Inspire

In the past weeks, I have been hearing from family, friends and colleagues about their habits for the new year. It seems that many are turning away from ‘resolutions’. After all, the goal of making a complete turnaround and changing our lifestyle just because one day went from the 2024 year to the 2025 year can be daunting and ultimately difficult to achieve.  

I came across this prayer for the new year which, for me, encompassed my hopes and goals, not just for a new year, but every day. Today, I pray this for each member of our school community: 

Dear God, 

On this day I ask You to grant this request, 

May I know who I am and what I am, 

Every moment of every day. 

May I be a catalyst for light and love, 

And bring inspiration to those whose eyes I meet. 

May I have the strength to stand tall in the face of conflict, 

And the courage to speak my voice, even when I'm scared. 

May I have the humility to follow my heart, 

And the passion to live my soul's desires. 

May I seek to know the highest truth 

And dismiss the gravitational pull of my lower self. 

May I embrace and love the totality of myself, 

My darkness as well as my light. 

May I be brave enough to hear my heart, 

To let it soften so that I may gracefully 

Choose faith over fear. 

Today is my day to surrender anything that stands 

Between the sacredness of my humanity and my divinity. 

May I be drenched in my Holiness 

And engulfed by Your love. 

May all else melt away. 

And so it is. 

(Prayer written by Debbie Ford, sourced from https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/.) 

From Ezekiel 36:36 (MSG translation): “I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed.” 

May your year be blessed. 

Submitted by Leila Mattner