Beginning Again

The Prayer
Words and Music -Carole Bayer Sager & David Foster
Italian Lyrics- Alberto Testa & Tony Renis

I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go And help us to be wise, in times when we don't know Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace To a place where we'll be safe.
La luce che tu dai I pray we'll find your light Nel cuore resterà And hold it in our hearts A ricordarci che When stars go out each night L'eterna stella sei Nella mia preghiera Let this be our prayer Quanta fede c'è When shadows fill our day Lead us to a place Guide us with your grace Give us faith so we'll be safe Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino Simbolo di pace e di fraternità La forza che ci dia We ask that life be kind È il desiderio che And watch us from above Ognuno trovi amor We hope each soul will find Intorno e dentro a sè Another soul to love Let this be our prayer Just like every child Need to find a place, guide us with your grace Give us faith so we'll be safe E la fede che Hai acceso in noi Sento che ci salverà

As Bryan and I prepare for the next step in our journey, we enter it with great amount of prayer. Perhaps the most important lesson we have learned throughout this entire event is: Life is fragile, it can change at any moment, so handle with care and prayer.

We have survived many challenges, and at times, it would have been so much easier to just quit...but we journeyed on.

Now that Bryan has completed his Law Degree, we find ourselves in a familiar and yet scary place: beginning again. So, I guess it's only fitting to take a moment to look back at where we came from.

Since we started out 7 1/2 years ago, we have experienced a lot: we managed to get through 2 college degrees, surgery and hospitalization, working and school and studying, interning and reporting and teaching, finding creative ways to meet responsibilities, all kinds of jobs (from designing Kenny Rogers' shower door to interviewing then Senator, and soon to be, President Barack Obama), taking care of sick loved ones, and saying goodbye to some as they passed away, welcoming brand new one's into the family....just to name a few.

And all along the way, we have been carried by the love and support of our family and friends.... and someone else. One greater than all of us: God.

It's abundantly clear when looking at every single thing, He walked along with us, giving us help and health, necessities..like jobs..not always the exact ones we wanted, but a way to make it..even though our country has gone through some of the most challenging economic times since the Great Depression. In Bryan's words, "We have never gone hungry, never had our power turned off, always had cars to drive, health insurance, clothes to wear, shoes on our feet....when so many around our country, our world....our own street, do not."

Please do not think we believe we are "special". I want to be crystal clear...we are not special or set above anyone else. There is only one reason we have been brought to this place...God blessed us. He opened doors, cleared the way, and carried us. For all of this, we are humbled and grateful.

It's not over, we have only reached one more goal. We still face a Bar Exam, a new job somewhere, finding a new place to live...so many questions without answers.

I wish we could see the future inside some magic ball, like that huge crystal ball in the Wizard of Oz. Then I would know how everything turned out. Like, where will we live and what will our children look like?

But, only God knows the answers to those questions. So, we have to put our trust in Him. That's why the song "The Prayer" means so much. I pray "He'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go. And help us to be wise, in times when we don't know. Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way. Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace, To a place where we'll be safe."

I pass this prayer along for all of you, too.

Praise God for sending us his only Son, Jesus, to love us and save us.

In His name,

Janie


The Prayer