By Laura Waugh of St. Joseph, Missouri USA

Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

I have a habit of writing my own personal psalms based on the psalms in the Bible. I usually write these with titles and usually when things are miserable. Most of my adult life things have been very difficult, very frequently.

This was true until recently when I saw an excellent show about Jesus walking on the water and calling to Simon Peter to come to him. When Simon began to sink, he panicked and begged Jesus to not let go. Jesus’ reply was, “I will never leave you.”

This exploded in my soul and left me with a feeling of complete allegiance and affection. And so, this is my most recent psalm.

A Conversation Psalm

My soul cried unto you, O Lord.
I dread each coming day—for the world confusion.
     the pain I endure
     and each person in the war-torn lands endures.
You have promised each of us a wondrous life—
     if only we believe.
I believe, Father! I believe. Through all the
     trials and tribulations,
     through the anguish and foreboding, I believe.
You are my rock, my Savior, my everything.
Be with me, O my God!
     And he said, “You are my child.
     I will never leave you. You are my child.”

Prayer Phrase

“…he has given us a new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).

Spiritual Practice

Weaving a Life

Hold, or imagine yourself holding, a piece of patterned cloth. Examine it carefully. Notice overlapping threads mingling colors that form the design. Write a journal entry or meditate about the threads and patterns of your life. What design do you see? How does the life pattern you are weaving create justice and wholeness in God’s world? What new pattern is God calling you to weave in 2025?

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.