Paul and Silavanus and Timothy
to the church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
grace to you and
peace
from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
We ought to give thanks
to God always
about you,
sisters and brothers,
as is fitting
because
your faith is growing abundantly and
the love of each one of you all
for one another
is increasing.
So that we ourselves boast about you
in the churches of God
for your steadfastness and faith
in all the persecutions and the troubles
which you are enduring.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.