Heavenly father, Be with us this morning as we find ourselves well into the season of Lent, and turn our eyes to the horizon, and the coming of Easter..   

Help us to see this as a journey to cast away our struggles and our demons, in hopes of receiving you more fully into our lives.  We ask that you make this Lent a season where we find our way out of darkness and find our way back to you.  Let us be true in the devotions we give to you this season. 

Today, we raise the names of our friends, family and neighbors  that grieve,  we pray that they keep their trust in you strong.   Remind them, and remind us, that it was never your promise to have a life without grief or pain.   Your promise is that you will stand with us, or for us, when we hurt.   Your promise is to heal our hearts, when they break.  Let us feel your presence again, during this time of Lent. 

This morning we raise our celebrations and joys.   Help us to see these moments as Blessings from you.   Let these moments of smile and laughter provide the strength we need when times get tough.   Help us to see the joy in every moment, and that laughter which can turn around our days in moment.  This Lent, Help us to find more opportunities to experience the Joys you provide. 

We recognize that lent is a time of temptation and personal struggle.   Help us as we fight against the urges and the addictions in our lives that threaten to steal the joy from our life.   Help us to fight the urges that threaten our happiness,  our health and our relationship with you. 

We pray that the church continues to grow, and embraces its role as a life changer and lifesaver to our communities.     We ask that you remind each of us, of just how integral we are to its successes.   Help us to find the opportunity to pray for its leaders, its pastors, its ministries, and its future.    Remind us that in your church, there is a home for each of us, and a role for each of us to play.  Help us to hear your calling for us during this Lenten season. 

Lastly, we ask that for each of those we have raised in prayer, that you provide a person of faith to be with them in their journey and their struggle.   Help us to become to others those people who are willing to risk everything to be the face of Jesus for others.     Teach us to risk this Lenten season.

We raise these prayers, with words that do no justice to our fears or desires, along with the prayers we have yet to understand or articulate, to our father, who taught us that only one prayer was necessary, the prayer that says….Our Father,….