Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Seventy-Ninth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1 Page: 227
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79th LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION
Father, your son, Jesus, gave the greatest seminar on leadership in the
history of humanity when he knelt before 12 dusty, sweaty fisherman and washed
their feet. He served these men when they should have been serving him. He
served them with no expectation of return. He would serve them in an even more
dramatic way in the days to come by laying down his life for them.
God, we come to you in need of your help. We ask first of all, that you
would remind us of who we are and where we have come from. Some of the
brightest and most talented men and women in the country are in this room today.
Each of these representatives has distinguished themselves in some manner and
made themselves a respected and admired leader. But help us to remember why
we are here. We are here because farmers and lawyers, dentists and plumbers,
soccer moms and janitors, 5-year-old preschoolers and 80-year-old pastors have
asked us to come here and represent them, to put a voice to their dreams and a
name to their hopes. God, in the face of this awesome responsibility and
privilege, will you give these men and women the gift of a servant's heart?
Father, there are many important things that must be discussed and decided
today and in the days to come. The tasks are large, the expectations are huge, and
the problems are daunting. But God, if you empower each of these
representatives to truly take upon them the heart and lifestyle of a servant, as
modeled by Jesus himself, then nothing will be impossible for them. If you will
remind them today that they represent the hopes and dreams of the citizens of the
great State of Texas, and that their task here is to represent those hopes and
dreams, not to push forward their own personal agenda, then great hopes and
dreams will be accomplished indeed.
Lord, as we prepare to serve you and the people of Texas today, we take a
moment to ask for your blessings on others who are in need of your strength. We
pray for President Bush and his staff as they lead our great nation. Give them
wisdom, stamina, and perseverance in the face of all that they must deal with
today, and may they share our servant heart as they seek to lead this country. Be
with those who have endured much hardship in Indonesia and the surrounding
areas. Lay your hand of mercy upon them, and lend strength and courage to those
who are giving of themselves in the restoration and recovery efforts there. Finally,
be with the men and women of our armed forces who are serving us all over the
world today, providing us with freedoms that we take for granted and safety that
we can't live without. Fill them with hope and courage as they give their lives for
their country and shield us with their honor and bravery.
Loving Father, one of your servants once said, "Use power to help people.
For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great
show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to
serve people." (George Bush, Inspirational Quotes & Insights for Leaders) May
we indeed use the power, and the position, and the influence we have today to
serve. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who serves and
saves us. Amen.
The speaker recognized Representative Casteel who led the house in the
pledges of allegiance to the United States and Texas flags.226
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Seventy-Ninth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1, legislative document, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth97462/m1/231/?q=%222005-01-11%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.