TYB
I'm sending out a big heartfelt thank you to all who have been praying for an end to blood sacrifice and war these past 3 weeks. Thank you to all who pray. Big shifts happen when we pray with common intent.
For the next few weeks I will be praying privately with a shorter set of prayers with the intent to protect and uplift us during these turbulent times. Anyone who wishes to is welcome to join me (or choose your own set of prayers that are meaningful to you).
Pray daily, out loud, with conviction and good intent:
-The Lord's Prayer
-The Prayer of Hope
-Psalm 23
The Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
King James Version
9 …Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The Prayer of Hope
Thou, O Lord, art the Helper of the helpless,
the Hope of the Hopeless,
the Saviour of them who are tossed with the tempests,
the Haven of them who sail; be thou all to all.
The glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us,
prosper thou the work of our hands upon us,
Oh! prosper thou our handiwork.
Lord, be thou within us, to strengthen us;
without us to keep us; above us to protect us;
beneath us to uphold us; before us to direct us;
behind us to keep us from straying;
round about us to defend us.
Blessed be Thou, O Lord our Father, for ever and ever.
Source: https://www.patrickcomerford.com/2022/06/a-prayer-of-lancelot-andrewes-found-in.html
Psalms Chapter 23
A Psalm of David
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Music is medicine.
Singing heals us: body, heart and soul.
Here are a couple of my favourite hymns that I learned as a child and carried with me on my journey.
He Who Would Valiant Be
He who would valiant be
'gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
with dismal stories
do but themselves confound
his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might;
though he with giants fight,
he will make good his right
to be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
us with thy Spirit,
We know we at the end,
shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labor night and day
to be a pilgrim.
He Who Would Valiant Be (Tune: Monk's Gate - 3vv) [with lyrics fpr congregations]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBSPvatOtvo
The Lord of the Dance
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth:
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn't follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with me and the dance went on:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame:
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,
And they left me there on a cross to die:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I'd gone;
But I am the dance, and I still go on:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me:
I am the Lord of the dance, said he.
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
Lord of the Dance - Chelmsford Citadel Songsters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYL7KrYnfL0
The Story Behind Lord of the Dance
https://www.godtube.com/popular-hymns/lord-of-the-dance/