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Morsel From the Editor |
Welcome to our Thanksgiving issue of Prayerful Morsels. I pray and give thanks for all of you.
In this issue, I ponder Three Reasons I Pray. In Prayer Bytes, I share my experience of the Jesus Prayer. And look to the right hand column as I write about Counting Our Blessings.
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Prayerful Quote |
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"No one can be grateful and unhappy."
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Personal Pondering |
| by Colleen Spiro
Three Reasons I Pray
This list is my opinion only. Please feel free to disagree and make your own list.
#3 - Peace. I pray for inner peace because I need it. And I don't think there will ever be world peace until there is peace within each of us and then in our families and then in our neighborhoods, and then ... well... you know what I mean...
#2 - Conversion. I once heard a priest say that praying does not change God's mind, praying changes our minds. Praying also changes our hearts. And so I pray that God will change my heart and all hearts. Every day.
#1 - A closer relationship with God. That is what prayer is really all about, right? Prayer means relationship, an intimate relationship with God. We can only know someone if we spend time with him. To know God, to love God, I need to spend time with Him everyday. I may have many different reasons to pray but this reason never changes. Number One is always number one.
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Prayer Bytes |
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by Colleen Spiro
The Jesus Prayer - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I first learned about the Jesus Prayer years ago. I was depressed over something and was unable to pull myself out of it. My spiritual director suggested I pray the Jesus Prayer on a regular basis. He told me to pray it silently in my heart. I was to pray it when I was walking, when I was driving the car, when I was relaxing, when I was standing in line somewhere. Whenever I felt moved to do so. He suggested I could shorten to "Jesus, have mercy " if I wished. Or just "Jesus." Whatever felt right to me.
Over and over for months I prayed "Jesus, have mercy." Every time I felt depressed or upset in any way, I prayed it. When I was walking, when I was sitting at my desk, when I was in church, when I was lying in bed at night, I prayed over and over, "Jesus, have mercy." And one day, I woke up and the depression was gone. I have heard that there is power in praying the name of Jesus.
I still pray the Jesus Prayer. I pray it when I am sad, when I am anxious, when I am angry, when I am bored, when I am happy, whenever.
And as I write this, I remember that this Sunday we begin the season of Advent. Perhaps an appropriate prayer during this time might be "Lord Jesus, Come."
However you choose to pray, remember what Paul said:
Pray without ceasing, In all circumstances give thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18a)
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Colleen's Book |
Colleen's memoir about surviving child sexual abuse, The Third Floor Window, A True Story of Secrets, Survival and Hope, is on sale at the following online bookstores:
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Prayerful Morsels
Colleen Spiro, Publisher
mailto:editor@colleenspiro.com http://www.colleenspiro.com
Copyright 2008 Colleen Spiro - All Rights Reserved |
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Counting Our Blessings
Here are my suggestions for some of the blessings we may have in common. Why not confer with your family and come up with your own list of blessings? Let us remember to thank God every day of the year!
B - Beaches. Bibles. Books -Books teach and inspire and entertain and challenge us. They make us laugh, make us angry and make us smarter!
L - Love & Laughter - Thank you, Lord, for loving us and for the healing gift of laughter!
E - Eucharist - Jesus' gift of Himself.
S - the Son, Jesus. Thank you, Father, for giving us Your only Son.
S - Sunrise. Sunset. - One of my favorite things to do is run down to the beach in time to watch the sun set. so beautiful, the sunsets remind me of the Creator.
I - the Infinite One. How do we thank God for God?How do we express something that is inexpressible? The Author of Love and Life is the reason we love and live.
N - Nature. New friends. - Thank you, Lord, for all our friends, old and new.
G - Goodness. God. Grandchildren. - Thank you, Lord, for these precious gifts, and for their parents, our children.
S - Songs. Spouses. - Thank you, Lord, for my husband, who has filled my life with beautfiul music.
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You are all invited to:
Colleen's Book Signing
Waldenbooks, Edison Mall - Fort Myers, FL
Sat., November 29
1 to 3 pm
Come by and say hi and tell your friends! |
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