Prayer 288: Still only Tuesday?

Dear God

Well, yesterday was a pretty long day, I must say. Honestly, it seemed to last at least six months, and at one point I thought that 5.30pm was never going to come round and I might be in the office forever. Hell indeed, eh … There was just so much stuff going on and so many different kinds of crisis to circumnavigate – couldn’t You have spread the pain throughout the week rather than giving it all to us in one day? Just a thought …

Still, I suppose that does at least mean that the worst might just be over, so thank You for that. I really hope the rest of the week improves, and whatever happens, thank You for somehow seeing us all through it.

Prayer 199: The prickly days

Dear God

Yesterday was a very bitty and prickly day, I must admit. Nothing flowed well, and I just couldn’t seem to settle to anything. Basically, it seems as if I was hugely busy but actually got nothing much done, with even more to do today. Deep sigh.

Help me to remember in times like this that You are the glue that holds everything in the world together, including my life. Help me to turn to You more willingly in the tricky times. Thank You.

Prayer 152: Say Yes to Rest

Dear God

Sometimes, it’s just absolutely vital to have a break. Not to be super-spiritual or reinvigorate my prayer life (which, Heaven knows, is probably beyond reinvigoration now!) but just to stop doing all the crazy things that make me so busy but which don’t make me happy. Thank You then that in every part of our lives, we always have the opportunity simply to say no to yet more exhausting activity and say yes to rest.

Prayer 148: The quiet days

Dear God

Thank You for the quiet days – those essential pauses between one high-octane activity and another, that seem to make up so much of modern life. Thank You for the vital chance to recharge our batteries and just rest in the simple peace of your love and heartfelt care. When I go into the next round of busyness, help me to take that peace and calm with me into the fray. Thank You.

Prayer 104: the unreality of Christian writers

Dear God

It’s all very well for these super-holy Christian writers to tell us we need to take time to find our true vocation in You, but I bet they don’t have to give time – lots of time – to having two demanding part-time jobs, getting the cleaning, cooking and general domestics done, sorting the car out when it breaks again, remembering which night is bin night and which night is recycling night, trying to work out which plumber is the best one to call when the showers don’t work properly, keeping the garden and the allotment under control and trying to look like a normal middle-aged woman vaguely in charge of her own life. Bah! If I had time to think about any sort of vocation, I’m sure I’d add it to my list, but I don’t, so I take these Christian writers (and funnily enough, they’re all men, aren’t they?…) with a very large pinch of salt. Bah again, and thank You for listening.