Preparation

1 Peter 5:4 — And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

There is a day soon coming

that every single one of my sorrows

will be redeemed

and I will be restored.

Though it may never come

in this life,

it will undoubtedly come

and joy will be mine.

If Your promises are true, O Lord,

I am content to live the rest of my days

in suffering;

for I know the prize that awaits me

in perseverance.

In every one of my afflictions

draw near to me, Lord.

Strengthen my faith -

make me resilient

in my suffering,

not after it is through.

Fill my cup with the joy

of everlasting hope in You, O mighty God,

that I may persist in the battle

and have the victory.

The day is fast approaching

where light will swallow darkness whole

and I will sit in my heavenly place.

Therefore,

with every passing moment

I will fight -

standing firm in my faith,

steadfast in my obedience,

preparing to receive my

eternal crown.

Amen.

Saving Rebuke

Hebrews 12:7 — Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their Father?

I loved Your discipline

until You disciplined

the parts of me

that I hoped wouldn’t have to change.

I cherished Your rebuke

until You rebuked

the parts of me

that I wanted to stay hidden.

I praised Your correction

until You corrected

the parts of me

that I desired to stay the same.

I asked for Your light

until it exposed

my darkness,

I asked for Your Spirit

until it revealed

the cost.

Your love is

discipline,

rebuke,

and correction.

Your Light

exposes,

Your Spirit

reveals,

and it is good.

It is not enough

to receive parts of You

but not all of You, Lord,

when all of You

is what I need.

Amen.

Stripped

Isaiah 48:10 — “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

I was stripped of

what was most precious

to me

that I would see

there is nothing more precious

than Your love.

I was stripped of

what I thought

I controlled

that I would know

how little control

I really have.

I was stripped of

what gave me

security

that I would realize

how insecure I am

without You.

I was stripped of

what I thought

I knew

that I would understand

how meaningless I am

without You.

I praise You, Father,

for the refining grace

of being stripped

of anything

that seeks to replace You.

Amen.

Evidence

Psalm 71:1 - In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

I am

the evidence

that You are capable

of taking impossible things

and redeeming them

for good.

I can rejoice

that I have joy

beyond my circumstances,

my environment,

my afflictions.

You have led me through

enough

in this life

to give me confidence

in the plans

You have for me -

why would I doubt You

for a single moment?

Amen.

Union

Ephesians 5:25 — … just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Your eyes saw me

in my mother’s womb,

our union began

in the empty tomb.

O perfect love,

divine and true,

Your grace to me,

my need for You.

Past my mistakes,

brokenness too,

my deepest longing,

Your endless pursuit.

You are my Rock,

my eternal Bloom,

You are my Safety,

my precious Groom.

Forever Yours,

what can undo

this covenant love

with me You choose.

Amen.

Shine

Psalm 5:3 — In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

In the morning

I look to You -

You made the morning sun

shine

and gave me breath.

Today

is a new day.

Fill me

with the fullness

of Your Spirit,

the fullness

of Your love

and wonder.

I am

Yours -

have Your way

with me.

Renew me -

refresh my spirit

and breathe life

into my bones.

Awaken me -

arise my soul

and speak truth

over my mind.

Keep me from

distraction

and deception,

from blindness

and foolishness.

Open my eyes,

Father -

let me see.

Amen.

Identity

Ephesians 2:10 — For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

My identity is in You,

Lord,

and You alone.

Though I am quick to forget,

my purpose is in You

my value is in You

my hope is in You

my joy is in You

my strength is in You.

You give to me

what nothing else can,

what no one else will

and it sustains my life.

Draw near to me, Father,

and remind me of who I am

by showing me who You are.

You are my comfort,

my resting place.

You are my foundation,

my only hope.

Let Your will be done.

Amen.

From The Beginning

Psalm 139:16 — …all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I was set apart by You

from the beginning of time.

You had plans for me

before I knew You.

You had a life for me

before I followed You.

You had a name for me

before I said a word.

All that I face

all that I have endured

all that I was

and all that I am

has been reconciled

and set free.

Every pain

and loss,

every rejection

and hurt

You redeemed

on the cross.

Because of Your grace -

absolutely

undoubtedly

unashamedly

nothing else but Your grace -

I am made new.

Amen.

Beyond

Isaiah 40:8 — The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

Beyond the skies

and past the stars,

there You are.

Beyond the flesh

and past the heart,

there You are.

Beyond the shame

and past the guilt,

there You are.

Beyond the temptation

and past the facade,

there You are.

Beyond the fear

and past the doubt,

there You are.

Beyond myself

and past my soul,

there You will remain

forever.

Amen.

Aware

Isaiah 6:5, 7 — Woe to me! I cried. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty… “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

The awareness

of my unholiness -

the full picture

of my human condition -

and the understanding

of Your decision

to make me

in Your image

for Your pleasure -

this is the

fullness

of my worship.

Amen.

Elsewhere

Psalm 91:2 — I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

You are my

safety.

You are my

security.

You are my

protection.

You are my

freedom.

You are my

identity.

You are

all of the things

that I look for

elsewhere.

You are

all of the things

that I hope for

elsewhere.

Teach me, Lord,

to see You in full view,

to know You with my whole heart

and be free.

Amen.

Sing

Psalm 119:103 — How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

To You

I will run.

In You

I will hope.

For You

I will live.

You are

my promised land,

my narrow path.

You are

my heavenly home,

my eternal banquet.

Like honey

on my lips

and a melody

in my heart,

You are

everything that is good.

O Lord,

my Dwelling Place,

You make my spirit sing.

Amen.

Shepherd

John 10:9 — “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”

I will find pasture

in Your promises

and contentment

under Your care.

My Savior and Shepherd,

Your voice

drowns out the rest;

Your Word

leads me to safety.

I am a sheep -

wandering and needy,

unable

when I depart from You.

Your breath

forms the boundaries

of my life.

You speak

and my soul

finds its home;

You whisper

and my spirit

knows its place.

Do not

let me out

of Your sight,

my Shepherd.

Amen.

You Saw

John 1:48 — “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

You saw me

before I knew You.

You knew me

before I chose You.

You created me

before I was.

You see me

as I weep for You.

You know me

as I question You.

You hold me

as I long for You.

You see

where I am going.

You know

my future

before I arrive.

You protect

my every step

before I take one.

You were

You are

You will be.

Amen.

Meet Me

Romans 6:6-7 — For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Let nothing

come between us, Lord.

Let nothing

take Your perch.

Sit enthroned

at the center

of my life —

that is the only place

You belong.

Though trouble surrounds me,

though evil pursues me,

the eye of this storm

is completely still

because You are here.

Meet me

at the executioner’s chair -

the cross given to me -

and raise me up

to new life with You.

Meet me

at the tomb of the old,

where self goes to die,

and call me out

to a new hope in You.

Amen.

Peace

Philippians 4:7 — And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prince of Peace,

I seek from You

the unknown wonder

of Your promise.

As I carry on

in the wilderness,

as the currents of chaos

flow beneath me

and the winds of the world

swirl overhead,

Your peace extends

to me

though I cannot fathom

how.

Carry me,

O mighty hand of God,

sustain me

in the wasteland

as I pass through.

Though they seek me,

though I often worry,

be my hedge of Protection

and do not let me stumble -

do not let me give in

to the temptation surrounding me,

calling out to me.

Prince of Peace,

You are -

You must be -

my only peace.

Amen.

Multiply

Psalm 103:1 — Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Rejoice,

rejoice,

be filled with joy,

O my soul!

The Lord gives and gives -

His giving does not cease.

Even in suffering -

pain and affliction,

darkness and hurt -

the Father does not relent in giving to me.

Let my resilience bless You, O God,

my spirit bring You honor,

my battle be my ministry.

Multiply -

increase my inheritance,

expand my territory,

bless me,

pour out gifts upon me,

choose me to do Your will,

to tell of Your goodness.

I will suffer with gratitude

for it brings me nearer to You, Father,

closer to the finish line.

I will receive blessings with joy,

with humility,

for it is one more reason to praise You,

O God.

My Rock,

my Redeemer,

I will rejoice

for all that You have done.

Amen.

Remove

Matthew 26:39 — “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.”

Remove

this cup.

Remove

this thorn.

Remove

this burden.

Remove

this evil.

Take my sorrows, Lord,

I cannot bear them

any longer.

Take my pain,

I cannot endure it

any more.

Take me -

all of me -

and press Your face

to mine,

all that I want

is to know

You are here.

I want to faint

at Your feet,

I want to fall down

at Your throne.

Unwind me,

unburden me,

so that I can be

redeemed.

Amen.

Rest

Hebrews 4:1 — Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

Rest,

O my soul,

rest in the Lord

for He is sovereign.

Rest,

O my bones,

rest in the Lord

for He is good.

Rest,

O mind,

rest in the Lord

for He is faithful.

In the arms of the Almighty

I rest,

I am held.

In the hands of the Holy One

I rest,

I am secure.

I will enter

into Your presence

knowing my rest comes

at Your feet.

Amen.

Both

Psalm 93:1 — The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.

I see You

when the sun rises,

when the night paints black.

I know You

when the skies are blue,

when dark clouds form.

I hear You

when the birds sing,

when the thunder rolls.

You are warmth

and terror -

I praise them both.

You are tender

and wildfire -

I praise them both.

Unknown

but eternally intimate,

sovereign

but eternally present,

I sing praises to the Lord

without relenting.

Amen.