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A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

Heavenly Father,

We live in a hectic, busy, noisy world. 

Screens blink at us, 

notifications ding and ping and ring, 

demanding our attention, 

now! 

Our world shouts at us 

to do more and do it fast. 

Thank you for the permission to say “no,” 

to not be concerned with matters 

too far beyond us (Psalm 131:1). 

Help us, we pray, 

to be intentional 

about calming our souls 

by trusting in you.

Help us to quiet 

the noisy, driven beat 

of our hearts that differs 

so loudly 

from the steady, gentle rhythm 

you orchestrated. 

Help us to still ourselves 

like a weaned child

in your loving embrace, 

perfectly at rest, 

knowing that you have provided 

and will continue to provide all of our needs.

In Jesus’ hope-full name. Amen.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

I am shut in so I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Psalm 88:9

Compassionate Father,

We don’t pray Psalm 88 enough, 

and maybe that’s why we’re not very good at grief. 

Today, we use the words of this dark yet hopeful Psalm

 to cry out for ourselves or for friends 

walking through agonizing losses:

For those who feel: 

“You have caused my companions to shun me; 

you have made me a horror to them” (Psalm 88:8),

come close in their isolation, 

and send us as comfort in the flesh. 

May we never shrink back from horrific suffering, 

but may we enter into it with your grace and hope. 

For those who feel: “I am a man (or woman) who has no strength” (Psalm 88:4),

soothe them with the rest they desperately need, 

and provide the energy to do the things they must do. 

Send us to lift them up, 

whether in prayer or in service, 

Most of all, Father, 

help our friends to see that they’re not alone, 

that you have supplied them with a great cloud of witnesses 

to walk with them in this long and torturous journey.

In Jesus’ faithful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88:1-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

2 Corinthians 12:9

Gracious Father,

Forgive me (us) for underestimating the power of your grace. 

Your grace is not a Southern woman with “nice manners.” 

Your grace is not a little token of appreciation. 

Your grace is not a souvenir from Switzerland.

Your grace is the powerful and profound gift 

of hauling a sinful people out of the suffocating mudpit 

of our own making. 

Your grace came at the high cost 

of the life of your perfectly righteous Son. 

Your grace not only paid the unpayable debt of our sin 

but also imparted to us the righteousness of your Son. 

Your grace is not a trickle little creek of grace 

but a glacier waterfall of grace

pouring over us and through us, 

carving the blunt edges off our rocky hearts 

until they soften into the shape 

of our loving Savior’s heart. 

Your grace will never run out 

and will finish its perfect work in us 

until the day our Savior returns.

Oh, Lord, may we never underestimate 

the profound power of your grace again. 

In Jesus’ grace-pouring name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; John 1:16-17; Titus 2:11-14.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Practicing Forgiveness throughout Our Lives

A Prayer about Practicing Forgiveness throughout Our Lives

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Forgiving Father, 

Secular studies have shown that people 

who know they are dying 

benefit from asking forgiveness 

and granting forgiveness 

at the end of life. 

As Christians, this data does not surprise us, 

for you command us to “forgive one another” 

as you have forgiven us in Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

While it’s tricky to know how to forgive 

someone who has abused or betrayed us, 

in Christ, you have given us 

all of the kindness and compassion we need to do so. 

We must remember that forgiveness is not 

minimizing the damage done 

or excusing the offense. 

It is naming, “You hurt me [in this way] 

and I forgive you, 

not in my own power, 

but in the power of the Holy Spirit 

working in me. 

Similarly, to ask forgiveness of another, 

we don’t excuse, or minimize, or blame-shift. 

We simply say, 

“I hurt you by [naming offense], 

and I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” 

Forgiving Father, you have forgiven us 

our gossip and greediness, 

our lust for more and our lack of kindness, 

our self-absorption and our self-promotion, 

among the long list 

of other betrayals 

we have committed against you. 

Because you have forgiven us in Christ, 

help us to practice forgiving 

and asking forgiveness, 

not just at the end of our lives, 

but every day of our lives.

In Jesus’ restoring name we ask. Amen.

Read Read Ephesians 1:7, 4:32; Matthew 18:21-35; Matthew 5:43-45.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Receiving Jesus’ Cleansing

A Prayer about Receiving Jesus’ Cleansing

“You will never (to eternity) wash my feet.” John 13:8

Jesus, our Faithful Servant,

If we’re honest, we feel the way Peter did: 

you are too good, 

and we are too unworthy for you 

to wash our feet. 

According to Greek scholars*, 

Peter’s response to the idea of Jesus washing his feet is, 

“You will never to eternity wash my feet.” 

In our language, we might say, 

“No way. You will never ever ever wash our feet.” 

Lord, help us in our false humility. 

Help us in our pride. 

Help us in our confusion — 

how can you, 

God incarnate, 

serve us in the lowliest way possible? 

We really need to get this through our skulls 

that are as thick as Peter’s. 

Peter would one day be the “rock” 

on which you would build your church (see Matthew 16:18). 

In this authoritative position, 

he would need your power to submit

to take the lowest places 

to serve others. 

The only way he, and we, 

become empowered to do this 

is to recognize that we are poor and needy, 

but you, the Lord our King, are thinking of us right now (See Psalm 40:17). 

Help us today, Lord. 

Help us to submit 

our minds, 

bodies, 

and spirit to you. 

Cleanse us from our sin, 

and make us ready to serve others 

as your disciples. 

In your humble name we pray.

Amen.

Read John 13:1-11.

*ESV Study Bible note. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Father God,

What a kind promise:

Hope does not put us to shame…

Many of us have known the shame 

of hoping for things on this earth—

hoping that our parents would get back together, 

hoping that our wandering child would return to you, 

hoping that a disease would be cured,

hoping that we’d get that good job—

all good things to hope for, 

and yet we’ve felt shame about those hopes disappointed.

You dare us to hope again, 

promising that your love has been “poured into our hearts” (Romans 5:5).

Because of that love, even if our earthly hopes are disappointed, 

our hopes for the future are secure. 

One day, Jesus will return. 

One day, you will wipe away tears shed on this earth.

 One day, you welcome us warmly to your new heavens and new earth, 

where all hopes are fulfilled in your glorious kingdom. 

We can hardly wait for that day.

In Jesus’ hope-giving name we pray. Amen. 

Read Romans 5:5; Revelation 21:1-5. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker