April 24, 2017

God who pushed up the mountains of Afghanistan
who smoothed out the Alaskan tundra
who brought the waters up to the Georgia coast
who ran his finger to carve out the Great Lakes
who blew the hot dry air over the desert in California, Iraq

You formed these places
and You are there

Forgive us for our amnesia
our distrust
our fears
our unwillingness to go willingly
our unbelief that You can work through Uncle Sam's orders

So Lord, please speak to our souls
continue to build in us a faith that knows deeply how to trust You
Help us to release our grip of control of our husbands, our children, our homes
Make us have open hands to receive what You are giving
Grow us up, Lord.

And please help us in the journey--the decisions, the money, the travel, the upheaval.
We pray for houses to be found, to be sold, to be rented.
We pray for school decisions and little hearts' desires in activities.
We pray for Your divine appointment of neighbors, friends, church communities.

Use us Lord. Scatter us as You wish. May we be ever ready to be Your light.
We pray for our ministries in VBS, Bible studies, chapel, caring for our neighbors.
And Lord, we lay our dreams at Your feet. You know what would most satisfy our souls. We will trust You for direction and timing.

We pray for protection for our deployed. Thwart the plans of the enemies.
We pray for our veterans. Lord may they find continued purpose.
We pray against suicides in our ranks Lord. May the hurting be drawn to Your relentless love.
And we pray for our leaders, Lord. May they hear Your ways.

God who goes before us, and comes behind us, may we feel Your hand on our heads today.


Click here to rest your soul with Casting Crown's Oh My Soul

April 17, 2017

Lord Jesus
Conquerer over sin and death
With joy we proclaim He is risen! 
I don't have to sit hopelessly in my shame
I don't have to work constantly to make things right
I don't have to grovel and beg, but only receive
I don't have to live by the sword, die by the sword
I don't have to take the punishment I so richly deserve
He is risen indeed!

He is risen!
I don't have to continue to do the things I hate
I don't have to respond the same way, with the same old habits
A lifeline has been thrown to me to pull me out of the whirlpool
You have forgiven me
He is risen indeed!

He is risen!
And I can rest in You
I don't have to hold the grudge and make others pay
I don't have to figure out the perfect revenge
I don't have to make others sorry
I don't have to manipulate, control, make sure I'm winning
You have forgiven, and I can forgive
He is risen indeed!

He is risen!
I don't have to live so very alone
I don't have to fear a distant, holy God
I don't have to handle things myself
I can crawl up into my Daddy's lap
I can see His face, learn His ways, access His power
I am not an expendable pawn, a toy to be played with
My life is not meaningless coincidences, sound and fury, signifying nothing
I am loved
I am ransomed
I am saved
He is risen indeed!

He is risen!
I have hope, no matter what happens
Death isn't the end--it's the beginning
I will get to see my Jesus face to face
I will be with the ones I love
Every tear will be dried, every pain gone
I will live forever
with You
He is risen indeed!

He is risen!
Lord may this truth be real to our troops today--from someone's baby boy starting boot camp to the hardened sergeant in Afghanistan to the hurting veteran staring out the window. Don't let their hearts be at rest until they find You.
May this truth be real to our military families--from the young bride far from home, to the mother of five watching the skies, to the kids of the veteran who can't control his temper.
Lord please unleash revival in our ranks. May the true battle become clear. May suicide, pride, anger, selfishness be defeated.

We pray for protection around our military this week, in their training, in their flights, in their patrols. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that we can trust in You no matter what happens.

And we pray for our families this week. Lord, may grace and love abound. Teach us to forgive. Be with those who are struggling so hard.

How awesome that we can pray to You. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for Your love.
He is risen indeed!

April 10, 2017

Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle. --Psalm 24:7-8

Almighty Lord
Commander of the heavenly armies
All seeing, All knowing, All  present God--
we ask for victory in our battles. May our missions be according to Your will. May our weapons shoot straight. May our fire power be overwhelming. May our enemies who would gas children, behead Christians, seek to take our freedom, be destroyed.

In You, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
I trust in You;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in You
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. --Psalm 25:1-3

Lord, may we be known as Your military, fighting for what is good and true. Give our leaders wisdom in all matters. May our soldiers, our sailors, our marines and our airmen be seeking You. In the face of such evil, may they find Your love. May Your Christian warriors shine brightly. Please use them to spark revival. May they be a light to the nations.

See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!
Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in You.
May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in You.--Psalm 25:19-21

Lord, please protect our deployed. Give them the knowledge and skill they need to do their jobs. We pray for unity in their ranks, that they would all feel like they are a part of it. Please keep supply lines running, machines working, watchmen vigilant. Please keep their spirits up, help them to find joy in the daily and to see Your hand at work all around them.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.
Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. --Psalm 25:16-17

And Father God, please be with our veterans, and our hurting. May the demon of suicide be kept away. In this holy week, may they see the cross everywhere they turn. Please be with all those transitioning out of the military, may they find rest and peace.

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of His covenant.
For the sake of Your Name, Lord,  forgive my inquiry, though it is great. --Psalm 25:11

Yes, Lord, please forgive the sins of our nation, the sins of our military, the sins of our warriors. Thank You for this time when we remember Your sacrifice, Your grace. May we be changed by it.

And Lord in the face of Your incredible gift, we pray for our enemies. Is it really too much for us to believe that You can change their hearts? Forgive us for our unbelief. Lord, may they see love and honor in Your soldiers, and may their hearts be broken in repentance. Change their land, for the sake of their next generation.

They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.--Psalm 25:13

It is in the holy name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

April 3, 2017

"Teach us, good Lord, to serve You as You deserve;
To give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do Your will
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
--Common Book of Prayer

Teach us, good Lord, and teach our children.
We pray for the passion, the love of You that will drive them to this kind of action. We pray this next generation is full of missionaries, chaplains, teachers, workers for Christ, warriors for You in every profession.
As we try to model a life of service, to God and country, show them the path that You have for them, the cross they are to bear to follow You. 
We pray for the young men and women heading off to basic. We pray for this next generation of warriors. We pray for their parents' hearts.
We pray for those in the trenches of studying, finding their way to college.
We pray for those whose hearts are in the wilderness. Lord, please draw them home.
We pray for the young ones for whom school wasn't built. Lord please build their confidence in You.
We pray for those struggling with illnesses.
We pray for those whose parents are deployed.
We pray for those who are desperately lonely. And for those exploring relationships.

We pray because You heal.
We pray because You lead.
We pray because You protect.
We pray because You love. And You are the good Lord.

Lord God please give our leaders, including the Chief of Chaplains' office, wisdom in making decisions that will affect the children.
And God we pray for our wounded warriors, and their children. Please heal their homes, Lord. Be the grace between them. We pray against suicide in our ranks.
We pray for our deployed. May they be turning to You.

You are the only One worthy of our devotion. Thank You for hearing our prayers.

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.