Desires of the Heart.
Creator-God.
Divine Spirit.
Breathe of Life.
Mother Earth.
Father Sky.
Flesh of Jesus.
Divine Christ that lives within us.
Spirit of Love that dwells within the Universe.
Increase my faith in You.
Help me believe with my mind, body, and emotions
That you are Real
That you exist in me
And in all of creation
Even if I cannot see you face-to-face.
Let me experience your breath in the wind
Feel its touch against my cheek
Its flow within my lungs
And recognize it is You—
The Breath of Life
Living in, through, and around me.
Let me know the branches of the trees
Reaching toward the sky
Waiving to and fro
Are the praises of your creation
Singing silent love songs to you.
Let my imagination have its way with me
As I press my flesh against your skin
Feel your warmth
And know that you love me as I am
That you are as real as the flesh of Christ
Upon whose chest John laid his anxious head.
My mind believes you are real because I have experienced your Presence
But something within me still doubts
Because I cannot prove with certainty that you exist.
Help me trust in the Mystery of You.
Help me understand that some things aren’t meant to be grasped intellectually,
But rather experienced through the body and emotions.
When I sit in the quiet,
Watching you break open the dawn with its brilliant colors,
Hush my mind with awe.
Caress my body with tingling energy—the inner sensations of your beauty.
Fill my emotions with trusting peace, wonder, and joy.
This is Real
I have come to believe
This Presence
Through which you reveal yourself
Each and every day.
And I cry out with all the saints and sinners
To the One whom I love
And who loves and creates me:
I believe
Help my unbelief!
Nurture my faith,
My simple trust in You.

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.net