Faith Stories Retreat: A Ministry or Faith Alive

This was a great experience of faith, fellowship and prayer for Trinity Episcopal Church in Dallas.  Many thanks to Tom Riley the President of Faith Alive for his good humored, generous and spiritually challenging Faith Stories.  Among the other themes certain quotes stand out.  “Obedience is the eardrum of spiritual hearing.” “Our prayers have wings.”  “Never look back with regret if you have given God a license to move.” “Practice the ministry of receiving.”  Featured also were two classic prayers, one from the Charles de Foucauld, and the other from The Book of Common Prayer.

The Prayer of Abandonment by Charles de Foucauld 1858-1916

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

A Prayer of Self-Dedication from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so
guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our

wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto
thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always
to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.