mike rucker

Dear Jesus, a somber prayer this morning, for a friend whose mother passed away Tuesday night. My mother and I got to visit her last week. 

My fingers have paused over the keyboard, and I'm really not sure what to…

Dear Mike, 

No, it's not Friday. But I felt a real urge to step in today. 

I was looking over your shoulder as you started journaling this morning. I saw you write, 

'Sometimes I just want to be quiet and…

Good morning, Jesus. A couple of more thoughts on the promises that seem to be coming true in spite of me. 

One reads, "We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace." As I've mentioned to you recently…

Dear Jesus, thank you for another day, another week. Let it be a positive and productive one. Let me make the most of the time I have today. 

We have a section in our AA Big Book that we read…

Good morning, Jesus. Happy Sunday. 

Forty days today. Forty is a number that appears throughout scripture, usually denoting a time period of trials, or cleansing, or preparation. It figured prominently in your own life, most notably in your time in…

Dear Jesus, good morning - thank you for the weekend. 

Wrote a bit of a rant that I deleted and am now starting over. In the end, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. 

Feeling a bit out…

Mike, it's Friday! Give me the keyboard... 

Well, you're heading back to Atlanta this morning after visiting with your mother this past week. Please don't pray for 'traveling mercies' - I have no idea what those are any more than…

Good morning, Jesus. Thank you for our time together today. Just a few random thoughts - oddly enough, about time - this morning. 

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I think we humans wonder (complain) a great deal about your sense of timing. Like Tom…

I'm back, Jesus. Back to pick up where we left off yesterday. Jonah was on the shore, having come to a moment of clarity in the darkness within belly of the fish, and saw perhaps for the first time the…

Good morning, Jesus. I chaired the AA meeting this morning. Last week I chaired twice, offering two seemingly disparate discussion topics. One echoed a prayer I offered last week, where I essentially wondered, "Where is God when it hurts?". In…

Jesus, another week is here. I'm entering this one with a lot of peace, and for that I am grateful. 

But I'm quite often struck by how unattainable Paul's admonition to be content in all circumstances seems. If I am…

Good morning, Jesus. Happy Sunday.

One of my readings this morning talked about unconditional love. I'm always amazed at how the world around me teaches me theological lessons, whether it's the changing of the seasons, or a seed beneath the…

Jesus, one of the readings we do every morning in the AA meeting I attend is a section out of the AA Big Book that says,

No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to…

Jesus, it's been a big day. It's funny how good news in one direction is able to offset five bulletins that went south. But I am very grateful today, thinking the end is finally coming into view in the current…

Jesus, I listened to a podcast this morning about receiving a 'second wind'. There are a lot of weather- and nature-related metaphors that spring to mind - calm in the eye of the storm, it’s always darkest before the dawn…

Jesus, I am reminded tonight of a song I used to lead in church back in Scottsdale (too) many years ago.

'Jehovah Jireh':

My God shall supply all my needs
According to his riches in glory
He shall give his…

Jesus, thank you for a very calming time this morning as I read, journaled and prayed. And, hopefully at one or two moments - however brief - made an effort to listen.

And I think you spoke to me as…

No, Jesus, I didn't write a prayer this morning. I guess I felt I said everything in my 1:30am rant. I read some this morning, and I journaled, and I did my prayers. And in my readings, a verse from…

Jesus, today I kept Psalm 100 in mind as I committed to do in this morning's prayer. I tried to make a joyful noise, and serve with gladness. I came before your presence with singing. I gave thanks and praise…

Jesus, the devotional book I read each morning had a couple of verses today from the hundredth psalm. I recognized it because it was a psalm we used to sing when I was in my church's youth group many years…