Bedside Prayers: Prayers & Poems For When You Rise and Go to Sleep

By June Cotner

A delightful little nightstand companion to make prayera natural part of every day.

Greet the day with a celebration of sunrise -- and close it with deep appreciation for life's daily gifts and lessons. Here in one charming volume -- compiled by the author of the popular gift book Graces  find an uplifting collection of readings, prayers and poems arranged in specific sections to make the joys of prayer a simple, natural part of each day. Special prayers bring motivation to Morning, and lullabies and musings help us focus on the peace of Nightfall. Other readings offer inspiration or comfort or guide us gently through private Reflections. Bedside Prayers  is a lovely little gift book for anyone who would like to make the enjoyment of daily prayer as constant as the risings and settings of the sun.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062134752

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

Bedside Prayers

Prayers & Poems for When You Rise and Go to Sleep

June Cotner

Dedication

This book is dedicated to

my husband, Jim Graves,

my sister, Sue Cotner,

and my uncle, Bill Cotner—

who have all given me

love, comfort, and inspiration.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Thanks

A Letter to Readers

Part One - Inspiration

In All Endeavors

The Candle

The Gift

Let Me Be a Light

These I Wish

Give Me a Kind Heart

Poet’s Prayer

Please Help Me Wash My Days

Heart of My Heart

To Be Still

Success

Wings

Hold Fast Your Dreams

The Voice Within

The Inner Flame

Making Life Worthwhile

Alive

Do All the Good You Can

Part Two - Comfort

Daily Prayer

Heaven, Blow Through Me

Trifle

Hope

The Comforter

The Test

The Thing Is

Somehow

Cheer Up, My Soul!

Enclosed in Wonder

Trust Him

Who You Are

Psalm of Tranquility

Perspective

A Love That Never Fails

A Private Place

Life’s Lessons

Serenity Prayer

Lord of Life

Voice in My Silence

Our Ride Among the Stars

Whatever Is—Is Best

River and Sky

The Ship of Life

A Prayer for True Understanding

The Land of Eternal Love

The Grace of God

Part Three - Reflections

Whispers at the Altar

Am I So Vain to Think These Thoughts Are Mine?

Epiphany

Things I Need to Know

Soul-Home

Not a Spoon, a Key

Life Is Love and Love Is Living

Most Richly Blessed

What Was His Creed?

A Midnight Conversation with God

A Miracle

Things That Skew and Cant, Have Yet Their Music in the Stars

The Beginning of a Beginning

This Is Our Lord’s World

A Better Me

Silence

A Proverb

Kindness

Testament

Leisure

My Symphony

Our Foundation

Inheritance

Beatitudes for Friends of the Aged

The Compliment

Earth Mother

Time

Part Four - Nightfall

Dreams

Preparation for Prayer

Count That Day Lost

That I Might Hear

Paradigm for Prayer

Last Night, Tonight

Starry Field

Relativity

Let Sleep Come

Blessed with Simplicity

On Going to Bed

Twilight

After the Turbulence of the Day

Welcome Silence

In Closing

In Silence

Evening Prayer

A Parent’s Prayer

A Mother’s Bedtime Prayer

Priorities

A Petition for the Sleepless

A Nighttime Blessing

Couple

Single

Surrender to the Unknown

The Roaring Waterfall

A Summer Night’s Prayer

Star Wish

Place Me in a Rocketship

Please Give Me a Night

Night

The Night Sky

Lullaby of Promise

Evening’s Promise

Part Five - Morning

Sonnet to Morning

Give My Soul a Heavenly Hush

A Lebanese Prayer

One Time, I Entered Heaven

Morning Prayer

Looking Out the Hospital Window

Living Pages

With Clearer Eye

A Morning Meditation

Morning Silence

Sunrise in Your Heart

Autograph

Morning Rush

Morning Song

A Prayer for Permeability

A Prayer at Dawn

Always Near

Index of Authors

Permissions and Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by June Cotner

Copyright

About the Publisher

Thanks

Bedside Prayers would not have been written without an inquiry from my editor at HarperSanFrancisco, Lisa Bach, asking, Would you be interested in doing a book about prayers and poems to rise and sleep by? The suggestion delighted me immensely. I love to read spiritual poetry in the comfort of my bed, whether upon arising on a lazy Saturday or Sunday, or after a long day. Surely, I thought, there would be others like me.

In choosing sample selections for the Bedside Prayers proposal, I combed through countless anthologies seeking spiritual prayers and poems that would speak to one’s heart and