December 19, 2016

God of Heaven, and the heavens beyond heavens
God of Angels beyond imagination
God of all beauty and honor and glory,

We get so muddled up in our dailies
We feel so homeless in our travels
So alone in our little worlds

We need You Lord.
We need to see You and Your glory in this season--
of PCS
of being away from family
of busy busy business

Show us Lord.
Show us how You can turn the sunset pink
and make the snow glitter in the moonlight.
Show us how You can change a heart
and turn trial into triumph.
Show us how You make abundance out of brokenness.
Show us how You feed the winter sparrow
and paint the lily's blush.

Help us to shout "Glory to God in the Highest! Gloria in excelsis Deo!"
Help us to hear the angels over the plains; and the mountains echoing the cry.

Help us to shout Glory! in the to-do list
Glory! in the chronic pain
Glory! in the isolation

We pray Lord that we will learn to say Glory, as You are in the Highest. And we pray we will be able to teach it to our children too. May the atmospheres in our homes be glorify-ing to You this Christmas.

We pray for our friends who are sick and hurting.
We pray for those of us who struggle with feeling out of control.
We pray for those who are in the midst of moving.
We pray for our loved ones who are far away and hurting and we can't help.

And Lord we pray for our deployed. May You be born in their lives today so they can shout Glory!
We pray for our leaders, including the Chief of Chaplains: may they bend their knees and see Your glory. May the decisions they make every day be pleasing to You.
We pray for the families of the fallen  in this season. Lord, only You can redeem this time. We pray You will for them.
And we pray for our hurting veterans. Show them Your glory Lord.

Because seeing You changes everything. Thank You Lord Jesus for bringing Your glory to us.
Today, we will not let it get lost, but we will sing of it--

click here to hear Angels We Have Heard on High by King & Country

Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o'er the plains
and the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains

Gloria In excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this Jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

December 12, 2016

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Emmanuel. God. With. Us. Thank You Lord for the truth of this. No other god comes to us because of love for us.
And You Lord will be with us. We have the promise of seeing You face to face.
Yet, Lord, today is that in-between time. We long for Your full presence, when there will be no suffering.

And ransom captive Israel

We still need saving, Lord! Please save us today from ourselves--our selfish, greedy basic sin nature.

That mourns in lowly exile here

Cast out. Away from Your presence. We are in this fallen land, and trouble engulfs us. For many, Christmas is anything but a time of joy. And even for You, Jesus, the manger was in the shadow of the cross. Thank You for being one of us, for understanding our sufferings.

Until the Son of God appears

What unspeakable awe--the Son of God with us. You have saved our soul; You have promised us a future with You; and You've given us life--now--today--with You in Your abundance.

Don't let us squash that present in the midst of wrapping silly trinket presents. As moms, influencing the attitudes of our homes and teaching our children with every little act we do, make our joy in You overflow. As we change our homes, may we change our streets, our communities--Ft. Wainwright and Ft. Banning  and Ft. Polk, and Fort Bragg seeing Your glory this season!

May we not see Christmas as a to-do, but as a reminder of time with You.
May we not see work as a drudgery, punishment, but as a light-burden, a mission You have given us.
May we not be overwhelmed by all to come, but remember each day has enough trial of its own. There's more tomorrows to get it done.

Lord, for our communities, we pray:

--for the illnesses plaguing many families
--for safety in traveling many miles
--for grace to prevail in the homes, especially with returning warriors
--for those suffering loneliness, despair, pain--especially our soldiers. Lord, ransom them from the hell they find themselves in. Use us to rescue and save...
--for the many social events these days, show us how to reach out to people for You
--for our soldiers who are far from home this season. Hold them in Your arms Lord.
--for our leaders, may they hear Godly wisdom

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

December 5, 2016

God rest ye merry gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

Lord, we do pray for true rest for our warriors. May they remember You, trust You, and rest in You. We pray addictions will be broken from drugs, porn, alcohol, power and pride. We pray the spirit of despair would be defeated. We pray a bond of unity would radiate out from the church, and leave none lonely. 

We pray You will keep our deployed safe. May they accomplish their missions.

Please protect our men and women in all the traveling and training they have to do.

Please be close to the wounded. May they see You in their trials. Please help the doctors and caregivers to be wise. Please guide their hands through the procedures.

Lord we pray You will go before those PCSing and retiring.

And Lord please help our military marriages. Give us discernment. Help us be refined and not broken. Help our warriors be the best parents they can be. 

We pray for our leaders, including the Chief of Chaplains office. And we pray for the national leaders, especially as they change.

Please continue to save us all from Satan's power when we go astray.

From God our Heavenly Father

A blessed Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

It is only because of You, Lord, that we can have any hope, any comfort, any joy. Thank You Jesus for coming into our sorrow. From out of nothing, You created everything. From out of nothing, You brought forgiveness. From out of nothing, You can continue to make a way for us. 

Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

Lord in this holy season, help us to love each other, and love You all the more. Amen.

November 28, 2016

O Come Emmanuel

Lord be with us, and be with our children.

For the little ones growing in the womb, we ask for health and growth. May their birthdays bring joy. O Come Emmanuel

For the babies and the tired mothers, we pray for Your rest and peace. O Come Emmanuel

For the busy toddlers with their wide-eyed curiosity, we ask for safety and patience. O Come Emmanuel

For the school kids, Lord we ask for Your help with skills and challenges. Lord be their confidence, not in their abilities but in being a child of You. May they awaken to Your presence.
O Come Emmanuel

For the teenagers, Lord, for driving and friends and tests and life passions--O Come Emmanuel! Be with them. Give them patience in the journey. Help them trust in You. Help us parents trust in You. Do not let us make happiness an idol. Help us all to be mission-oriented for You. O Come Emmanuel!

For the ones who have left the home, Lord we pray they would not forget what they have been told. Help them to find their way. O Come into their lives, Emmanuel.

And for the military child, O Come Emmanuel we pray. Be the home-base for the traveller. Lord, be the friend for the new kid. Be the identity for the one in transition. Be the protecting parent when we fail. Lord they so need You to be real in their lives. O Come Emmanuel.

Lord we thank You for these blessings. We thank You for helping us make this military family life work. We thank You for great adventures, for close ties to each other. We thank You for working in the lives of our children, in spite of our best efforts, above all our fears.

We pray for the men and women of our military, all somebody's child. Lord please keep them safe. May their hard times be the gateway to when they meet You. O Come Emmanuel.

We pray for the veterans and their personal battles they continue to fight. Lord, may the spirit of suicide be restrained. We ask for Your mighty heavenly army to wage this war. Open the eyes of our veterans to see God with them. O Come Emmanuel.

For all our Christian leaders, from the Chief of Chaplains office on down, may this season's message be loud and clear. O Come Emmanuel!

We can bring these requests because You love us enough to call Yourself Emmanuel--God with us. You desire to be with us--how astonishing is that! And as little ones long for Christmas, so we long to be with You. Thank You Lord Jesus. Amen.

November 21, 2016

Ah Lord God,
If it weren't for the resurrection, and the cross, and the birth, there would not be much thanks giving! But because of Your love
because of Your sacrifice
because of Your mercy
we give thanks. Thanks that has no end. Thanks that can never be fully expressed.

We thank You for the military wife's life, and Your special blessings on it.
Thank You for new homes and new adventures.
Thank You that we get to see so much of Your world.
Thank You for fast, dear friends.
Thank You for brave children who see with a different perspective since they have such experiences.
Thank You for memories and special times even when traditions have to be broken.
Thank You for brave men who face the war. Thank You for protection that brings most home.
Thank You for happy cheers over football games.
Thank You for tables of abundance.
Thank You for courage to face the days without our spouses sometimes.

Forgive us Lord, when we cry for more.
When we don't trust Your will in new orders.
When we think we can't do it any more.
When we grow bitter, ignoring Your mercy.

We pray for us, Lord.
Please keep our eyes turned on You.
May each new assignment be a new mission field to serve You.
Please give us strength for the day. We pray for the momma of sick toddlers. We pray for the lonely woman. We pray for those struggling to smile through chronic pain. We pray for those whose marriages are miserable.
We pray for the teachers to have patience. We pray the business woman will find a way. We pray the nurses will have endurance. We pray the female soldiers will be able to balance home and career.

Lord, as we try to keep the home running, please give us wisdom. May we live in the grace You offer.

Because of Your great mercy, we can ask these things.
Please help Americans come together. Draw us all closer to You.
May our leaders have courage and integrity, including Washington D.C., the Pentagon, the Chief of Chaplains' office.
Please keep our warriors safe. Guard their hearts. We pray against suicide. Lord, may they know Your mercy.

Thank You Lord, Thank You.
May we never lose the wonder of Your mercy--



Click here: Let's sing Mercy! with Matt Redman

I will kneel in the dust
at the foot of the cross,
where mercy paid for me.
Where the wrath I deserve,
it is gone, it has passed.
Your blood has hidden me.

Mercy, mercy,
as endless as the sea.
I'll sing Your hallelujah
for all eternity.

We will lift up the cup
and the bread we will break,
remembering Your love.
We were fallen from grace,
but You took on our shame
and nailed it to a cross.

May I never lose the wonder,
oh, the wonder of Your mercy.
May I sing Your hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Amen.

November 14, 2016

The little girl splashing in a Florida puddle

The little boy sliding down a hill in Alaska

The little boy pulling a fish up in California

The little girl throwing leaves in Maine—

Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good;

for His steadfast love endures forever!

Let the docking sailors say

His steadfast love endures forever

Let the pilots flying into the sunrise say

His steadfast love endures forever

Let the waking soldiers say

His steadfast love endures forever

Let the families at home, waiting and praying, say

His steadfast love endures forever

Out of my distress I called on the Lord

the Lord answered me and set me free.

Lord we pray for our hurting warriors. Please help them through this spiritual battle. Please stop the suicides. Please bring them to You.

We pray for the families of our fallen. God please hold them close. Please help them through the immediate arrangements.  Surround them with Your people, and may they find Your hope in the midst of their pain. Heal their hearts through the coming years.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

Lord please send your angel armies to protect our deployed. From the skies over Syria, to the waters in the middle east, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the front lines in Iraq, Lord please keep them safe. Guard their hearts.

We also ask that You would make clear to them the spiritual battle. May their difficult times bring them closer to You. 

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

Lord we pray for the leaders of our military. Please give them wisdom. May they be people of integrity and truth. We pray for the Chief of Chaplains office and all our Christian members. May we be the best witnesses to Your salvation.

We pray that the conflicts requiring our military will end. We pray for a way out of all the tangled webs. We pray for a way forward in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria.

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

Lord we pray we will be shining lights in our military communities. Orders and houses and neighbors and schools—all are in Your hand. Plant us and use us where You would have us. And help us to get there—paperwork and places bought/sold/rented and flights and driving. Lord we need You.

Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

Lord thank You for salvation! We will sing of our hope in You no matter the circumstances. We will trust in You. Thank You Jesus!

I thank You that You have answered me and have  become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Thank You Almighty God for successful missions. Thank You for safe trips. Thank You for great technology.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!

Lord we pray for the mood in our ranks, for the tenor in our troops. May their be unity and hope.

The Lord is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us.

Thank You God for bringing us this far. 

You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God; I will extol You.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! --verses from Psalm 118

November 7, 2016

Lord, God!
This land--
grasslands dotted with cattle
prairies bursting with grain
waters teeming with fish
trees drooping with fruit
fields full of lettuce and strawberries and carrots and cabbage and on and on it goes

How You have blessed us!

Shelves of books
and pencils with paper
and rows of desks
and bright minds awakening
and time and peace to think

How You have blessed us!

gardens of flowers
halls of paintings
cameras capturing myriads of beauties
colors and textures draping children

How You have blessed us!

Irish literature
British music
German drive
Native quietness
Puerto Rican flamboyancy
all living side by side

How You have blessed us!

multiple places of worship
loosed tongues
choices in destinies
no fear
peace

How You have blessed us!

Great men
Great women
through the ages
loving all the way to bleeding for this land, these people

Grace, grace--God's grace!

Sins forgiven
hearts stirred
doors opened by sacrifice
and gospel-tellers sent out to the whole world

Grace You have given, Grace You have allowed us to share

And now we come to another crossroads
a touch stone for our history
a time to look to You.
A time to ask for Your forgiveness again.
To plead for wisdom.
To plead that You would continue to bless
for Your NameSake--
America, the leader and defender of the Christian world.
We see the gifts You have given.
And we see the responsibility. And we see our failures. And our weaknesses.
We see how much we need You.

Thy will be done!

Lord break our pride. Make us humble, for that is the only way to unite us.
Heal our land.
Forgive us of our sins, have long-suffering for us.
Heal our land.
We ask for Your wisdom and strength to govern ourselves.
Heal our land.
Show us our hurting people and how to truly help them.
Heal our land.
Give us an appetite for the truth. Give us the courage to use it. May it be shouted from the rooftops.
Heal our land.

Thank You for our public servants. We pray for their protection.
Thank You for our churches and chapels. May the words of their mouths and the actions of their hands be acceptable to You, from the Chief of Chaplains to the local Sunday School teacher.
Thank You for our military. May our leaders be following You. Please keep our warriors safe. Please keep the spirit of suicide away.

You have blessed us so
Please heal us
we trust in You!

Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. --Psalm 106:47