January 18 Prayer

There is a table already prepared,
The table of the Lord

Where the bits and pieces of this
torn world
are invited to come.

Come and eat the sacred bread of presence.

Always there
placed on the table of acacia wood and gold,
ready to be consumed.

Available for us to remember him, partake of him, to make us one.

But there are the confines, and restrictions that can hold us back from eating this bread.

This bread of presence is the communion and the bread of community and unity.

We pause here in front of this table to examine our own thoughts and heart.

To pray ,
Lord every way I think is the only way I lay down here in your presence.

I lay down my will and my willfulness to be turned into willingness;

….to be present to your
presence that mends

all the torn and shattered souls together into one beautiful cloth.

May our mission today be one of
union.

May we be fully present to the bread of life within us to be placed on Your table for all to see.

In our vulnerability exposed
we may be misunderstood, mistaken,
and even ignored,
but we have already been blessed.

Take our single, open hearts
and make them one
in your spirit,
we pray.

So the world may see and take and eat from the table you have prepared for all.
From the bread of life you have already blessed.

Make us one bread of presence
in Jesus.

Amen

Mark 2:13-28, John 6:35,Ps.23:5
Dee Brill

January 17 Prayer

The new and the old, we remember as we begin again.

What is old that may hold us prisoners in our thoughts from the past?

Old patterns,
Old ways,
The all too familiar things we really do not like about ourselves.

“Old things have passed away; behold,
new things have come.”

‘The words of God will give you the ability to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’

Sit with his words of what is new stirring inside of you.

Take a hold of what you behold of the new and let go of the old that doesn't serve you well.

We pray,

Holy Spirit of beauty and truth
Shine your light,
your Glory and grace for us to see what needs to fade away.

To see what it is you are changing within us.

That we may be able to grasp more of the beauty you are creating through faith, hope and love.

May we nurture the gifts of new ways of thinking and looking at the world around us.

May we hold a spaciousness for harmony to grow where there has been enmity.

May we grow in kindness without judgment and be free enough within ourselves,
not to become offended when others disagree.

May we behold the new things that are coming through your eyes of grace.

Keeping our eyes upon Jesus,
always,
and our hearts open to You.

Amen

2Cor.5:17, Heb.4:12, Mk.2:18-22

January 15 Blessing

Slow Down

Slowdown enough to receive
to receive the love
from the creator
of love
Who is love

Revisit it
The love that is being poured
into every part of your being.

Freely receive,
for this is God's grace.

Slowdown
Let Him love you
No more, no less

Then put your hand in His and let him lead you.
This will be your light.

Amen

Dee Brill

January 14 Prayer

Sometimes we just need someone to carry us.
Someone else to lift us up when we are stuck and paralyzed
by our own doubts and fears,

by the burdens we carry that weigh us down.

Everything that we have no control over.

Like heavy stones we carry across the river
trying to get over to the other side.

Sometimes our prayers are heavy.

We are asked to carry the paralyzed, the wounded and stuck without trying to fix them.

Without trying to tell them what is wrong.

Because of love we carry
all to Jesus,
we break through the obstacles that are in the way.

Tear off the roof that keeps the light from coming in.

Do whatever it takes to get to Jesus
and let him speak the words we need to hear.

The words that will bring freedom and healing.
And forgiveness!

Let Jesus speak the right words
even when it unsettles us.

Let Jesus do it!

Pray
With compassion;

‘Jesus we come and we will carry
the wounded on the waves of our prayers to you.

Help us to let go of our judgments and confinements that keep us from the revelation of your love.

May we have the strength and faith to carry those you ask of us in prayer.

May we trust in the words you speak to direct their lives into the fullness you have prepared for them.

Break through into our own hearts to see you breaking through into others.

Let nothing stop us.

We thank You that it is
You, strong and merciful
Jesus ,
that will carry us all
to our true home.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen

Mark 2:1-12, Col.2:12-14
Dee Brill

January 12 Prayer

When We hear nothing from God for such a time
He seems no where near
When expectations are no longer raised

A voice speaks but not recognized as His
We hear it again as something that stirs inside
A new revelation of a presence that is near
That has been calling you all along
You know it now
for it burns inside you

Faith rises up and hope takes the reign of you heart

A strong tug that gets you up once again

To lead you out of the dark room into the light of day

“Hear I am Lord
I’ve come to do your will
I am listening
Speak to me and open my eyes to see you are always here
always near
and will never leave me alone.

Lead us to speak your kind and encouraging words to one another.

Raise up our hopes and dismiss our fears.

May we see you always here
Calling us to your side.

Amen

Sam.3, Ps.40:2
Dee Brill

January 10 Prayer

“Fear not
For I am with you
Repent and believe in the good news
I will help you
And uphold you
Come and leave everything behind and
Follow me.”

He calls
I follow
Where is he going?
What must I leave behind?

Clear out the clutter in my mind.
I must start there and change the direction of my thinking.

Maybe once I remove everything that is in the way I can actually find the treasure hidden in the secret place of stillness.

Once I slow down the pace and embrace this awkward time of topsy turvy, what seems upside down will turn right side up.

Begin again to
Pray;

“Lord, thank you for this moment you have declared your kingdom is near.

Today I choose to turn around my thinking and trust you will work everything out for your glory.

I give to you every barren place in my soul
where a promise has be miscarried.

I open up my eyes to see that in your time
and in your kingdom
there is a great opportunity for us to step into.

So let us not miss it in waiting for time to pass.

Let us not rush ahead into false starts
but find the treasure you have for us right now.

Help us to clear out the clutter to follow you on a clear path ahead
and may we all wear the beads of kindness and truth around our necks.

Let this moment rise up for us to step into a new day with a new hope trusting the way ahead will be made clear.

In Jesus our guide
Amen
Dee Brill

Mark 1:14-20,Isaiah 45:3, Pro.3:

January 5 Prayer

Come, just come
He is calling you
He already sees you
and what he sees is beyond what you know

Beyond what has gone before, what has been said.

That is the mystery of God knowing us as
He is creating us and delighting in what he is making.

There is the promise that something good will come forth
even in the most dead, seemingly worthless places
God is moving.

He is sending his son, himself to us
He listens to our cries when we lie awake at night
pondering the promises
He breathes life once again.

Pause a moment and realize GOd’s gaze upon you now
He calls you by name
To come….

“ I come, I am here Lord, breathe your life in me today
and let your goodness come forth
greater than I could ever expect or know.

Where I am weary, I come
Where I am waiting, I come

In every hidden place
bring your breath of life and word of revelation
to bring your greatness forth.

Open our minds and eyes to open the heavens
Just like you said,
and bring the greater things on earth.

Thanks be to the Father who is for us,
the Son who is with us always and
the holy spirit that stirs and creates goodness in us.
Amen

Dee Brill
John 1:43-51
Psalm 119:143-149

January 4 Prayer

Look there he is the lamb of God.
The promised one

The one that will make what is wrong right

And the two who were looking and listening went after him
To find where he was living
Where he was staying
John 1:35-42

Where is my mind wandering and preoccupied?
Where am I looking?

I want to know where Jesus is and what he is thinking.

I want to know his mind in the matter I am facing today

I want to be where He is and hang out there for a while

I breathe deeply and rest here
Let my mind just be still to pray ;

I want to be where you are
Where peace lives and hope grows

I ask for the eyes of faith to follow you and stay where you are.

Thank you that in suffering there you are
In joy that comes in the morning.

Through the struggle and the fight
The releasing of angels take flight
And we are free

Free to be called by your name
A rock to stand on
Solid ground amongst sifting sand.

We stand firm in our faith to believe, to trust and to live where you live.

Praise be to the Three in One
Forever you are with us!

May peace lead the way and follow us this day, we pray.

Amen

Dee Brill

January 3 Prayer

A new start of a new week of the new year.
Make space for God to act within you
Clear out whatever distracts you
Let all of your intentions rise up and then let them go

Let them become one in accord with the mind of Christ
With encouragement and peace
With compassion and consolation
from love
Being of full accord
of one mind
Filled to overflowing in your heart
One heart and one passion
To know him and make him known

Enter this day empty
To be filled
Praying;

Here we are Lord,
With our empty cups and empty baskets
asking you to fill them

With our lips we give thanks for who you are.

Fill our hearts with your compassion
Fill our minds with your love and wisdom
Fill our time with deeds of kindness
May our souls be filled of hope

Thank you that you have heard our vows and have already given us our inheritance.

Let us walk into this new year with expectancy and openness
Knowing you will fill us once again
From the spirit you gave us!
Amen

Dee Brill
Phil.2:1-11,3:10
1John 3:24

December 31 Prayer

A blessing for the
Lasts
and endings
The Firsts
and beginnings

Where is the true light shining?
Where is the word speaking?

From the Eternal day of earth and heavens

Let this blessing cover you
Let this prayer rise up within you
To seek His glory
and His face

In unsuspected places

Let this blessing lead you in
the lasts and the firsts to come

To find the graces laid out before you
Take up the cloak to cover
Put on the crown of wisdom
Hold out the scepter of truth and peace

Let this last day of
This last year
Pass behind you as you stand at the threshold of a new entry

Let a fresh wind blow through you and raise up your feet to dancing with a new start

With new steps to take and
learn a new beat to follow in
The rhythms of grace

Yes!
Let joy begin to stir in your heart
A new day is coming
Let it begin now in you

Amen

John 1:1-18
Dee Brill