A week's absence

OK, it's been about a week since I've posted. From the beginning, I wasn't sure if this whole prayer blog was going to work out. So far, I think it has been good to type out the prayers. But, this is also time consuming. But, it also provides a nice way to look back on prayers, and even repeat prayers. In the end, I want to keep plugging along, but I am still unsure about the long-term viability of the prayer blog.

In my last post, I mentioned writing to the author of a WORLD article. Since then, I was contacted for an editor about publishing my letter. So, all my readers (that's you Jennifer) can look forward to seeing that.

Now for the prayer....

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Great and glorious God, my Father in heaven, creator of the universe, I come to you in worship because I know you are all powerful, all gracious, all loving, all merciful and all righteous. If you were not all--the great I AM--there would be futility in asking of you. I could not approach you with faith that you can answer me. If you were not all good, I could not have faith to trust your answers to be good. But, you are both all and all good.

I am a sinful person whose very nature wants to rebel against you. Yet, you, in your infinite grace and mercy, chose to save me and call me your child. You chose to adopt me as a son. And that is why I can approach the throne of grace with confidence.

I thank you for a successful beginning to my biology classes. Be with me and guide me as I continue to learn and teach. Give me wisdom and strength to lead students in understanding your created world.

I thank you for the progress made in recent weeks with the building of our new dome. Help us be wise and made good decisions; help us find the right ways to invest your money in the home we will use to serve you and your people.

Bless Kori's sister Karla who is fighting cancer. Heal her; give her strength. Help her see your love and mercy through this time. Use this occasion to draw Karla and her family closer to you. May your will be done and may your name be glorified.

Bless Latrelle's father Alec and bring him better health. Be with his family and show your loving kindness.

Bless Alan Weese as he begins his service in the Army. This is a dangerous time for all the American service-members. Give them strength and courage. Keep them safe. Help them bring security to those places where they are sent.

And Father, I pray that you give the leaders of this country greater wisdom in how they use our troops. I pray for the President as he delivers his plan for the future of our nation. I pray that you would give the people of America greater wisdom to demand a government that fights for your values of justice, peace and righteousness.

Give your church a passion and commitment to stand up and fight for justice, peace and righteousness in government. Help you church be a light to the world. Too often, your church focuses on blaming the darkness for being dark when we should be looking to ourselves and asking why our light is so dim in the darkness. Give us a fire that burns inside us and illuminates the world around us.

Father, I continue to pray for the West family. Bless Josh and Tina West and their little daughter Ella. Help Ella continue to grow and strengthen. Give her family peace and draw them to you and show yourself to them in this time. If they do not know you, I pray that you would remove their hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. If they do know you, I pray that this challenge would be an opportunity for them to demonstrate your glory to everyone around them.
Bless Julie's brother Matt. Meet his needs in a way that makes your glory clear.

And I pray for the salvation of Steve's father Mark. Show yourself to him and replace his heart of stone with a heart of flesh. Adopt him as your child and give him a new life in Jesus.

Marriage on earth is a symbol of the church's eternal marriage to Jesus. So, bless our earthly marriages and help us lead marriages that honor their heavenly calling. Bless Ed and Tracy's marriage. Give them the grace and mercy to overcome whatever challenges threaten to tear apart what you have joined.

I thank you for the care you showed in Marsha's successful marathon. Now, she has a cold and I pray you would help her recovery.

I thank you for the blessing of Charlotte. Today, Jennifer and I watched her as she rolled over and over from her back to her stomach. I pray that you will help her continue to grow stronger; keep her healthy. Most importantly, though, I ask that you choose her as your child and when the time is right, call her to Jesus and give her a heart to respond and follow him.

And I praise you for the recent rains we have received in our area. After so many months of drought, we need the rain. Help us be thankful for your rain, and I pray you will continue to send the right amount of rain we need.

I ask you to prepare Debra for her upcoming surgery. And when the time comes, I pray you will be with the medical staff and give her a successful operation. Give her a good recovery and heal her.

I ask you to bless Lisa Hood's health. Make her strong and healthy. Bless her and show yourself to her.

I pray specifically for the members of my church. Give us a passion--a fire burning inside us--to worship you and glorify you. Give us a passion to know you better--to know you more deeply. Give us a passion for being a community of believers that encourages each other, corrects each other, and loves each other. Help us be a light in our city and our world. Give us a passion for your mission throughout the nations. I also pray for the Men's Ministry's upcoming BBQ. I pray you will bring many men to know you through this event and through the work of these men who reach out to their neighbors.

I pray for the ministry of Ionel. Help him find the financial resources he needs to continue his work in Serbia. Give your people a desire to give to your work. And I pray for the work of M and her friends in Asia. They work among the Muslim people--a challenging and often dangerous group to work among--yet they do so with grace and courage. Give them courage to continue to proclaim your good news. Continue to make paths for them to work through legal barriers and social barriers. More importantly, send your Spirit ahead of them to work through the spiritual barriers that block the hearts of so many people. Only you can change hearts, so I pray that you would do the work. As they plant and water the seed, I pray you will make it grow.

Father, you are truly great. May I come to know you better every day. Thank you for forgiving my sins and coming to me when I could not and would not come to you. I make all these requests known to you because of my faith that through Jesus you will hear and answer. Amen.