
Wednesday,
July 18, 2007: it was my day off and it was raining - not a
beach day! I'd been thinking for some time about starting a blog and
it seemed a good day to explore that possibility - so I did. I was
surprised to find how easy it is to set up a page online and before the
afternoon was over, I had published my first post.
That was 18 years ago today and since then I've published 13,068 posts and my blog has had 6,974,569 hits.
As
a priest now retired from assigned ministry, writing this blog is an important way for me to continue to serve
God's people - and to pray with you, my readers. Writing this blog is also an important part of my own spiritual life! Together, we are a community of believers who
come to this virtual chapel at all hours of the day and night, meeting
the Lord in prayer on line.
The most frequent comment readers make about the prayers I write is this: I can't believe how often you seem to know just what I needed to read and pray! Well, the truth is: I don't know just what you need - but I believe that Jesus
does and that through the grace of the Spirit, he weaves together all our needs into one great prayer from our collective heart. Please be sure that I never forget how
many people are praying with me through my blog - and I hope you never
forget me and all the others who are praying with you...
Here we are again, Lord:
your virtual
congregation,
gathered in our
virtual chapel
offering you our real time,
heartfelt prayers
our needs and pleas and
worries,
our brokenness and disappointments,
our anxieties, joys
and troubles,
our questions, doubts
and faith,
our sorrows, recovery and grief,
our struggles, smiles and distress,
our remorse, contrition and laughter,
our pain, serenity and burdens,
our heartaches, headaches and happiness,
our apprehensions,
scruples and gratitude,
our contrition, consolation and growth,
our thanksgiving and glory and praise...
Only a virtual sanctuary, Lord,
could make room for all we bring
each time we gather!
We gather together, Lord,
though we sit by
ourselves;
and we pray together
in a hushed, shared, silence
and we often sing together
in a choir only you can hear…
We pray for one another,
gathered in the faith we share,
connected by the Spirit's wi-fi,
one in trust and hope in you
and in the prayer we offer,
every night and day…
We praise you, Lord,
from whom all blessings flow!
Amen.
I Will Pray For You
I have prayed for
you
that your faith
is still held fast.
I prayed for you,
a guard against
the tempest
Every time
you’re brought to mind,
every prayer
you’ve left behind.
I have raised
you up on high,
I have prayed
for you.
I have prayed
for you
that God’s will
is your guide.
I pray for you
that you are led each day.
Every time I
sense you there,
every time I
knelt in prayer,
and in all this
world of care
I have prayed
for you.
I will pray that
God’s strength
will hold you in
the arms
of the One who
gave his all for you.
I will pray
every day
that this life
of faith remains close
to my heart and
mind.
I will pray, I
will pray,
I will stay on
my knees,
I will pray for
you today.
God, who hears
in all the secret places
will attend to
our every plea.
All we ask, all we need, all
our desires will be answered
in God’s own
time, God’s own time.
I will pray that
God’s strength
will hold you in
the arms
of the One who
gave his all for you.
I will pray
every day
that this life
of faith remains close
to my heart and
mind.
I will pray, I
will pray,
I will stay on
my knees,