Sept. 15, 2014

Wow! Let's get back to praying together! I need it. And so many fronts on this spiritual battle need our attention...at a time when attention is perhaps one of our most priceless, treasured commodities...

Thanks for joining with me, Sisters.

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God My Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassion they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Oh Father God,
Everything around us is changing--everything we know changes. Border lines. People's minds. Our own bodies resisting efforts to remain timeless. Yet somehow, beyond the beyond, You are constant. You are everlasting. You are faithful.

Faithful. How we need that. And how we can't even give it back. On our own, we are so adrift. Please anchor us Lord. Hold our thoughts when the grocery list, the beheadings, the lost school books distract us. Lord we lay down our lives, we lay down our attention before You.
Thank You for Your faithfulness. Make us faithful. Thank You for new mercies, morning after morning after morning.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Lord thank You for a beautiful fall! Thank You for leaves turning aflame! Thank You for harvests--wheat fields turned golden, full corn ears, ruby red tomatoes, perfect chunky pumpkins. Thank You for overflowing abundance.

Lord forgive us for being carried away by anxiety. And our wants. And just plain old self-centeredness.

So many things, Father God, that we need You to help us with.

We pray, pray, pray, pray for the persecuted church. May they see You even in their last breath. Strengthen and comfort them. May they be found faithful.

And may their chains cause our boldness. Even as young people are attracted to the passion of the extremists, may more be attracted to the commitment of the Christ followers. May we be heard today--at the commissary, the soccer field, the mail boxes. Lord may we overwhelm our post--the place where You assigned us--with the gospel.

Lord, please bring Pastor Saeed home.

Lord be with our deployed soldiers. Give them wisdom and strength. May they be in the right.

Lord please protect our soldiers and families from the depression and suicide. Open our eyes to the hurting. Use us, we pray. We want to be the light in the darkness.

Lord help us to carry out our little lives today as You would have us. We have to pay bills. We have to run car pools. We have to cook dinner. But we can do this all Your way.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me!