Bless the Lord of my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord of my soul and forget not all his benefits.

Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who

redeem your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that

your youth is renewed like the Eagles.

The Lord works vindication and justice to all who are oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear

him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children, so the Lord p is those who fear him. He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.

Father David Brainerd was just dust.

What dust he was.

And you have encouraged me so much through what you did with this dust.

I want you, Lord God, to come and sustain the dust in this room,

breathe life into the dust in this room. Awaken and make ministers who persevere out of the dust in this room.

Through Christ I pray, Amen.

David Brainerd. I wish everybody had the opportunity to spend a week or two just immersed in the

18th century in the journals and diaries of David Brainer. Some people couldn't

stand it and others of us simply find glory everywhere.

He was born in 1718 in Hadham, Connecticut.

...