Prayer

I remember sitting in a service in a part of the world where there are not many believers in Christ. Our host leaned over to me, whispered, and pointed out a group of young who were worshipping with tears streaming down their faces. Each of these young men had been forced to watch their parents burned to death because they had chosen to follow Jesus. I felt nauseated as I continued in worship. For me, living in a free country, I can worship whenever I please. But for the young men I met that day, it had coast them everything. As I reflected on those young men, I realized the only tangible thing I could do was pray. Yet, prayer is often the most powerful tool we have.With recent events unfolding in the Middle East, Ukraine, and parts of Africa and Asia, many who follow Jesus are suffering. In different parts of the world, it is illegal to be a Christian. It is against the law to follow Jesus. As a result, many are being persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured for their faith in Christ. The encouraging news is that throughout church history, any time the church has experienced persecution, it has grown not only in maturity but also in numbers.We know as we approach the end times that believers are going to experience more persecution for their faith. We are seeing this unfold right before our eyes. However, we know that as the body of Christ, our brothers and sisters around the world need us.How should those of us who enjoy religious freedom respond? What is our responsibility as far as praying for those who are persecuted?The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3). One of the most effective ways we can remember those who are suffering for the cause of Christ is to pray for them. They need to know that the body of Christ is holding them up in prayer. How, then, should we pray?Here are five prayers for persecuted believers:Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/poco_bw

As we wind down the year and the holidays approach us with all its glitz and glimmer, everyone just seems so holly and jolly. Unless you are the one cautiously walking into the holiday season with the heavy weight of grief and sorrow. All you may see through misty eyes are hues of memories that are muted and grey.Last year was the year of “firsts,” as my mom passed four days after Easter in 2022. Stepping into the holidays seemed anything but cheerful. I can still vividly remember going to the hardware store with my hubby. He practically begged me to tag along, and most likely, it was to get out of the house, so I “sorta” happily obliged.Unfortunately, I was taken by surprise the minute I stepped into that store, a place I thought could in no way, shape, or form remind me of my mom. Yet, there I was, quickly immersed in all things Christmas and surrounded by a bunch of cute, smiley snowmen with twinkling lights. I froze. I stood there and felt the heat wave of grief wash over me and the hot tears forming. The room started to spin, and all I could do was eventually get enough energy to put one foot in front of the other and step outside.Like many, my momma loved Christmas! She had a knack for making it so special and magical. Not only that, but she etched the love for cute snowman creatures as part of my décor since I was little. Which is funny since we live in a place that never sees snow. Between the two of us, we have a plethora of snowmen ranging in all shapes and sizes, from lonely snowman figurines to a family of snowmen that graced our dining room tables.Can you relate?Maybe you are wading through a season of grief this holiday. Perhaps you can’t seem to bring out the decorations or get in the “cheerful spirit.” Let me first say two words I often needed to hear last year when I couldn’t manage to take out my snowmen or tap into any merriment– It’s okay. It’s okay to give yourself time, to feel “all the feels,” and to not really get into the spirit of it all. It’s okay.Friend, if I could take your hand and tell you anything about mourning during the holiday season, it would be that this is going to be hard, really hard. But, there is so much comfort when we lean into a God that knows exactly how to comfort us. His promise to draw close and be near (Psalm 34:18) was (and still is) the only thing that brought me joy and continues to bring me joy as we step into another year without my beloved momma.So, as you find your bearings and do your best to muster enough energy to just get through the discomfort of each new and emerging day, here are some prayers to lean on, my precious friend.

No matter how hard we try, families become more focused on dinners, tree decorating, card sending, and gift giving during the Christmas season. There's nothing wrong with these things, but keeping our minds and hearts focused on Christ during this season is important. Each weekend, church families light the Advent candles. This brings us one week closer to Christmas. While this is very exciting, especially for kids, prayer can sometimes get forgotten in all the hustle and bustle.What if we made prayer the focus instead of all the Christmas items on our lists? As a family, you can keep prayer as a priority. While many families enjoy ticking off the days from an Advent calendar until Christmas, you can create an Advent prayer calendar for each day. On the corresponding day, a family member can lead the prayer that day. You can choose to make prayer the focus for your family. Here are three prayers you can pray during prayer time to keep your family closer this Christmas season:

Joy is listed among the fruit of the Spirit, but sometimes we feel our joy lag. God’s Word gives us much encouragement to refuel our ever-present joy. And God’s Word gives us the chance (and privilege) to pray His Word back to Him every day should we choose. You can start your day with joy by praying these 12 prayers which directly mention joy.Better yet, find your favorite passages and pray them; your joy will come as you delve into the Scriptures.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/champlifezy

Have you ever had a dream and wondered, "Is God trying to tell me something through that dream?" Let’s discuss some sure steps to take when trying to interpret if a dream is from God or not.

During the holiday season, there is an expectation or assumption that everything will be merry and bright. On Thanksgiving Day, we imagine that we will be at a table filled with delicious food and many loved ones. However, that is not always the case. For some, the holiday will be spent alone. Perhaps you are estranged from your family, or you live too far away and are unable to travel.Most people have had lonely holidays, but being alone is never easy. When we look to Scripture, we find evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness. If you or someone you know will be alone this Thanksgiving, here are 10 prayers you can say to bring comfort and hope.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/DGLimages

Have you ever reached a point where you just don’t know what to pray? Your petitions seem empty and repetitive, and you wonder if God is tired of hearing the same old thing. If this describes you, please be encouraged today. He hears you, and He knows what is on your mind before you even say a word.One of the most comforting truths of the Bible is that the Holy Spirit intercede for us. Romans 8:26-27 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”With this powerful passage in mind, here are ten specific ways to pray for your grown children.

What if we spent time each day in giving thanks and prayer? How could God grow out faith and trust if we lived a life of thanks through all seasons and not just Thanksgiving time?

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, pray ahead and thank God for each guest. Ask God to help you to be a blessing and radiate joy. Pray over your home and each chair at the table. Before the meal, pray as you normally would—your guests know they’re coming to a Christianhome.“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”1 Peter 4:9If you’re a Thanksgiving guest, as you walk up to the home, pray to be an emissary of God’s love and that he will stir up the fruit of the Spirit in your heart. If your hosts don’t pray before the meal, bow your head and pray over your food as you normally would, or better yet, ask if you could say a prayer to bless the meal. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”Gal. 5:22-23Reading Paul’s letter to the Philippians, I noticed this heading in the first chapter—“Thanksgiving and Prayer.” I thought how appropriate to personalize and paraphrase some of this biblical passage as the foundation for the following first two Thanksgiving Table Prayers.Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Drazen Zigic

Prayer is one of the most important actions during an election, next to voting. A vote made due to worldly concerns, overpowering emotions, or with cold logic that does not seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit is one that risks being a foolish vote. Throughout the Bible there are assurances that God will always guide us if believers turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).Prayer is the ultimate connection between God and His people, and when people have important decisions to make, like who to vote for in an election, lifting the decision up to the Lord is a wise starting place. Leading up to the vote, Christians should consider what is best for the country, what agenda best reflects biblical values and prescription for governance, and most importantly, pray that God’s will and His plan would be implemented here on earth.Here are eight prayers you can use before an election day:Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Hermosa Wave

Thanksgiving is knocking at the back door, and pretty soon, so will all those family and friends, dear loved ones, and long-distance relatives. The children will be running all around the house, eager with anticipation, adding to the laughter and interrupting the murmurs of the adults catching up on conversations. The smells pouring out of the kitchen will cause rumbling tummies as everyone waits to dig in, only to go into a food coma later on. Hmmm…bliss!Oh, my friend, are you ready? It's about that time!Whether you travel or host, bring a dish, or make the whole meal, Thanksgiving is rolling out the welcome mat once again and sweetly calling us to be full of grace and gratitude. It's whispering for us to count our blessings while taking stock of those in need. It's prompting us to take a look at the loved ones that surround us, the people God has so graciously given us as family, and inviting us to pause and give thanks.But, in all honesty, as wonderful as it is to see everyone, including those long-distance relatives, this precious time of year can induce quite a bit of stress as well. Right? Yep! There is a lot of prep and planning that goes into making Thanksgiving memorable. And it can quickly lead us to feel overwhelmed and anxious.As Thanksgiving draws in, maybe you have some family interactions that you're really looking forward to, but there are also those where you must tread lightly. Perhaps the thought of Thanksgiving brings on excitement, as well as dreadful doubts, slowly stealing away your peace. Lots of emotional strings can be attached to this holiday. I get it. From the empty chair at the table to the obnoxious comments from "that one relative." It all adds up, and before you know it, you're harboring a low grumble in your not-so-grateful heart.So, when that happens, take a moment to step away, catch your breath - and pray! Below are a few pocket prayers you can lift up to the Father when you feel that all-too-familiar heat wave of stress or flush of ill feelings wash over you.Above all else, you must remember that we cannot allow the enemy to take a foothold in our homes this Thanksgiving (because he will try). But rather, let's allow God to be a vital and active part this year and be intentional about seeking Him. Better yet, let's start right now and prep our hearts as we go into this season.

You’re pregnant – congratulations! This is an emotional time of rejoicing, praying, thanksgiving, praying, planning, and praying. The repetition of praying is intentional because as with every circumstance in life, our first duty and privilege is to come before the Lord in prayer. Yet all Christians sometimes fall short of words when we pray. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit, who intercedes for us when words fail us (Romans 8:26).May the following 10 prayers encourage you during the time God is using you to birth a new soul. (I am using a little girl for the prayers so they don’t get awkward with parentheses, etc. If you’re having a boy, congratulations and feel free to personalize it for him!)Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Viorel Kurnosov

Today, if you have the blessing of hugging your husband, wife, child/children, mother, father, siblings, grandparents, other family members, or friends today, hold them tight, remembering the lives that were lost without goodbyes in Lewiston, Maine last night. Continue to pray alongside us as we learn more ways to pray over this tragedy.

When you seek God's presence in the morning, you will be reminded that he walks by your side throughout the day, working through the good and the bad.

Whether you find solace in a quiet moment of reflection, the recitation of a traditional prayer, or the warmth of a communal blessing, prayer holds the key to starting your week off right, leaving you encouraged, inspired, and ready to embrace the days ahead with a sense of hope and clarity.