I pray for your beginnings

...the beginning of your days. May you awake each day this year with a deeper awareness of His presence with{in} you. Before you get out of bed, I'm praying that you would awake with a stronger sense of purpose and hope for your days as a result of acknowledging His presence more and more. As your feet hit the floor for the first time each morning, I pray they would be "fitted firmly with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." (Eph 6:15) I'm praying that as you dress, you would also put on the rest of the armor of God, so that you are adequately prepared for the various battles you will face each day. And I pray that as you eat breakfast, that you would be encouraged to also nourish your soul by reading the Bible.

...the beginning of your projects and plans. You all have tasks that fill your day - be it school, work or both! I'm praying for you as begin new papers, presentations and proposals. May God guide your preparation and delivery - I pray He infuses your work with creativity, confidence and discernment. I also pray for wisdom for you to be a blessing to your peers/colleagues.

...and the beginning of change

~in your goals... May your goals be God-inspired, and may He give you the resources and encouragement to pursue and fulfill them.

~in your unforeseen circumstances... I'm praying that you would know that His grace is sufficient for you (2 Cor. 12:9). When surprising things happen that are difficult, I pray you would draw ever closer to the Anchor during the storm. When unexpected blessings happen I pray you would give credit and thanks to the Father who loves to give good gifts to His children.
~in your hearts... I pray that your hearts would be ever more aligned with God's heart. We all need to keep pressing in, allowing the potter to mold our hearts, so that what comes out of our mouths can be an ever increasing light to others. I pray your hearts would be softened, that you would embrace suffering, and live gratitude, as a means of allowing His transforming power to be unleashed in your heart.

I pray for your gaps

I'm praying for your gaps. Yes, this is an odd one, but it's the word God laid on my heart for you for this month. Every one of us has a variety of 'gaps' in our lives, that is, we all have spaces that we have stepped into to serve, to encourage, or to walk alongside.

You have been uniquely gifted, trained and resourced, and I pray that God would bless you as you implement them in those gaps you fill. I pray for those of you who have stepped into a gap to support a hurting friend. As you walk painful roads with them, may you be empowered to share peace and hope in ways that touch souls for eternity. I pray for those of you who have filled a gap to serve either in Kidzone, at the school your child{ren} attend{s}, or any number of the places that are constantly vying for your many resources. May God give you wisdom and creativity to share His light to those you serve with and those you're serving. May you be strengthened and energized to finish this year well.

And I pray for the gaps that you have that are unmet in your life right now. I pray that God would send the right people to fill them. I pray that you would know that you are not alone, and that you would be encouraged and blessed with needs met on every level.

I pray that as gaps fill for you, or by you, that relationships would be strengthened. Like a plethora of patches in a quilt, I pray God would weave together a whole, beautiful picture of your life, as your pattern interlocks with those of others, for His glory.

I pray for your holy messes

Author Ann Voskamp refers to life’s turbulent moments as “holy messes”. From argumentative siblings to sudden heartbreaking shock, each aspect of life that spills over from our expectations still has God present. This month, I’m praying for your holy mess moments.

I pray that God would remind you of His indwelling presence in each moment. I pray that the Spirit would empower you to turn to Him in the chaos, in the pain and in the frustration. May you find release from those feelings and be flooded with His eyes for your situation as you do so.

I pray too that you would be comforted by His presence. May you also be protected from turning on yourself in anger and harsh words in those times. I pray that you would be empowered to, as Lysa TerKeurst says, not to act out of control just because the situation is out of your control. May God fill you with His peace that surpasses all understanding, and all unanticipated situations.

I pray that in time, God will redeem the messes He calls you to walk. I pray that no matter how deep your holy mess is right now, that you would be able to be grateful for the good God has given you, and thankful for the dark moments too. May you find healing, health and wholeness in every aspect of your holy mess.

My friend Anne once said that sometimes people treat Jesus like a juice spill. We try to contain him, thinking ‘can’t go there’ or ‘not belonging’, worried about the sticky mess, and trying to wipe Him up. Life spills over, and it’s okay to let Jesus do so too.