February 10, 2014

Lord God, we thank you for Fort Drum! We thank you for this little corner of the world we call home.
We thank You for the gate guards, keeping us safe.
We thank You for the trees and green space. You have made it truly beautiful! We love the soft pink of the winter sky. We love the deep color of the evergreen. We love the quiet stillness. We love the cardinals at our bird feeders, the deer picking its way through the field, the turkeys sleeping in a sunny spot.
We thank You for our warm homes, with problems fixed for us.
We thank You for the nearly 20,000 soldiers working here for the defense of our country. We thank You for our soldier's job, a meaningful labor. We thank You for our paychecks. We thank You for the nearly 5,000 civilians in supporting jobs. We thank You for our leaders, staying up late nights, trying to do the best for us.
We thank You for the neighborhoods filled with laughing children and life. We thank You for the gyms of able-bodied people striving to be their best. We thank You for the numerous volunteers working hard to help. Thank You for the commissary, bringing in fantastic food to feed our families. Thank You for the doctors and nurses ready to help when sick.
We thank You for our chapels, lifting up the word of God. We thank You for Your present bride, reaching out to her neighbors. We thank You for our chaplains, in the muck with our soldiers. We thank You for our Christian soldiers, working hard to be the light.
And yes, Lord, we thank You for the snow as it reminds of your omnipotence, your provision, your creativity and love of beauty. Thank You for this unique experience of the North Country.

And Lord, it is for Fort Drum we pray.
Build Your Kingdom here Lord!
May Your church arise to the needs around us. Lord, use us today!
May Your chapels be a place of growing in You, a place of family where there is none.
May Fort Drum be the unique place where many find You.
We pray for the young, single soldier, so far from home and familiarity. May that need be what drives them to You. Lord, please drive away the thoughts of hopelessness and suicide.
We pray for the young mom whose husband is a long ways away. Hold her in Your arms.
We pray for the teenager, trying to figure out who he/she is in the midst of this crazy culture.
We pray for the retiring families: for direction and peace in starting another life together.
We pray for the leaders, making decisions that will affect people's lives every day.
We pray for those who are in the midst of trying to find meaning in life day after day.

Lord, we want to see Fort Drum be a light on a hill. Use us! Make us the tools You use, starting today. Out of grateful hearts, we want to give back to You. Thank You for being with us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbdJXKqVgtg&feature=kp

"Build Your Kingdom Here"
by Rend Collective Experiment

Come set Your rule and reign
in our hearts again.
Increase in us we pray.
Unveil why we're made.
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
like wildfire in our very souls.
Holy Spirit, come invade us now.
We are Your church.
We need Your power in us.

We seek Your kingdom first.
We hunger and we thirst.
Refuse to waste our lives
for You're our joy and prize.
To see the captive hearts released.
The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace.
We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause.

We are Your church.
We pray revive this earth.

Build Your kingdom here.
Let the darkness fear.
Show Your mighty hand.
Heal our streets and land.
Set Your church on fire.
Win this nation back.
Change the atmosphere.
Build Your kingdom here.
We pray.

Unleash Your kingdom's power
reaching the near and far.
No force of Hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts.
You made us for much more than this!
Awake the kingdom seed in us!
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ.

We are Your church.
We are the hope on earth.

Build Your kingdom here.
Let the darkness fear.
Show Your mighty hand.
Heal our streets and land.
Set Your church on fire.
Win this nation back.
Change the atmosphere.
Build Your kingdom here!
We pray!

Build Your kingdom here.
Let the darkness fear.
Show Your mighty hand.
Heal our streets and land!
Set Your church on fire!
Win this nation back.
Change the atmosphere!
Build Your kingdom here!
We pray!