Prayer & Praise
In the midst of all the pushing and shoving among us,
in the world and in the church,
propelled by anxiety and acted as brutality,
You have planted yourself in all your fidelity.
You have placed yourself among us in steadfastness and abiding care present in the day,
alert in the night,
making us all safe and noticed and cared for.
So evidence your fidelity as to curb our anxiety,
as to restrain our brutality,
as to overcome our alienation.
By your fidelity, renew us, renew church, renew city, renew world.
Give us the safety to love you fully, to love neighbor well, in glad obedience.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: The Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (p. 118). Kindle Edition.
Future employment. It’s that time of year when I have to seriously think about the next school year. This time, remaining in my current position will mean facing an overhaul of the gifted ed. program, in which I teach, into something I have no desire to do and with which I philosophically disagree. It’s not a matter of right or wrong, just “not what I signed up for.”
Yet, with so many out of work, I feel like a complete jerk even bringing this up. So I suppose my request is as much for the state of my heart as it is for the state of my job.
To add a twist, I’m seriously considering scaling back to half time, if the district goes for it. My current full-time position is made up of two half-times anyway. But the district may not want to split them for a number of reasons. In order to afford this, I would cash in a couple of things normally reserved for retirement. Obvious pros and cons there.
Another twist involves possible future employment with my church. Right now, it’s not in the budget, so please pray that if this is what the Lord desires, that it would be provided. Sorry for the length of this request.
Praying for wisdom, Kevin.
Could you also please pray for a young friend and his family. The young man has struggled all his life with cerebral palsy, with valves regulating his cerebrospinal fluid and the accompanying headaches and hospitalizations. Now, at 27 years old, he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer, which has metastasized to his lymph and lung systems. Please pray for Matthew, for healing, strength, and encouragement, for his family for strength and hope. Pray that Matthew’s brother, Michael, comes to know the Lord through this ordeal.
Oh my! Praying for Matthew and Michael.
Praying for you Capt. K and for Linnea’s friend. Thanking God we can cast our cares upon Him and trust in His loving care.
Praying also for our friend Alex.
praying for all
The name “Matthew” means the gift of God.
Father Matthew is Your gift; first to his family, secondly to the body of Christ.
You only give good gifts.
We collectively want to request some maintenance from You for the gift of Matthew that you have so wonderfully given to all of us together.
May You impart Your divine healing to this gift You have bestowed.
We humbly and thankfully bow our hearts in prayer for Matthew’s health issues.
We need not plead with You or struggle to be heard by You, our loving Father.
We come before You freely because of the wonderful gift of Your Son’s shed blood that has cleansed us of our sins and made us righteous before You so that we might come boldly before Your throne now to lift Matthew up to You.
It is such a privilege and honor to know that You love Matthew with an everlasting love.
We know that Your heart breaks to see Matthew suffer so, as it does our hearts.
Therefore we are now on our knees before You with our request for healing of Your gift Matthew, in the name of Jesus Christ we make our request known to You.
***
We also lift the man known as “Captain Kevin” on this blog up to You.
You know his actual name and his good character along with his dedication to You and Your will for his life.
You have seen his request for prayer.
We want to join in, along side of him, in his request and petition that he might know Your will for his life.
May Your divine revelation by Your Holy Spirit come to him with the answers he desires of You.
This we would ask of You in Jesus Christ name.
Thank you so much for your prayers for Matthew.
Surfer51– your prayer is especially touching and will help sustain his mother through this trail. Thank you!
Would you continue to keep Matthew’s family in your prayers? I’ve gotten tentative confirmation that Matthew passed away. Please pray for hope, strength, and salvation. Thank you…
Linnea, sorry to hear that news. Will keep Matthews family in my prayers
Praying for Matthew’s family, especially his brother.
Thank you, Surfer, for that prayer!
Thank you all for checking in here on the prayer thread and for your prayers.
London, CK…thank you!
My wife has an ear and sinus infection and pinkeye. She has been to the doctor. Her convulsive coughing kept us both up last night. Thanks for praying.