Miners women carrying sacks by van Gogh
God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry
chafe our shoulders and weigh us down,
when the road seems dreary and endless,
when the skies are grey and threatening,
when our lives have no music in them,
when our hearts are lonely and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light,
run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise.
Tune our hearts to brave music.
Give us the sense of comradeship
with heroes and saints of every age.
Quicken our spirits so that we may be able
to encourage the souls of all who journey with us
one the road of life.
Augustine of Hippo, 354-430
__________________
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work
so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
prayer & verse 
