February 1, 2016

God of time,
God of creation,
God of life,

You unfurl the leaf and cause it to stretch to the sky.
You expand the tiny chickadee brain, so it can remember where it stashed its seeds.
You teach the whale to sing.
You fill the horse's lungs as it races across the prairie.
You cause our little one's eyes to flutter open.

And You reach down and hold our hands. You let us curl up on Your lap. You wrap Your arms around us.

Thank You Lord, for being our perfect Father/Mother. Thank You for love unending... unconditional. Thank You for grace that picks us up and puts us on our feet again.

Thank You for the beauty and diversity of creation, made for our pleasure. We see Your care for it, and we love it too.

And thank You for our children, Lord. For giggles, and helping hands, and skipping, and snuggles, and funny sayings, and yes even for scraped knees and tears as they show life. Thank You for growth--for new heights and new sizes and awkward moments and deeper thoughts and bigger challenges.

Lord, we pray for our beloved ones. We pray for their direction of life. No matter what they do, may they honor You. Give them vision and mission. May they find what is worth living for. Give them Jesus.

Our posts are filled with these children Lord. We ask You to keep them safe. Help them to find good friends. Help them to be good friends. May their lives be filled with good adults who help them along. May they grow in integrity. But mostly:
Give them Jesus.

Yes Lord, we want them to be safe. We want them to be comfortable. We want them to be happy. But more than anything:
Give them Jesus.

Help them through their challenges right now, Lord. The schooling. The peers. The tasks it seems they will never master. The attitudes. May we be the parents they need. May their future spouses be protected and blessed. But mostly, may they grow in You. Nothing will bless our hearts more than to see them walking in You; and nothing will break our hearts more than to see them stray.

Which You understand more than we ever could.

So Lord, give them Jesus.

We pray for our young soldiers--somebody's baby. Keep them safe so they can grow closer to You. Thank You for bringing many home. Please be with those still in transit.
And we pray for all our soldiers. May they know deep down that they are loved. May they know it enough to be saved from the severe depression that lies to them.
We pray for the sick, including Diana Tafola, Ch Hicks, Gina. We pray for our leaders and the Chief of Chaplains office. May their decisions be good for the next generation.
We ask these things, knowing that You love them and love us with the love of a perfect Father.
And we just want more of You.
Amen

January 25, 2016

Third Day's song Spirit:

Oh, Lord, fill us with Your spirit
Guide us by Your presence
How we need You, God

Oh, Lord, lead us to Your kingdom
Bring us back to freedom
How we need You, God
How we need You, God

Oh, Lord, fill us with Your spirit
Guide us by Your presence
How we need You, God

Oh Lord, we will sing Your praises
You are our salvation
Be our strength and song
How we need You, God

How we need You, God
How we need You, God
How we need You, God

Lord we pray for more of You in our lives.
We pray for the mom of little ones whose husband just deployed. May You be so real and close to her that she has courage to face the day.
For the wife whose husband is so busy with work: please help her look to You to fill her needs.
For the mom of teens and young adults: give her wisdom to guide them and courage to let them go. Show her the new mission You have for her.

Fill us with Your Spirit, how we need You God.

For the wife sitting by the hospital bed, Lord give her courage.
For the lady behind the microphone: Lord fill her mouth with Your words.
For the women holding a job, may they work as unto You.

Be our strength and song, how we need You God.

Lord help us live beyond ourselves. Help us do more than survive. May we be instruments of Your influence to more and more.

We pray for our wounded in body and mind. Fill them with Your presence, and save them from suicide.
We pray for our leaders, including the Chief of Chaplains office.
We pray for the personnel boards and promotion boards meetings.
We pray for the safety of our warriors everywhere.

All beauty, all goodness, all strength, all wisdom --all we need is You Lord!

January 18, 2016

Click here to worship with the song Cornerstone

Lord of All,
We need You as our cornerstone. It's so easy to feel like we're tossed about by the world--but we want to be anchored, grounded, held fast by You.

Lord of All,
Please be with the families of our fallen Marines. Hold them close. Be their cornerstone.

Lord of All,
Please be with our wounded warriors. Heal their injuries. Please heal their hearts. Touch their minds, and give them sleep. Calm their nerves. Lord please give them true peace.

Lord of All,
We pray for our deployed. Please keep them safe. In their hardest days, may they see You most clearly. May their chaplains point to You. Please give them success in their missions. May their sacrifices make a difference in this world.

Lord of All,
We pray for our military leaders, from the President and the Pentagon and the Chief of Chaplains' Office and our own soldier's commander. Please give them wisdom. May truth and justice prevail.

Lord of All,
We pray for all of our warriors, and we pray for our own:
--may their feet be strong. Protect them from IEDs. May they bring the good news to all parts of the world.
--may their legs be swift. Fast to do the right thing.
--may their courage be rooted in You.
--may their arms be ready to defend the helpless.
--may their shoulders be able to carry the burdens.
--may their mind be keen and able to discern the right path You would have them take.
We pray for beat up feet, for sore muscles, for aching backs, for constant fatigue, for unending pain. Lord, please give our medics wisdom in helping the many problems, and please help our warriors endure and heal.
But more than the physical, we pray for their character. Lord, may they be following You. Be real to them today.
And we pray for promotion boards and assignment committees. Guide them Lord and we will trust in Your will.

Lord of All,
thank You thank You thank You for saving Pastor Saeed and the others. Please help him and his family to come together again and heal him from his experience. Knowing there are so many more oppressed in so many more dark places of the world, we ask You continue to sustain them.

We build our hope on You--the only One who can save.
Amen!

January 11, 2016

Lord, the darkness threatens to overwhelm. The news spews darkness into our living rooms nightly. It's in our hospital rooms. It's spots all over the maps. It's the reports our soldiers get. Oh, how the enemy would like us to believe it surrounds. But,

You hem me in behind and before,
and You lay your hand upon me....
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide,
Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to You;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to You.--Psalm 139:5-12

You Lord are our light. Not our leaders, or even our nation. Not the health of our family, or the presence of friends. Not the illusive peace in the world.
Just You. The Creator of the sun, the moon, and the millions of stars. The One who paints the aurora and sparks the flame. You are the good that reaches out a hand, that touches the untouchable, gives grace to the unforgivable.

You are in the prison in Iran. Beside the soldier in Afghanistan. In the child's cancer ward. Lord help us to see You.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined.--Isaiah 9:2

And Lord, fill us with Your light--make us overflowing lights in our communities.
We pray for our soldiers' safety. May they not be overwhelmed in their spirits.
We pray for our children as they face their challenges.
We pray for our friends who have health problems.
We pray for Chaplain Mike and Jennifer in the darkness of losing their son.
We pray for the promotion boards, the people who write orders, the strategists. Lord, be the force behind our military, moving our leaders, especially the Chief of Chaplains' office.
We pray for Your help in this military life--for houses rented and sold and found.
We pray our chapels would be beacons.
We pray for Your people around the world, especially the persecuted.

Thank You Lord. We have hope that all these prayers will be answered.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not over come it. ---John 1:5

January 4, 2016

Let's start the new year with singing Hosanna! (Click word to hear the music.)

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You, we turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God Who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God Who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away


A new year Lord! So much to come, so much to pray for! But we want to be a people of hope, because we are the people of You. In the face of so many concerns, teach us steadfast trust.

So we begin with praise: You are the God of the ages, and You don't fear the days to come. Nothing surprises You. Nothing overtakes You. Nothing overwhelms You.

And You have been faithful through the generations. Always. You have never failed us. We thank You for marriages, for babies, for successful deployments with safe returns, for homes and financial blessings, for schools and passions followed. Thank You for promotions, and sweet friendships, adventures, and new challenges.

We thank You for salvation. You are changing us. You have saved our lives, both in this world and in eternity.

As we see how You have led us through the past years, help us to see You work today. Help us to know Your presence, and rejoice in it, and find strength for today.

With the confidence of Your love, we pray for our world in 2016:
--We pray the persecuted Christians would find victory.
--We pray against religious violence all over.
--We pray for the safety of our servicemen and women in every corner of the globe.
--We pray for the direction of our country with the coming election. May our elected leaders follow You.
--We pray for wisdom for our military leaders, including the Chief of Chaplains' office. We pray for true leadership.
--We pray for our many wounded veterans. May they be healed in body and spirit. Lord open their eyes to see Your salvation.
--We pray for the healing of those who are hurting: for Brecklynn in her struggle with cancer, for Gracie's body to accept her heart. Hold their parents in Your arms.

And we pray for us, Your bride. Strengthen our marriages Lord. May our children seek You this year. May we be people of hope, shining in the dark, lighting the path to You.

December 28, 2015

Let's pray today with the prayer from War Room movie.

You are good and You are mighty and You are merciful

Praise you Jesus

Guide me to who you want me to help

Raise up more that will call upon Your name

Raise up those that love you and seek you and trust you

Lord we need an army of believers that will stand on your word above all else

Raise up warriors Lord, who will fight on their knees

Who will worship you with their whole hearts Lord

Lord call us to battle

That we may proclaim you King of kings and Lord of lords

I pray these things with all my heart

RAISE EM UP LORD, RAISE EM UP

An Army of believers, Lord! we pray
We pray for our soldiers
We pray for our husbands
We pray for our children
And for us, Lord, raise us up!

December 21, 2015

Let's pray with Mary in Luke 1:46- today:

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Yes Lord yes! Today we stop and praise You. You hold the storehouses of the snow and cover miles and miles with inches of millions of exquisite flakes. And in the midst of all that, You find the sparrow a safe place to sleep. You move the winds that can stop our best technology in its tracks. You can thwart the strongest nation with a storm. You can melt the hardest heart. And Your love covers people of all nations, of all ages.

for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is His name.

The Mighty One who turns the stars, also knows and sees and loves the poorest child in the most forgotten hovel. You have done such great things for us.
Holy is Your name! This is a sacred time, and we bow before Your throne.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

Forgive us, Lord, for when we don't fear You. For when we lose site of You in our quest for the perfect holiday. Thank You for Your mercy. You know our inmost thoughts, our hearts.

And You have done mighty deeds for us, for our country, for our soldiers. Thank You Lord for communities of friends, for battles won, for planes of warriors returning home safely, for a land of resources, for the best nation in the world.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty....

Lord, we pray for peace in this world. No one wants it more than You. No one knows the pain of the children more than You. We long for when You come again. Help us to do Your work--feeding the hungry, lifting the broken, freeing the prisoners. We pray for your workers on the battle field, in the classroom, in the home, in the Chief of Chaplains' office, in the barracks. 

And Lord, we need Your peace in our lives. We pray for those who are sick. We pray for those in the hospital rooms, and those going to visit, including the little ones with cancer, the sisters with shingles and rashes, the brothers recovering from gunshot wounds, the wounded warriors. We pray for our hurting veterans, may they find You in this season. We pray for our families who have lost their soldiers, may they have Your peace. We pray for those of us in transition--for houses and new jobs and the details of moving.

Move in our hearts Lord. We love You! Amen.