We have been in Germany a whole week. In fact, it has been a week and a day now. I’m still not sleeping well as my tiny children adjust their bodies to a time zone a whole ocean away.

These prayers reflect a bit of my exhaustion and the curious wonder of hearing familiar words again.

Waking Up to Praise
Inspired by Psalm 92:1-4

O God, everything
in my body and soul
feels out of tune.
I feel unprepared
for what must be 
done. I don't really
know how to greet 
this new day.

But, O God, I am here. 
I am here with breath
in my body and a heart
pounding with hope
so I praise you
with my tapping foot
and my fingers 
drumming on the side 
of my coffee mug. 
I praise you with
readiness to find
your rhythm 
and work growing
in each step.
O God, I am here
and I praise your work
again and again.

Prayer for the Scattered
Inspired by Mark 4:26-34

We have been so scattered
between what was and 
what could be. We have felt
flung between what
we remember and
what we know
could be better
but we aren't quite
so sure where to plant 
ourselves. We feel
so small and so 
unprepared for 
the world that 
is to come. O God,
help us to find roots in 
your endless grace.
Amen.

I shared some other prayers in reflection of this Gospel Lesson last summer that may also inspire. It’s another version from another Gospel as the Revised Common Lectionary goes but perhaps it will be what you need.

That’s all I’ve got for you, dear pastor. As you prepare worship this week, please know that I am praying for you. I am praying for you so much.