Monday Morning Inspiration

Are you looking for some inspiration to start your week? Join us every Monday for a collection of prayers, affirmations and words of encouragement.

 Monday Morning Inspiration

February 28, 2011

The affirmations this week are quotes from the book, "No Man is An Island" by Thomas Merton.

Monday

Affirmation: "Sincerity is, perhaps, the most vitally important quality of true prayer. It is the only valid test of our faith, our hope, and our love of God. No matter how deep our meditations, nor how severe our penances, how grand our liturgy, how pure our chant, how noble our thoughts about the mysteries of God; they are all useless if we do not really mean what we say."

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you for knowing my every thought, for sensing and knowing when I am sincere. Thank you for knowing my heart. Lord, I want to cleanse myself of all insincerity when I come to you in prayer. Help me to be honest with myself and with you. Allow me the wisdom to know when I am deceiving myself and trying to deceive you. I do not want to strive in vain.  Thank you Lord.

Tuesday

Affirmation: "God cannot be prevented from drawing the greatest good out of the greatest evil."

Prayer:  Lord, I know that you can turn even the worst situation into something good. I pray Lord that you would give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a tongue to confess your power over every circumstance in my life. Thank you for turning those things that were meant for harm into good in my life. Thank you for helping me see that which is good and for giving me the faith to believe that you are omnipotent and an ever-present help in trouble. Amen.

Wednesday

Affirmation: "Some men are only virtuous enough to forget that they are sinners without being wretched enough to remember how much they need the mercy of God."

Prayer: Lord, help me to refrain from casting stones at others and overlooking my own sin. I want to remain humble enough to recognize that I am here and saved from the snares of evil in this world by your mercy.  Thank you that because of your loving kindness toward me, I have mercy upon others and see them through your loving eyes. Amen.

Thursday

Affirmation: "Every man becomes the image of the God he adores."

Prayer: Lord, help me to see if I have put any other Gods before you. I want to be an image of you and not some other form of God—be it wealth, power, affluence, popularity or any other vice that would separate my heart from yours and cause me to live divided. It is you I adore Lord. I want to be like you. Amen.

Friday

Affirmation: "Our life, as individual persons and as members of a perplexed and struggling race, provokes us with the evidence that it must have meaning. Part of the meaning still escapes us. Yet, our purpose in life is to discover this meaning, and live according to it. We have, therefore, something to live for. The process of living, of growing up, and becoming a person, is precisely the gradually increasing awareness of what that something is."

Prayer: Lord, help me discover my purpose in life. I choose to live my life with direction and Godly purpose. I realize that purpose is constantly evolving as I evolve and grow in you.  I recognize that my life has meaning—that you put me here for a purpose and each day that I seek out your direction for my life, I am one step closer to understanding what that something is. Thank you that while I am working toward that discovery, I can also be content in the present. I know that your timing is perfect and that you have a perfect plan. I acknowledge that my life will be the most fulfilling when I earnestly seek your will for my days. Amen.

Saturday

Affirmation: "Now anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity. It is the fruit of unanswered questions. But questions cannot go unanswered unless they first be asked. And there is a far worse anxiety, a far worse insecurity, which comes from being afraid to ask the right questions—because they might turn out to have no answer. One of the moral diseases we communicate to one another in society comes from huddling together in the pale light of an insufficient answer to a question we are afraid to ask."

Prayer: Lord, I want to be brave enough to ask the difficult questions. I want to trust you enough to ask you those questions for which I am frightened of the answer. I know that whatever may come, you will never leave me or forsake me. I choose not to live with spiritual insecurity due to lack of spiritual honesty with others, you and myself. Thank you for being there to pick me up when I fall, for knowing me and loving me just the same. Thank you that I am strong enough to ask questions and courageous enough to refrain from looking for direction through deceitful answers of well-wishers and those who are afraid to tell me the truth. Amen.

Sunday

Affirmation: "If we are to love sincerely, and with simplicity, we must first of all overcome the fear of not being  loved."

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are now filling every void in my life. Where there is lack, you fill me up, including those areas where I carry a lack of self-worth, areas for which I feel shame, and areas where I feel unworthy of love. I embrace your love today; acknowledging and accepting it, learning and growing because of it, and recognizing that you died for me because you loved me and because I am worthy of such a great and abiding love. Lord, help me to understand my worth in your eyes so that I will no longer fear not being loved. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement

I once counseled a woman who felt so much despair and shame that she felt unworthy of love. As she stood across from me with tears suddenly streaming down her face, I had an image of Jesus catching her tears.  "You know that God loves you", I said. She looked down to the ground, her eyes avoiding mine. When I took her by the shoulders she lifted her head to look at me. "God loves you so much that he died on the cross for you. Sometimes when we think of Jesus dying on the cross, we think of his sacrifice as a whole. God died for YOU and he loves you so much that he would run to the ends of the earth to capture your tears. He knows your hurts, he sees your wounds. He has been there from the beginning and has seen your life unfold, including those things you don't want anyone to see."

Life is difficult, but God never promised that it would be easy. Along the way we are bound to get some bumps and bruises, to see and experience unpleasant things. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3, 5-6

 

Serenity Prayer

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 hardships 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 be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Copyright 2011/Mary Clewley/All Rights Reserved

Monday Morning Inspiration
February 21, 2011

Affirmations

Monday:  I will listen to the words I speak today. Words can help me make sense of, explain, learn and teach. Words can open windows, the imagination, create change. Words bring joy and laughter. Words can heal.

Tuesday: Today I will say no, without feeling guilty or fearful. I will realize that sometimes it is in my best interest to do so. I am learning to love myself enough to not be afraid of the consequences of the word “no”. I am not in control of the behavior or reactions of others. I choose do what is healthy for ME. I am creating healthy boundaries.

Wednesday:  I want to experience new things and make new choices. I am no longer willing to live in the past, but looking forward to moving in the direction of my dreams. The past is what it is. I cannot change it, so I will move on. Each day brings new promise and an opportunity to begin again.

Thursday: Today I will re-think the challenge words: all, every, never, always, nobody, everybody, either/or, should, ought, must, can’t.  I will pay attention to the way I use these words and how I allow them to define me.

Friday: Today I will play! I will give myself permission to dream. I will make a conscientious effort to put worry aside, if only for today. Today I will laugh.

Saturday:  Today I will take a moment to think about my personal philosophy. I am strong and my experiences, good and bad, are valuable. Today I will decide what to toss and what to keep. I will think about the things that mean most to me in my life. I will create a statement about how I choose to live my life, which will guide me in future decisions.

Sunday: Today I will take time to rest. Rest renews my mind, body, and spirit. I give myself permission to sleep in just a little later and stay in my pajamas a little longer than usual. I don’t have to “do” today, but rather, just “be”…and that is great!

Prayers

Monday:  Dear Lord, help me realize today that the words that I speak are a reflection of the state of my soul.  If I speak ill of others, negativity, and profess gloom and doom for myself, please help me to recognize it and come to you for help. Help me to seek a quiet moment alone with you to give you all of those things, which weigh heavy on my soul. Help me to live, laugh, love and fly freely today. Please help me to breathe life into situations through my words, rather than death and/or sorrow. Help me to build others up,  fill me words that bring joy and laughter help me to teach and heal others through the use of my words today. Thank you Lord. Amen.

Tuesday:  Lord, I know that you created me in the image of yourself and that you know even the number of hairs on my head.  Help me to better understand the love you have for me, therefore realizing my own value. Give me a voice to speak kindly to others about my own needs and those things that are healthy for myself. Help me set boundaries that will make me a healthier, happier, and whole person. Lord, please help me understand that I am not in control of the reaction of other people when I choose to set healthy boundaries for myself.  Thank you Lord. Amen.

Wednesday:  Dear Lord, please help me to be everything that you created me to be. I want to live in a world of possibilities and forgive myself for past mistakes and failures. I recognize that you forgive me too and that you want the best for my life and that you long to give me the desires of my heart.  Thank you for beginning the process of healing in my life today and showing me that I am perfect just as I am. Please open new doors of opportunity for me and help me to walk through them, unafraid. Help me to walk one step forward at a time and know that when I feel afraid you are walking alongside of me.

Amen.

Thursday:  Lord, thank you for letting me see that I have choices. Thank you for showing me that I have allowed my own words to define me in the past. I have allowed my words to control situations, sometimes holding me back from doing and being everything that I can be.  I will re-think my words today. Please help me to see them in a new light. Please help me to recognize how certain words can inhibit my personal growth. Thank you for bringing it to my attention Lord.  Amen.

Friday:  Lord, thank you for filling me with laughter and joy. Thank you that I can laugh and that I have people with whom I can laugh.  Thank you that even though I have grown, I still have a child-like sense of wonder Please refresh me and help me to feel free enough to be playful today. Take my burdens and make them light, Lord I release them to you today. Amen.

Saturday:  Dear Lord, I understand that you stood for something, that you came to this place to teach us and that you are not only a great teacher and healer, but also a great philosopher.  Lord I am asking you to help me recognize what is important; what things are non-negotiable in my life and personal philosophy.  Help me to develop a strong life philosophy by using my past experiences as a teacher and my hopes and dreams for the future to guide me forward.  Thank you that I am strong and capable and not afraid. Thank you that I am willing to walk through whatever doors of opportunity you open for me in the future.  Amen.

Sunday:  Lord, you say in your word, “the body is the temple of the holy spirit” (1Corinthians 6:19).  Please help me take time to rest today, realizing that even you took time apart to be alone and pray.  Thank you for helping me understand that rest renews my mind, my body, and my spirit and that in the quiet, restful times that I create for myself, you speak.  Help me to not be so busy “doing” that I am uncomfortable just “being” and that being busy is not always productive. I will think about this in the coming week. Thank you Lord. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement

Dear Friends,

I learned early on that our prayers don’t have to be perfect. God doesn’t expect us to use certain words or do it in any certain way.  He looks at our hearts and the sincerity of our relationship with him.  As a baby Christian I often attended bible studies where I was taught a certain way to pray and what was “acceptable” and “pleasing” to God. After many years I realized that those things were more “acceptable” and “pleasing” to my peers than to the Lord. He didn’t require anything of me but a clean heart.  How refreshing! A prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God.  You can pray while you are driving, cooking dinner, taking a walk, grocery shopping, or watching a baseball game. I guarantee that no matter the occasion, God hears you and will meet you there! He says in the bible, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

It is my hope that you are encouraged by our prayer and affirmation newsletter and that you will take the time each day to ponder what each of these prayers and affirmations mean in the scope of your life.  I believe that prayer is a powerful resource and that through it God can move mountains.  Our thoughts can either bring us life or cause us to live in the past, fearful of change, fearful of trying new things, fearful of working toward achieving our dreams and deepest longings.  God created each of us for a purpose and he thinks we are beautiful, each and every one! We have unlimited potential. Just think what the world would like if each of us followed our heart, dropping the shackles of fear, doubt, bitterness, hatred of self and others, and sadness!

A book that I am reading, A New Look at Prayer: Searching For Bliss, by Bill Huebsch, says this in regard to the subject of passion and inner yearnings:

“Many people live their entire lives without following their inner call. They never do that thing which is most “them”, never follow their heart. In their thinking, they’re being responsible adults, doing the work expected of them, earning a living, making a name, caring for others, obeying the rules, perfecting the world, running the ship, keeping things tidy…and so these people never know the bliss of following their yearning, listening to their ache, doing their thing in life…how very sad because when we listen closely to that deep, inner voice, and follow our real route, then the world too, prospers because all of us are living according to our created purpose.”

Blessing to you on your week. I hope you find some new insight and inspiration!

Mary

Copyright 2011/Mary Clewley/All Rights Reserved

Monday Morning Inspiration
February 14, 2011

This weeks reading is about making conscious choices about the way we live, what we believe, and self-control over negativity and living in victory.

Monday

Affect the world wherever you go, rather than have the world affect you.

Affirmation: I will be positive today. I will have a positive affect on everyone

I encounter. I will set my mind on things that are noble and good.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I know that sometimes I dwell on all the things, which are

negative in my life. I am asking you to give me a change of heart and attitude

so that I can live a more positive, joy filled life. Help me remember the good things

and the many blessings you have given me. Help me dwell on good things and see

the good in people so my attitude is contagious to those around me.

Tuesday

You are more than a conqueror.

Affirmation: If God says that I am more than a conqueror, then I believe that I am!

I can create my day today in any way I fashion.

Prayer: Dear God, I know that I can accomplish even the toughest tasks on my to-do list

Today with your help. I can survive tough situations and I have the wisdom to know how to carry on. Thank you for allowing me the freedom to make choices about how I will live out my days here on earth. I am blessed. I am a conqueror.

Wednesday

Nothing will separate you from Christ's love.

Affirmation: No matter what I have done or mistakes and failures I am ashamed of from my past, God still loves me unconditionally.

Prayer: Lord, I am so amazed that regardless of my mistakes, my own self-loathing, my own hatred, anger and jealousy, you love me unconditionally. I am forever grateful to you. May I be an example of your unconditional love to everyone I encounter today.  Amen.

Thursday

Your words have powerful influence.

Affirmation: I will guard my words today, as they have a profound impact upon the people I encounter. I will sing praises today and choose to use words that lift and encourage other people.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that I have control over my tongue. I can choose to use it to speak blessings into the lives of my friends and loved ones; I can use it to tear down walls of fear, hurt, rejection and ambivalence. Let the words of my mouth speak your praises today. Let the words of my mouth lift and encourage everyone I encounter. Amen.

Friday

Choose to make faith your own rather than being dependant upon the faith of others.

Affirmation: I will communicate directly with God, speaking to him in my own words rather than depending upon others to communicate with God for me with their faith.

I will focus on developing my own faith.

Prayer: "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

Lord, I will seek my own faith today, rather than depend upon the faith of others to do the praying and the seeking for me. I will listen to you. I will seek you with all my heart.

Saturday

Take care of how you listen. Be a selective listener.

Affirmation: In a world filled with gloom and doom, I can choose those things I want to

Let into my spirit. I can and will be a selective listener.

Prayer: Lord, help me guard my ears from things that would negatively affect my spirit today. Help me tune out all the hatred, anger, gossip and violence that have an affect on me. Teach me to be a selective listener Lord.

Sunday

Hope is more than just dreaming; it is so.

Affirmation: Through faith I can believe. I can realize my dreams through hope because hope is more than just dreaming, it brings my dreams to life.

Prayer: If we have no vision, we have no hope and therefore nothing by which to apply our faith. Lord, give me vision, give me hope, and give me a sure foundation by which to apply my faith. I trust in you to help me bring my dreams to life. I trust that things ARE because you say they are so. Amen.

Copyright 2011/Mary Clewley/All Rights Reserved

Monday Morning Inspiration

 February 7, 2011

Monday: 

Success is finishing what God gave you to do. Harold Cook

Affirmation: I will begin today and work toward the finish line.

Prayer: Lord, help me work toward the finish line without looking back. I want to give myself the chance to do and experience those things you have put on my heart. Help me discern the difference between my needs, wants and desires and that which you desire for me, as I know that YOU alone have the perfect plan for my life. Amen.

Tuesday

Relying on God has to begin over again every day as if nothing had yet been done. C.S. Lewis

Affirmation: I can cast my cares and burdens over to God, day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Prayer: Lord, just like each morning is new, help me to begin anew each morning by relying on you, talking with you, expressing my needs to you. When doing so, I will be honest with you in expressing all my cares and burdens. I understand that you desire for me to have a clean heart, something that develops through honesty. I will begin to rely on you over again every day.

Wednesday

Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Rainer Rilko

Affirmation: All those unresolved things in my life are part of the journey. I will learn to enjoy the journey and relax even though I have many unanswered questions. I will have faith.

Prayer: God, help me to be at peace with the questions in my mind, the unresolved issues in my life, the fears, hurts and disappointments. Give me a new mindset built on hope, trust and understanding. Amen.

Thursday

The spiritual seeker says, ‘My life is a classroom. I am learning something important, even from this.’ Mary Grieco

Affirmation: I am learning something important today. I will silence my mind enough to listen.

Prayer: Dear God, I will attempt to understand that with each new experience, be it pleasant or painful, you are teaching me something important. I want my life to be a classroom. I desire to be a spiritual seeker. Teach me, grow me and use the gifts you have given to me. Amen.

Friday

When God shuts a door, He opens a window. John Ruskin

Affirmation: I will not grow weary when doors are shut in my life. I will be hopeful for the new opportunities that await me.

Prayer: Lord, even though closed doors are sometimes hard to accept, I understand that you alone have the perfect plan for my life. I understand that sometimes doors are shut for my own well-being—to protect me, to challenge me, to grow my faith in you and confidence in myself. I look forward to the many windows of opportunity you will open for me in my lifetime. I trust you completely. I will not spend time dwelling on things that are no longer but will instead look forward to things which are possibilities. Amen.

Saturday

In the aftermath of our tears, hope rises to fill the part of us that has been cleansed by the pain. Zig Ziglar

Affirmation: I am thankful for the difficult times in my life, knowing that hope brings new life inside of me, birthing new ideas, new plans and the excitement of newness in my future.

Prayer: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to live with the pain of grief, loss and the disappointments that life sometimes throws at me. You have watched my tears and know the pain in my heart. I thank you that I have lived through pain to see the other side, which is a rainbow of hope. Thank you for being my hope. Thank you for holding my hand through the storms of life and making me stronger. Amen.

Sunday

Crying is one of the healthiest things you can do. Bob Deits

Affirmation: It is ok to cry when I feel sad or angry or afraid. I will allow myself to express these emotions through tears.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me confident enough and vulnerable enough to express my sadness to you and to others through my tears. In their truest form, my tears help me understand new things about my situation and myself. By releasing my emotions in this way, I find healing of my mind and spirit. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement:

Our quotes, prayers and affirmations this week are all centered around grief and healing.

In our time here on earth we experience many forms of grief, and sometimes we do not recognize that it is grief at all. We can grieve when things change, grieve the loss of a loved one, grieve the loss of a job, grieve financial hardship, grieve for the despair of others, grieve aging, grieve retirement, grieve over loss of health of ourselves or loved ones, grieve divorce, loss of friendship, ended relationships…to name a few.

However, life is also full of healing. Often we do not recognize our own healing. It comes gradually and manifests itself in healthy emotions and responses to situations and a feeling of joy—as if the winter has passed.

All quotes for this week Monday Morning Inspiration are excerpts from the book, “A Time to Grieve…A Time to Heal” by Dr. Criswell Freeman/Delaney Street Press/2000

 January 31, 2011

Monday Morning Inspiration

Monday

Write down the goals you have for today.

Affirmation:  I can accomplish that which I set my mind to today. I will use my time wisely. I will feel accomplished when the day is done.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to write my goals for today and live with a purpose today. I know I can accomplish more and feel better about myself when I live with purpose. Help me discover purpose in my day today and in every task, be it exciting or mundane. Thank you that I have a sound mind and body and that I know my own boundaries. Amen.

Tuesday

Make a list of topics or activities that you have always wanted to learn or try.

Affirmation: My life is an adventure and I can make of it what I choose. I have the courage to try new things and meet new people.

Prayer: Dear God, please help me to make the most of the life you have given me. Give me the desire and the courage to try new things and blaze new trails. Where I am weak, give me strength. I am willing to break away from old routines and create new routines full of adventure and learning opportunities. Amen.

Wednesday

What is the best time of day for you to spend some alone in prayer or meditation?

Affirmation: I am at my best when I make time for myself. I am at my best when I set aside time for spiritual reflection. I deserve time alone in prayer or meditation because I know that cultivating these practices gives me a greater understanding of my own needs and the needs of those around me. Having a devotional life makes me a better-balanced individual.

Prayer: Lord, it is challenging to develop discipline. I pray that you will give me enough self-awareness to recognize how much I am lacking when I do not spend time with you. Help me cultivate discipline in areas where I am lacking. Amen.

Thursday

Offer hope to someone else today by doing simple things Brainstorm some of those things.

Affirmation: I can make a difference in the life of someone else today. My life has special meaning. I have the confidence to reach out to hurting people today.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, give me creative ideas to be an inspiration in the life of someone else. Give me encouraging words that speak hope to others. Show me simple ways to be kind and enrich the lives of others. I want to be your hands, your feet, and your mouth today. Amen.

Friday

Make a list of the things you worry about constantly. Study the list and recognize those things you can control.

Affirmation: Today I will give myself permission to break free from worry. I will hand my worries over to a higher power and recognize those things I cannot change.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me to see that worry is not productive or healthy. I release all of my worries to you today and I rest in the comfort that no matter what comes, you will never leave me or forsake me…you are my refuge in the storm and you will see me through. Amen.

Saturday

What activities can I add to my daily routine to help me relax and calm my mind?

Affirmation: My body is a temple and I will learn how to respect it by cultivating practices that bring me peace and good health.

Prayer: God, you are a loving God. Bring to my attention those things in my life that rob me of peace. Bring to my attention those things that rob me of good health. Help me cultivate new practices and activities that restore my mind and body. Put people in my life that can help me learn healthy living practices. Amen.

Sunday

Start a journal today

Affirmation: My life is a tapestry of many experiences. I will begin to write my own story on the pages of my journal. I will see more clearly the richness of my journey and cultivate gratitude for the many blessings I have previously ignored along the way.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for offering me creative expression through journaling. Awaken me to things that I have buried deep by helping me to express them on the pages of my journal. Give me the strength to look at what I have written about my life, my journey, learn from it and move forward. Thank you for the richness of growth I will discover as I begin to write the tapestry of my life on the pages. I look forward to this new chapter. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement

I have written a prompt for you for each day of this coming week. The prompts are just suggestions of things to think about. Spend some time each day contemplating what the daily suggestion means to you.

May your week be full of rich and meaningful experiences and may you find the time to explore the real you; that person you discover in the midst of quiet time, away from all distractions. I pray that this week is the beginning of an exciting journey for you. Start something new….each day is a new beginning….allowing us another opportunity to begin again. Forgive yourself of past mistakes, as they can become an obstacle to moving forward and feeling joy.

Monday Morning Inspiration
May 10

This weeks affirmations are quotes from the book, "No Man is An Island" by Thomas Merton.

Monday

Affirmation: "Sincerity is, perhaps, the most vitally important quality of true prayer. It is the only valid test of our faith, our hope, and our love of God. No matter how deep our meditations, nor how severe our penances, how grand our liturgy, how pure our chant, how noble our thoughts about the mysteries of God; they are all useless if we do not really mean what we say."

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for knowing my every thought, for sensing and knowing when I am sincere. Thank you for knowing my heart. Lord, I want to cleanse myself of all insincerity when I come to you in prayer. Help me to be honest with myself and with you. Allow me the wisdom to know when I am deceiving myself and trying to deceive you. I do not want to strive in vain. Thank you Lord.

Tuesday

Prayer: Lord, I know that you can turn even the worst situation into something good. I pray Lord that you would give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a tongue to confess your power over every circumstance in my life. Thank you for turning those things that were meant for harm into good in my life. Thank you for helping me see that which is good and for giving me the faith to believe that you are omnipotent and an ever-present help in trouble. Amen.

Wednesday

Affirmation: "Some men are only virtuous enough to forget that they are sinners without being wretched enough to remember how much they need the mercy of God."

Prayer: Lord, help me to refrain from casting stones at others and overlooking my own sin. I want to remain humble enough to recognize that I am here and saved from the snares of evil in this world by your mercy. Thank you that because of your loving kindness toward me, I have mercy upon others and see them through your loving eyes. Amen.

Thursday

Affirmation: "Every man becomes the image of the God he adores."

Prayer: Lord, help me to see if I have put any other Gods before you. I want to be an image of you and not some other form of God—be it wealth, power, affluence, popularity or any other vice that would separate my heart from yours and cause me to live divided. It is you I adore Lord. I want to be like you. Amen.

Friday

Affirmation: "Our life, as individual persons and as members of a perplexed and struggling race, provokes us with the evidence that it must have meaning. Part of the meaning still escapes us. Yet, our purpose in life is to discover this meaning, and live according to it. We have, therefore, something to live for. The process of living, of growing up, and becoming a person, is precisely the gradually increasing awareness of what that something is."

Prayer: Lord, help me discover my purpose in life. I choose to live my life with direction and Godly purpose. I realize that purpose is constantly evolving as I evolve and grow in you. I recognize that my life has meaning—that you put me here for a purpose and each day that I seek out your direction for my life, I am one step closer to understanding what that something is. Thank you that while I am working toward that discovery, I can also be content in the present. I know that your timing is perfect and that you have a perfect plan. I acknowledge that my life will be the most fulfilling when I earnestly seek your will for my days. Amen.

Saturday

Affirmation: "Now anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity. It is the fruit of unanswered questions. But questions cannot go unanswered unless they first be asked. And there is a far worse anxiety, a far worse insecurity, which comes from being afraid to ask the right questions—because they might turn out to have no answer. One of the moral diseases we communicate to one another in society comes from huddling together in the pale light of an insufficient answer to a question we are afraid to ask."

Prayer: Lord, I want to be brave enough to ask the difficult questions. I want to trust you enough to ask you those questions for which I am frightened of the answer. I know that whatever may come, you will never leave me or forsake me. I choose not to live with spiritual insecurity due to lack of spiritual honesty with others, you and myself. Thank you for being there to pick me up when I fall, for knowing me and loving me just the same. Thank you that I am strong enough to ask questions and courageous enough to refrain from looking for direction through deceitful answers of well-wishers and those who are afraid to tell me the truth. Amen.

Sunday

Affirmation: "If we are to love sincerely, and with simplicity, we must first of all overcome the fear of not being loved."

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are now filling every void in my life. Where there is lack, you fill me up, including those areas where I carry a lack of self-worth, areas for which I feel shame, and areas where I feel unworthy of love. I embrace your love today; acknowledging and accepting it, learning and growing because of it, and recognizing that you died for me because you loved me and because I am worthy of such a great and abiding love. Lord, help me to understand my worth in your eyes so that I will no longer fear not being loved. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement:

I once counseled a woman who felt so much despair and shame that she felt unworthy of love. As she stood across from me with tears streaming down her face, I had an image of Jesus catching her tears. "You know that God loves you", I said. She looked down to the ground, her eyes avoiding mine. When I took her by the shoulders she lifted her head to look at me. "God loves you so much that he died on the cross for you. Sometimes when we think of Jesus dying on the cross, we think of his sacrifice as a whole. God died for YOU and he loves you so much that he would run to the ends of the earth to capture your tears. He knows your hurts, he sees your wounds. He has been there from the beginning and has seen your life unfold, including those things you don't want anyone to see."

Life is difficult, but God never promised that it would be easy. Along the way we are bound to get some bumps and bruises, to see and experience unpleasant things.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3, 5-6

Serenity Prayer

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 hardships 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 be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

Know that god has been with you from the beginning and he will never leave you or forsake you.

Monday Morning Inspiration
April 26

Monday

Affirmation: Our work is not just a means of livelihood, but it is our witness to the world.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me understand that the work I do each day is part of my witness to those around me and to the world. Whether I am a stay at home mom, or one who goes to a 9-5 job each day, show me the influence that my work may have on those around me. Help me to do what I do with love, care and reverence, from the simplest task to those tasks on a larger scale. Help me to have a sweet, servant’s spirit. Amen.

Tuesday

Affirmation: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

Prayer: God is able to meet more than all of our needs and out of the blessing he supplies extra so that we are able to meet the needs of others. Dear Lord, thank you that you supply me with everything I need and that my life is filled with abundance so that I am able to extend a helping hand and a listening ear to those who need a friend. It is because of you that I understand the meaning of friendship because your love for me is so true. Thank you Lord. Amen.

Wednesday

Affirmation: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Prayer: God, please give me the strength not only to handle prosperity, but to handle adversity as well. Thank you that through you I have the strength to handle any problems that come my way. Amen.

Thursday

Affirmation: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

Prayer: Lord, may my words bring life and wisdom. Guard my heart and mind from those things that would cause insult, harm or injury to others. There is power in the tongue—in the words that we use; they can bring life or death. Lord, I want to bring life. I want to speak blessings upon those around me. Guard my heart. Help me recognize thoughts that are contrary to your goodness Lord. Amen.


Friday

Affirmation: “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” Luke 16:12

Prayer: I have heard it said that the choices we make when no one else is looking are the most significant because they give us a glimpse into the true nature of our heart. Lord, help me be faithful with the work that I do for others. Help me take as much care with those things that belong to another, as I am with my own. I desire to live my life with integrity, both in the things that are seen and those that are unseen. Amen.

Saturday

Affirmation: “Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 12:3

Prayer: Lord, may I exhibit such extravagant love on those around me by giving the best of what I have rather than the least. Help me establish it as a rule for my life that the “who” of me is a reflection of my service to you and to others. Amen.

Sunday

Affirmation: “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 10:4

Prayer: Lord, I realize that hard work is indispensable to success of any kind. Let me not pray you to do the work for me, but that I will have the will and the strength and the faith to accomplish that which you tell me I can. Help me make the best use of my time and resources Lord. I desire diligence and balance in all things. Amen.

A Word of Encouragement:

So often we dream a dream and are either paralyzed by fear or we rely so heavily on prayer that we begin to relegate the footwork to God. I have often found in women’s ministry that some women spend many hours, week after week in bible study with their friends, surveying, dissecting and hoping to begin something new but all their prayers are but a clanging symbol because there is no action behind them. Often lacking the fortitude to initiate the action(s) necessary to fulfill the dream, which God put inside of them, these women sit on the sidelines in our churches and communities. They so want to fit in and not create waves that they conform to mediocrity. “Conformity leads to compromise. Compromise leads to mediocrity. Mediocrity leads to sin and a wasted life. Finally, a wasted life leads to a lost legacy.” Dennis & Barbara Rainey

Begin to pray for God to instruct you in “the way you should choose.” Heart work should be the foundation for all ministry, but what we often fail to recognize that our lives are a tapestry. Each day our life speaks to the world around us, painting a picture of who we are and who God is. It is a desire of God to see all of his children working diligently at the ministry that he has chosen for them. He wants us to live in power, not in fear. Despite being mocked and living a very difficult life in ministry, Jesus was not distracted from his father’s will. Whenever you are about to accomplish something great for the kingdom of God, you will encounter resistance of some sort. Ask God to give you the creativity to overcome obstacles that would stand in your way of accomplishing his purpose for your life. Set a course for your journey and do more walking than talking. Ministry requires action. It’s ok to create waves along the way…remember that Jesus turned over the tables in the temple! But more than anything, LOVE can accomplish great things…it can move mountains, it can melt frozen hearts and mend broken ones.

@Copyright 2010/Hope-Filled Living/Mary Clewley/All Rights Reserved

Monday Morning Inspiration

April 19

Monday

Affirmation: “A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations.” Patricia Neal

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that while you are an all-knowing God, you allow me to learn for myself through trial and error, through mistakes and hardships. Thank you that you are such a patient and understanding teacher and through your loving kindness I grow and learn about myself and the world around me. I give thanks that through my experience, I am awakened to my own expectations…learning what works for me, what lifts me up, what I can offer the world, and what I should expect of others. Thank you that because of you I know forgiveness and gentleness and I practice it on others and myself. Amen.

Tuesday

Affirmation: “I move through my day-to-day life with a sense of appreciation and gratitude that comes from knowing how fortunate I truly am, and how unearned all that I am thankful for really is.” Jean Shinoda Bolen

Prayer: Lord, it tells us in the bible that we can’t get to heaven on good deeds alone. I am eternally grateful that you look into my heart—seeing the rooms I want to hide—you see my sin, my shame, hatred, jealousy, anger, unforgiveness and self-loathing…and you love me in spite of myself. I know that your love and sacrifice for me are unearned, but nevertheless, you loved me so much that you gave your life for me on the cross and yet you continue to assure me that I don’t have to earn your love…that it is, was, and always will be there for me. Thank you Lord. I am truly thankful. Amen.

Wednesday

Affirmation: “Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.” Anne Sexton

Prayer: Lord, I have so much to learn about myself. Show me how to listen to what’s going on inside of me Lord. Today, I want to listen to my soul. I want to see it as you see it…the broken places in need of healing, the tender places that show in my moments of vulnerability, the hardened places that isolate me from giving and receiving love. Lord, while revealing to me the condition of my soul, also show me its beauty…the good things I have done, the people I have touched perhaps unknowingly. Thank you Lord. Amen.

Thursday

Affirmation: “Blessed be the name of God…He reveals deep and hidden things.” Daniel 2:20, 22

Prayer: Lord, I thank you today for revealing deep and hidden things. I thank you that anything evil can be turned around for your good. Thank you that you have given me the ability to see into others’ hearts, often revealing that which is hidden. I praise you for giving me sensitivity and wisdom in this area and that you give me this kind of understanding. I am grateful that in trying circumstances I can pray for the truth to be revealed and in your time, it will. I am also grateful that you reveal to me the deep and hidden things inside of myself. I rejoice in your goodness Lord. Amen.

Friday

Affirmation: “Ask God’s blessings on your work, but don’t ask him to do it for you.” Dame Flora Robson

Prayer: Dear Lord, I realize that sometimes I grow lazy. I pray my prayers and hope that you will do the rest of the work for me. I pray that you will bless my work, and pray that you will give me the perseverance, confidence, tenacity, and faith to follow it through to completion…to see the culmination of my own hard work and prayers and know that I worked hard to achieve it and you blessed me because of it. There is an old saying, “quitters never win and winners never quit”, Lord put a vision before me and help me walk through the doors to achieve it. Amen.

Saturday

Affirmation: “Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God.” Diana Robinson

Prayer: Lord, sometimes I spend so much time chatting away at you that I don’t take the time to listen to you…to just be still and listen. I realize that in the silence there is much to be learned and in my stillness you will reveal things to me, which I previously could not hear because I was too busy talking. I desire to hear your voice Lord. Train me to just “be” still in you and show me that the stillness is often more productive than busyness. I want to hear your voice Lord. Amen.

Sunday

Affirmation: “God stirs up our comfortable nests, and pushes us over the edge of them, and we are forced to use our wings…read your trials in his light, and see if your wings are being developed.” Hannah Whitall Smith

Prayer: Father, I often feel afraid when you ask me to grow. Growing means leaving behind that which is comfortable and stepping onto new terrain. On this new terrain I may not have all the answers, I may lose my way, I may get discouraged and lost, but I am determined to see my trials through the light of your eyes Lord. I thank you that you give me wings to fly. Amen.

A Word Of Encouragement

Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel that everything which was once comfortable is now gone? These are times of great spiritual growth for each of us, times when God is forcing us to fly. When a baby bird gets pushed out of the nest, it can either fall to its death or fly. That’s what spiritual growth is like…when we are dormant, stuck in the same comfortable rut, afraid to spread our wings and try new things, complacently plodding along it is like spiritual death. God desires for us to earnestly seek him, awakening to our own abilities, putting our ear down close to our souls to discover what it is that we should be doing at the moment and how far off base we really are. I encourage you to “see your trials in His light, and see if your wings are being developed.” Spiritual growth and development is as if God is our teacher, awakening us to our own expectations. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” Henry David Thoreau


Copyright 2010, Mary Clewley/Hope-Filled Living/All Rights Reserved