A New Year's Prayer

I am not one for making New Year's Resolutions. I would like to think that if the Lord brings something to mind that I need to change, I would start working on it then and not wait for January 1. The more I read and study God's Word, the more I get to know Him, the more I realize I have so much to learn and put into practice. At the beginning of this New Year, this is my prayer in the words of John Wesley:

I am no longer my own, but Thine.

Put me to what Thou wilt.

Rank me with whom Thou wilt.

Put me to doing.

Put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee,

Exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Thou art mine and I am Thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

Let it be ratified in Heaven.

Amen.

I want to live each day this year and all my remaining years for Him, the Lord God Almighty.

2017 - a Year of Hope

2016 is history. 2017 is full of possibilities. It is right before me. What are my hopes? What dreams do I have? What goals have I set? What choices will I make? All of this remains to be seen. The one thing I am sure of is my commitment to be available to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today I pray the words of John Wesley:

I am no longer my own, but thine.Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.Put me to doing, put me to suffering.Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,exalted for thee or brought low for thee.Let me be full, let me be empty.Let me have all things, let me have nothing.I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,thou art mine, and I am thine.So be it.And the covenant which I have made on earth,let it be ratified in heaven.Amen.

A New Year Dawns

When I was much younger, I worried about what would happen when the year 2000 came around. 1953 sounded fine, so did 1967 and 1971. All of the "teen" years sounded fine when they were spoken. But, how would you say the year 2000? Or 2010? Or 2015? I had no idea. I wondered if the world would come to an end just because I couldn't fathom how a person would say the year starting with a "20." 

Now, I have to chuckle. The year 2000 has come and gone. So has 2001, 2002, 2003...all the way to 2015. People have spoken the year. It sounded strange at first, but then, new things often sound strange at first. God has blessed us with another year - 2016. (I have no problem saying the year.) What is your prayer for this new year? What is my prayer for this new year? It is the same as the past many years:

I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee, exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine and I am Thine. So be it. And the Covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in Heaven. Amen.

Words for a New Year

The other day I was in a bookstore in Erie, PA and came across the book, Shepherd of Many. It is a book of "lessons" or sayings of Msgr. James Peterson. I knew Father Peterson many, many years ago. As the old year has ended and a new one has begun, I would like to leave with you some of his lessons:

 

~The future will be no more important than today, not in its work or ministry or prayer. No moment is more important or valuable than the present moment.

~God is in charge. I'm the director. I'm only here.

~You have to forgive, not excuse.

~Don't ask about changing the situation. Ask about changing your heart.

~Remember Mary doing laundry pleasing God where she was.

~It takes humility to accept God's gifts and courage to use them.

~God wants your friendship more than your ministry.

~Seek trust, not understanding. When you trust, nothing else is needed.

~You're in God's care. You don't have to rush Him. Stop trying to help Him so much.

~There's a world of difference between the uncertainty that is frightening and the uncertainty that is promising.

 

There are many more lessons in this little book. But, if I learn the ones listed above, I will have learned a LOT!

 

May God be with you and draw you close to Him in this New Year.

Welcome, 2014!

The year 2013 is finished. It was a year of experiencing God's blessings and His mercy and grace. New experiences and some familiar ones were part of life. Unexpected opportunities were part of the year, too. I never thought I'd be preaching most Sundays or driving a motorcycle or have a chance to travel to Victoria Falls or be "Maakum" to so many people. This reinforces the fact that when I trust God with my life, He can open windows and doors that I never imagined. Thank You, Jesus! And, it reinforces my desire to pray:

 

I am no longer my own, but Thine.

Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt.

Put me to doing. Put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee,

Exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

To Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

Let it be ratified in Heaven. Amen

~ John Wesley's Covenant Prayer