There are no words

Dearest Father God,

When You want something to happen, You do everything in Your power to protect it. Take the life of Jesus, for example. He could have been killed many times throughout His life...in the womb of Mary because of her status as unwed mother...during Herod's slaughter of the infant males...instances during His public ministry when His message was much too "harsh" for some who heard it. Not until the appointed time was His mission completed. Your will comes with perfect timing. And when it's much too important to be compromised, extra grace seems to help it along to its fulfillment.

Last night You made me smile because I realized You were doing the same for us. He listens really well to people - a definite gift - but I think the greater gift is his ability to listen just as well to You. And I saw in his eyes complete obedience. It had to come from him, not from me. Plan C. =) That's why I have so much peace with this. Sure there have been questions, but You are doing such a wonderful job with the answers. I don't even have to go looking for them this time. All I have to do is trust You and there they are...

I pray that more people have this opportunity to be filled with this much of Your love. That they will get to the point of being amazed every day at how You weave their lives together and orchestrate every event in order to create something beautiful.

Very special intentions sit in my heart right now...for us, for my family, for my friends, my students, my coworkers. All I can be is grateful and give my own life over to You in prayer. That I know is one thing that I need to come back to, at least in the way that I was years ago. It shouldn't hurt to pray but it did for a while. It can't anymore. That's what I have to let go of...the pain I associated with being who I am...who I've always wanted to be...a living prayer.

So, Lord, please give me the grace again to love as I should...to accept others as they are but to pray that You will only draw them closer to You in their struggles and trials...to reach out because they are precious to You...to make them feel valued and important in this world. Please help me remember that Your mercy extends far beyond the walls of our churches...that You can work in the hearts of those in the world and lead them back to Truth but that it is up to us who know it to bring it to them with compassionate hearts devoid of judgment and condemnation.

Thank you. Thank you so very much for what You are doing for each one of us and for all of us together. What a beautiful day this is...