December 22, 2015 SHARE: Praying time, less than three minutes. When our emotions get the best of us, we suffer for it. The healing love of Christ is for the restoration of our bodies, our souls and our spirits. I’m praying that you know that healing love this week! Loving Father of all mercy, how glad I am that You want only the very best for me. No matter how I wander, You invite me back. No matter how I act in ways that hurt myself and those I love, You bring restoration and healing grace. You make everything new again. I need a new beginning. You made me in Your own image. I’m an emotional person, and I like that. I rejoice in that gift. When I’m at my best I get excited, and I know the joy of seeing Your handiwork in my life and in the lives close to mine. You give plenty of reasons to rejoice, and for that I’m thankful. When I’m not at my best, the atmosphere around me feels very different. The storms of life gather around me because I do not know how to love as I should. I say things that I regret, do things I ought not, and fail to do what I should. The storm clouds fill the atmosphere in my soul, in my marriage and in my home. I’m often moody, and my moodiness affects my relationships. How quickly my joy turns to frustration, bitterness and anger. I expect others to be forgiving toward me, but I’m so slow to forgive as I have been forgiven. The tension in the air is of my own creation. It happens far too often. I know, Lord, that this is why my Savior came from the tranquility of heaven and entered this world of anxiety and strife. I’m so glad that Jesus made His dwelling in this emotion filled world in order to give me a new beginning and to teach me a new way. I take confidence in Your children in every generation who have brought their emotional hurts and pains to the foot of the cross and have been restored. The fruit of Your Spirit is peace, O God, the peace on earth and good will toward men of which Your angels sang. I want to be a peacemaker instead of a peace-disturber. I want to be known as Your child. So I seek Your mercy and grace, the forgiveness of my sinful and hurtful grudges and moodiness. As You, by grace, have cleared the atmosphere before, give me a new beginning once again. Some of my relationships need mending, Lord. As I celebrate again the coming of the Prince of Peace, give me courage to seek the forgiveness of those I have harmed and to do all I can to bring healing and peace to those I love. Help me to be slower to anger and quicker to forgive. Forgiven and restored, help me and all I love this night to sleep in heavenly peace. Amen. May the joy and peace of our Savior be yours this Christmas and always. Thanks for praying! Do you serve on a professional church worker conference planning committee? Our staff has vast experience leading groups of all sizes from every church work background through innovative wellness programs custom designed to meet your needs. Contact Program Director Darrell Zimmerman today to begin exploring the possibilities or visit our website to see some of our ideas for your conference!