Episode 64: Isaiah 6:8
Transcription
Before we pray today, I want to read you some more reviews of my book: Yes, Father: A Daughter’s Journey to Forgiveness.
Juli takes us into such raw places with grace and skill to the destination of release and forgiveness. Her story never feels candy-coated while she also respects all the people involved. I enjoyed the format of alternating childhood and adulthood, past and more present. Well done telling such a vulnerable story. I was deeply moved.
Juli has such a gift with words, that I felt incapable of putting this memoir down! She beautifully describes the difficult journey of caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, but goes beyond to share the grief of a pained relationship between a father and daughter.
I was personally touched by the sibling bond through the years, and the thread of healing from codependency. A very raw picture at learning to trust God with your family members faith, emotions and healing journey.
I read this moving memoir about her father’s care from onset of dementia through his passing. Juli’s honest grappling with how to love her father well encourages us to turn to the God who sees, hears and understands.
I love the cover art, gold-filled cracks as pictures of Juli’s heart fissures filled by obedience and love.
Well done, Juli!
These and other reviews have left me with such a heart of gratitude. I hope they have helped you understand what the book is about, and if you’ve read it and haven’t left a review, I am hoping that you will take the time to do it. Reviews are what help me share this story with people who need to hear it, so I treasure each one. The book is on Amazon or Goodreads if you feel led to do so. And if you haven’t picked up your own copy yet, head on over to my website at www.ja-sellers.com and find the link there.
Okay, now on to our prayer!
Today’s verse is Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Let’s pray together.
Father, today, I quiet my soul. I ask for the peace and contentment that comes before I hear Your voice. I ask to be ready to receive. My heart should be open before You, a waiting vessel of open-love. I am surrounded by the noises and distractions of this world. So many things are good and created for my pleasure, but they are only glimpses of You. I want You. Help me to know You, to know so intimately the sound of Your voice. Let me look and listen for it endlessly, never happy until I hear it. For You are the Lover of my soul, and the fulfiller of every good thing.
And when, oh, LORD, I hear Your voice, help me to understand it. Help me to decipher the beauty of Your instruction through the crowd and the layers of brokenness between us. I am unable to reach You on my own. I need You to break through all that would separate us and teach me about Yourself. I need to know myself through You. And I want to be the person You created me to be. To do that, I need Your goodness and mercy. I need Holy Spirit, a righteous fire burning the dross of my heart away. Then, and only then, do I know Your will.
Give me the courage to do Your will, to fulfill the purpose You have for me. I want to minister where You send me, speak the words You place in my mouth, do the work that is created for my hands. I know these things exist. Your word has promised it and so I believe. But I am often afraid. It feels like where You will send me will bring hardship and persecution and judgment. I feel so little and unworthy and unable. How could I possibly do these things or help these people or accomplish Your good?
But it isn’t really me. It is You. It is always You. So remind me of that, entrench this knowledge into my bones, so my very actions are motivated by truth. Instruct me in Your ways, saturate me in Your presence. Allow others to see You through me. I don’t want them to see me at all, because the me that is real and important is the image of You. So let them see You. Let them be blessed by You. Burn away my fears, banishing them forever into the darkness. Help me be full of joy and patient duty. I want to honor You, reverently fearing Your majesty.
You ask us to go, Father. You want willing and open spirits. Let that be us. Let that be the cry of our hearts. Take selfishness and self-protection from us. Rid us of our pride and humanism. Whatever lies and deception we have believed, about ourselves or others, brand us with the truth instead. Let us be eager for the chase, eager for the mission, eager for the glorious future awaiting us.
And, sustain us through the hardship. The calls on our lives do not protect us from pain or loss or the wickedness of others. But You have promised to watch over us. You have called us Your own. We belong to You. And You will bring us home. So be our Shepherd, be our Counselor, be our Father. Help us to understand and accept the mantles You have placed upon us.
I want to be obedient to Your will and I don’t want to fail to do what You have created me to do. Help me to be excited for the path laid before me and may I be a blessing to all. You know the way and I follow You in it.
I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Well, my friends, we’ve come to the end of Season Three of Peace Prayers. Thank you so much for sticking with me and being a part of these prayers. They are for you and I hope you come back to them and pray them over again, whenever you need encouragement.
I will be taking a break, but don’t worry because I will be back in about a month with S4 and I’ve got some exciting ideas about how to make our podcast better. As always, if you have any thoughts or feedback, I want to hear it. Please connect with me on Instagram at j.a.sellers.
Also remember you can follow me on my website at www.ja-sellers.com. My site hosts a transcription of each prayer, so that’s a great way to pray them on your own and see what else I am writing about.
I have one final favor to ask of you, and that’s for you to rate and review the podcast. The ratings and reviews are what help this podcast thrive and get shared so more people can join us on this pathway to peace. I’d love it if you would leave one if you haven’t already and share Peace Prayers with the people in your life who could use it. I would be so grateful.
All right, everyone, have a peaceful rest of your day, and I will talk to you soon.
