Our unexciting and uneventful life,
This is what it seems too many times,
Daily routines that return tomorrow,
Constant demands with no end in sight,
Boring times in our week we wait to be over,
Unexpected moments of pain and hurt,
Shouldn’t life be better than this?

God, you are great and beautiful,
In all we do, in all we don’t do.

When nothing seems to be happening,
You are testing our hearts,
You are refining our faith,
You are building our character,
You are drawing us close to You.

Whatever happens,
Whatever we face,
We know there is nothing boring,
With You at the center of all we do.

Bible reference: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, 12:13-14; Isaiah 40:25-31, Philippians 4:10-13

Young and pretty,
Cute and smiling,
Shapely figure,
For him to see, for him to desire.

Tall and good-looking,
Strong and stable,
Comforting and sensitive,
For her to dream, for her to yearn.

Unassuming looks,
Lowly reputation,
Dismissed and rejected,
Disfigured beyond recognition,
Nothing to brag about in the world’s eyes,
Our beautiful Lord and Savior.

Faithful and constant,
Never letting go of us.

Exposing us for we truly are,
Yet loving us without end.

Sacrificing his life so we could live,
Enjoying to be with us forever.

Above any guy or girl we can imagine,
Our beautiful, eternal Friend.

Bible reference: Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-3

So hard to forgive, so hard to forget,
Those who hurt us, those who ignore us.

No strength on our own to cast it aside,
When our hearts feel clenched and damaged.

What do we do? How can it be better?
When there is so much history, so much pain.

We treated Jesus horribly, we’ve turned completely away from him,
So much of our history against the One who is perfect.

But He suffered and died for us,
With his body spread and nailed to the cross.

He loves and welcomes us as His own,
Forgiving us like no one else can.

More of his forgiveness to deeply know,
That we may be kind and tender-hearted.

Only in Christ does this truly happen,
To love those who hurt and ignore us.

Bible reference: Isaiah 53:4-6, Matthew 18:21-35, Colossians 3:12-14

The great I AM, Eternal God,
Our Lord and Savior,
Our Shepherd and Friend,
Born in the flesh,
Lowly and humble,
Hated and rejected,
Despised and shamed,
Mocked and beaten,
Pierced and crushed,
Tortured and mangled,
Writhing in pain,
Dying in agony.

Rising back to life,
Conquering death,
Rescuing us,
From sin and hell,
Our King of Glory,
Reigning in power,
Praised and lifted high,
Shining forever.

Bible reference: Isaiah 53, Matthew 26-28, Revelation 22:1-5

Broken dreams, unmet desires,
Life that didn’t work out as planned,
Here we stand before You, O Lord.

Unhealed hurts, deep-seated pain,
Life that feels too much at times,
Here we lay before You, O Lord.

Your goodness reigns all the time,
Never forgetting us, never leaving us.

Whatever happens, whatever we face,
You will be there all the time.

You pour out your grace,
You pour out your mercy,
So undeserved, so rich and free.

Flooding us beyond all we dream and desire,
thank you for the life You gave us.

Bible reference: Philippians 4:19, Psalm 23:6, I Thessalonians 5:18

God of glory, Lord over all,
Creator of heaven and earth,
Lifted high and exalted,
Majestic and beautiful,
We praise You,
We worship You,
We love You.

Eternal and unchanging,
Powerful and mighty,
Executing justice,
Pouring out love.

Holy, holy, holy,
Above all, like no other,
Amazing and awesome,
No words alone to fully grasp,
The great God that you are.

Bible reference: Psalm 145, Isaiah 40, Psalm 103

So much energy, so much activity,
So many of our plans and agendas,
So much of what we like and what we avoid,
So much striving to make life about us.

But so little attention for the person that silently hurts,
The person we barely notice that Jesus loves.

God, You are love,
You give us life, You give us love.

Remove our noise, remove our clanging,
Our eyes on You, our eyes on those around us.

More of Your love in us, we ask and pray,
Lord, let our love flow to the person that Jesus loves.

Bible reference: I Corinthians 13, Philippians 2:1-11

(in response to I and II Kings)

Lord, You rule and control it all,
You are wise and good in all You do.
Nothing is random, nothing is by chance,
You have a purpose, You have a plan.

You reign over all that happens,
All details that are great and small.

The good and the evil that come to pass,
Your hand directs and allows it all.

You raise kings and rulers by Your will,
You remove their earthly power when it is time.

Your arrow strikes only where it should strike,
Your lions kill only whom they should kill.

You know everything even before it happens,
Because You designed and established it all.

Lord, You have a purpose, You have a plan,
That we would know that You rule and control it all.

Bible reference: I Kings 13:23-26, I Kings 22:1-40, 2 Kings 17:24-26, Proverbs 21:1, Proverbs 16:4, 33

(in response to I and II Kings)

Lord, You are faithful and true,
Forever present, forever loving.

You delight in our obedience,
That we would walk in Your ways.

You desire our hearts to always be Yours,
That we would worship You and You alone.

You bless us abundantly,
So that we would thank and praise You always.

But we have turned away from You,
We have fallen in love with our idols.

We have sinned against You over and over,
We have gone after things that deserve Your anger.

We hurt others with our sin,
But it is You we displease the most.

In our disobedience, is there any hope in sight?
For our sins, do we just suffer and pay the price?

We have no way to save ourselves,
But Your mercy is mighty and that is our hope.

Jesus is the answer, nothing else will do.
Lord, thank you for being faithful and true.

Bible reference: 2 Kings 8:19, Matthew 1

Lord,

You rule over all in heaven and earth, visible and invisible.
Nothing happens outside of Your plan and purpose.
Nothing and no one stops You.

We try to fit you into what we think is best and want in life.
But Your will and Your ways always win out.

We have complained many times over what You brought into our lives or didn’t bring.
We are so proud and wrong for doing that.

Thank you for humbling and not crushing us in those moments.

Help us to let go of what we demand from life, the life you freely gave us.

Give us sweet surrender to You, our good and gracious Ruler.

Not our will, but Your will be done.

Bible reference: Proverbs 16:9, Luke 22:42

Lord, we are so easily drawn toward lovable people and those who love us.

Thank you, Jesus, for being much, much more than we can ever be.

We welcome those who we can get something out of,
You welcome those who have nothing to give you.

We enjoy seeing those who are attractive outside,
You embrace seeking those who are ugly inside.

We easily avoid those who are burdensome,
You go after those who are broken and helpless.

We cling to those who are like us,
You, the Perfect One, love those who are full of sin.

We criticize and reject our enemies,
You died for us, we who were once your enemies.

Jesus, make us more like You.

Bible reference: Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 5:6-11, I John 3:17

Lord,

What happened? Wasn’t life supposed to work out?

Get a good education,
Get a good job,
Make money,
Get a house,
Get married,
Have a family,
Have good health,
Enjoy good food,
Travel the world,
Have good friends,
Be known and respected,
Look as good as you can.

But what if all those things did work out? Would it matter if I lost you?

Lord, help me to be only where You are.

Bible reference: Exodus 33

Jesus, when all said and done, You rise above all else. No one is like You, and no one else will ever be.

Jesus, we feel so little of your worth and beauty in so much of our lives. It is wrong. Will you change that?

Help us, we don’t want to just be nice and do good things - without You being the Love of our life. Warm and fire up our hearts for You.

You are our Great Shepherd, you deliver our souls from our adversity, our darkness, the ugly part of us that others often don’t see.

You shine where only You can penetrate. You heal us when nothing else will.

You draw us to You because when all is said and done, You are our Great Desire.

Bible reference: Hebrews 1, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 12:1-13, Hebrews 13:20-21

Jesus,

You satisfy our deepest hunger. Nothing and no one else will do.

We’ve worked so hard to find what can only be found in you. Forgive us.

Enlarge our hearts to see you are:

More fulfilling than all else we’ve ever desired,

More satisfying than the best food we’ve ever eaten,

More beautiful than the most attractive people we’ve ever seen,

More amazing than all entertainment we’ve ever enjoyed,

More constant than all we’ve ever achieved,

More trustworthy than those who’ve ever failed us,

More powerful than our deepest hurt and pain,

Jesus, fill us with more of you.

Bible reference: John 6, John 7:37

Lord,

You are the Giver of every perfect gift.

We thank you for all that we enjoy.

We thank you for all that we struggle to accept.

We thank you for our circumstances – the details that work out well and the situations that fall apart.

We thank you for our experiences - the moments of happiness and the moments of hardship.

We thank you for the people in our lives - the ones that love us and the ones that hurt us.

Lord, it is hard to accept everything in our lives. You give and you take away. Put praise in our hearts for you.

Above all else, we thank you for Jesus Christ: his life, his death, his resurrection. Whatever we gain or lose, we have him. He is your greatest gift to us.

Bible reference: Job 1, Romans 3:24-26

Lord, thank you for blessing us through your Son Jesus:

Before time began, you set us apart for you.

When we were dead in sin, you gave us life.

When our sins condemned us, you forgave us.

When we experience darkness, you deliver us.

When our faith is weak, you lift us up.

When we suffer hardship, you purify us.

When today feels too hard to face, your mercies await us.

Lord, thank you for the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ and what we have in him. He is our Lord, our Savior, our Friend. Apart from Jesus we have nothing but in Jesus we have everything. Give us more grace to love him now and forever.

Bible reference: Ephesians 1-2, Lamentations 3:22-24, Psalm 23

Lord, You are our eternal home, where your presence comforts us and your power protects us.

Our lives are here one moment and gone the next, but You remain the same - yesterday, today and forever.

Give us eyes to see the eternal over the temporal. We confess how much we love things that don’t last:

Our egos feel so valuable but they will mean nothing in the end.

Our fleshly desires feel so strong but they will pass away.

Our tasks feel so necessary but it will become a distant memory.

Our fears feel so big but they will be removed and forgotten.

Our appearances mean so much now but they will fade and perish.

Lord, we acknowledge everything apart from you is fleeting. Help us to see your meaning and purpose in our lives. Fill us with your wisdom and love. You are the everlasting God.

Bible reference: Psalm 90, Isaiah 40:6-8, I John 2:15-17

When will it stop? Will it ever end?
The pain, the suffering,
Chronic and unrelenting,
Desperately wanting it to be over.

But no guarantee for what I want,
A smooth life that feels good,
A healthy life to move freely about,
A life I dream that I would always have.

No matter what happens,
No matter how I feel,
Here You are, Lord,
Worthy and excellent,
Amazing and wonderful,
Loving and caring,
In my midst, in my heart,
Ready to be praised.

No matter what happens,
No matter how I feel,
Put a song in my heart,
Each and every day,
To praise and love You,
With joy and surrender,
Facing each moment,
With these simple words,
“Thank you, Lord.”

Bible reference: Psalm 73:25-26, Philippians 4:4-7

Lord, You can do anything,
Everything is in Your hands,
You do whatever pleases You,
Your ways are greater than my ways,
Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts.

I praise You for not giving me,
All that I desire,
All that I demand,
All that I crave after.

Lord, I surrender to You.

Bible reference: Daniel 4:28-37

Isolated and alone,
Many people pass me by,
Without a glance,
Just silence and distance.

Words are spoken around me,
But little people know the true me,
Or seem to care that my existence matters.

It doesn’t feel good,
A world so cold and selfish,
But deep inside I have to admit,
That I am part of the problem,
Why I live in a lonely place.

I love myself above all else,
It’s in my broken, selfish nature,
To ignore those around me,
The invisible and hungry souls,
That I treat like background noise.

But this I know,
I am never alone.
Jesus loves me,
He loves me deeply,
He suffered and died for me,
For all my selfish, ugly sins,
He gave himself for me.

Lord, free me to receive Your love daily,
Let it flow deep and wide.

Lord, increase my love for those around me,
Let it flow deep and wide.

Lord, help me make the world a less lonely place.

Bible reference: Galatians 2:20, I John 4:7-12

Ignoring You many times over,
Denying You throughout my life,
I come to you now, empty and broken.

With nothing to offer You,
Except years of backsliding and shame,
I come to you now, confessing my sins.

Jesus knocked many times over,
On the door of my wandering heart,
I hear His voice now, “Come back to me.”

He never gave up on me,
He forgives my countless sins,
He loves me without end,
What a wonderful Savior,
What an amazing Friend.

Jesus showed me a path forward,
A life being healed and restored,
To Him be the glory now and forevermore.

Bible reference: Matthew 26:69-75, John 21:15-22, Revelation 3:14-22

Food and fun,
Family and friends,
Trips and adventures,
Moments created,
Memories made.

Relationships broken,
Sickness and suffering,
Gut-wrenching hurt,
Memories created,
Memories made.

Lord, we thank you for this world,
The pleasure and the pain,
All that is gained, all that is lost.

Lord, we thank you for this world,
That points us to something greater,
Greater than all this world can ever offer.

Jesus Christ,
You are the One,
Superior and majestic,
Beautiful and radiant,
With sweeping beauty,
You are the Creator, the Sustainer,
Of this world and beyond.

Jesus Christ,
You are greater than all this world can ever offer.

Bible reference: Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:1-4

Can it really happen?
The humanly impossible,
The unimaginably great,
The miracles only You can do.

When our hearts just hear, “It will never ever happen”,
Amaze us, stun us,
Overcome the darkness,
Remove our doubt,
Lift up our faith,
Show us the wonder and power of who You are.

We praise You,
Because You do the great and unbelievable.
Calling things into existence,
That never existed to begin with,
Dividing the Red Sea,
Making dry bones live,
Destroying armies overnight,
Shutting the mouths of lions,
Healing sickness and disease,
Raising a loved one from the dead,
Bringing back to life,
Your one and only Son,
To conquer sin and death,
To reign in final victory.

In our weakest moments,
Do what we can never do,
That we would see and know,
That You alone are God,
And there is none like You.

Bible reference: Exodus 14-15, John 11: 38-44, I Corinthians 15:50-58

You broke me, Lord.
You humbled and took me down,
To a place of sickness and suffering,
To a place of pain and weakness.

Feeling proud year after year,
Confident I can do things without You,
Trusting in my strength and abilities,
Thinking I controlled my life,
Barely acknowledging You daily,
Nor thanking You for what You provide.

But then You took it away,
The very things I assumed would always be there.

Feeble and helpless,
Unable to rely on myself,
I desperately cried out to You,
“Only You can bring me through.”

Now I know,
I completely depend on You,
For every breath,
For energy and health,
For all I need in every way,
It is all from You and not myself.

Lord, I am in Your hands,
For You to do as You please,
For You to lead and guide me,
That I would follow Your will and not my own.

Thank you, Lord, for breaking me.

Bible reference: Daniel 4:28-37

You are great, O Lord.
Holy and beautiful,
Ruling over all,
Knowing everything,
Doing whatever pleases You,
Just and right in all You do.

Unlimited power,
Infinite wisdom,
Unending compassion,
Abundant grace,
Unchanging love.

Like no other,
This is who You are.

Bible reference: Isaiah 40

Ancient times,
From man’s beginning,
Story after story,
Laws and customs,
Prophets and kings,
Messages of judgment,
Messages of hope.

Faithless and failing,
A history of sin and darkness,
The story of ancient times,
And our story today.

When the time was just right,
Here comes our Savior,
Into our broken world,
A dawning light,
Breaking through the darkness,
Declaring to us all,
“I will make it right”.

Praise God, praise Him to the highest,
Jesus has come,
To break the bondage of evil,
To cast out the doom of death,
To save and deliver us,
From sin and hell,
For us to live with Him forever.

This is our story,
And this is our song,
Jesus has come,
He has made it right.

Bible reference: Luke 1:67-79

Ignored and invisible,
Barely acknowledged,
Rejected and opposed,
In many eyes and hearts,
All across the world,
Is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bowing before Him,
On bended knee,
Someday all will confess,
In heaven and earth,
He is Lord of lords,
King of kings,
The worthy Lamb,
The roaring Lion.

He will not be ignored,
He will not be invisible,
Because there will be a day,
All across the world,
Everywhere and beyond,
All will see Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bible reference: Revelation 5, Isaiah 52:13-15

Father, help me, forgive me,
I confess that I love to sin,
To not love or seek You,
To do the very things that You hate,
It is who I am without You.

I have tried so hard to be good,
To pretend I’m strong and capable,
In my eyes and the eyes of others,
When I have nothing,
No good to claim as my own.

Thank you, Father,
Because of Christ in me,
And me in Him.

Deeply connected to Him,
United to His life and death,
Him living in me,
Him sustaining me,
He is my joy, my strength, my hope.

In Him,
You love and accept me as Your own.

In Him,
My sins no longer control me.

In Him,
I desire to live for You.

Father, thank you that Jesus lives in me.

Bible reference: Romans 6

You saved me from my sins,
You saved me from hell,
You saved me from Your anger,
You saved me to everlasting life,
A life of unending joy and blessing with You.

Lord, I confess how little You saving me speaks to me in my daily life.

I am so sorry I live my life desiring more to be saved from other things, the very things I constantly want to avoid and be delivered from:

The missed opportunities to accomplish my personal goals,

The disapproval of others,

The suffering and pain in life,

Physical sickness and disease,

Being exposed of my shameful, dirty secrets,

Anything that doesn’t go exactly the way I want.

Lord, I confess I am consumed with being delivered from my earthly circumstances, more than rejoicing in what You ultimately delivered me from.

Lord, restore to me the joy of being saved. Renew my heart to see Jesus. Make it real again.

Bible reference: Romans 5:9-11

O God, You are my God,
Give me a heart to seek You,
Every day, every moment,
To see You as You are,
To be close to You.

When my heart is distracted,
With all that preoccupies my attention,
Fix my eyes on Your awesome beauty.

When my heart is anxious,
With circumstances that feel so uncertain,
Deepen my trust in Your unfailing love.

When my heart yearns for relief,
Because of my suffering and pain,
Help me to desire You above all else.

When my heart craves after sin,
And I have no strength to break free,
Forgive me,
Cleanse me,
Change me,
Show me Your mercy and Your power.

O God, help me to seek You.

Bible reference: Psalm 63

Weak and feeble,
Feeling cold and lifeless,
This is the honest truth,
Time after time,
That I love You so little,
I treat everything and everyone else,
As more important than You.

I say the right things,
In front of others,
I tell them everything is ok,
But You know me too well,
That something in me needs to change.

Father, here I am with my lukewarm heart,
I cry out to You from a dry and dark place,
I know You made me Your own,
To see wonder and beauty,
To look at Your Son,
Who lived and died for me.

Win me back to You,
Pour out Your love,
Help me again so I would never forget,
What it means to be close to You.

Help me to love You deeply,
With all my heart,
With all my mind,
With all my soul,
With all my strength.

Father, I want to come back to You.

Bible reference: Psalm 51