Weekly Breath Prayers: February 2026

Every Sunday, we begin our worship services with a simple breath prayer from Milford First's lay leader to guide us through the week. Below are this month’s breath prayers along with weekly reflections from Deb Johnson. We hope these prayers are meaningful tools for your spiritual life and journey!

Sunday, January 4, 2026
“When illness weakens me, I place my trust in You.”

This month, our breath prayers will focus on emphasizing the messages from our Stephen Ministry team. We are so fortunate to have this hard working team right here in our church and pray that much of what they share will resonate with you. So today we focus on illness, whether long term or sudden and unexpected, illness can completely change our life path! Where do you turn when you honestly don’t feel well?

Prayer is the start! We all love to feel strong and empowered. When weakness creeps in, it is a challenge to stay positive. Lifting up this breath prayer is the start to acknowledging that we are not expected to walk this path alone. He is right there waiting for us to reach out for His hand!

The best part is there is not only our Father but a whole team of people waiting to walk beside us. Weaker and even more unsure, they will gladly sit and listen. They will pray with us and support us as the hands and feet of Christ. That sounds like great medicine!  Praying for the ability to trust the whole process is essential to getting back to our better self!

Sunday, January 11, 2026
“When grief weighs heavy, You hold me close.”

This week we venture with our Stephen Ministers into a very heavy subject…grief. For those of us whom have experienced deep grief, you know…it is an unspoken language among those of us who have lost someone or something dear to them. The hardest part? There is no timeline, no guidebook, no rhyme and no reason. Grief floats in and out like a thief in our hearts.

But all is not lost! We have a one, true light that never leaves our side, even in our darkest moments. I personally cannot imagine navigating personal grief without the hope of Christ in my life. Drawing to our Father in prayer or simply sitting in silence and letting Spirit come a sit with us…slowly that thief starts to fade and hope begins anew.

Keep this breath prayer handy. Hang it on your bathroom mirror. Put it by the coffee pot. When sadness, disappointment, discouragement and even deep grief comes in, honor it and then pray it away. You hold me close.

You hold me close.

You hold me close.

Feel His arms around you. Take a deep breath. We are truly loved!

Sunday, January 18, 2026
“When life is turned upside down, I will meet you in prayer.”

There is a song by Katy Perry (no not Perry Como!) that starts…Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again? Do you ever feel so paper thin, like a house of cards, one blow from caving in? We have all been there! One minute life is fabulous, the next minute life is tumultuously turned upside-down. Unbelievable? Unfair? Undeserving? You bet! But nonetheless, there we are!

If we can somehow stop long enough to pause the noise, sudden disruptions or even chaos, and quiet ourselves, He will meet us there. We can sit silently, just sigh, and offer up this breath prayer or try our hands at another prayer of choice. But our Father will meet us there. In that silence, if we are willing to sit, He will give us the calm we are so desperately seeking.

This is not a guarantee for answers BUT it is a guarantee of a calmer mind and a more peaceful heart. In that chosen silence or moment of prayer, His arms will wrap around you. If we continue to meet Him faithfully, those answers will probably unfold as well as love letters from your Heavenly Father.

Sunday, January 25, 2026
“When I am overwhelmed, You are my comfort.”

In a world like ours today, it is easy to get overwhelmed! So many tasks to complete in a day, emails to answer, problems to be solved. It can feel like a heavy burden we have to carry alone. Then thanks to social media, we have others telling us that you should be able to manage it all with a smile. They insist: “multi-tasking is the way to success.”

Honestly, the exact opposite is true. Being intentional about a task done well is much more important than doing many tasks poorly. Acknowledging the honest truth that we do need to pause and even sometimes ask for assistance is critical to securing our mental health! Even Jesus had his disciples for support!

But wait! There is even greater news! We do not have to shoulder it all alone. He is our rock and our comfort. He waits patiently for us to silently surrender. He wraps His arms around us and gives us peace. In addition, we have Stephen Ministers and friends, right her beside us, to be His hands and feet. What a comforting relief! Take a deep breath! You got this! And when you don’t, answers are only a breath prayer away!