Year: 2022

A Prayer for Peace

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Lighting a candle for peace against the backdrop of war

God of all nations,
I give You thanks
for the country I call home
where liberty is prized,
justice is pursued
and freedoms are protected.

On this bright sunny day where I live,
the dark clouds of war
threaten peace far away.
I pray for those whose lives and liberties
are in grave danger.

Surround President Zelenskyy of Ukraine
with wise counsel.
Provide a hedge of protection
for his people in harm’s way.

Give the vulnerable courage.
Infuse the fearful with faith.
Heal those who’ve been wounded.
Honor the memories of those who have died.
Comfort the grieving.

Would You grant our President
and other leaders of the free world
the means to work together
for a peaceful resolution
to this complicated bloodshed?

Would You prevent this regional conflict
from becoming a world war?

Would You remind us of the lessons
painfully learned from past wars
that are too-easily and too-quickly forgotten?

Would You use this chaotic frightening scenario
as a means of opening our eyes, ears and hearts
to You and one another?

These things I seek and ask in Your holy name. Amen.

Out of Many, One

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
It’s more than a motto on our money

Current events define us as a people.
But does the currency we carry in our pockets?

E Pluribus Unum.

It’s engraved on our money
that accounts for our wealth as a nation.
A wealth that has little to do
with our gross national product.
It doesn’t relate all that much
to the interest rates or market shares.
And it’s really not indicative of
saving plans,
pension funds
or even things we own.

E. Pluribus Unim

It’s a little three-word Latin phrase
that we haven’t lived up to recently.
It’s high time we heeded this motto
that has held us together in low times.
It’s time we remembered we will only thrive
when we celebrate our oneness
in the midst of diversity.

Skating Together

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Pairs skating is not just for the Winter Olympic Games

“Not good for man to be alone!”
God said when life began.
“To skate through life with joy he needs a pair.
Someone to share the thrills and spills.
Someone to hold his hand,
a partner by his side when he is scared.”

What God intended from the start
is what makes life complete.
A spouse or friend to navigate thin ice.
When sharing joys and sorrows,
we find meaning in each day.
Companionship is needed (not just nice).

Weeping with Those Who Weep

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Who can you comfort today?

While slaloming through daily commitments,
other’s expectations
can get in our head
and crowd out our confidence.

As a result, we miss a gate.
We make mistakes.
We question our competence
and replay our regrets.

We temporarily forget that CHAMP
is spelled with an A and not a U.

We long for a shoulder to cry on
and hear someone who believes in us
remind us what we are capable of.

We need to know we’re not alone.
We need to realize that others understand.

And once we realize that the thrill of victory
and the agony of defeat is a common to our race,
we need to be at the finish line (or before)
to comfort those in pain.

Who can you comfort today?

“Rejoice with those who rejoice.
Weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15

Sitting by a Cozy Fire

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
There is just something about a blazing fire that warms the soul

Sitting by a cozy fire
listening to John Rutter’s choir
frees me from the quicksand mire
of daily life demands.

The dancing flames invite my gaze
and penetrate the inner haze
of foggy thoughts from stressful days
and deadlines yet unmet.

And in the fire’s warmth I find
a respite from the daily grind
and faith to trust when I am blind
to how God cares for me.