Father, I give You praise, honor, glory, and all that is in me. I could not even begin to count all the things You have done for me and for mankind. I praise You for the wonder and amazing creation, for giving me intelligence to appreciate this world and all that is in it. I praise You for designing me with senses to have appreciation at many different facets.
Holy Spirit, as I renew my mind daily, I realize that because I can see, smell, touch, hear, and taste, I have many ways to be amazed at life. I have learned in my 60 years that perspective is an unusual facet of our lives. I have stood on the hills in both Kentucky and Tennessee. I have stood on some pretty tall mountains of the Rockies. I have seen Devil’s Tower, Mt. Rushmore, the Washington Monument, and the mall. I witnessed a million men standing on the mall all get silent to pray to You and could hear the wind blowing through the trees. I witnessed the birth of my children. I have suffered the loss of babies that only made it to 23 weeks. I found my son dead. I have laughed, cried, and been thoroughly amazed by wonders and miracles during my life. I have faced death, and I have lived. Yet each day I take a moment to just breathe air in and out. Look at the sunrise while driving to work. I see the stars and the universe explode at night. I realize I am one man among millions, but so was Christ, and his 3 years of ministry would eventually change Rome, Europe, and forge our country. I know one person has stood and broken color barriers. Another, toppled a government with no violence. I may not accomplish these great feats, but as one man willing to serve You, I will try to build Your kingdom here on earth in the way You created me to do it. Help me to breathe in and out Your Spirit daily so that I can not just physically live but spiritually live.
Grace and peace will be multiplied to me through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given to me all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of God, who has called me to His own glory and excellence, by which He has given to me exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these things I might become a partaker of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. For this reason, help me to make every effort to add virtue to my faith; and to my virtue, knowledge, and to my knowledge, self-control; and to my self-control, patient endurance; and to my patient endurance, godliness; and to my godliness, brotherly kindness; and to my brotherly kindness love. For if all of these reside in me and abound, they will ensure that I will neither be useless nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. Help me to diligently make my calling and election sure so that when I add all these areas into my life, I will not stumble and will be able to enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which will be abundantly provided for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 2 Peter 1:3-11 MEV version