I do not know
what tomorrow will bring
I may not awaken
to see it
for now
I will receive
God’s life into my lungs
with gratitude
I will count every heartbeat
smile
and tear
as precious
until I forget again
Lord may I not
forget again
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Reflection:
Where in your life today is God inviting you to slow down, breathe, and remember His presence?
Scripture:
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24
This is my prayer
lying next to you
listening to your poems
a dream beyond dreams
beyond my wishes
beyond my deserving
a grace beyond graces
how can I tell
that younger self
who wanted to end it all
who tried to end it all
that someday he would be here
weeping tears of joy
a witness to the creative beauty
that is his little girl
growing in godliness
all of this
these gifts so freely given
could have been stolen away
if he had his way
God is so good
God is so good
God is so good
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Reflection:
Where can you look back on your life and recognize a moment when God’s goodness carried you beyond what you believed was possible?
Scripture:
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” — Joel 2:25
“For all that has been, thank you. For all that will be, yes.”
~Dag Hammarskjöld
Reflection:
Where is God inviting you to say thank you—and where is God inviting you to say yes?
Scripture:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has, and this requires transforming greed into gratitude.”
~St. John Chrysostom
Reflection:
Where in your life is God inviting you to transform desire into gratitude?
Scripture:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“The most grateful pilgrim is the one who has finished the longest journey.”
~Fr. James Martin, SJ
Reflection:
What journey in your life has taught you the deepest gratitude, and how did that experience shape your relationship with God?
Scripture:
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
With every inhalation
the very breath of God
is breathed into me
mysteriously
miraculously
filling my chest
giving me life
vibrancy
sustenance
throughout my days
but this very breath
this essence of life
is so easily forgotten
taken for granted
assumed to be forever
and yet someday
sooner than I think
my chest will rise
for the last time
God’s breath withdrawn
my life returning
to the source
so for now
I will remain grateful
for this opportunity
to breathe
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Genesis 2:7 – “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
How can cultivating a conscious gratitude for each breath transform our daily perspective and deepen our connection with God?
Grappling With Divinity 