At present,

we do not yet see everything

      in subjection to Him.

But we see Him...

          Hebrews 2. 8-9

(Yet is such a powerful word

               in Scripture.

We cannot yet see

         God's grand narrative,

nor understand the mysteries,

nor comprehend His majesty,

    His incredible love and grace,

but we can know Him

                   in the now,

and we can trust Him

                   in the yet.)

O LORD,

We don't have to see You

    to know You,

    to trust You,

    to love You.

But You grant to us

       glimpses of Yourself

to strengthen us,

     help us to grow in You,

     and know You are here.

When we run to You, dear Jesus,

  we realize You have been

        running with us all along.

 

But this

    I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the LORD

                     never ceases,

His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness.

                  Lamentations 3. 21-23

(No matter what is swirling around

                or pulling us down,

remember this:

God's sings His steadfast love over us,

                             never ceasing,

                  even now,

                  even in this.

God is faithful and loving and kind.

God redeems.)

O LORD,

Even in what we see,

even in what we cannot yet see

                     or imagine,

      Your love never ceases.

Help us to not just remember that,

     but to sing that immovable hope

                       into our days.

May our refrain be the words in our mouths

          and the melody in our hearts,

the song that never ends.

 

Pour out your heart

              like water

before the Presence of the LORD.

Lift your hands to Him....

               Lamentations 2. 19

(The beginning of change

    is when we come before the LORD,

pouring it all out to Him,

            our fears,

            our wrongdoing,

            our walking without Him.

Anxiety is just trying

                 to hold it in on our own.

The beginning of change

     is recognizing

     our sins are many,

            His mercy is more.)

O LORD,

We come before You

and pour out like water

all the things that

             pull at us,

        that tear us down,

    that plague us

          in the middle of the night.

But like water,

       they dissolve in Your hands.

When we allow Your forgiveness

             to cover them,

  they no longer define us.

We are Yours.

We come before You

   at the beginning of this day.

Your mercies

          are new every morning.

Help us to comprehend

     we are Your beloved.

Your mercy is more.

          

And let our people learn

   to devote themselves

            to good works,

so as to help

      cases of urgent need,

and not be unfruitful.

                  Titus 3. 14

(Good works do not just happen

    or are not even a learned behavior,

    but the impact

           of a changed heart.

How can I approach this situation,

          this need,

          this difficulty

   as an opportunity to serve God

                  and others?

Good works are not designated

         by small or big.

Faithfulness even in the little details,

      fruitfulness in all.

God does all the redeeming.)

O LORD,

Help us to learn

    not just to recognize need

             in all sorts of sizes,

    but to respond

         with shoes tied on

         and pockets full of grace.

Help us to learn Your ways

   in this broken world,

not just to get through this,

   but bring Your name

   and goodness in all we do.

Help us to know

           more of You.

Serving You with a devoted heart,

with intent

and gladness

             changes everything.

Help us to be both faithful

     and fruitful in this day.

 

 

Show yourself in all respects

to be a model of good works,

and in your teaching show integrity,

dignity, and sound speech

that cannot be condemned,

so that an opponent

          may be put to shame,

having nothing evil

      to say about us.

                 Titus 2. 7-8

(People are always watching us,

not to see if our lives are perfect,

but to see if God is real,

   if we are really changed by Him

and to see how life

      can be radically different

     because we abide in Him

                      and He in us.

His Presence distinctly flavors

     how we live our lives,

what we intentionally pursue,

how we approach every opportunity

    --struggle, need, or victory--

to love and serve God and others,

              including them.

Does anyone see

        anything different in us?

       Do they see Jesus there?

How do others see us

                   --and Jesus--

      in all we say and do

      and even in our attitudes?)

O LORD,

Help us to bear the marks of Jesus

       with love and unexpected grace,

   fervent in all that we do.

May Your Presence cover us

       and infect us

that others would be blessed by You

       and drawn to Your embrace.

May we with all creation

   be a witness and evidence

                of Your hand upon us.

Even in what we face today.

All is sacred.

All is ministry in Your sight.

May it be in ours.

The LORD reigns.....

             Psalm 97. 1

(All we need to know.

God is God.

He is not just in control,

    He is our Creator,

    He is our Redeemer,

    He is our Strength.

When we follow Him,

He navigates us

     through the troubled waters,

He brings to light His goodness,

He holds us

           in the palm of His hands.

God does not promise easy.

     God promises good.

     He promises "I am with you."

Even in this.)

O LORD,

You protect, forgive,

       redeem, restore,

and love us all the way through.

Your hand is on us,

     Your Presence with us.

We thank You

    not just for the marvelous things

                     that You do every day,

    but that You are God Almighty.

You reign

         not just over this,

      but even in this.

 

 

...and He will be

the stability of your times.

              Isaiah 33. 6

(No matter what

is swirling all around us,

    the LORD holds us fast.

Even in mystery,

even through the miry bog,

or the ascent that appears

            to go on forever,

we are not alone.

God walks with us,

gives us the strength we need

              right at the moment,

and His peace

   by following Him through it.

"We don't know what to do,

      but our eyes are on You."

               2 Chronicles 20.12)

O LORD God,

You are God,

      and we are not.

You keep us not just steady

         in the scary places,

You are our stability

          all the time..

We stake our lives on You.

Help us to be faithful to You

       in the everydays

that we will know how

      to trust You in the crisis.

We love You.

We know that You love us

                    even more.

 

If the LORD had not been my help,

my soul would soon have lived

    in the land of silence.

When I thought, "My foot slips,"

Your steadfast love, O LORD,

                    held me up.

When the cares of my heart

             are many,

Your consolations cheer my soul.

                      Psalm 94. 17-19

(Why this hard place?

That we may trust God

     and know Him more,

learning of His provision,

   protection and His Presence.

We are not alone afterall,

         "Fear not. I am with you."

Even in this.

Relying and realizing not our strength,

                    but His.

Not believing the world falsely cheering,

          "you've got this."

But knowing Who really does.)

O LORD,

You are God.

      And we are not.

You have not promised

   an easy path in this broken world,

              but that You are with us.

We can stake our lives

               on Your Presence.

Because you are,

because you are with us,

   how differently we can live

              for Your glory,

a strong witness to others

that this life is not all there is,

    and we are all greatly loved

                           by You.

You are our help.

You hold us up

     where we cannot touch bottom.

 

Do not fear the king of Babylon

    of whom you are afraid.

Do not fear him, declares the LORD,

         for I am with you,

to save you

and to deliver you from his hand.

I will grant you mercy...

                Jeremiah 42. 11

(We all have a king of Babylon

                  in our lives,

those things or people,

both real or imagined,

      of whom we are afraid.

But the key phrase

          for I am with you

   is inscribed throughout scripture,

        over and over again,

                   for a reason.

When we discount or forget

     the Presence of God with us,

fear takes over the steering wheel

   and always chooses

                  on the wrong street.)

O LORD,

You whisper to us  to "Follow Me."

Help us to not just hear

           but to heed Your words,

to listen and respond,

to tie on our shoes,

     ready to stay,

     and ready to walk with You.

You open us up

      and make us aware

    of Your Presence,

always a different journey

and a radically new outcome

          even right where we are,

strengthened by You.

 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah

while he was shut up 

in the court of the guard.

                 Jeremiah 39. 15

(God speaks to us 

in the most unlikely places.

Sometimes it takes unusual situations

     for us to be aware of His Presence

     and listen for Him

                 and to Him.

        "Here I am.")

O LORD,

No matter where we are,

   help us to be mindful of You.

Empower us to hear You

    above the roar around us.

Align our hearts

         to both hear and heed.

And know we need not fear

     because You are with us.

And You can be glorified in this place.

Even here.

Even in this.

 

Then they drew Jeremiah

           up with ropes

and lifted him

      out of the cistern.

             Jeremiah 38. 13

(Because that is what

    the Body of Christ should do,

that is how deeply aware

   His people should be.

         We recognize need

         and respond to it.

Sometimes physically

    lifting someone out of the mud,

        getting our hands dirty

        for their sake,

bringing words of encouragement,

using ropes of prayer,

   raising up each other

              in times of struggle,

              difficulty, miry bogs,

   and needs both visible

         and below the surface.

And sometimes,

              all of the above.

We know no strangers

                     among us.

What does that look like

            today?

Who has God placed

       on my path

       and on my heart?)

O LORD,

You have positioned us

         strategically

and stuffed our pockets

     with grace overflowing.

Open our eyes and hearts

   that we would not

   just be sensitive to need,

but know how to respond

     and have the courage to do it.

That too

      is how we worship You.

There are no small acts of love.

            

 

Do not neglect the gift

               you have,

which was given you...

Practice these things,

immerse yourself in them...

            1 Timothy 4. 14-15

(We have all been gifted

    with ministries

                (plural)

to love others,

to build the Kingdom,

to be a witness,

to worship God.

.....even in situations

   that we don't consider

          as "ministry."

Fulfill what God has

    placed before you,

work at it,

be mindful of opportunities,

recognizing what we can do,

   trusting God in what we can't,

to be His witness in this,

and practice the hard passages

         over and over,

   until they become second nature

                in how to respond.

Just because it is difficult

   does not mean that

   God is not in this,

nor that we are not gifted,

       but maybe even more.)

O LORD,

Help us to take the nametags off

   what we think of ministry,

and realize that in You

        all is ministry.

All that we do

         and all that we are

   comprise worship to You

         --the being and the doing.

Help us by Your strength

   to love others

   right into Your arms

and to tend with all grace

              and diligence

this little patch of the Kingdom

      You have given us

      to nurture and cultivate

             and sow with Your love.

 

Rather train yourself for godliness,

for while bodily training

           is of some value,

godliness is of value

                   in every way,

as it holds the promise

     for the present life

and also for the life to come.

            1 Timothy 4. 7-8

(This is not a verse

           against exercising,

but about intentionally

       pursuing godliness

            in our daily lives.

What am I pursuing,

     practicing

     and training for?

Am I working out

          time with Him?

Not out of guilt or "should,"

       but loving Him.)

O LORD,

Weave into our days

    not just time with You,

but running with You

into the course

    You have set before us.

Guide our thoughts,

build our strength in You,

align our hearts

                 with Yours.

Help us to know You more,

       be known by You,

and be known as Yours.

       

 

If your enemy is hungry,

   give him something to eat,

and if he is thirsty,

   give him water to drink,

for you will heap

      burning coals on his head,

and the LORD will reward you.

               Proverbs 25. 21-22

(Every day we all face situations

   when we must choose

                    how to respond.

Grace is always a good idea

  and that which is most unexpected,

           with love not revenge.

How we see God changes

    how we see others

    and how we see ourselves.

Others are continually watching us,

not to see if we are perfect,

but if we are really changed by Christ,

    and to see if God is real.)

O LORD,

Fill our pockets with Your grace,

   ready to hand out

   at a moment's notice

        in unlikely places.

Help us to know You more,

    be known by You,

   and be known as Yours.

Not just by what we say

     or what we do,

but how we respond,

loving even the unlikely ones,

because that is what

        Your people do,

and that is why

    You placed us here.

   

 

For I will satisfy the weary soul,

and every languishing soul

          I will replenish.

            Jeremiah 31. 25

("Bring it to Me.

         Direct it to Me."

God never intended for us

   to do this life without Him.

When we come to the LORD

   and lay it out before Him,

God grants us His strength

   and reveals new ways

not just how to see it,

  but how to walk with Him

              through it.

Deliverance is not always out of,

           but through.

Deliverance always is based

     on trusting God,

not just for an answer,

           but trusting Him.)

   

O LORD,

We all struggle with something.

We are surrounded by what

        saps us of energy

    and distracts us from You.

We come before You

                  this morning

that You will make all things new,

  how we see circumstances,

  how we see others,

  how we see ourselves,

but underlying it all,

         how we see You.

Our strength is in You.

Help us to be faithful to You

        with fresh hearts

    in all that You have

    placed before us today.

 

For I know

the plans I have for you,

         declares the LORD,

plans for welfare

            and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me

    and come and pray to Me,

                  and I will hear you.

You will seek Me and find Me,

   when you seek Me

             with all Your heart,

I will be found by you,

                says the LORD.

           Jeremiah 29. 11-14

(Hope is knowing

  that this life, this situation,

       is not all there is.

Because there is God,

   nothing will remain the same

when we call upon Him,

pray to Him,

and seek Him with our hearts,

seeking not an answer,

nor an escape route,

nor a new door or trail,

nor success,

nor a set of instructions,

           but God.

God opens our hearts

     when we pray to Him.

God reveals Himself to us.

"Right here with you.")

O LORD,

Help us to keep our eyes on You

   and not on circumstances.

Because You are God,

         and we are not,

You transcend

   all difficulties for Your glory

and for our wellbeing,

            even in the hard places.

You are great

        and do wondrous things.

You are God.

May we worship You

      in all we do,

not just mindful of You,

   but having the mind of Christ.

Even in this.

 

Yes, the LORD will give

             what is good,

and our land will

       yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before Him,

   and make His footsteps a way.

                    Psalm 85. 13

(The two words

       faithful and fruitful

are seamlessly woven.

When we align our hearts

                     with God's,

when we are faithful to Him,

   no matter the circumstances,

God brings His fruitfulness

     in unlikely places

     and in unexpected ways.

God goes before us

    --even through this wilderness--

and makes His footsteps a way.

    He shows us how to navigate.

"Direct it to Me.")

O LORD,

Help us to not grow weary

               in doing good,

in staying faithful

               in hard places,

in following You

    when the way is difficult.

You bring Your fruitfulness

      to our work

      and to Your way in this.

You bring Your peace

         right in the midst.

May we be energized by You

   and know great joy

                in loving You.

Even in the dark places,

    You bring Your light.

Go with us

             even through this.

 

Blessed are those

   whose strength is in You,

in whose heart

   are the highways to Zion.

...They go

       from strength to strength,

each one appears before God

                             in Zion.

                 Psalm 84. 5, 7

(It is God's strength in us,

evident not just in the hard times,

      but even in the favorable.

We move from one strength

            to the next,

a deeper trust step by step, 

   knowing Him a little more.

And we realize

it is not our strength after all,

                   but His

      from strength to strength.

We are not "just strong people,"

as if that happened on our own accord,

     but infused by Him,

one degree to the next.

"I can't do that,"

   is the opportunity to recognize

   His strength in us.)

O LORD,

Help us to not just strive harder

   after a self-imposed strength,

but to turn even more

    to Your strength upon strength,

in layers built into

   what You have placed before us

and by Your Presence with us.

Let our hearts be the highways

   that point others to You.

Empower our hearts

           to know You more today.

 

A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold

    in a setting of silver.

           Proverbs 25. 11

(Choose carefully.

Words are non-returnable.

              Final sale.

Every word is an opportunity

   for God's love and grace

   to linger in someone's heart.

How can we bring something

        beautiful to what is before us?

To surprise others

    with the divine,

    and the unexpected in unlikely places.

Words resound.

May we choose to say

            something different

   to reflect

     the beauty of the Almighty.

Even in this situation,

   maybe especially in this.)

O LORD,

Fill us with Your words

   that are carefully chosen

  to bring Your name

and Your grace

and Your steadfast love

     to unexpected people

     in unlikely places.

Please override our thoughts

    and replace what we

          would have said

with what brings You glory.

Align our hearts with Yours

   that we would not react

               but respond

as You speak through us

and draw others into Your arms.

We can never know

     what others remember we said.

 

Rejoice always,

pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is the will of God

    in Christ Jesus for you.

          1 Thessalonians 5. 16-18

(We can't do everything,

     but we can do something,

and we can always rejoice,

         pray and give thanks.

Those responses

       are not an end in themselves,

   but the prerequisites

for what to do where God has

       strategically placed us.

They do not comprise

     an attitude, but a mindset,

a direction and response

    that points us to Him.

We do not need to give thanks

          for all circumstances,

   but in all circumstances.

God gives us His strength.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize the basics

      of following You,

      or responding to circumstances:

to rejoice even in the mysteries,

to pray our way through the hard stuff,

to give thanks even in situations

           that we cannot comprehend

                  the fruit or outcome.

You are with us.

    On Your Presence, we can rely.

    In Your Presence, we can respond.

And may our pattern of response,

    point us -- and others-- right to You.

           

 

Blessed is the man

   who trusts in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD.

He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots

                 by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious

            in the year of drought,

for it does not cease

             to bear fruit.

                Jeremiah 17. 7-8

(God does not promise

      that life will not be hard,

but that He is with us.

Our lives are not dependent

       on favorable circumstances,

     nor crushed by the difficult.

But when we trust in the LORD,

        when the LORD is our trust,

              life is incredibly different.

We can be responsive in drought

         because we are rooted in Him.

God does not just sustain us.

He bears fruit for all those around us.)

O LORD,

No matter where You have

     strategically placed us,

day by day,

        or season by season,

help us to be faithful to You.

May we send down our roots

       by trusting in You

               and abiding with You,

that our leaves would not just

             remain green,

but You would bear

     many kinds of fruit through us,

              far beyond our lifetimes.

Even that which generations to come

 will not know

             where it came from.

 

We set our hope on You,

for You do all these things.

             Jeremiah 14. 22

(God is God,

     and we are not.

Hope is not wishful thinking,

but He on whom we

          can stake our lives.

Anxiety is trying to be

            in control

            and in charge.

Trust is knowing

      the God who is.)

O LORD,

We don't know what to do,

but our eyes are on You.

             (2 Chronicles 20.12)

Help us to be faithful

   not just in following You,

            or walking with You,

    but knowing You as our God.

You never promised us

     that life would be easy,

           but "I am with you."

Your Presence changes everything.

Help us to abide

       in Your with-ness.

 

Yet You, O LORD,

are in the midst of us,

and we are

     called by Your name;

do not leave us.

             Jeremiah 14. 9

(Do we forget

    that God is in our midst?

We are not alone.

We belong.

We are loved

       and called by His name.

How do we live as His people?

Realizing His Presence among us

         makes all the difference

   in the choices that we make,

how we treat others,

how we respond to circumstances,

how we navigate.

"Do not fear. I am with you.")

O LORD,

You do not just show up.

You do not just

            suddenly appear.

You are with us

                   all along.

May we walk with You

   into this day

and even deeper

           into Your Presence.

May we know You more

and be known as Yours.

 

Listen to My voice,

and do all that I command you.

So shall you be My people,

and I will be your God.

                     Jeremiah 11. 4

(How much of God's wonder we miss

      because we have not listened

                  or responded.

God calls us not to projects,

                  but to Himself.

We don't have to understand

       all the details,

       nor the outcome,

just to trust God in it

and be faithful to Him.

All that we do

                is ministry.

All can bring glory to Him.

No exclusions.)

O LORD,

Help us to follow You,

        walk with You,

 and love You in all we do.

May we know You

    be known as Yours,

              and act like it.

Help us to both listen

             and respond

to what You have

   placed before us today.

Divine appointments,

sacred encounters

    in unexpected places

    and among unlikely people.

Help us not to be distracted,

    not just mindful of You,

    but having the mind of Christ,

even in this.

 www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Let not the wise man

   boast in his wisdom,

let not the mighty man

   boast in his might,

let not the rich man

   boast in his riches,

but let him who boasts

       boast in this:

that he understands

                 and knows Me,

that I am the LORD

who practices steadfast love,

     justice, and righteousness

                        in the earth.

For in these things I delight,

             declares the LORD.

               Jeremiah 9. 23-24

(By what are we known?

 On what do we rely?

Our identity and strength

     are in Him and through Him.

How are we practicing love,

   justice and righteousness

                 over and over?

In what do we delight?

The proof of our desire

            is in the pursuit.)

O LORD,

May our hearts be aligned with Yours

as we seek out how to

     bring Your name,

     Your love and grace,

          even to this situation.

May we practice those things

            over and over again

even in the unexpected

      and in unlikely places,

not for our glory

              but for Yours.

May we bring You

    great delight in all we do today,

        in word, deed, and attitude.

There are no small details,

          nothing insignificant,

that cannot bring honor to You.

 

Thus says the LORD:

"Stand by the roads,

              and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

   where the good way is,

and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls."

                Jeremiah 6. 16

(What is His way in this?

Stand, look,

          pay attention.

Have I considered

     --have I sought--

        the Almighty in this?

Fueled by prayer

         and marinated in His Word,

walking with the LORD

    always and in

    some impossible way

          comes with a side of peace.

The path may be hard,

we may struggle with something,

but God whispers,

    "Right here with you.")

O LORD,

As we walk with You today,

may we bring Your name

     wherever we are,

     among whomever,

     and in whatever we do.

No encounters random,

               but divine,

     no tasks insignificant,

               but sacred.

We are anointed and appointed

                    by You.

Just because it is hard

   does not mean You are not in it.

Your faithfulness

   guides and strengthens us.

Help us to seek Your way,

   to stop and consider,

and sow Your grace

         in unlikely places.

 

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;

yes, I will remember Your wonders of old.

I will ponder all Your work,

  and meditate on Your mighty deeds.

...You are the God who works wonders.

...Your way was through the sea.

Your path through the great waters;

yet

    Your footprints were unseen.

                 Psalm 77. 11-12, 14, 19

(God is faithful.

God is still faithful.

God redeems.

God multiplies.

He is not about to

      abandon you now.

God works in ways

  that He cannot be explained away.

He is guiding us

         even now.

         Even in this.)

O LORD,

We are not alone after all.

You are with us

     in this wilderness.

You guide us

    when life is over our heads.

Help us to push back

        the darkness

        and our fears

by praising You

   for Your faithfulness.

You are God.

And we are not.

And Your love

          embraces us.

 

And He is before all things,

and in Him

all things hold together.

           Colossians 1. 17

(The Greek word for all

    not surprisingly means all:

each, every, any,

the whole, all things, everything,

individually and collectively.

All inclusive.  No exceptions.

Nothing that God cannot use,

    far beyond our understanding,

             or our lifetimes.

Things are neither random

                or falling apart,

    or even falling together,

but intricately fitting together.

"Trust Me in this.")

O LORD,

We don't have to know all things

in order to trust You

              in all things.

Thank You that You go before us.

You have our back.

You walk with us

     through the hard stuff

     and even in the favorable.

You are God,

          and we are not.

We cannot know

      the outcome nor the journey,

      nor even how the pieces fit,

but we can be faithful,

and know

               and trust You in it.

 

...for I have learned

in whatever situation I am

              to be content.

             Philippians 4. 11

(Because if I can't be content here,

     I will not be content elsewhere.

The Greek word content here means

    sufficient, strong enough,

    not dependent on external circumstances.

Not that we are impervious to circumstances,

   nor complacent,

           but we are able to be

           responsive where God

                      has placed us,

whatever,

among whomever,

wherever.

Our strength is in Him.)

O LORD,

You have placed each of us

      strategically for Your Kingdom,

often in unexpected ministry

     and bearing unexpected fruit.

Help us not to just be faithful

               in this place

               or situation,

but content in You,

knowing that You are working

        a mighty work in us

        and through us,

even in that which we

                 cannot yet see.

Even in what only appears

     as the most impossible.

Help us to approach

    the hard stuff and the favorable

with a new heart,

       seeking You in it,

and bearing witness to others

    that we are not alone.

You are with us.

 

But one thing

                I do:

forgetting what lies behind

and straining forward

     to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal

for the prize of the

   upward call of God

   in Christ Jesus.

                 Philippians 3. 13-14

(Leaving the baggage behind,

the wounds, the hurts,

and letting God redeem.

We are not defined by the past,

but in the now and the next,

pressing on to

          know Him,

          be known by Him,

          be known as His,

and be found in Him.

What is one thing I can do today

     to press on towards Him?)

O LORD,

You redeem.

And You multiply.

We cannot see

    even the beginning,

    even barely a glimpse,

                  of Your glory.

We walk through

             miry bogs,

     through wilderness,

     around potholes

          as big as craters,

and You are with us,

      strengthening,

      redeeming,

and calling us to You.

Help us on this day

           to press on

and bring Your grace

       even here .

We are Yours.

 

But when I thought

how to understand this,

it seemed to me

         a wearisome task,

until

    I went into the sanctuary of God...

                    Psalm 73. 16-17

(No, what unfolds into a

            wearisome task,

      hard not just to understand

      but how to get out of,

is when I don't bring it

             before the LORD.

First response,

            not last resort.

When we pray first,

God changes not just the outcome,

     but our hearts.

When we see Him differently,

   we see the situation

               with fresh eyes.

And respond to Him,

   not just the circumstances.)

O LORD,

We stumble,

we struggle,

we do not think first of You,

and then we struggle

           with a mess

           and distress.

Help us to come to You

   and lay it before You,

knowing even in the

             little stuff,

You redeem

       and draw us closer,

and help us to realize

that in Your eyes,

   there is no little stuff.