Thank you to my friends for sharing some of their prayers as we walk together into 2022. May you be encouraged and blessed as you pray them for yourself as well.

Each of these ladies represent a geographic milestone in my spiritual journey. Bill and I started our married life in Illinois, moved to California, and then to Colorado. And although Alaska was only a 9 day trip, it was a life-transforming time for me. Friendship is a wonderful gift.

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Lord, may the Holy Spirit overshadow me, just as it did Mary. May I consent to it too and always be ready to be covered and upheld by You. I cannot comprehend Your power, but in my unknowing, grow me and challenge me to trust You. Thank you Lord that I am Yours. Help me to look ahead and know You will remain faithful.
Amen.

Susan Brammer, one of my friends from our California days.

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Dear Lord – I offer you my complete faith, deepest love and unending gratitude. Each and every day, though to my imperfect vision the world seems to be spinning out of control, You assure me that you have everything in hand, and all is unfolding according to Your will. 

Help me see in the people I meet, the places I walk, the circumstances that fill my days, Your gracious blessings. Let me feel within my breast the steady, warm glow of Your Spirit, gifted to guide me and comfort me until the day I come to live with You in Heaven.

Let each prayer I lift to you begin with thanks, but also keep me ever mindful of those in need, for You hear our hearts always. Help me understand You always respond to prayer, but sometimes not in the way I might expect. Give me faith to accept Your will is always perfect.

Send me into the world as a light shining in the darkness. While my influence may be small, it is not meaningless or ineffectual, for You are present in my efforts.  Let it be with me as it was with Mary: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47) 

Dearest Lord, let me always remember: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) Amen.

Janet Taillie Kowalski, a new friend. We met in Alaska

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Being expectant is hard Lord, but l’m leaning in to my expectancy that you will fulfill your promises towards me and my family in 2022.  Luke 1:45 says, “Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her.”  Lord, believing your promises is what has been most difficult for me in the last two years. Promises that say that You will never stop working in me to fulfill your good purposes [Phil 2:13].  The struggles of the last two years have worn me down and caused me to doubt, but Lord in Psalm 42 you reminded me to “hope in You”.  Thank you Lord that even when I wasn’t leaning in to You your Spirit was doing it for me; your Spirit had searched my mind and heart and uttered “groans too deep for words [Romans 8]” on my behalf. This year, I pray that I will not lose heart and I will be renewed daily as I pursue things that are unseen and eternal [1 Cor. 4:16-18]. Help me believe and trust in your steadfast love which endures forever giving thanks to You because You are good! [Psalm 118] Amen and Amen!

Denise Grace is a Colorado friend. She and I have been walking this spiritual journey together for many years.

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