Prayer

Lord, I love how you call us to prayer! You ask us to seek forgiveness and pray with a clean heart. You ask us to sing our praises to you! You call us into thanksgiving. You invite us to come as we are, and to lay our burdens at your feet. You encourage us to intercede for others in our prayers. You command us stop worrying and to pray continuously! Women and men, alike, you call us. Do we answer? Not often enough, Lord! You quench our thirst, you answer our prayers, you feed us with your word, your voice whispers to us. Lord, help us ignore our distractions and turn to you. Do we spend as much time with you as we spend online, or reading the paper, or watching TV? You call us, Lord. Let us answer. Let ME answer! Let me answer by calling out to you, thirsting for you, witnessing for you, by my words and actions,
to those who need to hear. I love you, Lord! I thank you, God! I praise you for who you are.
Matthew 6:9-13
"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.[a]'

Safety in Travel

Many of my friends and family members are traveling this coming week, Lord. Jessica is traveling all the way to India. I pray for her safety and I also pray for her family at home. I pray the project will be a success and impact many lives. I pray, too, for loved ones traveling within the US, by plane and by car. I pray for safety and health as they travel to work and to vacation and to home. I pray for Kristy as she travels home with her little ones....may they be calm a nd relaxed. Lord, let your fresh spirit fall on us, wherever we are. Hold us in your strong hands, and keep us near to you in all we do. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
Psalm 23

Jobs

Lord, today I have a heavy heart for my colleagues who do not have jobs for next year. It is just unbelievable that after 10 years of teaching, they can be losing their jobs! It is so sad and confusing. I pray that they will be led to just the right position. God, you know our paths. I pray my sweet friends will feel your direction in their lives. I pray you will open doors for them! Guide me in ways to support and encourage them. I pray your will for their lives and I claim your promises for them. "Trust the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:6

Prayers of Intervention

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:9-11 Lord, I thank you for the power of prayer. I thank you for summer vacation and the extra time to spend in your word and in prayer for the many needs on my prayer list. Keep me faithful, Lord! In your Holy name.

Praises for baby Addison

Lord my heart is so full of praise for the precious baby Addison you sent into our family. I praise you for her health and for her precious little spirit. I thank you for the wisdom and love you have given Leah and Michael as they so naturally take on their parenting roles. I pray for blessings on this sweet child as she learns to be part of our world. I pray for protection, and continued health, and for your presence to be full in her life. I thank you for the family weekend that surrounded her birth on Father's Day. Thank you, Father!

My Girls

Lord, I come to you today to pray for my girls...my precious daughters. I pray for Leah, Lord, for peace of mind as she enters this period of delivery for baby Addison. I pray your hand is in this, your wisdom in the mind of the doctors, and your Holy Spirit calms her nerves. Be with her, and with Michael, as they bring their precious new one into our world. For my other daughters, I pray for peace of mind as well, as they cope with difficult transitions in their lives. You love them all so very much, Lord, and you brought them to me to love and care for. Work through me!
Psalm 139:11
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

His Peace

Lord, I thank you for the peace you bring me, through your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit! With this peace in my heart, I can be your ear for the many prayer requests that came my way today. Lord, there are many who call on your name for healing, for provision, for freedom from thoughts and fears that hold them captive. For the trip to India, I pray for all travel details to be worked out so the project can move forward. Lord I pray for your healing touch on the young ones with cancer, for the friend at the emergency room, and I continue to pray for my husband to be completely healed. I pray for mortgage relief for two of my friends, and jobs for others. For others,I pray for your provision, and the faith that it will be there. For others, Lord I pray for healing from relational hurts. Lord, you care for us....I pray each one will feel your touch. Thank you Father! Philippians 4:9 "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

He Hears

Our God listens to my persistent and fervent prayer! I praise Him today for answered prayer! Two of my children are dealing with disappointment. Yet today, in the midst of that disappointment was a blessing....enough to encourage. Not the solution, but a boost in the spirits for them...and for me! It is so encouraging to see God at work in our midst. I am thankful. John 5:14 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears."

Choose to Remember the Truth

Colossians 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Lord, whatever we are feeling today, you admonish us to put on peace. This can be such a challenge for us! We struggle with concerns, yet you ask us to be thankful. Gratitude is the path to joy and peace, as only the Holy Spirit can bring. Lord, I pray for the concerns of many during my prayer time. Release me from taking on the burden, and lay my requests at the foot of the cross. You are handling it, Lord, and I am so grateful!

Soldiers

"I lift my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life." Psalm 121:1-7
I finished viewing a video of surprise visits by soldiers, my eyes wet with tears. I began to pray for our soldiers. We owe it to them to pray! I am so grateful for their service and their sacrifice. I pray specifically, Lord, for my friend JJ in Iraq. I pray for his safety, for him to feel Christ with him, and be able to share Christ with his comrades. I pray for the peace of mind that only your Holy Spirit can bring. I pray for his sweet family at home, and I thank you that he is able to communicate with them. I carry him in my heart, Lord, and I thank you for your deep care of him.

Disappointment

Romans 5:5
"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Lord, I pray for parents who are comforting daughters in disappointment. I pray for wisdom here. There are times when parenting walks such a delicate line! It is so sad to see our children hurt, and we want to encourage. Yet, hurt is a part of life, and You work there. I pray for the many prayer requests on my list that are for daughters. Lord, bless our daughters, and bless our relationships with them. May we take comfort in your promise that hope does indeed not disappoint.

A Timeless Prayer

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. (The Lord will Work for You!)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, (The Lord Will Provide for You!)
3 he restores my soul. (The Lord Will Keep you going)

He guides me in paths of righteousness (The Lord Will Guide You)
for His name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; (He Will Protect You!)
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. (He Will Heal You!)

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever. (The Lord Will Pursue You!)

(Anonymous author)

Sisters in Christ

Lord, today I am praying for my sisters in Christ. There are many needs, Lord. Specifically I pray for Nancy, whose daughter is working through a difficult health issue. I pray for Nancy's strength, and that the Holy Spirit would fill her to overflowing with your joy, so she can care for her daughter. And, Lord, I pray for her daughter that you would heal her completely, giving her physical strength and renewed energy. Lord, I ask your blessing of encouragement for all the women on my prayer list. We are the nurturers, and we need your clear presence in our lives in order to encourage our husbands and children during times of challenge. Keep us in your word. Fill our minds with your songs of praise.
Touch us, Lord. Psalm 91:14-16
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Expectancy

Expectancy is a word that is packed with meaning! The dictionary says it is the condition of waiting or expecting, as for a baby. The word expect can mean to look for as likely to occur or appear. The Bible tells us to pray expectantly. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22 I think that the connotation of the word expectancy is a positive one, anticipating, with excitement and hope. We are encouraged to pray with expectancy. I pray now, Lord, for my many friends leaving on retreat today. They leave with the expectancy that God will meet them there! I pray he will do His mighty work in each woman. I pray, too, for the expectancy my daughter has in her last month of pregancy! I pray that she and her husband will be blessed during the childbirth, and I expect that all with be well! Thank you, Father, calling us to you in prayer!

Husbands

Our husbands carry a burden, Lord, that reaches back to Adam. They work to provide for their families. And, if they are lucky, they find a way to put their passion to work for them, and derive joy from it. Lord, I know several men right now, who are without jobs, or at risk of losing their jobs. I pray they will find doors opening for them right now! I pray that through your grace, they will find right livlihood. They will be welcomed into jobs that use their gifts, will serve others, glorify you, and bring them joy and provision. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
Lord, I pray fervently for this, and claim your promise of provision for them, in your name.

Adult Children

Lord, today I pray for adult children. Their pressures are great, their joys many, and their disappointments deep. Does every generation think it grew up in a simpler world? I think everything seems so complex today, with too many choices. We need to create boundaries in our lives to save space for ourselves, to find YOU. There are many adult children on my prayer list right now. Lord, guide them and protect them! May they seek your wisdom, and find joy in your peace, learning to thirst for you. John 4:13 "Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

Obedience

Lord, it is so easy to get caught up in the details of daily living. We get confused regarding the reason we are here. Are we here to accomplish our "to do" list? Your Word guides us to the real "stuff" of life. The Truth. We are here to come to know you and to glorify you. How will we know what that looks like for us? Jesus listened, and obeyed his Father. He took time to pray. He knew the scriptures. He guided others to the Truth. He guides us, if we take time with him. Stephanie Edwards, at a women's retreat, guided us to "Read our mail!" How much time do we spend reading our emails, our newspaper, our junk mail or ads? If I "Read my mail" first, by sitting down with the Lord and the Bible, I am always amazed to find that everything else gets done anyway! And, usually with greater ease. I think of Mary and Martha....arent' we so often like Martha? Jesus loved them both, but he said in Luke 10:42 "but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Let's be obedient to our Lord today.