More than just a face

image from Frayed Lotus @ Belief net.com

My friends, I'm going to do something a little different this Friday morning.  Rather than do my usual blog hopping to make new friends, I'd like to put my focus on Y O U - the friends I've already made.

In making contacts through my reader, I'm finding there are many several many who are feeling low, down, in a dark place.  Some of you are.............

 sending children off to school after an active summer and are feeling lonely or isolated;

over-whelmed with all the roles you are playing in just getting through life;

having difficulties remembering who your real self is;

battling the darkness of your own personal demons;

experiencing the role reversal of having ill or aging parents;

battling your own personal illnesses and having to face your own mortality;

feeling the passage of time by the end of summer approaching and fall so close;

employed and miserable while others are unemployed and miserable.

If you see yourself in any of these situations or you 're in a situation where you need a little extra help, some love from someone to let you know that you're cared about, pray this prayer.....

Lord, you know my heart and deepest conflicts. I long to be used wholly for You, but sometimes life trips me up, and I get ambushed by my own humanity..by others' humanity.  But "whom have I on earth beside Thee?"  Father God, remind me that my life is broken without Your touch.  You can be bigger to me than my failures and weaknesses.  Remind me that you long for me too, so that You may touch me and heal me.  My eyes are ever on You, Lord, and in this I take refuge.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Maybe you're feeling pretty good about things in your life and have a firm grip on your circumstances.  If that's your case, please pray for those who aren't so fortunate:

Lord, you created us with a capacity for friendship ~ and how we need it in life's ebbs and flows!  May we learn from Your example how to be a real friend:  to be inconvenienced to care about what our friend is going through, to be there for them.  Life can be lonely and hard.  Thank you for being a abest friend to us by giving Your very life ~ the greatest test of friendship ever.  I lift up to your any who are saddened on this day for one reason or another.  I know You can hear their cries and can east their pain.  And Lord, may I show by my life that I want to be Your friend, too.  In Your name, Amen.

I just want everyone to be more than a face or an image on someone's follow-me list.  There is a real person with a real story attached to each and every one.

Prayers from or inspired by "The Comforting Presence of God" by Nancie Carmichael.

Peace, Hugs, Love, and Harmony,