Living Story Blog
Read the Numbering Your Days Column Here
3 Steps to Leaving the Legacy Your Loved Ones Need
In this month’s Numbering Our Days column, I’m responding to a question from reader Dr. Penny F., a friend and grief counselor. (Please send me your questions and thoughts. I’d love to consider them for this column). Penny asked, “How should we prepare our children...
A Prayer about Protection from Enemies
God of Justice, We join David in Psalm 17, asking you to hear our prayers against the enemy and any tools he may use on this earth in his plans of attack. For those who have been betrayed, marginalized, treated unfairly, you have given us words to pray: ...
A Prayer about Resisting the Enemy
Lord of Angel-Armies, May we never forget or discount the spiritual battle that rages right here right now. The evil one prowls around like a lip-licking lion, drooling over our vulnerability and frailty. He is a liar, a tempter, an accuser, and an adversary. His...
Freedom from Addiction: A True Story
Today, as we continue our celebration of gospel freedom I am asking an important question: Is there such a thing as freedom from addiction? Since I work in jail ministry (note about jail ministry — prayers that we can go back in soon), I ask this addiction question of...
A Prayer about Being Homesick for Heaven
Heavenly Father, Loosen our grip on this world. Make us more like Paul, more torn between remaining on earth to share with more people the good news of your grace and going to heaven to be with Jesus. In a word, grow in us a “homesickness for heaven,” as Derek...
A Prayer about Expressing Our Grief Honestly
Lord, God, So many people I know right now are grieving— Grieving deep disappointments over lost hopes and dreams; grieving divisions in friends and families as well as in our nation; grieving the death of loved ones. In such a season, we are grateful that you...
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Daily Prayers
A Prayer about Giving Thanks to Our God
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118:28 Loving Lord, May we address you as this psalmist does: Firmly, emphatically, declaring:...
A Prayer about Persistent Prayer
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 Good Father, What a gift you have given us in prayer. We are timid and doubtful and rarely dare to ask or seek or knock for the things we really need or...
A Prayer about Becoming an Oak of Righteousness
That they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified… Isaiah 61:3 Lord Jesus, As we prayed yesterday, we have much to mourn in our days on this earth: our sinful, rebellious hearts; our sorrow over injustice, poverty, ...
A Prayer about an Eternity of the Lord’s Favor
…to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn…Isaiah 61:2 Lord Jesus, Two days ago we began praying about your merciful mission: to bind up hearts broken by sin and sorrow, to free us from hearts imprisoned...
A Prayer about Finding Freedom
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound… Isaiah 61:1 Lord Jesus, May we stop our scrolling for one minute to consider your merciful mission: When a bully taunts our...
A Prayer about the Mission of Jesus
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor… Isaiah 61:1 Lord Jesus, Dazzle us again with this strange but good news: You weren’t just a man who decided to go about preaching. You were “anointed,” set apart for a...