Introduction
My first experience with prayer was when I was in the
fifth grade. The class was studying fire prevention, and
each student was given a fire prevention ring. Mine had
Smokey the Bear on it. The ring was made of brass, and to
me it was beautiful. I loved wearing it, even though it was
a little large for my finger.
One day, during recess on the school playground, I
lost my ring. It was a large playground, and it would have
been easy for a small ring to be ground into the soil. I
was crushed. The ring was nowhere to be found.
Still, I remained optimistic, and I prayed: "God,
please help me find the ring." Not long afterwards, I did
find it. I was sure God had answered my prayer.
As a teenager, I was very active in my church,
attending Sunday school and church services every week. I
loved it. One Sunday, my belief system was shattered by my
Sunday School teacher, who challenged my concept of God.
She said, “If your concept of God is still a man with a
white beard sitting up in heaven, you had better start
looking.”
A shooting pain went through my heart. The teacher
had pegged me and my view of God. I felt silly and naive.
Inside, I said to myself, “If God isn’t a man with a white
beard, then I don’t have a God.”
That day, at seventeen years of age, I became an
agnostic. Although I still attended the classes and
services, I carried a deep wound of solitude. My God no
longer watched over me. The man who had listened to years
of, “Dear God, bless mommy and daddy...” was dead.
After graduating high school, I was admitted to a
Presbyterian college, went to vespers, and attended church.
I married in 1968. My husband and I moved from town to town
so that he could climb the corporate ladder. I joined
church after church, looking for a place that felt right,
but I was fast reaching my emotional bottom.
My husband’s skyrocketing career in the mortgage
business came to an abrupt halt when he was fired. We had a
four-bedroom house in a countryclub subdivision, with a
matching house note. To fulfill my husband’s dream of
becoming a home builder, we moved to Memphis, bought a
small house, and put our dream home on the market. It was
1973. The economy was undergoing a recession and real
estate sales were at a standstill. We had a small baby, two
house payments, and no income. A year later, our big house
still had not sold. The financial burden was
overwhelming.
Around that time, I began attending a Sunday school
class for adults. My stringent spiritual regimen already
included meditation, breath work, health food, yoga, and
the study of Eastern religion. Despite some strange
spiritual experiences, I had not yet developed a personal
relationship with God. Who or what was the Divine, anyway?
The question was still a mystery.
When the Sunday school teacher started the first
class by announcing that the group would pray for anyone
who had a request, I was really taken aback. As an adult,
most of the praying I had done in church was impersonal. I
recited the Lord’s Prayer or read responsive readings. No
one ever offered to pray for me. I was filled with both awe
and skepticism at the same time. Part of me found the idea
exciting; the other part thought it was pure
silliness.
I overcame my doubts and asked the class to pray for
our house to sell. There hadn’t been a nibble on it for a
year. Later that week, the real estate agent called about a
prospective buyer. I was astounded. The offer was
finalized, and my personal relationship with God began. An
odd twist to the story: The house was located nearly a
hundred miles from where I grew up - a great distance in
the South - but it sold to one of my former high school
classmates. That was evidence enough for me of God’s
signature.
My next phenomenal experience with prayer occurred in
the mid-’80’s. By then I had developed an awareness of the
source of my being. My prayer style was more in terms of
affirmations than requests.
I was going through relationship hell. The love of my
life was leaving me, but at the same time, he wouldn’t let
go. I was clinging to him and in the throes of
relationship-withdrawal symptoms. It hurt so much that I
called my mom for help.
This in itself indicates how desperate I was, because
my mother had some severe mental problems. She had started
losing her memory, and sometimes her reasoning was
mixed-up. This day, however, her mind was clear. She
recounted the story of her breakup and divorce with my
father, that sounded exactly like my situation, down to the
smallest details.
I asked her how she got out. Mom said that when she
wanted to quit smoking, she had prayed to God to take away
the desire. The very next day, all of her desire for
cigarettes was gone, and she quit cold turkey. My mother
believed the same power could release her from the
attachment to my father, who wanted a divorce.
“I didn’t want him to go, but it was hopeless and I
knew it,” she told me. “I was in great pain, so I prayed,
‘God, remove my need for this man. Please give me the
strength to let him go.’” Within days, she found herself
able to detach herself from my dad. Mom was ready for a
divorce; her pain was gone.
I wondered: Does God really answer such simple
prayers? In the abstract relationship that I had developed
with the Divine, God the Father seemed like an invalid
concept to me. But there was so much pain inside me. I
began to contemplate the question, “Does God answer simple
prayers?” I heard a word bubbling up in my mind -
Ishmael.
There was a man named Ishmael in the novel Moby
Dick, but that didn’t seem to fit, so I looked up the
name in my Bible. Sure enough, the story of Ishmael was
there. It was about a man who prayed to God, and his prayer
was answered. When I checked a metaphysical dictionary, the
definition of Ishmael was, “God hears and answers prayers.”
I felt a power rise up within me.
The phone rang. It was the man I wanted to release.
My mind was a blank, but God spoke through me. I heard my
own voice, filled with conviction and power, tell him: “I
am addicted to you. You are like a drug to me. Every time
you call or we speak, I go to pieces. I need to get sober.
I do not want to see you or talk to you for thirty days. I
need you out of my life.” Once again, prayer had moved me
beyond ordinary reality into a land of miracles.
Prayers come in so many forms. There are prayers of
faith and praise. When speaking these, we accept and
glorify the power that brings peace and joy to our lives.
There are prayers of affirmation, where we speak statements
that help to manifest our dreams and desires. There are
also prayers of petition, which comprise most of the
prayers in this book. In petition, we ask God to help us
out of a jam, restore us emotionally, or take our burdens
away.
I do not believe that God is a bearded man in heaven
who helps us out of jams. Nor do I believe that God is a
woman - although discovering a feminine face of God in the
Goddess has brought me great joy. Still, there is a
helpless part of me. That part needs to pray to a power
greater than myself that can restore me not only to sanity,
but to my original state of innocence, well-being, and
abundance. I pray to God as if that source is very personal
and as if it responds to me with much greater love and
power than a loving parent would give to a child in
need.
When I pray in that manner, when I get honest and
humble, I always am released from the worry or anxiety and
restored to sanity.
Some sentences or phrases are used in more than just
one prayer. These words represent some of my favorite
thoughts. I feel that good thoughts are worth repeating. A
wise teacher once told me that if I kept hearing the same
things over and over, it was a sign to pay
attention.
When I read the Psalms, the inner stirring I received
was amazing. After that, I prayed for two things on a
regular basis: for wisdom and for the ability to write like
the Psalmists. This book is the result of my prayers. In
some small way, I believe that I have become wiser, with
the ability to write prayers that can stir others. I hope
that in reading this book you can be released, uplifted,
and (in many cases) amused. God bless you.
Chapter
One
Celebrations to
Start the Day
Our mind set in the morning can determine the kind of
day that we will have. Every morning I pray for those I
love and for some I don’t love so much at the time. Next I
set my intention for the day. “My intention for today is to
live a joy-filled and abundant life.” Setting the intention
is like rolling out the red carpet of desire. Intentions
pave the way for the day. It’s a powerful custom. Brain
wave activity slows at night. When we wake up, our minds
are still operating from a lowered frequency. We go through
an almost hypnotic state as we emerge from sleep. The mind
is very vulnerable before and after sleep. Whatever we see,
hear, and even think, goes directly to the mind without
protection. Our minds need protection.
If you want to develop a state of consciousness that
supports peace of mind, you will not want to listen to
radio or TV during these times. Reading the newspaper
before prayers or meditation is also a detriment to a firm
state of mind.
The morning time is the ideal time for spiritual
practices such as prayer, meditation, exercise,
inspirational reading, dream work, and journaling. These
prayers are suitable for early morning prayer and
contemplation.
God's Good
Day
I thrill to the possibilities of life today. I plan
on unexpected and unlimited good. I am prepared to meet my
good. I am filled with enthusiasm, and I have an
enthusiastic outlook on life. The outer world is a
reflection of my inner world, so I keep thoughts of peace,
health, abundance, and gratitude in my mind.
Since my thoughts are creative, I keep pictures of
success in my mind. Even though I walk through the valley
of the most embarrassing thoughts, I will fear no evil,
because my intention is to live in love - and I can count
on grace to deliver me from retribution. I believe that
unconditional good showers my life and I am prepared to
live in my good. AMEN.
Perfect Day
Prayer
Today is my perfect day because I choose to create it
as perfect. I choose peace by allowing Your will to be in
my life today. Dance through me, God. Breathe through
me.
Today you are my speaking and my listening. I know
that you go before me, blessing each moment and smoothing
my path. I take delight in participating in your Divine
Plan. I am surrounded by inner feelings of fulfillment,
abundance, and freedom.
Today is a turning point. Miracles meet me wherever I
go. I accept your indwelling presence. My mind opens to
your wisdom. I feel safe and innocent. I give myself
permission to relax, take breaks, and to have fun.
Your voice calls out to me when I forget, and I fall
gently into your loving arms, finding a peace so deep and
still that I am no longer disturbed by the world.
Your inner Presence provides an energy blessing
wherever I go. My friends and family are profoundly touched
by your love as it flows through me. Today is my perfect
day because I choose to create it as perfect. AMEN.
Have You Made Your Leap Today? Celebrate Leap
Day
Today is an adventure, God; I had forgotten. I have
looked upon today as if it was going to be just like all
the other days I have created. No more. I will not chain
this day to my past beliefs. I set it free. I free this day
to be unknown. I free this day to be a LEAP DAY, a day I
leap from the past into the present. I am willing to let go
of my humdrum thoughts and to release my mind to
hum.
I am willing to concentrate more on my “can do” list
than on my “to do” list. I am willing to concentrate more
on my “want to do” list than on my “should do” list. I am
willing to be downright peaceful in the face of my recycled
drama. I am willing to hold back more with my criticisms
and to more freely share my compliments.
To make it short and simple, God, I am willing and
ready to change my thoughts, attitudes, and belief
systems... today, tomorrow, and every day. I am willing to
take that leap of faith every day and to be open and
expecting of my good. I am willing to take that leap of
faith every day by expecting life to be free, fun, and
easy. Today I leap into your love. I won’t look back. Now
is enough; Leap Day is here. AMEN.
Prayer for
Today
God, I seek your wisdom. Give me sanity, so that
before I do and say things I regret, I might stop to think
and make a meaningful decision to keep my mouth shut and do
nothing. Give me the wisdom to not jump to conclusions, and
get upset over meaningless mental mania... especially when
it’s the same old stuff.
Help me not to freak out over things that my mind has
imagined. And God, when there are emotions that need my
attention, help me to feel the feelings necessary for
relief. Keep me out of emotional denial. Teach me to grieve
and to feel anger, fear, and sadness. Keep me from blaming
others or treating them unmercifully when I am upset. Help
me to allow others to feel their pain without me showing
them the “bright side” or spouting some metaphysical
sweetism that really means “Shut up and don’t feel that; I
can’t handle your feelings.”
Give me the wisdom to know the difference between
someone who genuinely needs my compassion and someone who
is milking the same drama for the umpteenth time. It takes
a lot of listening to know when to speak to or when to
listen to others.
Give me the patience to stay tuned into your will in
all situations. God, there are so many bugga-buggas in our
culture. It’s not OK to feel certain feelings or to talk
openly about sex, money, mental illness, AIDS, or alternate
lifestyles. Give me the wisdom to know when to break the
rules of denial by speaking out for sanity and openness.
And beyond all, Lord, teach me to feel the intoxication of
your love. AMEN.
Prayer of
Splendor
I praise this day and make it holy. I give thanks for
another day during which I depend on God. This day, God
will light my soul with passion and pluck my heartstrings
until Divine music floods my everything. Today God bestows
my encounters with wisdom.
God’s smile flashes before my everything, inviting me
to a path that is gentle and loving. I am swept through
this day with support and affection. This morn I focus on
the light within that moves my body, feeds my mind, and
provides for my every need. I receive the abundance God
offers me and rejoice in all of its manifestations. I
accept God’s love in my life by receiving God’s
inheritance.
God’s light is speeding to all areas of disease and
discomfort in my body. Thoughts of health flood my body and
make it whole and holy. I take comfort and rest in the
house of the Lord. I praise this day and make it holy.
AMEN.
