February 24, 2014

Thanks for joining us again sisters! We've got to pray, because He told us to pray! Add in your requests and praises in the comments, remembering this is a public site. Let's pray with Psalm 33 and I Cor 9:24-27 today:


Almighty God,

star breather,

sea gatherer,
Watcher of all mankind,
Maker of hearts,
my Help,
my Shield,

Father, all others fail us. We cannot hope or trust in any of them, for their love fails.

The might of a horse, the strength of our warriors, the shelter of an army base--none of these could save us--all strength fails.

So we rejoice in You! We trust and hope in You, for there is no end to Your strength. No bottom to Your unfailing love. Thank You Lord!

You have given us our mission. You have set the race course out before us. Fort Drum needs us to be Your people.

Lord don't let us fall, this late in the game, when the prize is right in front of our eyes. Even as the world seems rougher, the stakes have always been high. Remind us constantly this week Lord of what contest is the most important. Fix our eyes on Jesus.

Help us to stay in the training, even when that means bruises and fatigue. Renew our vision of mission. Make us not run aimlessly, or fight things that don't matter.

And Lord don't let us disqualify ourselves. Our names are connected to Yours. May there be integrity when people consider our chaplains, our Christian warriors, our children and most of all ourselves.

Remembering Your unfailing love, we pray for our deployed soldiers. Be their strength when they are bone-weary. Be their shield and defense and help. Fill them with encouragement for their courage.

Lord, we beg You to stop the epidemic of the suicidal soldier. Turn their eyes to You. Fill their days with 'coincidental' meetings with believers. Only You can save.

We pray for all of our soldiers. May their work bring them fulfillment, and safety to our nation.

We pray for our little warriors, our children, going out to continue the spiritual battle of this world. Thank You for them. Go before them, come behind them, and keep Your hand on their heads. May they also stay on the race course.

And Lord we pray for us. Every day, our strength fails us. Forgive us when we forget what's important. Forgive us when we lose our trust. Forgive us when we worry only about our own glory. And our love fails. Help us to be more like You. Bring us closer to You today.

Our prize is Jesus! Thank You Lord for such a beautiful gift. To You we give all the honor, all the glory. All of our efforts are piles of rags, yet You can make them beautiful.

Until that day we can see You, face to face....and hold our prize....
Amen.

February 17, 2014

You, Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord,
You speak and summon the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty, You shine forth.

You have no need of a bull from my stall
or of goats from my pens,
for every animal of the forest is Yours,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
You know every bird in the mountains
and the insects in the fields are Yours. (from Psalm 50)

And You care for every animal. You know when the sparrow falls.

And how You love us. How much more You watch over us like a shepherd, like a father.

We thank You God, for that care. Thank You for providing for us through these wintery days. We need Your protection.

And thank You for forgiving us from our sins, for washing us whiter than the snow. What a beautiful picture of Your overwhelming, complete, perfect forgiveness. All because of Jesus. How beautiful.

Create in us, Your Fort Drum people, a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us.
Steadfast to do the right thing.
Steadfast to love our families and our neighbors.
Steadfast to sacrifice to serve You.
Steadfast to follow after You.

We thank You today for our chaplains, and we pray for them. May they be seen as gatekeepers to You--not to keep people out, but to open the door and show the way. (I Chr. 26) We pray for their reputation. May all they do be honest and glorifying to You.

We pray for their relationships. This week Lord, may they have significant conversations through 'chance' encounters. Lord, use them in life-saving work. We again pray against the depression that leads to suicide in our soldiers.

We pray for unity Lord. May these brothers and sisters encourage one another.

We pray for strength. Fill them with You, by Your Spirit. We pray for courage.

Lord, may our chaplains be leaders to us all, that we would
watch over Your word
guard Your covenant
teach Your precepts
make offerings.

"Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more." (Deut. 33:9-11)

And may we all fulfill the work You have given us as Your body.

Please keep our children safe through this coming week of vacation. Thank You for this time of rest.
Please be with our deployed soldiers. Bend the heart of the Afghanistan president to Your will, and give our leaders wisdom.
And Lord, please mold us as You wish this week.

Thank You, Mighty One, Thank You!

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!

February 3, 2014

Let's pray to the ultimate Daddy for our children today. As always, add in your specific prayer requests and praises in the comments. Just remember it's a public site.

Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments
and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God, that He should repay them?
For from Him
and through Him
and for Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever!
Amen! (Rom. 11:33-36)

Yes! Lord! From You are all things, including our children--the children of Fort Drum. We thank You for their lives. They are the blessings of our days, giving us joy and reminding us continually of how You love us.

Lord, so many things we would wish for our children: wealth, possessions, honor, death of their enemies, long life....Help us instead to pray as Solomon did, and to ask for wisdom. You, the source of all wisdom, can give it freely. And You do promise to give it. And all other things aside, that is what we most need in raising our children. That is what our children most need to live in this world.

We ask for wisdom, Lord:
in finding, and living their life mission
in being united parents
in choosing activities
in choosing friends
in the physical realm, for what to do when they are sick
in discipline for disobedience
in bending the will and the spirit
in developing character
in their education
in growing in the Lord

God, how this world could be different with a generation of wise children living for Your glory! May we be a cloud of witnesses surrounding this generation.

And Lord we always want to pray for Fort Drum. For our soldiers. For this unique community You have created, people You have specifically placed here. Lord, make us ever aware of our mission to reach first our neighbors on Fort Drum, then Watertown, and then the world. Help us to be Your arms of comfort to those hurting. Help us to be Your witnesses this very day.

And please also give our soldiers wisdom in their daily tasks. Not necessarily long life, but fullness of life in fulfilling their mission.

Thank You Father for adopting us as Your children. For loving us so very, very much. May we live as loved children today.

And all my sisters said, Amen!

January 27, 2014

Sisters: Thanks so much for faithfully praying! Add your prayers for the soldiers or praises in the comments. Just remember it's a public site.

Almighty God!
As Job 38 points out: You are the answer to all the questions; You laid the foundation of the earth while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy; You burst forth the sea with its clouds; You give orders to the morning, ushering the dawn in at its place; You journeyed to the springs of the sea; You see the gates of death and deepest darkness; You keep the light in its home; You keep the storehouses of the snow; You flash the lightning bolt; You give birth to the ice; You parade the stars across the sky; You satisfy the earth with rain; You feed the animals.
Your dominion is over all the earth, never to be threatened, shaken.
And as sure as Your dominion, is our place in You. May we know that peace. That rest.

So we come to You
with awe of Your power
with awe of Your love for us
with gratitude for Your forgiveness
and we pray for our soldiers. For the soldiers of Fort Drum. The single soldier humping a pack around the Riva Ridge loop. The female soldier, lonely in Afghanistan. The commander, considering the missions.

We pray that You will give them Your Spirit. The Spirit that is not timid, but has power, love and self-discipline. (IITim. 1:7) We pray they are strong and courageous, knowing You are with them.
We pray our soldiers would be a people saved by You. That You would be their shield. Their helper. Their glorious sword. So their enemies will cower before You. (Deut. 33:29)
We pray that they would always stay humble, understanding You give the victory. It is not by their sword or their arm, but Your arm and the light of Your face. (Psalm 44:3)
We pray they would fear You, and Your angel will encamp around them and deliver them. (Psalm 34:7)
We pray they will continue to hope in You, for You can renew the strength they need to march another mile. (Isaiah 40:31)
We pray they can be thankful, doing all things in Your name and as working for You. (Col. 3)
May they see the accomplishment of the work You have given their hands to do.

God we pray for our soldiers' safety. Be with those who are saying their goodbyes this week. Thank You for those saying their hello's. May we see Your protection, and then proclaim it loudly for Your glory!

We pray for continued protection around our children. We thank You for miracles seen even this week. Lord fill us and our homes with more of You.

To the One who makes it all a victory in the end! Amen!

January 20, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqd8MoiCbcI

Father God,

Every breath is grace from You, allowing us to be alive. May we breathe "Abba, I belong to You" over and over today (as Brennan Manning suggested). 

Every morning that our children awake, grace from You.

Every night our soldier closes his eyes in safety, grace from You.

Almighty God

You are the One above the Heavens

You are the Commander of the Heavenly Hosts

You are the only Holy One

power beyond our comprehension

above time

everywhere

and still, You love us.

Enough to seek us out. Chase us down. Surround us with Your love.

Even when we fight You.

Even when we shake our fists.

Even when we kill Your Word.

Thank You Lord. Our feeble attempts at thanking You, loving You, are only small reflections back of Your love for us.

Unleash the hounds of heaven on Fort Drum. May they not be restrained spiritually, but may they chase down, surround, overwhelm the many hurting people with Your love. May the demon of suicide and despair be bound up in Your Almighty Name.

The darkness is heavy here, Lord. So many have no one to rely on, no one to turn to. When the packs get heavier, they try to just get tougher. Thank You Lord that You take on our burdens. Every day. Psalm 68:19

You can be here, saturating our homes.

And You can be on the other side of the world, putting a hedge of protection around our soldiers. Nowhere can we get away from Your grace.

So today, Lord, be the grace between us in our homes.

May we find our rest in You.

Please keep our soldiers safe, especially with all the comings and goings right now.

Be with our leaders, and the world's leaders, in the decisions that effect lives.

May we be lights today, and this week, to those who need to know You.

May our children learn this week to see Your grace, and really know it in their hearts.

In Jesus' beautiful name,

Amen

here's the lyrics running through my head: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mattredman/yourgracefindsme.html

January 13, 2014

Let's pray with Psalm 65 today-

Praise awaits You our God in Zion;
to You our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
to You all people will come.

Thank You Abba-Daddy for answered prayers! For renewed health, for planes landing safely, for the courage to face new days, for new babies' smiles. We come to You again and again for it is You who answers prayers. We pray more answers will come, more of Fort Drum will pray, more of us will see prayers answered.

When we were overwhelmed by sins,
You forgave our transgressions.

Oh God, the heavy heart when we've messed things up. Yet Your Grace finds us. What a beautiful word--forgiveness. Only You can truly grant it, and You do! Over and over again, You free us. Thank You Lord Jesus!

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas
who formed the mountains by Your power,
having armed Yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.

God, we can bring peace to this world about as easily as we can stop an ocean wave. But we know You can! We who are so heavily invested, do ask for You to still the turmoil of Afghanistan... Iraq...Somalia...Syria. Lord, may the nations turn to You. Use us as Your instruments.

You care for the land and water it;
You enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so You have ordained it.

Lord we see Your power  in the strength of the storm, the rush of the rivers. It slows us and reminds us of Your control, and our weakness. Thank You for nurturing the land. Thank You for the coming crops. Thank You for taking care of us.

God of the Heavenly Armies, more planes will come and go this week. Please keep them safe. More trucks and humvees will have to move through hostile land. Please guard them. More soldiers will have to walk through dangerous valleys. Please hide them in Your hand.

And please, Abba, may the demon of suicide be restrained from Fort Drum. May this be the duty station where people are introduced to You. To this end we pray for our youth groups, our chapels, PWOC, our chaplains.

For the families, for ourselves, we pray for peace and strength this week. The kind only You can grant.

For Your glory, we will praise You for answering these prayers. We will tell others of the miracles. May they bring more people to You.

The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders;

where morning dawns, 

where evening fades,

You call forth songs of joy.

Amen!