Prayer does nothing to make God more present, for God is always present. Prayer is our response to the presence of God in our lives.

. . . from A Tree Full of Angels - seeing the
Holy in the ordinary by Macrina Wiederkehr

In His Presence

Holy Father,
Everlasting Light forgive my redundant thoughts. Unfailing Love rescue my reluctant heart. Extravagant Grace fill my repentant soul. Goodness surrounds my every moment, exceeding my vocabulary. You continue to weave an extraordinary tapestry with sacred threads, torn remnants and unspun fibers. All are being woven together by Your Light and Love and Grace. What a masterpiece You are creating - thread by thread, moment by moment, possibility by possibility. Gratitude shouts Hallelujah! A thousand Hallelujahs are not enough. On my knees, LORD, find me on my knees, for You are Great and worthy to be praised! Your presence delights my soul, encourages my spirit, mends my wounds, shows me truth, offers me peace. Lord, be my strength, my shield, my joy! I long to abide in Your presence. Amen. ~dho

I'm still in Your presence, but You've taken my hand. You wisely lead me, and then You bless me.
Psalm 73:23-24 (msg)

Listening in His Presence

God - You're my God! I can't get enough of You!
My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You . . .
I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;
I bless You every time I take a breath, lifting up my hands to You in prayer.
You satisfy me . . . I will praise You with songs of joy.
If I am sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
I think how much You have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of Your protecting wings.
I stay close to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. . .

Psalm 63:1-8 (the Message, NLT, NCV) . . . a Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah


Holy Father,
Open my heart, for I long to hear Your voice. I listen for Your instructions, meditate on Your wonders. I collate my random thoughts and lay them at Your altar. Through the silence, I hear Your whispers of mercy and compassion and tenderness. Inside my longing heart, prayers of praise rise to You. My soul finds satisfaction in the shadow of Your protecting wings that exists nowhere else. Holy Spirit, bring His presence and His peace. Amen. ~ dho

Find His Presence

Hear the loon's mournful call in the distance,
Feel the hawk's graceful, slow dance with the wind,
Remember the night sky's luminaries
As they fade when another morning speaks,
And find His presence.

Hear thunder's rumbling call, "Storm Approaching!"
Feel wind's royal power command respect!
Recall the warning; listen to the wind
As darkness struggles to control and shout,
And find His presence.

Hear whispers in the night as angels sing,
Feel holy kisses as His angels pass,
Remember sweet songs of comfort and peace
As mercy makes a home within the soul,
And find His presence.

Hear gentle words offered without reason,
Feel the rhythm of glory-words that praise,
Recall holy words written on the heart
As the Living Word restores hope's voice,
And find His presence.

Hear the empty silence of loneliness,
Feel the wordless sighs of unspoken prayer,
Remember the promise of Perfect Love
As holiness seeks ordinary time,
And find His presence.

Hear the Holy Spirit summon, "Be still!"
Feel the solitude embrace calm's repose,
Recall the mystery and the majesty
As Grace falls softly and shelters the soul,
And find His presence.
~ dho 6/22/06

Be Faithful

In his book Everyday Simplicity, A Practical Guide to Spiritual Growth, Robert J. Wicks writes: People are not noble because they succeed or are applauded by others. Their lives are honorable and worthy of emulation because they are striving for what is good - no matter what the results! God asks us to be involved not because we are called to be successful, but because we are called to be faithful.

Let every detail in your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the name of Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3:17 (The Message)

We live in a society that defines our worth by material possessions and worldly successes. Our involvement can easily be motivated by personal gain and recognition. The scriptures remind us that Jesus should be our motivation. We should be defined by our faithfulness. ~dho

On A Journey

May your life become one of glad and unending praise to the Lord as you journey through this world. ~ Teresa of Avila

Holy Father,
This day shouts Your beauty! I am humbled as I ponder Your Love. For it is so much higher and deeper, wider and stronger ~ more vast than my human mind can understand. How I long to love with such certainty, without conditions. How I long to love with such freedom, without restrictions. How I long to love with such magnitude, without measure. You seal my desire to love with the love of Christ, His signature already on my soul. Your love is Pure Grace!
There are times when the days are easy, like lazy afternoons at the beach. There are times when the days are busy, like a full day of essential tasks. There are times when the days are hectic, like fragmented chaos with infused intentions. Every day we choose to find You or to lose You in our ordered ways. You are the One who gives us the choice.
Refine us through the chaos. Renew us in the busyness. Restore us with easy times. Remind us of Your never-ending Love. In the name of Jesus, Amen. ~dho

I wonder what sort of tale we've fallen into?
~ J.R.R. Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings

Extravagant Gifts

I get up in the middle of the night to thank You;
Your decisions are so right, so true -
I can't wait till morning! Psalm 119:62

Loving God,
The night sky is filled with luminaries that
light the darkness. Angels whisper evening
songs to our weary souls. We do not notice.
As sleep gently calls, we forget that we have
breathed the morning air, listened to laughter,
seen the evening sky appear. Another day!
Something disturbs the rhythm of our sleep,
summons our souls. In these sleepless moments,
the Holy Spirit is waiting and listens for our
response. Thank You! Thank You!
Thank You!
Father, when we fail to see the beauty of
Your day, remind us with a glorious morning
to take our breath away, a soul laugh that only
a listening heart can find, and a night sky
crowded with stars like diamonds that demand
a lingering look. Our hearts should burst with
unmeasured thankfulness! These are Your
ordinary gifts! We simply miss them in our
hectic hours, our scheduled chaos, our
saturated time.
Give our hearts the desire to breathe,
listen and see the ordinary with extraordinary
intention. Grant our souls the desire to breathe,
listen and see Your extraordinary gifts of
Love, Grace, and Joy! Let us find Your
extravagant gifts in our every day! Let us say
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Refresh our spirit! Refine our faith!
Restore our love! Renew our strength!
Rebuild our trust! Reclaim our souls!
Amen. ~dho

God Hugs

. . . the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Corinthians 3:16 (the Message)

In her book When the Heart Waits, Sue Monk Kidd writes "What is this still point? It represents the Center, the quiet core where God's Spirit dwells in us. . . At this inmost center of our being, a place where we are deeply and profoundly known and loved by God, is the Presence in our midst. . . Ultimately, the still point is a love meeting, an embrace."

God hugs you.
You are encircled
by the arms
of the mystery of God. ~ Hildegard of Bingen