Industrious Emily

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

I'm taking a class right now that is going through the book Kitchen Table Counseling by Muriel Cook. One of the first exercises in the book is to write out your "spiritual journey" which basically means to describe a theme that runs through and describes your walk with God. As I've been reflected and pondering themes that might fit in my story I have constantly been drawn to the Serenity Prayer. The words have often been a source of comfort for me in all types of difficult situations throughout my life.

Lately I've been feeling kind of overwhelmed. Nothing in particular, just that general sense of chaos and uncontrol that sometimes creeps into life without us realizing when or how it got there. I've been realizing how much this prayer has an impact on me even in the mundane and seemingly insignificant trials I face. It is a simple plea to the Lord that expresses our need as humans to look beyond ourselves to Him and acknowledge that we need His guidance.

I've found myself most recently using the outline of the Serenity Prayer to focus my thoughts but not always the exact words. I see so much potential for changes in my life right now and while courage is an intricate part of going forward with change I feel myself more in need of time and energy to cultivate that change. And so I ask God this morning to give me the energy, the strength and the patience to change those things I can.