Lord, thank You for allowing me to complete another year of my life. Thank You for all You have done for me in spite of how much I mess up. Thank You for KEEPING me in YOUR hand, for if I had to keep myself there, I would have fallen out so many times, I would be a hopelessly, severely wounded soldier by now. Thank You for the parents who dedicated me to You when I was just a baby. Thank You that in spite of how many times they may have come short of Your expectations they made effort to teach me Your word, encourage me to be with Your people, and that they prayed for me. Bless my mom, who is still alive, and encourage her, for she grows weary with age and health ailments to the point she is just wanting You to take her on to be with You. But You know when her time is right, and right now I believe she needs to be the light for my stepfather to come to know You as Savior.

Bless my brother, Lord, touch his eyes and heal him quickly from the detached retina surgery he had.

Bless and be with my wife's family. You know their needs now. Her dad has been through a lot physically. Her mom has had to care for him. The neighbor has been so generous to them.

Lord, soon we will celebrate 30 years together, but I am burdened and grieved that our relationship has drifted apart and some coldness is there. I sense you are gradually melting that. Help me be patient, help me to be understanding and help us to gain back the closeness and love we had for each other.

I know Your word is alive and pierces to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and when I know what thoughts and intents of MY heart and mind I deal with on nearly a continual basis, I am amazed that You would even take time to bother with me or have mercy on me.

So Lord, as I celebrate my 61st birthday Sunday, I ask for Your continued working in my life in the coming year. Help me to keep from yielding to the continued pressure of temptations and lusts the devil is bombarding me with. And help those others on this site who are posting such dire needs right now to seek YOUR face and YOUR Holy Spirit for them as well.

I ask this with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE to Your Holy Name, Amen.