A Prayer for the Elements of Hope
Spirit of Life, of Love, of Joy,
Guide us so that we may nurture in our lives the elements of hope.
Ground us in the stability and security of your healing love and compassionate presence. Help us to remain mindful that you are the source not only of life, but also of healing, purpose, meaning, and abundance.
Out of your stable, grounding presence, call forth in us a spirit of profound and unassailable trust. Guide us so that we may fearlessly and confidently embrace the mystery and possibility of every moment, each succeeding instant of the sacred present. Teach us that by fostering an ever-deepening trust in your transforming grace, we are also empowered to bring wise and rightful trust into all of our relationships.
Because of the grace we find in trusting you, we take heart in the gift of courage. Lead us by your inspiration to move from receptive confidence to creative action, knowing that your infinite creativity can emerge in us through a dazzling variety of ways. We know that we are the hands and heart of your divinity, manifest in human form, and that our actions today create the world of tomorrow. Guide us to act with courage and purpose and steadfast perseverance, that our efforts may bear the fruit of your love.
And finally, weave together stability, trust, and courage to ignite in us an ever-flowing fountain of joy. Help us to always remember that the promise of life is not merely to endure, but to thrive, with delight, insight, elation and wonder. You promise us good cheer, deep solace, heavenly gladness, and eternal bliss. Give us playful hearts so that we may embody your joy with eyes alive with your uncreated light.
We know you love us, heal us, and sustain us in the present moment here and now. And it is your hope that invites us to carry the blessings of the ‘sacred now’ into your glorious future. Through your hope, may our lives not only be luminous in their resilience and felicity, but truly a beacon of celestial light and ever-blossoming union with you.
Amen.
Friends, join me on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 for a free online event that will include Centering Prayer and a conversation about some of the most common challenges we face when we engage in a contemplative practice. Do any of these statements sound familiar? “I’m just not very good at Centering Prayer: my mind is too distracted!” “How can I be attentive to the silence within, when all I notice is how noisy my mind is!” “I thought contemplation was about finding inner peace, but all I’m finding is inner turmoil.” So often, we find ourselves discouraged, rather than inspired when we give Centering Prayer a try. As a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer Introductory Workshops and a long-time practitioner of Centering Prayer myself, I am no stranger to these kinds of discouraging thoughts. I hope you’ll join me and other seekers of the silence within on April 8, 2026, as we seek to bring more curiosity, and less criticism, to our Centering Prayer experience. This 90-minute online event is free and everyone is welcome. I do need you to pre-register so I can make sure my Zoom account will accommodate everyone.
To register, click here.
Please note: this workshop is based on an article I recently published on my “Fullness of Joy” Substack, called “Above Boats on a River, the Sky.” You don’t have to read the article to participate in the meeting, but reading it will enrich the experience. Click on the title to read the article.
