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A Prayer about Being a Charity Case

A Prayer about Being a Charity Case

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

Gracious Father,

Forgive us for ever saying, 

“I don’t want to be a charity case.” 

The fact is, we are all charity cases in your kingdom, 

for indeed, the word “charity” 

comes from the word “charis,”

which means grace, 

or more fully, your gracious love. 

Without your charity, 

we would be dead in our sins. 

Without your love, we would be nothing. 

It is only because you first loved us 

that we can love at all. 

Only love that is rooted in your love 

and borne by your Spirit 

can be true love. 

We fail in our love, 

but your love never fails. 

We love you and we love our brothers and sisters 

because in fact, 

we are your charity cases. 

Thank you

for your amazing love, 

which compelled you to send your Son 

to die for our sins, 

that we might live in your love by your Spirit.

In Jesus’ charitable name. Amen.

Read 1 John 4:7-12; Ephesians 2:1-10.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Remembering and Telling Our Stories

A Prayer about Remembering and Telling Our Stories

 For I will speak to you in a parable.

I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—

stories we have heard and known,

stories our ancestors handed down to us. Psalm 78:2-3

Story-Writing God,

Thank you for the true story of grace 

you have written in Scripture; 

Thank you for the true stories of grace 

you have written into our lives. 

May we remember them and share them, 

as the Psalmist Asaph tells us to do.

He says that when we share our stories, 

it helps us and others to…

turn away from our stubborn persistence 

in living life on our own terms;

trust in you to rescue and redeem this broken world 

because you have done so in the past;

hope in you today 

because of how you have already redeemed, 

and how you will restore in the final day; and…

love others well by showing them 

the grace and mercy we have received.

May we remember that 

one of the best ways we can love others is by 

listening to their stories 

and by sharing our stories and The Story 

that is the basis for all of our faith, hope, and love.

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 78. 

If you would like to receive a free handout to hold your own Story Feast or to write some of your stories, be sure to sign up for my newsletter, which comes out today! http://eepurl.com/b__teX



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Aging Beautifully

A Prayer about Aging Beautifully

And there was a prophetess, Anna…advanced in years … .She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  Luke 2:36-38

God of the Ages,

Our world’s narrative teaches us to war against aging, 

fighting it with wrinkle creams and hair dye and trendy diets. 

As we stand in the grocery line, 

we might conclude that there’s nothing worse than getting old. 

Scripture tells a different story about aging—

showing us how to age beautifully:

Scripture tells stories of women like Anna, 

widowed after only seven years of marriage, 

who now at either 80-something or 100-something 

spends her life worshiping, fasting, and praying. 

You gifted her to speak for you as a prophetess. 

You gifted her the instant recognition 

of the infant Jesus as the Redeemer 

whom all Israel had awaited. 

When she sees Jesus, 

she thanks you and begins to tell everyone about you. 

Lord, spare us our culture’s dread of aging; 

shape us into old people like Anna, 

maybe a little wrinkled and dried up in body, 

but energized and liberated 

with the joy of sharing the good news about you.

In Jesus’ ageless name. Amen.  

Read Luke 2:36-38. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Lord’s Benefits

A Prayer about the Lord’s Benefits

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…Psalm 103:2

Oh, Lord,

We do bless you! 

Thank you for reminding us of all your benefits:

You forgive all our iniquity: 

when we tell half-truths, 

when we join in the coffee room gossip, 

when we put our trust in things of this earth rather than you — 

you forgive us! 

You heal all our diseases—

when we tolerate toxins which destroy our hearts, 

things like envy, comparison, unforgiveness, impatience—

you inject your antidote of grace, love, mercy, and compassion! (Psalm 103:3)

You redeem our lives from the pit—

when we have sunk farther than we ever thought we could go, 

you extricate us from our mucky ruts! (Psalm 103:4).

Not only do you forgive and heal and redeem—

you crown us with steadfast love and mercy, 

you satisfy us with good, 

you renew our youth like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:4-5).

Lord, today may we truly rejoice in all of your benefits, 

living and loving in the hope of your renewal.

[Name some of the benefits you are rejoicing in today.]

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 103:1-5. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer for Those Longing for a Spouse

A Prayer for Those Longing for a Spouse

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Romans 8:38-39

Loving God,

We do believe that nothing can separate us from your love; 

help our unbelief.

Today especially, I think of people who are lonely, 

especially those who long for a spouse.

Sometimes they feel unloved, left out, flawed even, 

because they have waited and prayed for years 

for their beloved on earth, 

but you have not yet granted their request. 

We know, Lord, that we all belong to you, 

that indeed “our Maker is our husband” (see Isaiah 54:5), 

but we plead for those who long for a spouse:

Overpower them with the knowledge 

of your compassionate love for them;

Be near to them in their sorrow and longing;

Energize them with your endurance 

when they feel they can wait no more;

Give them wisdom and patience 

about how and whom to date;

And, if it be your will, 

put that person in their lives even today

who will give them a foretaste of the perfect love 

we will all know one day 

when our bridegroom Jesus returns. 

In Jesus’ beloved name. Amen. 

Read Romans 8:38-39; Isaiah 54:1-8. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Helper We Need

A Prayer about the Helper We Need

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever. John 14:16 

Lord Jesus,

You gently but firmly assured your disciples 

that you would leave them a “Helper,” 

the Holy Spirit, 

when you left this earth. 

And yet, I confess,

I often forget or ignore the generous help of the Spirit. 

Among other things:

Your Holy Spirit offers the wisest counsel 

but never tries to fix us with trite advice (John 14:16).

Your Holy Spirit transforms our suffering 

for your glory and our good (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Your Holy Spirit gives gifts to believers 

for the building and blessing of your church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

Your Holy Spirit prays for us, 

giving us the words to pray 

when our tongues are mute (Romans 8:26).

Open our eyes today, 

to see the Helper we have in the Spirit. 

Draw us to lean into this help, 

to know that we are never alone.

In your kind name. Amen. 

Read John 14:16, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 8:26.

#Dailyprayer #devotional



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker