Week Five // Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God
Holy Spirit, living breath of God,
Breathe new life into my willing soul.
Let the presence of the risen Lord
Come renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your word to come alive in me.
Give me faith for what I cannot see.
Give me passion for your purity.
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.
Holy Spirit come abide within,
May Your joy be seen in all I do.
Love enough to cover every sin,
In each thought and deed and attitude.
Kindness to the greatest and the least,
Gentleness that sows the path of peace.
Turn my strivings into works of grace;
Breath of God show Christ in all I do.
Holy Spirit from creation’s birth,
Giving life to all that God has made.
Show your power once again on earth,
Cause your church to hunger for your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise;
Lead us on the road of sacrifice,
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see.
Week Five Intention
We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the entire world.
Week Five // Day Two
Cause Your word to come alive in me.
Give me faith for what I cannot see.
Give me passion for your purity.
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.
My husband and I had our second miscarriage in September 2006. I didn’t then (nor, in all honesty, do I really even now) understand why it happened. Why would God take away that sweet baby we wanted to desperately and already loved so much?
I was heartbroken. I couldn’t pray. Going to Mass on Sunday seemed like a punishment or an obligation instead of an honor and privilege. I remember begging my husband, my mom, my sister, my friend...asking them to please do my praying for me. I simply couldn’t do it myself.
Six weeks later, though, I found myself on a pilgrimage to Rome. That’s a funny place to be for someone who didn’t want to pray.
Yes, sisters, the Holy Spirit loves to surprise us! There I was, hardly alive, spiritually speaking. The roots of my faith were holding on with all of their might, while the rest of me felt shriveled and cold.
One day, midway through our trip, we visited the Scala Santa (the Holy Stairs). Pilgrims of every age were there, climbing on their knees the same stairs Our Lord climbed. I remember standing at the bottom of the steps thinking this was crazy. Doubtful, yet drawn forward in hope.
With each step that I climbed, I whispered the same heart-prayer. I begged, “Dear Lord, if it’s Your will we should have another baby, please make it happen. Please don’t let us lose another one. Please let the next one live.” And, I might have also followed that up with, “Oh, and if it’s possible, could it please be a girl?”
By the time my knees reached the top step, I felt stronger, not weaker, from the journey I had taken. My soul began to come alive again.
Our Leah was born thirteen months later.
Look back on your life. Find a time when God was faithful to you, even when you couldn’t see. Thank Him for an answered prayer.
Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners
Was there ever a time in your life when you couldn’t feel the Holy Spirit’s presence? How did you keep faith for what you couldn’t see or feel?
Beth Williby is a mom of four pretty amazing humans and has been married to her college sweetheart for twenty years. She does her best praying through singing and feeding the people she loves. Having grown up in the Midwest, she now calls Northeast Florida home. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Beth's posts here.
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