18 Iyyar 5777

Dear Heavenly Father,

Praised are you my Lord and may your holy name be praised in the heavens above and on the earth below forever and ever.

Thank you for bringing me to this day, the 29th day of the counting of the omer, the first day of the fifth week of the counting of seven weeks.  Thank you for waking and breathing life into my soul.  Thank you for blessing me with one more day to spend with those I love and one more chance to be your light in the world.  Father, I pray you grant me the strength and the wisdom to walk in your word and to show your love.  Please fill me with mercy so that I may be forgiving to others as you have been to me.  Please grant me the patience to love my neighbor and to be a better servant to you.

You have kept all your promises to your children, and those whom you have selected as your special treasure.  You delivered us from bondage in Egypt with an outstretched arm and a mighty hand.  You brought us to the mountain where you dwell and blessed us with your Torah, our tree of life.  You made a covenant with us, and you have been true to your word.  But we, your children, have failed you and turned from you time and time again.  You have judged us and corrected us, but through your mercies you have forgiven us.  You finally sent us your son, Yeshua, to show us how we should show your love.  Through him you showed us your mighty hand once again.  Through him the people were healed, the blind could see and the lame could walk.  He cast out demons and walked out your love.  You sent him to remind us of the beauty and shalom of your Kingdom, and to also tell us how to enter your Kingdom through repentance and humility.  After all, what is it that you require of us other than to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you?

Blessed are you O Lord our God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob who brings us to a land flowing with milk and honey.

Amen!