O Holy Master, Almighty Father and Pre-Eternal God, Who alone made and directs all things; Who rise up quickly against the evil of the impious ones; Who, by Providence, teach Thy people preservation of Justice and the obliteration of the sword on earth; Who condescend to raise up military columns to help the people: O God, Who commanded the Forerunner John to say to the soldiers coming to him in the desert, 'Do not intimidate anyone... and be content with your wages':

We entreat Thee with compunction, that Thou gavest Thy child David the power to defeat Goliath, and as Thou didst condescend, through Judas Maccabeus, to seize victory from the arrogant pagans who would not call on Thy Name; so too, grant protection in righteousness and truth to these Thy servants against the enemies rising against them, and by Thy heavenly loving-kindness, strength and might for the preservation of faith and truth.

Condescend, out of Thy mercy, O Master, to grant them the fear of Thee, together with humility, obedience and good endurance; that they kill no one unrighteously, but rather preserve all righteousness and truth; that they may fear Thee and honor Justice; that they run in friendship to those who are scattered, extending thy love to those near them, serving the elderly with justice; and that their ranks fulfill all things righteously;

For thou art our God, and to Thee do we ascribe glory; to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Christian, Eastern Orthodox

Dear God, thank you for my life on this earth, however challenging or not.

Thank you for giving me free will to love and be loved, to make my own decisions, to learn from my mistakes, to laugh when I am happy, to cry when I am sad.

Thank you for my family, my friends, my pets, my colleagues, and for every other living creature I meet along my journey.

Thank you for giving me strength to overcome adversity, to do what's right for the benefit of the greater good, to rise above negativity.

Thank you for giving me hope for an end to world suffering, pain, and war, for a beginning of a world filled with light and everlasting love.

- Debbie Gisonni Appropriate for many faiths

Father, I'm praying for all those in my immediate and extended family who are married (name them)...

Protect our marriages. May each husband be strong in his faith, yielded to the Lord, loving, kind, and considerate. May they all be men of prayer and students of the Word—in every way the leaders and examples they are meant to be. May they love their wives as they love their own bodies, and may their wives respect and love them. (Matthew 8:5–10; Romans 12:1; John 13:34; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Peter 3:7; Psalm 119:15; Ephesians 5:33)

May each wife be her husband's help and support, the one who makes him complete. Help them all be submissive, strong, God-fearing, generous, and wise. May their husbands have confidence in them as they watch over the household, and may their husbands and children call them blessed. (Genesis 2:18; Ephesians 5:22; Proverbs 31:25, 30b, 20, 26, 27, 28)

May husbands and wives be protected from the evil one, who wants to destroy marriages and disrupt families. Help them to live in the shelter of Your presence, protected under the refuge of Your wings. (John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; John 10:10; Psalm 91:1–4, 14–16)

Keep their marriages free from the influence of the world.

In Jesus' name, amen.

- Jim & Kaye Johns

Long warm days...
The pace of life slows...
A time for picnics and rest in the shade...

Lord,
help me to rest a while in the cooling shade of your presence.
Slow down my restless heart and fill me with gentle compassion for all your people.
Amen.

- Author Unknown Appropriate for many faiths

Christian

Merciful God, ease the suffering of all those who seek your comfort from the pain of breast cancer -- their own or that of others. Grant us all a firm assurance of your love, a balm that can protect us from the ravages of fear and pain. Bless those around us who provide support, love, and care to our bodies and souls in need. Strengthen our faith. Give us courage to face our fears and know your love and protection will brush aside the suffering of this life for an eternal life in the glorious presence of your love.

- Beliefnet member caringfriend Appropriate for many faiths

O Lord, holy Father, creator of the universe, author of its laws, you can bring the dead back to life, and heal those who are sick. We pray for our sick brother that he may feel your hand upon him, renewing his body and refreshing his soul. Show to him the affection in which you hold all your creatures.

- Dimma, a seventh century Irish monk Christian

This is the best dowry of hopes, wishes and prayers I would be able to offer:

May God give you the grace of wit and wisdom to understand that rainbows are only the result of showers, dust, and hope.

May you always have joy in the morning and trust in the evening and may your sorrows be short and without scars.

May your lives have a spirit neither bent by belligerence nor broken by failure; may you simply love each other.

May you share with each other spring flowers, dirty dishes, music, rain, death, mushrooms, a measure of boredom, strawberries, and God.

May that God never make you immune to the wonderful afflictions of real love, making you instead farsighted to each other's faults, tongue-tied to criticism, and short of memory to petty hurts and slights.

May God provide the confidence and serenity that comes only from the assurance of each other's fidelity and the tolerance, as years go by, of wrinkles and gray hairs, short tempers, curlers, and Monday mornings.

May no one steal from you laughter at the top of the stairs or giggles and whispers in a dark room.

May you keep a hunger for each other, the appetite to taste tomorrow, and deep knowledge of and devotion to your past, heritage and families.

May you perpetuate trust, the radiation of vitality, kind answers to sharp questions and sharp humor to unkind attitudes.

May your fights be fierce and short, and may each truce be warm and long and held in each other's arms before the sun comes up.

May you walk with wise men, sing loud songs at late hours, share secrets, have healthy children, and provide smiles for lonesome strangers and prayers for those without hope.

May you never forget small things; smiles, birthdays, holding hands, family, old friends, the neglected, and the simplicity of saying please and thank you.

May you keep a warm, generous, and happy house where love is the insulation and God is present. May your children be friends of God's child, Jesus.

May your union bring a smile to the face of the Holy Spirit and may he live in your pots and pans, in your hope and aspirations.

- Author Unknown Appropriate for many faiths

Incline us O God! to think humbly of ourselves, to be saved only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with the charity which we would desire from them ourselves.

- Jane Austen Appropriate for many faiths

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

- I Timothy 2:1-4, 28 Christian