Category: Prayer

I have a nine year old son who loves to read. Before bed, we’ll often grab a classic tale to read together. As I’m writing this, we’re deep into Treasure Island, enjoying the harrowing tale of a young boy named Jim Hawkins who winds up aboard a ship of marauding pirates. Jim has to use his wits to outsmart the mutinous crew as he seeks to right wrongs and avoid certain death. 

My son and I find ourselves drawn to the underdog hero, cheering his valiant escapades. We’re left wondering whether we could muster the courage to outwit the unscrupulous Long John Silver, whether we would put ourselves at risk to aid dying friends, and if we would be willing to undertake an arduous journey that would eventually lead to untold treasure.

We close the book after reading a few chapters at a time and find ourselves back in reality. I’ve somehow ended up in an uncomfortable sitting position, my back aching and my arm numb from holding the bo ...

Over 10 years ago, I taped a prayer onto my kitchen cupboard where I would see it often. It was an extremely challenging time in my personal and family life. I felt anxious, stressed, burdened and grieved. I needed the daily (sometimes hourly) reminder that not everything was mine to worry about or control.

Perhaps you have heard of the Serenity Prayer. It is a prayer whose origins go far back into history. The first part of the prayer is used in many recovery groups. One version of the prayer was written by Reinhold Niebuhr.

“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things - I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; and Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; That I may b ...