Gratitude Prayers: Prayers, Poems, and Prose for Everyday Thankfulness

By June Cotner

"The selections in this book will encourage you to pay attention to things that make you laugh, the places that nourish you, the loved ones who inspire and guide you, and caring strangers who bring blessings to your days."—June Cotner

Gratitude Prayers is an uplifting collection of inspiring prayers, reflective poems, and motivating quotes that will open you to experience more joy and wonder in life. In this gracious anthology, June Cotner offers more than 100 motivational selections that remind you to embrace each and every day with abundance and thankfulness. Gratitude Prayers includes the voices of classic visionaries such as Rumi, Anne Frank, Walt Whitman and Helen Keller, whose words mingle eloquently alongside contemporary writers such as Michael S. Glaser and Barbara Crooker. The writers in this exuberant book share how to seek out tiny moments of joy, which will point the way toward finding the good in every situation. Divided into ten chapters, Gratitude Prayers offers a transformational perspective on finding happiness through gratefulness. Chapters include: Simple Pleasures, Everyday Life, The Natural World, Friends and Family, Joy and Wonder, Faith and Courage, Prayers and Blessings, as well as Reflections, and Inspirations. In addition, the book closes with a chapter dedicated to what June calls, “Gratitude Boosters,” short, easily read passages that offer the reader an instantaneous paradigm shift.  Let gratitude inspire your attitude with Gratitude Prayers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Feb 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781449431624

June Cotner

June Cotner is the author of the celebrated Graces, Bedside Prayers, Get Well Wishes, Animal Blessings and Family Celebrations. She lives with her husband, two wayward dogs, and two stray cats in Poulsbo, Washington, just outside of Seattle.

Book preview

ALSO BY JUNE COTNER

Amazing Graces

Animal Blessings

Baby Blessings

Bedside Prayers

Bless the Beasts

Bless the Day

Christmas Blessings

Comfort Prayers

Dog Blessings

Family Celebrations

Forever in Love

Get Well Wishes

Graces

Heal Your Soul, Heal the World

The Home Design Handbook

House Blessings

Looking for God in All the Right Places

Miracles of Motherhood

Mothers and Daughters

Pocket Prayers

Say a Little Prayer: A Journal

Serenity Prayers

Teen Sunshine Reflections

To Have and To Hold

Wedding Blessings

Wishing You Well

No halos, no wings.

Dedicated to all those everywhere

who spread kindness

every day.

CONTENTS

Thanks

Letter to Readers

one

SIMPLE PLEASURES

Miracles Walt Whitman

Holy Tomatoes Ginny Lowe Connors

Surprised Maryanne Hannan

Morning Michael S. Glaser

Simple Pleasures Susanne Wiggins Bunch

Gentle Things Thomas L. Reid

Sunday Afternoon at Munsinger Gardens Leah Browning

Happiness Barbara Crooker

Gifts Clay Harrison

two

EVERYDAY LIFE

No Need to Worry Author unknown

A Bit of Joy Betty Ann Leavitt

The Wash Prayer Lisa Zimmerman

Early Morning Gratitude Check Barbara Younger

Let the Day Break Sandra H. Bounds

This Ordinary World Sherri Waas Shunfenthal

This Body Janine Canan

Both Ways Cindy Breedlove

Morning Light Barbara Schmitz

three

THE NATURAL WORLD

The Third Beatitude Susan J. Erickson

April, by the Little Jordan Barbara Crooker

Instructions Deborah Gordon Cooper

No Other Joy Francis Jammes, translated by Janine Canan

May Day, Betpouey, the Pyranees Michael S. Glaser

On Guardian Angels Richard Beban

The Wilding C. David Hay

On Reading Genesis Dorothy Winslow Wright

With One Voice, Rising Mary Harwell Sayler

Magic Sudie Nostrand

Blessings of the Rain Tirzi Heidingsfeld

four

FRIENDS & FAMILY

Celebration Lori Eberhardy

Open Hearts Dianne M. Del Giorno

With the Children Michael D. Heilman

Between You and Me Lori Eberhardy

The Power of Grace DeMar Regier

Friendship Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Walking with Dog Gary E. McCormick

An Angel in Disguise Mary Maude Daniels

Midnight Feedings Nancy Tupper Ling

A Bedtime Prayer Jennifer Lynn Clay

At Midafternoon Magie Dominic

Fortunate Lori Eberhardy

One at a Time George Perreault

five

JOY & WONDER

Joy Zoraida Rivera Morales

The Soul at Dawn Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

For All These I Am Grateful Ruth Fogelman

Thankful Marilyn Johnston

Joy’s Abundance Leslie Neilson

How Should We Rise Arlene Gay Levine

Nature’s Goodness Charmaine Pappas Donovan

Praise Life! Rabbi Rami Shapiro

six

FAITH & COURAGE

Be Still in the World Charles Ghigna

Your Faithfulness Anne Calodich Fone

At the Sacred Cliffs of Kauai Christine Swanberg

For We Are Here, Barbara Crooker

Living in the Present Henry David Thoreau

Breathing In Nancy Lynch Gibson

Whispers Gwen Tremain Runyard

Dancing Toward the Source Joanne Seltzer

Always a Glimmer of Hope Albert Schweitzer

A Joyful Day Hilda Lachney Sanderson

A Conquest Lucy Larcom

Most Richly Blessed Author unknown

seven

PRAYERS & BLESSINGS

Gratitude Toast Mary Maude Daniels

Dear God Joanne Seltzer

Thanks upon Awakening Paula E. Kirman

Miracle Theresa Mary Grass

Gratitude Before Sleep Paula E. Kirman

Blessings of the Day Sally Clark

This Day and Always Kay Elizabeth

Family Prayer Robert Louis Stevenson

If I Could Gayle Brandeis

Toast to the Now Susan J. Erickson

Our Ride Among the Stars Shirley Kobar

On This Day’s Road Jim Croegaert

eight

REFLECTIONS

The Offer Sara Sanderson

This Step Deborah Gordon Cooper

What You Focus on Expands Val Heart

April Slips on Her Green Silk Dress, Barbara Crooker

This Sheila O’Connor

Have a Nice Day Carol Oyanagi

The Good Portion Paul Willis

A Poem of Delight Dan Vera

Peony Barbara Crooker

How Fortunate Linda Goodman Robiner

Country Lane C. David Hay

Stop and Smell the Roses Rhonda Hull

There Is a Worship Cassie Premo Steele

The Blessings and Skills of Others Dale