforting daily devotional experience. I discovered this book soon after it was released and found its reflections to be like sweet love letters from Jesus, filled with words of encouragement, peace, and guidance drawn from scripture.

Each entry is concise and fits easily into a busy day, yet carries a depth that invites deeper contemplation. The book fosters a closer connection with Christ, offering a sense of God’s presence in everyday life.

A friend of ours, Patti Smith, recently shared how Jesus Calling has had a meaningful impact on her life. Despite knowing that Jesus is always present, she found herself needing reminders of His closeness in the midst of life’s challenges. As she put it, “He is with me when I’m in the car, when I am at dinner, when I’m walking on the beach, when I’m with friends, He is there to help me And give me comfort. And as much as it makes me sound a little silly, because you’re always told that God and Jesus are with you all the time, it has not always been easy for me to remember that With all the challenges of life that have come my way (Like driving north on 101) 😬”

Sarah Young’s warm and intimate tone throughout the book makes Jesus Calling a unique addition to devotional literature. Whether used personally or shared as a thoughtful gift, it’s a source of daily inspiration for anyone seeking to nurture their spiritual journey.

Prayer as an Entrance into Love

This poem by George Herbert, titled Love (III), beautifully portrays the gentle and inviting nature of God's love inviting us to prayer:

Love bade me welcome:

yet my soul drew back,

Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love,

observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me,

sweetly questioning

If I lacked anything.

When I read this poem as an invitation to prayer, it reminds me that despite our feelings of unworthiness or guilt, God's love is always welcoming and ready to embrace us. The image of Love sweetly questioning the soul about its needs reflects God's desire for a deep and personal relationship with each of us, where we can bring our fears, doubts, and needs into His presence.

Simply Walking with God

I invite you to explore the profound concept of prayer as an avenue to a life-shaping relationship with God. Consider whether we are truly committed to God as our Heavenly Father and Lord of our lives. This commitment is foundational to deepening our connection with Him. Furthermore, let's ask if we are open to dynamic encounters with God—moments that profoundly impact our lives and character. Through prayer, we have the opportunity to experience God's transformative presence, shaping us into individuals who reflect His love and grace more fully.