A Prayer for Faith . . .

A Prayer For Faith

God, give me back the simple faith that I so long have clung to,
My simple faith in peace and hope, in loveliness and light . . .
Because without this faith of mine, the rhythms I have sung to
Become as empty as the sky upon a starless night.

God, let me feel that right is right, that reason dwells with reason,
And let me feel that something grows whenever there is rain . . .
And let me sense the splendid truth that season follows season,
And let me dare to dream that there is tenderness in pain.

God, give me back my simple faith because my soul is straying
Away from all the little creeds that I so long have known;
Oh, answer me while still I have at least the strength for praying,
For if the prayer dies from my heart, I will be quite alone.
~Margaret E Sangster

Sometimes you read something and your heart breaks into a million little pieces . . . there are times when you see a friend who has already had to face more demons than most of us would ever care to face, having to yet face more sorrow and pain . . . and the words fail you. Sometimes life sucks and things happen that you just can't understand, and there are no answers to your questions . . . to the question . . . one word . . . why?

What can you say? What can you do? Prayer is the simplest answer, and probably the best thing to do of all. My friend Renee, who is fighting her own battle against Stage 4 Inflammatory Breast Cancer, has just found out her young nephew Sheldon, only 25, is now battling demons of his own . . . another form of a very rare cancer, cancer that cannot be cured, and that he is the only surviving person in the world with it right now . . . She is hurting and her heart is breaking . . . and my heart breaks for her. Could you all please keep her and Sheldon and their family in your prayers. They will need the strength of elephants to get through these next months . . . and the power of your faith, especially when their own faith fails them . . . and there will be times that it will . . . and your prayers will uplift them, and perhaps comfort them.

Renee, I am so sorry that this has happened. My love, faith and prayers are all I have to offer you. I can do no more than that.

I will be back later with some news of my Birthday Giveaway and the recipe for today . . . for now I go to pray.