To me, prayer shouldn’t be separate from daily life, but should arise spontaneously from it, inspired by the ordinary sights, sounds and experiences that surround us. That was the raison d’être behind my series of books, Touched By His Hand, Touching Down, Touching the Seasons and Heaven Touching Earth, supplemented by Calling Mars and Calling Venus, both written at the suggestion of Kevin Mayhew and aimed specifically at men and women respectively. In the following, for example, taken from Calling Mars, the sight of a pair of football boots – rather fitting, with the European Championships currently taking place – leads on to a request for a proper sense of perspective as to the things we can achieve and those that we can’t.
The football boots
They were nothing special,
just an ordinary pair of football boots,
as unexceptional
as the skills of the man who wore them.
He may have dreamt of Cup finals
and adoring fans saluting another goal,
but in reality
he was happy to turn out for his park side,
in common with countless thousands like him.
I have my aspirations, Lord,
all kinds of high ambitions,
but I know too, in my heart of hearts,
that not all my goals can be realised.
Help me to recognise what I can do and what I can’t,
and, wherever possible,
may I use the gifts you’ve given
in your service.
Amen.