Thankful Thursday

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

I know... I said I was taking a break, and I have fully intended to... and I really have had a break in a way. I have made blogging my last priority after my relationship with God and my family, and somehow He is providing me the time to do a few posts. It really has been freeing to not feel like I have to do this post or that post, and to just do a post when I have time... and I am planning on keeping it this way. I desire for my blog to draw others to Him, so I will blog when I feel His leading and His inspiration for what to write... so here is my Thankful Thursday post!

Today I am giving thanks:

• That God's grace is sufficient for my every need - no matter how big that need - His grace is ALWAYS sufficient!
• That God IS my strength - and when I am weak He is strong!
• For times of refreshing found in His presence - just taking time to re-focus and get my priorities back in order, taking time to sit at His feet - has taken the stress and weariness I was feeling so heavily completely away!!
• For this glorious day the Lord has given me! The boys and I have spent several hours at the park, feeling the sun on our face, the wind in our hair, and listening to the birds sing... We had a nice leisurely picnic. They played to their hearts content. I got some much needed reading and planning done. Then we all came home, rested, and then had popsicles on the porch!
• And I am thankful for this that I read today... it just echoed what is in my heart... I encourage you to read it slowly, taking time to ponder over each word and phrase...

O Holy Spirit,
As the sun is full of light,
the ocean full of water,
Heaven full of glory, so may my heart be full of thee.

Vain are all divine purposes of love
and the redemption wrought by Jesus
except thou work within,
regenerating by thy power,
giving me eyes to see Jesus,
showing me the realities of the unseen world.

Give me thyself without measure,
as an unimpaired fountain,
as inexhaustible riches.

I bewail my coldness, poverty, emptiness,
imperfect vision, languid service,
prayerless prayers, praiseless praises.

Suffer me not to grieve or resist thee.
Come as power,
to expel every rebel lust, to reign supreme
and keep me thine;
Come as teacher,
leading me into all truth,
filling me with all understanding;
Come as love,
that I may adore the Father, and love him
as my all;
Come as joy,
to dwell in me, move in me, animate me;
Come as light,
illuminating the scripture, moulding me
in its laws;
Come as sanctifier,
body, soul and spirit wholly thine;
Come as helper,
with strength to bless and keep, directing my
every step;
Come as beautifier,
bringing order out of confusion, loveliness
out of chaos.
Magnify to me thy glory by being magnified in me,
and make me redolent of thy fragrance.

taken from The Valley of Vision, A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions


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