“The Valley of Vision – A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions”…every time I open this book I am humbled and inspired to live a life more connected with God.  It seems that I cannot read even one page without feeling compelled to re-read it slowly, many times, pondering the truth in so many of the phrases…

“Living By Prayer”

O God of the open ear,
      Teach me to live by prayer as well as by providence,
      for myself, soul, body, children, family, church;

Give me a heart frameable to thy will;
      so I might live in prayer,
      and honor thee,
      being kept from evil, known and unknown.

Help me to see the sin that accompanies all I do,
      and the good I can distill from everything.

Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring my will to thine,
      and that without this it is folly to pray;

When I try to bring thy will to mine it is to command Christ,
      to be above him, and wiser than he;
      this is my sin and pride.

I can only succeed when I pray
      according to thy precept and promise,
      and to be done with as it pleases thee,
      according to thy sovereign will.

When thou commandest me to pray for pardon, peace, brokenness,
      it is because thou wilt give me the thing promised,
      for thy glory, as well as for my good.

Help me not only to desire small things
      but with holy boldness to desire great things
      for thy people, for myself,
      that they and I might live to show thy glory.

Teach me that it is wisdom for me to pray for all I have,
      out of love, willingly, not of necessity;
      that I may come to thee at any time,
      to lay open my needs acceptably to thee;
      that my great sin lies in my not keeping the savour of thy ways;
      that the remembrance of this truth is one way to the sense of thy presence;
      that there is no wrath like the wrath of being governed
      by my own lusts for my own ends.

Many phrases caught my eye....and resounded in my heart....

to live by prayer

a heart frameable to Thy will

to see…the good I can distill from everything

I can only succeed when I pray

Thou wilt give…for Thy glory as well as my good

with holy boldness to desire great things

that it is wisdom for me to pray

What speaks to you?  What inspires you?

I love the Sabbath and the time it gives me to connect with God, my family and others….

today I am thankful for….

81.  assurance

82.  warmth

83.  companionship

84.  time to ponder 

85.  inspired moments

86.  inspired words

87.  hymns of worship

88.  prayer

89.  devotion

90.  food for the soul

What has inspired thankfulness in you today?