It’s found on the inside cover of Forward Day by Day, a daily devotional put out by Forward Movement. I’ve read it a few times over the years, always planning on making it the focus of my writings at some point. This seems like a good time to take a deeper look. I hope you will join me as I pray:

I will try this day to live a simple, sincere, and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness,magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God.

In particular I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep, which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.

And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[Forward Day by Day, Forward Movement, Cincinnati, Ohio, November, 2019 – January, 2020. For more, visit www.ForwardMovement.org.]