Prayers for Hard Times: Reflections, Meditations and Inspirations of Hope and Comfort (Christian gift for women)

By Becca Anderson

Find Spiritual Inspiration Through Daily Prayers

"This is the best prayer book I have ever seen; simply wonderful. Buy one copy for yourself and one to give to a friend." —Amazon Review

In a world that feels increasingly fragile and, at times, fractured, people need specific prayers for struggling.

Gain wisdom and inspiration with daily prayers.  As recent scientific research shows, the simple act of praying can be emotionally, physically, and even spiritually healing. With Prayers for Hard Times, best-selling author Becca Anderson offers solace in bringing together the wisdom of great thinkers, spiritual leaders and writers who have faced difficulty and learned from it.

Find consolation and renewal within yourself. Becca Anderson’s collection focuses on prayers for a wide range of life challenges, from the personal to the global. Prayers for Hard Times covers issues facing individuals such as loss of loved ones, illness, anxiety, divorce, depression and addiction, as well as those challenges communities face in natural disasters and violence. The writers in Anderson’s devotional address the world at large, as well, with words of hope and help for global poverty, hunger, war and the environmental. Prayers for Hard Times is the book of daily prayers that offers you solace, comfort, and support, drawing from the wisdom of every era, every major faith and tradition, and the important voices of those who have lived through such experiences themselves.

Organized in daybook form, Prayers for Hard Times draws from plenty of sacred sources and texts, as well as the encouraging spiritual quotes and writings of:

• Maya Angelou
• Harriet Tubman
• Dave Eggars
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• And more!

If you loved books like Pocket Prayers, Hope When It Hurts and Prayers for Difficult Times then you’ll find Prayers for Hard Times to be the book for you!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mango
• Release date: Dec 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781633536531

Becca Anderson

Becca Anderson comes from a long line of preachers and teachers from Ohio and Kentucky. The teacher's side of her family led her to become a women's studies scholar and the author of The Book of Awesome Women. An avid collector of meditations, prayers and blessings, she helps run a “Gratitude and Grace Circle”' which meets at homes, churches and bookstores monthly in the San Francisco-Bay Area where she currently resides. Becca Anderson credits her spiritual practice with helping her recover from cancer and wants to share this with anyone who is facing difficulty in their life. Author of Think Happy to Stay Happy and Every Day Thankful, Becca Anderson shares her inspirational writings and suggested acts of kindness at https://thedailyinspoblog.wordpress.com/ She also blogs about Awesome Women, like those in her book Badass Affirmations, at https://theblogofawesomewomen.wordpress.com/

Book preview

Prayers

for Hard Times

Reflections, Meditations, and Inspirations of Hope and Comfort

Becca Anderson

Copyright © 2017 Becca Anderson.

Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

Cover Design: Elina Diaz

Layout & Design: Roberto Nunez

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Prayers for Hard Times: Reflections, Meditations and Inspirations of Hope and Comfort

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2017960351

ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-63353-529-9, (ebook) 978-1-63353-653-1

BISAC category code: REL036000 RELIGION / Inspirational

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

January

When Everything is New Again

February

The Season of the Heart

March

A Season of Change

April

Blossoming Into Being

May

When Hope Springs Eternal

June

The Shared Warmth of Love

July

The Bounty and Beauty of This World

August

Shining Your Light for All to See

September

Harvesting Your Blessings

October

Gather Together with Friends and Family

November

Count Your Blessings and Be Thankful

December

Life is a Gift and Love is the Key

Conclusion

Let’s Be Grateful For Each Other and Be Grateful Together: Prayer Circles

Index

Introduction

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Dear Reader,

The paths of our lives take many twists and turns and just as many ups and downs. I firmly agree with those who say you can’t recognize the good times if you haven’t experienced the opposite. I also believe that going through difficulties builds character and makes us more resilient. But why, oh why do the tough times have to be so hard? I had the idea for this book ten years ago when a loved one, my fiancé, was diagnosed with stage IV cancer with very few options. I was his primary caretaker, and I did my best to paste on a smile, speak about a positive future, and above all, stay upbeat for him. He was unable to work, so I was also the breadwinner; I arranged a steady stream of meal deliveries and friendly visitors while I worked my very long days. One day I was at a business lunch with an author who asked me how I was handling this. Suddenly, I was gasping for breath and had to run outside. I had to go home; after a couple more episodes, I went to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with stress-induced asthma and prescribed heavy-duty medications and ordered to rest. But I knew I couldn’t sleep this off. The medications took effect after a couple of days, but the feeling that I was being suffocated by stress did not dissipate at all. To add to the load, I felt like I needed to be strong for someone else and that I was going to fail him. He passed very quickly, which somehow compounded the grief. We had barely had time to adjust to the severity of his illness when he died. One of the blessings to come from this was that his family and friends became a very close-knit group and have remained so, sharing memories and making new ones.

When the vicissitudes of life remind me that the only constant is change, I think back to those dark days and reflect on how it felt, oftentimes hopeless with a depthless sadness. The only thing that helped me was praying and reading the wisdom of others. I remembered wishing I had a book that I could carry with me at all times just so I could turn to it when I felt I just could not go on. I know you, dear reader, have also faced circumstances that seemed insurmountable. My sincere hope is that the prayers and homilies I have gathered here offer some comfort and courage to you. I would love to hear from you—tell me the stories of what you and your loved ones have lived through and overcome. I would love to hear your encouraging words and gain strength from you.

With gratitude and blessings,

Becca Anderson

January

When Everything is New Again

Fall seven times, stand up eight.

—Japanese proverb

Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being.

—Albert Schweitzer

We should always pray for help, but we should always listen for inspiration and impression to proceed in ways different from those we may have thought of.

—John H. Groberg

A problem is a chance for you to do your best.

—Duke Ellington

The Fearsome Blessing of Hard Times

The fearsome blessing of that hard time continues to work itself out in my life in the same way we’re told the universe is still hurtling through outer space under impact of the great cosmic explosion that brought it into being in the first place. I think grace sometimes explodes into our lives like that—sending out pain, terror, astonishment through inner space until by grace they become Orion, Cassiopeia, Polaris, to give us our bearings, to bring us into something like full being at last.

- Frederick Buechner

You Will Have Peace

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

—Numbers 6:24–26, The Bible, NIV

By the Awful Grace of God

And even in our sleep,

pain that cannot forget

falls drop by drop upon the heart,

and in our own despite,

against our will,

comes wisdom to us

by the awful grace of God.

—Agamemnon, Aeschylus – 5th Century BC

Calling All Angels

Angel of God,

my guardian dear,

to whom God’s love commits me here,

ever this day,

be at my side

to light and guard,

to rule and guide.

- Catholic Liturgy—A Prayer to Guardian Angels

Inspire Me to Kindness, Each and Every Day

Day by day,

Let me see the grace

Day by day,

Let me see the way

Day by day,

Let me see the beauty

Let me hear the music

day by day

Let me see the way

Day by day

let me see the goodness

Let me feel the love

Inspire me to kindness

Day by day,

let me see the way

Let me see the grace

Let me see the way

- Day by Day—Hans van Rostenberghe

Growing Old

I am of the nature to grow old.

There is no way to escape growing old.

I am of the nature to have ill-health.

There is no way to escape having ill-health.

I am of the nature to die.

There is no way to escape death.

All that is dear to me and everyone I love

are of the nature to change.

There is no way to escape being separated from them.

My actions are my only true belongings.

I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.

My actions are the ground on which I stand.

- Buddha

Give Us the Power To Heal

Hail to thee, day! Hail, ye day’s sons!

Hail, night and daughter of night!

With blithe eyes look on both of us:

send to those sitting here speed!

Hail to you, Gods! Hail, Goddesses!

Hail, earth that gives to all!

Goodly spells and speech bespeak we from you,

and healing hands, in this life.

- The Poetic Edda—the Lay of Sigrdrifa, 600 AD

Prayer to St. Joseph the Protector

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong,

so prompt before the Throne of God,

I place in you all my interests and desires.

O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession

and obtain for me from your Divine Son

all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord;

so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power

I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage

to the most Loving of Fathers.

O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you

and Jesus asleep in your arms.

I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart.

Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me,

and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.

St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls,

pray for us.

Amen.

- Prayer to St. Joseph, Patron of the Dying, 100 AD

Celtic Prayer for Protection

Give thou thine heart to the wild magic,

To the Lord and the Lady of Nature,

Beyond any consideration of this world.

Do not covet large or small,

Do not despise weakling or poor,

Semblance of evil allow not near thee,

Never give nor earn thou shame.

The Ancient Harmonies are given thee,

Understand them early and prove,

Be one with the power of the elements,

Put behind thee dishonor and lies.

Be loyal to the Lord of the Wild Wood,

Be true to the Lady of the Stars,

Be true to thine own self besides,

True to the magic of Nature above all else.

Do not thou curse anyone,

Lest thou threefold cursed shouldst be,

And shouldst thou travel ocean and earth,

Follow the very step of the ancient trackways.

- Celtic Oral Tradition, 800 AD

A Prayer for All Prisoners

Abba Father, Loving God, our hope and our salvation

—Calm us –

Give us the assurance of your presence

—Empty us –

Make us pure vessels of your love

—Polish us –

Shine each of us to be a reflection of your grace

—Equip us –

Arm all of us, Father, to be your strong warriors.

Right now, today,

We are yours and we are thankful.

Amen.

- C. Lee Davis of the Prison Ministry

Fare Thee Well

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

the rains fall soft upon your fields,

and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

- Irish Blessing

Prayer for Acceptance

O! Thou God of all beings, of all worlds, and of all times,

We pray that the little differences in our clothes,

in our inadequate languages,

in our ridiculous customs,

in our imperfect laws,

in our illogical opinions,

in our ranks and conditions which

are so disproportionately important to us

and so meaningless to you,

that these small variations

that distinguish those atoms that we call men,

one from another,

may not be signals of hatred and persecution!

- Voltaire, 1756

With a Strong Heart and a Cheerful Will

Almighty Father

whose way is in the sea

and whose paths are in the great waters

whose command is over all and whose love never faileth:

Let me be aware of Thy presence

and obedient to Thy will.

Keep me true to my best self

guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and in deed,

and helping me so to live

that I can stand unashamed and unafraid before my shipmates,

my loved ones, and Thee.

Protect those in whose love I live.

Give me the will to do the work of a man

and to accept my share of responsibilities

with a strong heart and a cheerful mind.

Make me considerate of those entrusted to my leadership and faithful to the duties my country