Dear God, let me not think of myself today. Let me not pursue my own aims, trying persistently to arrange things for my own benefit. Let me, instead, seek your will. Let me act contrary to my own desires, helping others, giving even to my own detriment. You grant me strength. Let me use it to a good end, not selfishly to advance my own cause.

Lord, let me listen for your calling. Let me be willing to hear your guidance. Let me be willing to act as you would have me do, whatever the supposed cost.

Let me erase myself, that I might build others. Surely this is the path you would have me tread. Let me walk it with purpose.

(Letter #1055)

Dear God, stay with me today. Walk right here beside me. I need you next to me, guiding me, taking me by the nose from station to station.

Point my gaze toward what you would have me see. Let this crowd out all my other thoughts. Let me consider nothing but what you set right before my nose.

Guide me, let me willingly and obediently follow.

(Letter #1054)

Dear God, let me try. Let me put in a full measure of effort. So often, I profess to desire nearness to you, or the peace of right action and right relations. Yet I do nothing to bring those things about. I idly hope you might visit me and fill me with your presence. I sit apart from the world and my fellows, thinking neutrality to be the same thing as peace.

Lord, let me act. Let me take affirmative steps to embody your will today. Let me engage with my fellows even when I would remain aloof. Let me be industrious in fulfilling my obligations.

Let me be a being in the world today, your being.

(Letter #1053)

Dear God, let me not seek applause today. Let me shun recognition. Let me help in secret, quietly spreading good will and positive development.

If the spotlight shines my way, let me turn it elsewhere, to shine on some other soul. Let me diminish my self-importance, my self-regard.

Let me feel guided today. I am fearful for the future and what may occur. Let me trust your pathways.

(Letter #1052)

Dear God, I harbor fears like termites chewing my foundations. I face no crisis in this moment, but I foresee calamity in the future. Lord, let me recognize this as a form of fantasy. I cannot know what future days or weeks will bring. To imagine I can is arrogance.

You are with me in the here and now – it is now that you call me to act. Worry for tomorrow will only serve to make me useless today.

Lord, let me live and act today, in this moment. Guide me to do your will.

(Letter #1051)

Dear God, I know you support me. Let me please believe it. I face troubles that worry me. How will I manage?

Let me please place all my apprehensions into your hands. Let me act as if I truly believe that you will intercede. Let me believe this so strongly that I can refrain from meddling and desperately trying to alter the course of events.

Let me gratefully accept every occurrence today. Let me live thankfully.

(Letter #1050)

Dear God, shelter me today. Protect me. Watch over me.

I fear so much – unforeseen calamity, negative interactions with other people, depletion of resources, pain visited upon loved ones. In truth, Lord, even the worst of my days merely reflects a small portion of what I routinely fear may come to pass, and even in those cases it is only momentary.

Lord, let me see clearly how my fears are rooted in delusion and fantasy. To nurture them, to worry over them so habitually, is a defect.

When I am shot through with fear, I do not have faith, and I cannot be of service to others. I am thus supremely selfish. Lord, take away this shortcoming. Let me become right-sized. Let me become a useful person. Let my faith in you grow.

Thy will be done.

(Letter #1049)

Dear God, even in the face of challenge, in the face of self-created fear, you offer abundance. It is my task to see it. Lord, let me rely upon you today. At every juncture where I am timid, or falter, let me consciously rely on you.

Too often, my dependence on you is in name only. I may face some trial and, in fear, I mouth the words of prayer. But I do not act on them – instead I set about trying to solve my own problem, on my own and without your assistance.

Lord, what would it be like if I were to truly depend upon you? Let me seek your support with great deliberateness today. Let me not simply cry out, “help me.” Let me stop, and receive your aid.

(Letter #1048)

Dear God, I deserve none of these gifts. I merit no recognition. No reward is due me. All this relief, all this bounty, this peace – all bestowed by you as pure grace. You give; my duty is to receive with thanks.

I expend such effort seeking to achieve, or build toward some imagined future. This is true in all the realms of my life: work, family, community, even spiritual. Work and effort. All false – every accomplishment comes to me as a gift from you.

Lord, let me cease my self-deception. Let me feel the joy of being fully loved by you.

I need not seek to deserve anything. You love me, your child, even at my most hateful.

How, Lord, can I better have and express the gratitude your love and bounty impels? All my attempts are inadequate, yet you love me even in my ingratitude.

Let me feel you shine upon me today, and in some small way let me pass this to others.

(Letter #1047)

Dear God, let me please focus today on my actions and not my emotions or sentiment. Let me act rightly, regardless of my internal condition. Let me shirk nothing.

So often, Lord, I wait before fulfilling some responsibility, until I feel ready to act, or more often, until other pursuits are exhausted. Let me instead place obligation first.

The less I may wish to do them, the more sacred your assigned tasks are, for they become thereby greater demonstrations of faith. I have so little of that.

Let me, please, by acting rightly, grow in my devotion to you.

Lord, thy will be done today.

(Letter #1046)