Dear God,

Could you just hold me right now?

I'm so overwhelmed with the hurt in the lives of people around me.

I'm angry because... pain.

I'm angry because... confusion.

I'm angry because... cancer.

I'm angry because... death.

I'm angry because... people.

My heart is breaking because I know the hearts of others are broken. People I love are sick, people I love are sad, people I love are frustrated, overwhelmed, scared.

My heart hurts because... people hurt each other. Because we don't always choose Love and Grace and Mercy - until maybe it's too late. My heart hurts because people I love don't love me back. My heart hurts because people look at me and see my faith and know I live it... but at the same time, they don't know you, they don't understand why it's all so important in my life. In any life.

I'm struggling because I don't know where I'm going or what you want from me or where I'm supposed to be right now. I'm feeling a little lost. I'm trying to be patient, to listen, to wait.

Today, I just want to curl into a ball and stay in my bed and pretend the rest of the world simply doesn't exist.

But I know that isn't the answer.

So please hold me today.

Hold these people I love. Surround them with your love, your peace, your comfort.

There are big and scary things happening all around me. Life changing things. So many people around me are hurting in so many ways.

Life is too precious to spend time on anger, on resentment, on selfish "justice." Life is too great a gift to waste it away on petty things.

Help me to see your beauty in each face around me. Help me to recognize your perfect love in every heart that I encounter.

The world is feeling so dark right now. Help me... help all of us... to see your light, to feel your presence.

Just... hold me.