Prayer for the New Year

A beautiful prayer for the new year, written by Steve Garnaas-Holmes, a pastor in our Conference, who's also part of the group Montana Logging & Ballet Company and a gifted hymn writer... with thanks to Rolling Ridge, whose e-newsletter contained this prayer; and especially to Steve, without whose permission I'm copying it here...

God,
I thank you for this past year.
For every day—
pleasant and unpleasant,
easy and difficult,
with all their gifts and struggles,
good decisions and bad—
I thank you.
I do not presume to judge
days I should or should not have had.
I thank you for them all.
Each one was a step on my journey,
which has brought me to this day;
and on each you accompanied me.
Each moment was a gift of your Presence,
and from them I may still receive grace.
I thank you.

For the year to come, God, I thank you,
and I entrust myself to you.
I trust that you will accompany me
each day, each moment, each experience,
whether relaxing or challenging,
familiar or new.
Whatever shall befall me,
you will be with me,
and it will be good.
I thank you; I look forward with hope,
and I open my heart to your blessing.

Bless me each day of this new year:
that I may receive your blessings,
be ever mindful of your presence,
and listen for your voice;
that with courage I may trust your deep desire for me,
and that I may live in harmony with your grace.
Amen.

Steve Garnaas-Holmes