October 8, 2017

Ah Lord, as tiny eyes flutter open and little mouths open for their first cry--

as they start the song of their new life, we thank You. We are amazed again and again at Your creativity, Your love, Your hope for our future.

We pray for health and strength for our little ones. We ask for Your protection over them and may their song for You grow with every day.

We pray for our school kids as they take on each new day. May they learn to be difference-makers. May they find their joy in what You have gifted them. Be with them in their lonely times. May the hard times mold them without breaking them. 

For our military kids, Lord, please guard their hearts as they await the return of their deployed parents. May they learn to turn to You when others fail them. Please help them find new friends in new schools. May they be the friend who can encourage and point others to You.

We pray for our young adults who are finding their way. Lord please make the path You would have them take be clear. May they find joy in learning, passion in serving, and a continual love for You.

We pray for our kids who are sick or injured. We pray for the little guy who got an eye injury, we ask for Your continued healing, and Your direction in his life if he can't see with it again. We pray for the baby whose bones are so fragile. Please help her grow strong. We pray for the little premie who needs to keep growing. We pray for the many pregnancies and the labor and delivery. We pray for the young boy who is full of anxiety with his dad deployed. 

We pray for the young adults who are straying from You, Lord. Thank You for Your long-suffering. Please make them miserable until they return to the truth they know, Lord.

We pray for our kids who have gone into the military; please keep them safe. For those and the ones in college, please help them with their many tasks and tests. For all those in the launching process, we pray for wisdom and courage.

And we pray for the children of our fallen and of our hurting veterans. Lord hold them close. May they sing Your song of hope to those around them. We pray against depression and suicide in our military families. 

Lord may this next generation lift their voices to You louder than the previous ones! May Your goodness be known by them. May our kids be singing their songs for Your glory all their days. 

Click here to Sing a Song with Third Day

I want to sing a song for You, Lord
Lord, for You I want to sing a song
And I want to lift my voice to Heaven
And listen to the angels sing along

A song of Your faithfulness

A song of Your grace

And of Your loving kindness
To the glory of Your name

With everything that's in me, Lord
Listen to me say
I want to sing a song for You
I want to sing a song

And I want to live my life for You, Lord
Lord, for You I want to live my life
And I want to praise the name of Jesus
And Pray above all things You're glorified

I sing about Your mercy
I sing about Your love
Your goodness, Lord
Your righteousness

And we'll sing holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, are You Lord almighty?

October 1, 2017

Let's pray with verses from Revelation this week:

Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.

When there are wars and rumors of warriors; earthquakes and fires and floods;
When it seems like the end of the world,
We look to You--the Omega, the One who controls the beginning and the end.
And when we look to You, Lord, we can't help but be in awe
and give You praise.

 You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
and by Your will they were created
and have their being.

Thank You Lord for creating our brave men and women willing to serve in the military. Thank You for the strength You have given them. Thank You for the wisdom You have given the leadership. Thank You for the many Christian leaders throughout the ranks.

Who will not fear You, Lord, and bring glory to Your name?
For You alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before You
for Your righteous acts have been revealed.

Thank You Lord that we can trust in You for the future. You hold all things in Your hand.

As the nations rage against one another, and our warriors stand ready, we pray for Your peace. We ask that You would give wisdom to our leaders, and move in the hearts of the kings of this world.

As much as it takes strength to create peace, we ask for Your continued blessing on our military. Please keep our warriors healthy. Help them learn their skills. Give them insight into their missions. We pray their equipment would be working, their supply lines would be open. May they have favor with the locals, and may the next generation of many of these countries view America as a friend.

Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.

Lord we pray for the physical saving of our warriors. But even more we pray for their spiritual salvation. May the hard times draw them to You. May Your voice be heard through the chaplains and the many Christians. May revival sweep the ranks. Will you please guard their hearts and keep them morally straight? We pray against shame, depression, suicide.

We especially pray for our new, young soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors. Lord may they grow in You and not stray from the faith of their childhood.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
He will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

God we pray for our hurting veterans. Show them the way to find forgiveness, peace, purpose in their lives. Please wipe away their tears.

Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!

We ask these things not for us, Lord, but for Your glory! Amen!

September 24, 2017

To the God who shines in our lives like the morning sun burning away the fog
To the God who makes the dragonfly's wings sparkle
To the God who sets the trees ablaze with yellow, orange, red
To the God who cools the air, stirs the breeze, sparks the imagination
To the God who makes the puppy soft and attentive
To the God who shakes the mountains, quiets the nations, causes the strong men to tremble
To You we give praise.

We give praise to the One who gives true forgiveness
We give praise to the only One who can bring peace
We give praise to the One who heals the soul, heals the heart, heals the memories and the insecurities and the fears, heals the body.

Thank You Lord Jesus.
Thank You for being with us through this military life.
Thank You for Your daily protection.
Thank You for settling us into new homes and new adventures and new missions.
Thank You for new friends.
Thank You for saving so many in the hurricanes and the fires.
Thank You for making peace among the nations.
Thank You for successful missions, for excellent skills and good equipment and smart strategies.
Thank You for going into the schools every day with our children.

Thank You for Your healing of so many of our friends. We ask for Your hand on more of our sisters, like K and J's chronic pain...
Thank You for houses bought and sold and rented, and we pray for those that still need to be.
Thank You for protecting our warriors, and we pray for the families of those deployed now and those deploying soon. Please help our sisters manage their homes. Please help their children, like young man G, find strength in You.
Thank You for Your hand in so many's stories with the natural disasters, and we pray for those dealing with the aftermath. Please give our sisters like J wisdom in knowing how to help her loved ones when she is far away.
Thank You for our amazing children. Please help us constantly show them You. We pray for those kids who are straying, like S, I, and C.
Thank You for the exciting opportunities our young adult children have, and please help them in their new paths. We pray for the lonely mommas left behind, may they find new missions.
Thank You for allowing us to serve You, for shining Your light through us. We pray for our sisters in leadership positions. May they be effective in their work. May they not try to shoulder the burden alone.
Thank You for our marriages, and we pray for our sisters who are caring for injured warriors. Give them long-suffering and courage.

Thank You for Your strength to change the heart. We pray for those struggling with depression. And we pray against all spirits of suicide.
Thank You for the wisdom You give all who ask. And we ask for those in the White House, the Pentagon, the platoon and the squadron.

We can't help but praise You, Lord.

Click here to praise Him with Fernando Ortega's All Creatures of Our God and King

September 17, 2017

You asked for my hands, that You might use them for Your purpose. I gave them for a moment, then withdrew them, for the work was hard. You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice. I gave You a whisper that I might not be accused. You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty. I closed them, for I did not want to see. You asked for my life, that You might work through me. I gave a small part, that I might not get too involved. Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve You--only when it is convenient for me to do so, only in those places where it is safe to do so, and only with those who make it easy to do so. Father, forgive me, renew me, send me out as a usable instrument, that I might take seriously the meaning of Your cross. Amen. --The Worship Source Book from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship 

Lord, there are so many things we want for our little ones--safety, comfort, joy, a great spouse, a fulfilling work...but all of that means nothing compared to knowing, loving, following You. So that is our true prayer. May this next generation be mighty warriors for Your kingdom.

We pray that our military children would be forged in this life to be Your Servants. As they see their parents do hard things, may they see Your faithfulness and be emboldened. As they go through times of isolation, may they learn to rely solely on You. As they see teamwork, may they be strong against injustice. As they see sacrifice, may they learn to be selfless. As they see good leadership, may they become good leaders.

And Lord please guard their hearts. Even as they are tough on the outside, may they follow hard with a tender heart.

We pray for the children of the deployed. Lord, hold them in Your arms.
We pray for the kids who are PCSing. Lord, please go before them.
We pray for the big kids finding their way in the world. Lord, please lead them.
We pray for the children of the hurting veterans. Lord, please give them and their homes a peace that only You can give.
We pray for the children of the fallen. Hold them close Lord. Be so very real.

We pray for peace in this world.

Lord, we can ask these things because we know You love them more than we do. You curled their pinky finger, their eyelash, their lock of hair. You opened their eyes and made them sparkle in so many colors. You set their mind turning with new ideas, new questions. You breathed Your breath of life in them. And we are so grateful.

September 10, 2017

Lord, You have promised You will never leave us or forsake us,
so we pray You will be with our warriors
in Korea
in Iraq
in Afghanistan
in Europe
on the seas
and everywhere

You have promised You will give wisdom to those who ask.
So we ask for our leaders
in the White House
in the Pentagon
on the ships
in the cockpits
on the battlefields

You have promised to draw all to You and to forgive those who repent.
So we ask that our military members would be convicted and turn to You. May revival happen in our ranks!
We pray the Enemy of their soul would have no say in their lives.
We pray the spirit of suicide would be thwarted and Your hope would prevail in every life.
We pray You would turn their mourning into dancing.

We know You give power to the weak and skills to the warriors.
So we pray for our military. May their missions be in the right.
May their equipment function. May their supply lines be open.
May their aim be straight. May their hope, their confidence be in You.

You say You will rescue the perishing. We pray for safety for our deployed. And we pray justice and peace will prevail for the people of the world.

You promise rest for the weary, so we pray for our warriors to be able to sleep. Please keep them healthy. May they not be ate up with worry or depression.

You have promised a peace that is beyond understanding.
So we pray for our warriors' hearts as they are far from loved ones. Give them courage and may they feel Your presence.

You have said You will be a Father to the fatherless. And so we confidently pray for the families of our fallen. Lord please be with them, help with every step and decision, heal their hearts.

What an amazing thing to be able to trust You to fulfill Your promises! You are faithful. You are loving. You are powerful. And You have this whole world in Your hands!

September 3, 2017

Because we need a love that never fails
that never gives up
that never runs out

Because we're facing mountains
and graves
and we need something constant,
some One who will never change,
so we turn to You Lord.

We need You when planes fall from the sky
and ships sink to the deep
We need You when nations rattle sabers
and neighbors raise fists to neighbors
We need You when orders come
and warriors walk away, sail away, fly away

And we need You when we wake to little smiles and happy giggles
We need You when the sun shines and the checklists get done
We need You when the stars come out and the deep breaths come

Because Father God in You we live and move and breathe

God we thank You for working in every detail of our lives
We thank You for homes bought and sold and rented and made at each new station.
We thank You for new babies and adopted little ones coming home.
We thank You for directing all of our families through this military life.
We thank You for experiences and friends and adventures and education.
We thank You for surrounding us everywhere we go.

As we see Your hand all around us, we are emboldened to ask You for more.
We pray for the military spouse, Lord.
We pray for our many projects and volunteer involvements.
We pray for PWOC and the chapels.
We pray for the long days and short years of the moms of little ones.
We pray for wisdom for the moms of teens, grace for the moms of young adults.
We pray for those teaching their kids.
We pray for those in challenging careers. We pray for those in challenging marriages.
We pray You will hold closely the spouses of the deployed.
And we pray for Your healing power to work through the spouse of the hurting warrior.

Father God we especially pray for the loved ones of the recently fallen. Help them through their daily decisions. Give them the peace only You can give. May You be more real to them now then ever before.

May we see Your love surrounding us today. Thank You Lord.

Click here to sing One Thing Remains

August 27, 2017

Heavenly Father,
the One who loves our children more than we could ever imagine,
to You we pray for them.

Lord, as this new school year starts, we pray for their friends, old and new. May they be edifying relationships. May our military kids be shining lights and influencers--leaders!
But mostly Lord, we pray they would be close to You. May they feel Your presence in their lonely times.

We pray for their teachers. May there be joy in learning. May our kids grow in their knowledge. May they be encouraged.
But mostly Lord, may they grow in wisdom in You. May they be preparing to do Your mission.

We pray for their passions and interests. May they find joy in their pursuit of excellence. May their skills be honed for the betterment of others.
But mostly Lord we pray they would feel Your pleasure in doing what they love. May they follow hard after You and not idols.

We pray for our children who are sick. Lord, we ask for a full healing. We ask for You to take away all pain. But mostly Father, we ask that they would become mighty witnesses to Your love.

We pray for their future spouses. Lord protect them and grow them up in You. We pray for future generations that will serve the Lord.

We pray for the safety of deployed parents. Hold our military brats' hearts close to You in this hard time. Help them to not lash out or push back in their frustration and loneliness. May they turn to You when their earthly parents fail them. May they be strong and courageous in You. Don't let them harden their hearts.

We pray for the children of the hurting veteran. Lord, may they get their needs met from You. May they be wise and strong beyond their years and able to help their parent. May whole families be drawn to You. We pray against suicide in all our ranks, all of our communities.

Father God we pray for the teens of our communities. We ask that they have big dreams and strong desires to make a difference. May they not give in to the way-it's-always-been. May they not succumb to feeling helpless or being bored. May they find value in their time. May they be united with each other.

We can ask these things because You are the God of love. You are the Creative One who made their talents and interests. You are the Mighty Warrior who has a mission and a purpose for them. You are the One who holds hope for a better future. You are the Giver of all good gifts--including our children.

Thank You Lord!

Click here to sing along with Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Lo, their very hairs He numbers,
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender.