Help me in my confusion and desperation

My prayer today, Lord, is that you'll help me in my confusion and desperation. It seems like everything is tumbling down around me. It also seems like the closer my walk is with you, the more things are falling apart in my personal life.

You are The Creator of the universe, a just and sovereign God. One who shows mercy and grace when it is not warranted or deserved. The Alpha and Omega. I know that You are faithful and true. Please help me keep the truths I know about you to sustain me.

I am so grateful that you have shown me changes I can make with our family devotions and how my son is embracing those changes. We are getting so much more out of Your Word and our knowledge of You with these changes. It's good for both of us.

I regularly find myself reduced to tears because of situations that have been coming up that I am seemingly powerless to do anything about. I generally have thought of myself as a strong and independent person - one who can easily handle things that come my way. I now find myself prostrate before you - a weak person totally dependent on you. I hate feeling needy - but I am.

Please help me to find strength each day to do what I need to do.

Thank you for helping me to continue with my reading through the Bible. This is the first time I have been so consistent and not gotten distracted and off track. If I continue, I'll be done in less than a year - ahead of my original schedule.

Thank you for the wealth of books you have brought my way in recent months. The titles you have shown me have been so timely and the content so helpful. Thank you for bringing me back and reminding me of my love of reading.

You know what my difficulties are and what matters are coming before me.

I know you want us to be filled with joy and praise (Philippians 4:4 and Romans 15:11 come to mind). It is not so easy. I know that through you I can attain it. I need to make a conscious effort to not be so absorbed in myself, but rather take the focus off myself and put it on You and others. I know that the sin that remains in me tries to keep me so self-absorbed; please help me fight against it.

In Philippians 4:6 you say "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." I am humbly coming before you praying for your help. You know the problems I am having with my children and with my finances, not to mention the dozens of other things that just seem to keep coming my way.

I want so much to have my children have a love and appreciation for you, to know Your splendor, and that they will be convicted of their need of Your saving mercy on their souls. They need to realize that they are sinners in need of a Saviour. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a proper understanding of Your love is the only true cure. Please reveal Yourself to them and help them seek your love and forgiveness. Please also help me know what to do during this time of their rebellion. Please help me make good decisions when they are testing me. They may hurt me and disappoint me, but somehow I cannot stop loving them. I also can't live their lives for them. My strength and hope has to come from You. Please keep me strong and hopeful. Please keep reminding me of the power of The Gospel.

Please help me stay in The Word - thank you that this has been the one thing that I continually look forward to each day. I know that emotions can lead me astray, but Your Word stands firm and unchanging. I know that I'm holding even tighter to you because of these trials and temptations that I am undergoing.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." I know that through Your strength, I will be able to bear whatever comes my way. Please keep reminding me of this promise and of Your faithfulness.

In reading Psalm 90, I am reminded of how short our days are and how we waste them. Please help me to make the most of each and every day.

Prayer is a powerful weapon. Please help me continually pray for my children. Please give me peace about them. Continuing in Philippians 4 in verse 7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Please also help me always keep these verses in mind: John 14:13-14 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. " and 1 John 5:14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Lord, you have a purpose for everything that happens. Even when these things come my way, please help me remember that and keep me from the sadness and frustration that so often has been coming my way.