Lord thank you for helping us to remove the weeds that grow within us dividing our minds and keeping us from producing the fruits you planted in us. Lord thank you for showing us the stumbling blocks that we place as our own paths thank you for giving us the strength to remove them Lord thank you for delays that we do not understand are to keep us under your hedge of protection for dropped keys that avoid accidents for animals that slow us down for conversations with strangers who see the light we carry Lord thank you for giving us the tenacity to stick with the simple things that do not come easily Lord thank you for the rest, peace, hope and faith that we can only have in you. Lord give us the strength to continue when we are tired Lord When war, the love of money and disasters Destroy the physical and confuse the understanding we think we have let us remember that you are not the author of confusion that all things work together for good for those who love you That we cannot know these thing and that you are in control Lord you have an endless supply of strength because it is what you are – all powerful Lord move the mountains that interfere with renewing faith and hearts You have the ability to make all things possible. Lord let those who do not know you come to recognize that it is you who has touched their longing – their pain – their emptiness that they be filled by you. Lord give them the whole armor when they seek you and come to glorify you in their hour of darkness that in their valley they know that you and only you can free them of fear and death That they boldly stand in you. That they know when they were fed it was you when their house is re-established, it is you when they are lost and find loved ones that you are the father to the fatherless That they know that they are spiritual beings and in their home is in you Lord And when it is our time to be called up that we all know that you are the Lord who has restored our souls in all times and your goodness and mercy will has followed us all of the days of our lives and in the end we will dwell in your house when our bodies leave this place knowing that we have done what you asked given you our first fruits in word – in thought and in deed – and you will say to us My child, my sweet child well done good and faithful one I know your earthly life was not an easy walk but your journey went from crooked to straight I now that your ability to hold to faith was loose at times but you believed me and believed in me and your house was built on the rock I left for you I know that people tried to steal your joy but my child it is morning and there will be no more darkness, no more tears, no more sadness I have a place for you and that was my plan for you all along for you to be here with me – by my side This is my promise to you – victory Lord these words touch us in the here and now but know that when we are with you we will not remember the former Lord let us remember that God keeps His promises We have a comforter and Jesus the Christ has paid the price and it is in His name I pray Amen