Sometimes, I look back on Day’s Journey to see how far the Lord has carried me—not just from years ago, but even yesterday. Even when I look back years in my journals, those small prayers ministered to me. For example, when I remember where I was spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically this time in 2021, or even since the beginning of Day’s Journey fifteen years ago. I remember where I was and how God brought me this far Today.
When I first began writing “Today,” daily devotionals, it was not because I had some grand revelation that I was called to reach the lost, the broken, the discouraged, or those crushed in Spirit. I did not begin with a ministry plan, a platform, or a mission statement.
I began with “Today” because that was all my mind could hold.
My brain could not contain long passages, complicated instructions, or heavy thoughts. I could only receive bite-sized Scripture, small prayers, and simple steps of obedience. Years of gaslighting had wounded my perception. Abuse had trained my mind to question what I saw, what I felt, and what I knew to be true. I was also overworked physically. I worked long days. Sometimes, I worked seven days straight.
But the Holy Spirit knew exactly what I needed.
He gently began to show me that my perception had been wounded—not because I was weak, but because abuse does damage. It affects how the mind processes truth, how the heart receives Love, and how the soul learns to trust again.
There were times when I tried to read, but too many words overwhelmed me. I would become discouraged, thinking I should be stronger, wiser, further along, or better able to understand.
But the Holy Spirit did not shame me. He said, “Give Me what you have.” But what I had was small. Some days, all I had was one Scripture. Some days, all I had was one sentence.
Some days, all I had was a whisper, “Help me, Jesus.” Some days, all I had were tears.
Most days, I was like the older woman Jesus talked about—the widow who gave what she had.
She did not give from overflow; she did not give because she had extra.
She gave the little she had, and Jesus saw it. When the Pharisees were bragging about the silver and gold they could spare, Jesus said the widow’s gift would be remembered because it was from her heart.
I understand her now.
Because most days, I did not have much to give either. I did not have long prayers. I did not have clear thoughts. I did not have the strength for big declarations of faith.
Sometimes, all I had was one small coin.
“Help me.”
“Save me.”
“Lord, have mercy.”
“Jesus, I need You.”
Psalm 119:86 says, “Help me.”
Psalm 69:1 says, “Save me, O God.”
Those were some of the coins I had.
But even then, I sometimes withheld them because I did not think they were enough. I thought my prayers were too small, too weak, too simple, too broken. I thought I needed to bring God something polished, like polished silver, something whole, like crystal, or something as worthy as gold. All I had was a pocket of worthless coins.
Still, He said, “Give those to Me.”
But I would look at all the troubles around me. There were too many burdens, too many prayers, too many wounds, too many needs. And then I would look within and think of my many sins. I did not have the strength to pray for everything, repent for everything, fix everything, understand everything, or carry everything.
So I kept those little prayers locked away in my heart. But Jesus was not asking me to carry everything. He was asking me to give Him the coin in my hand.
The widow’s offering was small in the eyes of men, but precious in the eyes of Jesus. And sometimes the smallest prayer, when given from a broken and surrendered heart, becomes worship.
“Help me” is still a prayer.
“Save me” is still a prayer.
A tear is still an offering.
A whisper is still heard in heaven.
And the Lord who saw the widow sees me too. He does not despise the small coin.
He does not despise the short prayer. He does not despise the trembling surrender.
He says, “Give Me what you have.”
Sacred Pause
Lord, I give You the small coin in my hand.
I give You the prayer I thought was too little.
I give You the tears I thought were too messy.
I give You the repentance I did not know how to finish.
I give You the burdens I was never meant to carry.
Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I bring You what I have Today.
Sometimes it is only, “Help me.”
Sometimes it is only, “Save me.”
Sometimes it is only tears, silence, or a broken sigh.
But Today, I will not hide my small offering from You. I will not lock away the little prayer because shame tells me it is not enough.
Lord, forgive me for believing that my broken prayers were too small for Your mercy. Forgive me for withholding my heart when You were inviting me to surrender. Forgive me for trying to carry burdens You asked me to cast upon You.
Jesus, receive the coin in my hand.
Receive my “help me.”
Receive my “save me.”
Receive my repentance.
Receive my tears.
Receive Today.
Teach me to trust that You are not measuring the size of my prayer, but the surrender of my heart.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture References
Mark 12:41–44 — The widow’s offering.
Psalm 119:86 — “All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.”
Psalm 69:1 — “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.”
Romans 8:26 — “The Spirit helps us in our weakness…”
Psalm 51:17 — “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken Spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”
1 Peter 5:7 — “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Works Cited / Acknowledgment
Scripture references are drawn from the Holy Bible.
Reflection shaped with assistance from OpenAI, ChatGPT, for devotional editing, structure, and prayer formatting.