Day’s Journey Youth
Gather My Thoughts, O Lord
By Lisa Rene Delgado
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” —Colossians 4:6, KJV.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, when I feel embarrassed and my thoughts scatter, help me remember You are near. Give me time to think and courage to speak with grace. Amen.
At Ray of Hope High School, Frances was explaining her group’s project when a classmate interrupted.
“Wow, Frances. Did you even read the directions?”
Two people laughed. Frances looked down at the notes she had worked on the night before. She’d known exactly what she wanted to say a second ago. Now she couldn’t find her place on the page.
She wanted to fire back. She already knew what she could say that would embarrass him, too.
Instead, she pressed both feet against the floor.
Gather my thoughts, O Lord.
The prayer didn’t cool her cheeks. It gave her a moment to find her own words.
“I lost my place,” she said. “Give me a second.”
She found the line she had been reading and finished. Her voice shook a little.
After class, Frances caught up with the student near the door. “Which part of the directions did you think I missed?” she asked.
“The last slide was supposed to list our sources,” he said.
Frances checked her notes. He was right about the slide.
“Okay, I’ll add that,” she said. Then she took a breath. “Next time, just tell me what’s missing. When you asked if I’d even read the directions, I felt put down in front of everyone.”
He looked at her for a moment. “I thought I was being funny,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
That afternoon at cross-country practice, Frances told Coach Isabelle what happened.
“I wish I’d known what to say right away,” she admitted.
Coach Isabelle handed her a water bottle. “You asked for a second when you needed one. Then you went back and said what mattered.”
On her warm-up lap, Frances remembered James’s words about being quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). She’d listened long enough to hear what needed fixing. She’d also dared to tell him how his words landed.
If the comments kept happening, she knew she could tell Coach Isabelle or a teacher what was said and ask for help. For Today, she had a slide to fix and a warm-up lap to finish. The laughter in the classroom had already taken up enough of her afternoon.
Sacred Pause
Think of a moment when someone’s words left you flustered. Feel your feet on the floor and take one slow breath.
Gather my thoughts, O Lord.
You can say, “I need a minute.” When you’re ready, you might say, “I’m open to hearing what I can do better. Please talk to me privately.” If it keeps happening or you feel unsafe speaking up, tell an adult you trust.
Prayer of Repentance
Father, forgive me for the times I’ve made someone the butt of a joke or used my words to get back at someone. Help me make amends where I’ve caused hurt.
When someone belittles me, help me remember that You Love me. Give me humility to hear what is helpful, courage to speak about what hurts, and wisdom to ask for help. Let my words be few and seasoned with grace.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture references — James 1:19–20, Colossians 4:6, Ephesians 4:29.
Adapted for Day’s Journey Youth from Lisa Rene Delgado’s reflection, with assistance from ChatGPT (OpenAI).