prayers

I sent this email to a friend who was upset. I wanted to share it here because this is really what I do, and this helps me.

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When I'm raging and upset I find that reading (or listening to calming music) helps. Tonight, after reading your emails, I could feel your raging. Which affected me too. This (www.commonprayer.org) is what I read in the morning when I wake up and in the evening before I go to bed.

I spend time talking with God, learning about God. This takes my mind off of the craziness of this life we are in and puts my focus where it really needs to be.

http://www.commonprayer.org/

I do the brief prayers because the other ones are way too long. Just take a peak at the one tonight - evening prayers.

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

That's how the prayers start. Say that sentence and just think about what you just said. Think about standing in front of God, or in front of Jesus, as you say this out loud.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Once again just focus on those words and the place you are in while you are saying those words.

If you skip down to the bottom, you'll see prayers for the President of the United States, for clergy . . . I like this one in the evening:

A Collect for Aid against Perils.
LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

and also:

O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. 

and I know you want to say this to God:

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The thing I also like about saying these prayers is that I know that these prayers are being said by people all over the world, along with me to God. God is hearing us praise Him, and worship Him, and we are learning, and then we are praying for everyone around us.

God is so good to us.

Love you!