I was raised in the Baptist church. During college I went to the Baptist Student Union(BSU, now called BCM). When we first got married we attended at Baptist church. But some things changed and we started looking around for a different church. We visted several Baptist churches, and decided that none of the local Baptist churches really “fit”, so we ended up going to a Presbyterian church which we loved. Now that we’ve moved back to my hometown we’re back to attending my home church, which is Baptist.
All that being said…I love my home church. I love the people. I love the pastor. I love that it’s “home”. But one thing that I do miss is the “liturgy” I became so accustomed to at the Presbyterian church. I liked reciting the Lord’s Prayer every week. I liked having old and new testament scripture readings. I like saying, “Thanks be to God” after scripture reading. And I like reciting prayers as a congregation. I’m not sure who wrote the prayers that we prayed aloud at our old church-if they got them from a book or if staff members wrote them. But they were pertinant, not overly wordy, and very meaningful. I’ve been trying to find a book or publication with similar prayers(but not the common book of prayer), but I haven’t been able to find exactly what I’ve been looking for. So…if any of you know where I might find it, please let me know.
Last year for Christmas, a good friend of mine gave me a prayer journal. She filled the first few pages with prayers that she learned while volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity, which is well-known because it was begun by Mother Teresa. The remaining pages were left blank so that I could add prayers that I found, and to write my own. Maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to share some of my own prayers with you…but most of them are pretty personal, so we’ll have to see. Until then, I’ll share with you my favorite one that Lili wrote down for me. It is said to be one of the prayers that Mother Teresa said each morning.
Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. Amen.