Dear God,

Tonight I talked to a friend.  A friend who is struggling with finding her purpose and how to serve You.

Lord, it seems like a lot of people are struggling with this.  We are all trying to figure out how best to serve you.  It's a very hard thing.  

So, our Holy and Amazing Creator, I ask that we all trust.

Trust to make bold moves for you.  Trust that your ultimate purpose will be fulfilled and that we will be able to be a part of it.

Trust that we will have strength to praise you when our lives don't go exactly the way we wanted them to.  When jobs don't open up.  When we're heartbroken.  When we catch things on fire or mess up on our taxes.  When we find that we're on the opposite side of the spectrum as someone we thought you were close to.  When we feel completely lost, help us remember that you are King.  And that you're worthy of praise BECAUSE of our hardships and not in spite of.

Help us to trust not in our own abilities, but instead offer our bodies as living sacrifices to you.  

Help us to trust that you love us.  

This is a hard one.  People have disappointed us.  We've disappointed people.  But you love us and because of Christ's blood, we're redeemed.  You know that I make too many mistakes.  I doubt.  I second guess.  I stand proudly.  I put my own needs and wants and desires above those around me.  I falter, and I fail you.  But you don't see that.  Instead, because of the blood that was shed, you see a fresh and whole Lauren.  Help my friends and I to remember that.

And finally, help us to trust that you are GOD.  You are the ultimate Creator.  You wove the universe (in it's crazy intricate ways) and named the stars.  You made zebras and sunsets and iced tea.  You composed the rain-showers and choreographed the flight of a hummingbird.  Your glory is all around us.  You created people like JRR Tolkien and JKR.  Your thumbprints are on everything.  And God you created me.  And each of my precious friends.  And you've got a purpose for us.

Help us trust in your purpose.  Because above the teaching and the singing and the moving halfway across the world, your ultimate purpose is for us to love you and to love others.  And that can be done anywhere at any time.  Help us not to forget that.

Everything we do, Lord, let it be an act of worship to you.

Your Children,

Lauren