Prayers for 2016

This is the time of year when I make my prayer list for 2016. I don't do New Year Resolutions because I have very little confidence in my resolve. It's called personal history. So, I make a prayer list. I don't pray all of these specifically every night. Some of them, more than others, are on my heart on certain days, but I can always, every night, pray, "Lord, those prayers." He knows which ones I mean. And the Holy Spirit always does a better job of praying them than I do. Anyway, here's my prayer list for 2016--so far. Yes, you are on it.
1. Lord, I have been praying many of these prayers for years, often with no visible evidence that You are at work, but I know You are. You answer every prayer. Remind me to pray with a thankful heart trusting your love and wisdom. Remind me to pray with a confident heart--a Romans 8:28 heart--knowing that the good is coming. The good is always coming.
2. May those that I know and love who are enemies of the cross overtly or secretly in their heart be brought by any means necessary to the foot of the cross and the wonder of Your love for them. And may they find me there in wonder on my knees.
3. May I live a life of fear and trembling; fear and trembling that I might do or say something that would break Your loving heart and grieve Your Spirit.
4. May the theology in my head become a certainty in my experience as I walk with you day by day.
5. May my tears--even the hard ones--always be tears of joy.
6. I know Your Second Coming will be dreadful, heart-rending; yet, full of Your love and to Your glory. Even so, come Lord Jesus. May You find me living a life of expectant loving obedience.
7. May I do no harm of any kind to even one of Your students that You have entrusted to my care.
8. May academics never get in the way of Your call to discipleship. Give me a sensitivity to the spiritual needs of Your students and may they always trump their academic needs.
9. May I be reminded each day that this day is my future. All of it that I have. Help me to rest in Your forgiveness for the stupidities of my yesterdays. And to not fear the human idea of "my future." Thank You that today--in my future--I have so much more than I could ever need.
10. May my first response always be forgiveness.
11. If You continue to give me opportunities to share Your truth in word and the written word, may I always exhort, edify, and encourage--never tear down. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
12. May You burn all the baskets I fearfully use to hide the Light of Your presence. Help me to always be Christ in the room.
13. May I never take the beauty of The Acres for granted, the beauty of Your presence here. May my Gardening Angels have a marvelous year planned for our walks together. Surprise me every day.
14. As my physical health continues to decline, may my spiritual health soar. If this is the year that You take me Home, may I be able to say with Paul that clothed every day in the whole armor of God, I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course You laid out for me. May my weapons be spiritual. And may I live a good death.
15. May I see in every circumstance in my life and in the world, Your work as the God of love. May it always be the dominating factor in my understanding of the times.
16. May I always remember where my citizenship lies and that I am an ambassador of the King--my King.
17. Nevertheless not my will but Thine be done. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.