March 27, 2017

We know You hold the stars

We know You catch the tears

We know You bring the rain

We know You hear the sparrow

We know You feed the lion

We know You strengthen the horse

We know You own the cattle

We know You can heal

We know You change the hearts of the powerful

We know You protect the innocent

We have heard Your stories from ancient times. And we hear of Your miracles today. And You love, and You love, and You love.

And so Lord, we trust You. 

We commit again to trust You with our warriors, with our children, with our hopes and dreams, with our finances, with our family we can't be near, with our physical pain, with our marriages... with every aspect of our withering-like-grass lives.

Forgive us for our unbelief. Forgive us when we distrust. Worry. When we hold tightly. Manipulate. Control. Or cry because we can't. Forgive us when we doubt Your love.

We ask that You would protect our deployed. Give our leaders wisdom in creating missions. Give our forces success in completing them. May they see Your hand in their lives, and may they be drawn to You.

We pray for the Chief of Chaplains office--and for all of our leaders--for a future and a hope in You. May they be leaders in following You.

We pray for our wounded, in body and heart and soul. Lord please bind them up. May they know they have You with them to face the day.

And we pray for each other: 

for mercy for those with failing elders

for patience and wisdom for those with prodigal children

for endurance for those with chronic pain

for healing in those with illnesses

for faith in those dreading a PCS

for hope in those with houses to sell and rent

for trust in finances

for grace that overflows to all we minister to

for long-suffering and joy in our days' work

And even if You don't answer a single prayer as we would like, still we will trust. Where else could we go, Lord? You hold life. We thank You. 

Click here to hear Mercy Me's Even If

They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I'm losing bad
I've stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it'll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can't

It's easy to sing
When there's nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I'm held to the flame
Like I am right now

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

You've been faithful, You've been good
All of my days
Jesus, I will cling to You
Come what may
'Cause I know You're able
I know You can

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Read more:  Mercy Me - Even If Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

March 20, 2017

You could have just shrugged, turned away, and started over somewhere else.
You could have said 'I told you so. Serves you right.'
You could have said 'you wouldn't listen, so figure it out on your own.'
You could have invoked your right to be angry.
You could have said 'it's not worth it--you're not worth it.'

But instead You said I was worth it. On every. single. step to Calvary.

Thank You for Your love. It motivates us to love You back, and it teaches us how to love others. At this time when we market all kinds of definitions of love, help us to understand Your love. Maybe we should envision every heart shape around us broken. Tattered, torn hearts. That is more what Your love looks like: loving us so much You were willing to let it break Your heart. Not an ornamental arrow through it, but a spear pierced right through.

Teach us to love like that, Lord Jesus. Teach us that sacrificial love. And not the passive, submissive sacrifice. Teach us to be intentionally, aggressively sacrificial. To pull that cross, and take every step with You. Starting with the ones we love--our husbands. Out of gratitude for how You have treated us, help us to love and show our men and our children that same outpouring.

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will always serve and trust Him
In His presence daily live

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Him my precious Savior
I surrender all.


All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Lord Jesus we give You our right to be angry. Our need to be respected. Our importance that prohibits patience. Our lack of worth that makes us put down others. Our lack of long-suffering.

Lord, there's planes flying over the Pacific, bringing our soldiers home today. Please keep them safe. There's planes flying over the Atlantic, and the Middle East, be with them now. Please surround the ships on the seas. Please walk with the soldiers on patrol.

And Father God, there's plans being made for moves. There's kids off to school. There's babies being born. There's houses being sold and rented. There's people off to work. There's leaders making decisions for future generations. All of these things, all of these hopes, all of these hurts, all of these concerns, we surrender them to You. Fill us with Your love and power.

Lord we need a flood of Your love in this land, in our world. We pray this mighty tide overtake our hurting warriors, banishing depression and suicide and anger. May these people who have shown such sacrifice for others, be shown that love at home. In this culture where we struggle so to hold our marriages together, may Your grace abound.

And Father, even our enemies: may they see Your true love and desire it. 

We pray that out of all this, the world would know what a real Christian is. We pray Your Name will be glorified.

In Jesus' precious name,

Amen.

March 13, 2017

Mighty Warrior
Great Defender
the One Who Saves
the Victorious One--

it is You we come to. You we rely on.

"My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way,
and my arm will bring justice to the nations."

More than any mission accomplished, more than the homecoming of our warriors, more than any promotion or recognition, we need Your salvation. Your righteousness. Your justice, Lord. We pray for Your Kingdom to come.

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will finish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But My salvation will last forever, My righteousness will never fail."

For our warriors, Lord we pray for their salvation. May a revival sweep through our ranks. May the word of God be boldly spoken by the chaplains. May the lonely seek You. May the frightened feel Your presence. May the decision-makers hear Your voice. May our military be Your tool, used to bring about Your righteousness in this time.

"Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults."

"I even I am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass,
that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretches out the heavens
and who lays the foundations of the earth...

Lord, we pray for our deployed. May they be getting sufficient rest. Guard their hearts. May they only take courage in You. Please keep them healthy. Please surround them with Your protection. Please grow them up in Your ways. Give them wisdom and perspective that comes when they no longer fear death, but may they always fear You.

"For I am the Lord your God
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar--
the Lord Almighty is His Name.

God, our mightiest ship can make a few ripples near the shore. But You can stir the sea. You can make the wind roar. You can bring the storms, and still them. We are ever reliant on You.

March 6, 2017

God who sees,
who sees the little boy in the Chinese orphanage
who sees the little girl hiding under her bed
who sees the inside of the high school locker room
who sees the test-taking struggle
who sees the shun in the lunch room
who sees the PCS car driving away again
who sees tears on the Skype screen

You see, and You love
You love the brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes
You love the bottom of the class
You love the one standing up for right
You love the one too afraid to stand

You see, You love, and You care
You hold the keys to freedom
and You long to set us free.
To unleash us from all of our fears, all of our entanglements

Lord, we pray for our military kids.
Some days it feels like we are again tying them up and throwing them on the altar.
Help us to see it as releasing them into Your hands, the God who sees and loves and sets free.
We will trust You with their schooling
We will trust You with their future
We will trust You with their friends
We will trust You with their hearts.

Lord, may this next generation have an unleashing of Your Spirit like we have never seen before!
Give them the weapons to stand in the spiritual battle.
Give them eyes to see as You see.
May their hearts long for what You do.
Make them fearless!

We pray for Your salvation to come to our children.
We pray for Your protection over those waiting to be adopted.
We pray for our pregnant mommas.
We pray for those dealing with illnesses.
We pray for those struggling in school.
We pray for the lonely. For those with deployed parents.
We pray for the rebellious, who don't even understand why they are acting that way.
We pray for those making life decisions--Lord, may You reign!
We pray for those facing another PCS: Lord, You can make it right!

Heavenly Father, please be with our warriors everywhere, and be very real to all of their families.
We pray for our leaders' families, including the Chief of Chaplains' office.
And we pray for our veterans. Lord, please stop the spirit of suicide.

It's only because of Your love that we can have hope for our children.
Thank You Jesus.

Click here to hear No Longer A Slave by Bethel Music



You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance from my enemies
'Til all my fears are gone

[2x]
I'm no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

From my mother's womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I've been born again
Into your family
Your blood flows through my veins

I'm no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

I am surrounded
By the arms of the father
I am surrounded
By songs of deliverance

We've been liberated
From our bondage
We're the sons and the daughters
Let us sing our freedom

You split the sea
So I could walk right through it
You drowned my fears in perfect love
You rescued me
And I will stand and sing
I am a child of God