November 17: Preserving Peace Regardless of External Circumstance

            We acknowledge that if we wait for a perfect life, we will be waiting forever. Yet we sit in chaos and dissatisfaction, believing that peace will one day come to us through outside change in our lives. We understand that much of our world is beyond our control, so we commit ourselves to preserving our inner peace regardless of our external circumstances. We ask God to guide us towards greater acceptance of our lives. May God teach us the security and calmness we need to find wholeness from within rather than from without.

Photo by author

November 15: Calm before and during Busy Holiday Season

            While the holiday season holds excitement and potential, we acknowledge how this time can be a source of stress for everyone. As responsibilities and expectations pile up, we ask God to sooth our anxieties. We pray that no matter how busy we become, we still are able to find moments of calm where we can sit and reflect on our inner life and our relationship with God. We place our trust in God that our holiday preparations will come together and that we will enjoy the times we celebrate with friends and family. Let us use the moments of restful peace to meditate on how to use the holiday season to draw closer to God.

Photo by Ellen Kneeskern '18

November 10: Finding Peace in Forgiveness

            Past betrayals and shortcomings continue to upset us, unexpectedly disturbing our peace by aggravating old wounds. We find ourselves haunted by the pain others have caused us and the pain we have inflicted on others. May God give us the strength to forgive those who hurt us. We acknowledge forgiveness not as an erasure of harmful acts, but as a search for peace through acceptance of reality. May we follow Jesus’ example when we make our own apologies, atoning wholly without the condition of acceptance from the other person. Most importantly, may God guide us in forgiving ourselves, in finding peace through quieting our internal cycles of shame and blame. 

Photo by Ellen Kneeskern '18

November 8: Closure to Past Wrongs

            Past wrongs undeniably have the ability to hurt us in the present. We ask God to bring us closure through healing. May we seek reconciliation where possible and acceptance where not. May our closure be based on the principles of compassion and understanding towards others and ourselves. We pray God will guide those who have hurt us towards contrition and us towards forgiveness. While we may not be able to forget or undo the past, we ask for God’s help in healing the pain we continue to feel in the present.

Photo by author

November 3: Acceptance of Unmet Expectations

            The disappointment of unmet expectations can be worse than the downfalls themselves. God gives us the ability to dream, so we may feel betrayed when our plans go unfulfilled. But we acknowledge that God also gave us the strength to accept our life’s letdowns. We ask God to give us the wisdom to adjust our plans and continue working towards our goals. May we not become so discouraged that we give up, but let us place our faith in ourselves and in our God. We pray for the healing of our disappointments and the resilience to keep pursuing our goals.

Photo by author

November 1: Request for Healing from Illness

             We request peace within our bodies and minds through the healing of illness. May God’s healing presence contribute to our well-being as we struggle with ailments, diseases, and disorders. We ask God to comfort and help those of us who cope with chronic illnesses. May God bless those who search for cures and treatments to illnesses as well as the doctors, nurses, and caretakers who care for those who suffer. May all people have access to the treatments they need. We acknowledge God as our parent, using the tools of humankind to sooth and heal the world’s children.

Photo by author, taken during Tulip Mania in Singapore