A morning dedication prayer for you

It's here finally,  My Valley of Visions prayer book.  The book is a collection of Puritan Prayers.

My goal with these prayers is to incorporate them into my daily prayer routine.

Since reading Ann Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts: A DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE". I've started setting the alarm on my cell phone to go off in hourly intervals throughout the day.  Whenever the phone chimes, I stop what I'm doing and take on the posture of kneeling{When I'm home} . Of course, you don't have to kneel, I'm purposefully kneeling 'cause I started noticing a pattern with me of not kneeling, as I would always tell myself that I was too busy.

Though I've prayed for years, I've always felt that I wasn't as in tuned in prayer as I know God deserves me to be.  Lately I've been feeling like something is missing, like I'm not giving Him total devotion in this area...even though I'm doing it.  It seems that I'm always feeling rushed when it comes time to pray...like I need to hurry up and finish, and I just feel uneasy from not taking the time that I know He is telling me to take: "Slow down," He's saying. So when I read Ann's blog and discovered this book, I instantly knew it was my solution.  I felt like the scripted prayers and the reading of them will help me slow down due to the reading, and my mind will go to that focal place... and I will be able to concentrate, meditate and simply surrender ... time ... thoughts ....

I pray during my morning quiet time, and I still pray before falling asleep, but I'm convicted to still do more in the arena of prayer.

I long to experience what it's like to enter into the presence of God several times a day with prayer and the specific purpose of only intimacy with Him.

To give those of you who don't have the book or are unfamiliar with the prayer book I want to share one of the prayers with you.

The Morning prayer—

Almighty God,
As I cross the threshold of this day I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care.
Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways;
Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus,
as a potter forms clay;
May my lips be a well-tuned harp
to sound thy praise;
Let those around see me living by thy Spirit,
trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed to lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armour of God,
shining as a never-dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.
Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.
In needful transactions let my affection be in heaven,
and my love soar upwards in flames of fire,
my gaze fixed on unseen things,
my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility, mockery of earth and its vanities.
May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,
waiting for the coming of my Lord,
listening for the last trumpet call,
hastening unto the new heaven and earth.
Order this day all my communications
according to thy wisdom,
and to the gain of mutual good.
Forbid that I should not be profited
or made profitable.
May I speak each word as if my last word,
and walk each step as my final one.
If my life should end today,
let this be my best day.

"The more praying the more rejoicing.  Prayer gives us a channel to pent up sorrows of the soul—they flow away, and in their stead streams of sacred delight pour in the heart.


At the same time the more rejoicing the more praying; when the heart is in quiet condition, and full of joy in the Lord, then also will it be sure to draw near unto the Lord in worship.


Holy joy and prayer act and react upon each other." ~ C. Spurgeon

Pray without ceasing. ~ 1 Thess. 5:17

This post is linked to Like A Bubbling Brook