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PRAYER FOCUS: Family


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The Holidays can be a joyful celebration, grievous for those who are gone, difficult for those holding grudges and a mix of emotions. During November and December, we will focus our prayers on families to be strengthened by looking at issues that help, heal and hurt. Let's pray families find ways to unify, show mercy, love and be loved, build and not tear down, heal and find joy again. Check out the podcasts, scriptures and resources & join us.

BUT we have The Father in Heaven, in whom we can seek restoration, redemption & reconciliation.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Singleness [Remaining single; Seeking Mate; Following God]

Prayer points: begin praying for their mates in advance, not just to have one but for their life, for God to bring the right one and not a decoy, a believer not unequally yoked, healthy ways to find a mate, peace and joy in the journey, acceptance for those seeking a celibate life, opportunities to do things without a partner, loneliness turn to ways to connect with others, not give in to fatalism but know God has good plans for them, faith to believe.

Scriptures: Jer. 29:11; Eccl. 3:1-8; Ps. 84:11

Monday, Dec. 15

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Prodigals & Unsaved loved ones [calling them home through intercession]

Prayer points: : persistence in prayer, removing any offense towards the one we pray for; asking for others to speak to them about the Lord, for them to see their condition from God’s perspective, to experience a pigsty moment like the prodigal and want to come home, for those who influence their lives be saved or removed; for God to remove the stony stubborn heart and replace with a tender, responsive heart, for dreams and visions of God’s love and judgment.

Scriptures: Ezekiel 34:16; Jude 1:22-23; Luke 15:11-32; John 10:28-29; Ezek. 36:25-27

Friday, Dec. 12

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Dealing with family mental illness [without going nuts]

Prayer points: for the one experiencing - wholeness, healing, deliverance, able to forgive those who harmed, feel valued and important & see purpose in the body of Christ; freedom from fear/anxiety, mental disorders, able to make healthy choices; for the one caregiving - discernment, wisdom, patience, compassion; for the one observing – no judgment, empathy, intercession, words of encouragement, help person see they matter.

Scriptures: Ps. 139:4; Ps. 34:17-18; Ps. 23:3; Is. 53:5

Thursday, Dec. 11

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Caregivers & Family Member needing Care [I need help! They need help! Will you help me?]

Prayer points: spending quality time with God; taking Sabbath time to restore; renewed with love and joy to care for family member; finding joy in the care & member, combatting fatigue with enough sleep & down time, paying attention to red flags in the member and in self, able to receive care without feeling like a burden; more than a duty – it’s a service to God, clear communication of needs, getting help, sharing the load.  

Scriptures: 1 John 3:17; Phil. 2:4; Gal. 6:10

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: College & Adult children [letting them fly, letting them go, letting them learn]

Prayer points: : truth would win out over lies taught in some college classes; resolve to stay true to what they learned and believed about God while attending college, parents to release kids to God’s ultimate care; for godly friends to surround them when they leave; for support from other parents in prayer and ways to love kids from a distance; hedge of protection against the worldly temptations, a desire & ability to stay the course to follow Jesus, no matter what, to be a light in the darkness.

Scriptures: Rom. 15:13; Phil. 1:6; Eph. 4:16

Tuesday, Dec. 9

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Teenagers 12-19 [Questions! Answers? Trusted Source?]

Prayer points: find faith in God and his love; find answers in the Word; sexual purity; filter sources; find safe family members to talk to; healthy peers; able to stand their ground despite pressure to conform; find beauty through God’s lens; protected from taking drugs laced with fentanyl; feel valued, important and needed

Scriptures: James 1:21–26; Eph. 3;14-21; 1 Cor. 15:33

Monday, Dec. 8

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Children & Adults with disabilities [Social, Physical & Mental]

Prayer points: find living hope, ongoing hope in the Lord for grace & strength; healing to the disabled, medical progress and success, not give up when tired; see the heightened traits of those challenged, appreciate and savor the good moments, support from extended family, cast their cares on the Lord and not take them back.

Scriptures: 3 John 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Thess. 3:13

Friday, Dec. 5

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Parenting [Exhausting, Engaging, Embracing]

Prayer points: yoke up with the Lord to parent their kids, get energy and wisdom from the Lord; seek friends who are older parents, not do it alone; take breaks from kids to regroup; put away cell phones when kids need their attention; show the kids they are important and valued early and reinforce through the years; savor the moments when they are good and praise them openly; being honest and real; helping them see it’s not perfection that makes a good family; it’s love and forgiveness and a reliance on the Lord’s strength

Thursday, Dec. 4

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: Adopted, Orphans, Foster Kids [Parents & Children]

Prayer points: Children waiting for adoption, hope, process smooth, adapting goes well; foster children in the system, foster children after the system ends, foster parents, for the right reasons, ethically, lovingly, treat as their own; adoptive parents, patience, ability to love through assimilation, both foster & adoptive parents supported by extended family, gratitude for having a Father who will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us and who provided us a forever family. 

Scriptures: Ps. 10:14; Ps. 10:18; Ps. 82:3; Is. 1:17

Wednesday, Dec. 3

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus: K-6th grade Children [seeking the Great Shepherd to protect these little sheep]

Prayer points: parents voice their concerns at the schools their children attend not allowing anyone to pick up their child; that this bill backfires and has to be stopped; predators caught before harm comes to children; parents educate and monitor children’s social media use; parents heard and empowered at school district meetings; voice of parents greater than Dept. of Ed.; books with explicit/implicit sexual overtones be banned from K-6th grades; families resilient despite the multiple school challenges and shootings; families uses it as dialogue to strengthen and inform, children feel valued and important at home

Scriptures: Jer. 29:11; Matthew 19:14; 1 Timothy 4:12

Tuesday, Dec. 2

Strengthening Families Focus - Childless by Choice or Not [barren, bitter or better]

Prayer points: direction and open doors for those wanting children; safe people to discuss their pain, acceptance & no judgment by others for those that don’t want kids; renewed hope and strength as the childless couple looks for options; ways to deal with naysayers & when others conceive around them, hope where there’s despair, encouragement despite barrenness; the miracle of life & children, ways for them to love kids while waiting

Scriptures: Is. 54:1; Luke 23:29; 1 Cor. 7:8; Prov. 30:15-16

Monday, Dec. 1

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Babies & Toddlers [They’re so cute but I need a break!]

Prayer points: parents find ways to get short breaks; others help them raise these little ones, protection, early they will know the Lord as savior, discipline appropriately to guide, divine wisdom through temper tantrums, parents & godly people speak good words over them, parents get sufficient input that is spiritual, physical and mental; they would be dedicated to the Lord early; taught to love the Word of God and worship.

Scriptures Prov. 22:6; Is. 40:11; Mk. 9:37

Thursday & Friday Thanksgiving Holiday

Wednesday, Nov. 26

Strengthening Family Prayer Focus – Savoring Moments Together [being present, enjoying time, laughing & storytelling]

Prayer points: intentional focus on who you are with and what is going on around you; families will put down phones when a family member communicates, willing to share stories of past experiences together, be quick to laugh at each other’s faux pas, be present in the moment, hold off on pictures when the experience would be more memorable, recall the last get together, choose time over entertainment, good conversations with healthy boundaries, ask questions to catch up; share latest scripture or song that ministers to them; celebrate together, start the day with gratitude; look for the good in each other and share it; enjoy the small things; eat together without entertainment or phones

Scriptures: Ps. 34:8-10; Is. 55:1-2; Prov. 17:9

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Strengthening Family Prayer Focus – SCHEDULES [His plans or ours? Quality vs Quantity time: what should be on it?]

Prayer points: seeking God for what to keep and what to eliminate and what to add; making appointments to spend with family undistracted; 1:1 and communally, ensuring there’s time to care for body, soul & spirit.

Scriptures: Ps. 37:5; Eph. 5:15-17; Matt. 6:33; Is. 58:11

Monday, Nov. 24

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Blended Families [Stepping into a Frying Pan]

Prayer points: Clarify expectations, work together, form new bonds, Mourn the losses; cry together, share what you miss, and then identify what you gained. Understanding, patience, wisdom, comfort; Build a team with new and old ones; don’t forget to work on the marriage intentionally, help the children heal not their fault nor blame; find conflict solutions, agree on discipline, build a strong relationship with God & other believers to support and help, practice forgiveness, recognize it takes time. 

Scriptures: Galatians 3:28; Psalm 127:1; Eph. 2:14

Friday, Nov. 21

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus – Reconciliation & Forgiveness [Apologies; 77X; Not keeping records]

Prayer points: regularly forgive offenders, recognize how much they’ve been forgiven by God, daily pray the Lord’s prayer, listen to how they speak about family members, admit it is sin to speak ill of anyone, keep forgiving until it is from their heart, not retelling the offense, able to be the first to own their part in the problem and apologize, recognizing one of the things God hates is someone who causes division.

Scriptures: Matt. 18:21-22; Prov. 17:9; Matt. 6:9-13

Thursday, Nov. 20

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus – Sharing Jesus with Unsaved Family [Timing, Openness, Lovingly]

Prayer points: for hardened hearts to be tenderized and open to hear; breakdown of arguments; overcome by our testimonies, understanding and good questions to ask, discerning the time and situation when sharing [are they tired, sick, or hungry]; God to give them eyes to see and ears to hear above all the other noise; we model a good Christian life, apologizing and forgiving as needed, clothed in humility, remembering but for the grace of God we could still be unsaved.

Scriptures: James 5:16; Eph. 4:18; Acts 4:29-30

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus – Extended Family [our Village; our Culture; our History]

Prayer points: Reminder Jesus is with you all the time when we take in entertainment, be aware of little ones around, whether music, movies, video games or other types would not be an idol in our lives, for Holy Spirit to help you understand the Bible’s entertainment principles, for wisdom as you establish family media standards, to get rid of temptations [i.e. stop a streaming service, throw away what uses foul language, sensual, or God’s name in vain; fast it for 30 days, for strength to resist the temptation to indulge in entertainment that doesn’t glorify God; that the changes made will last

Scriptures: Ps. 119:37; Ex. 20:3; Josh. 1:8

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus – Grief [Memorials, Memories, Missing]

Prayer points: during memorials cover the griever in prayer; emotions free not held back; find the source of comfort, the Holy Spirit, the comforter; words inappropriately spoken overlooked, during times of remembering pray people show their love by their actions fewer words spoken; for the later days when they miss the loved one pray for the griever to want to live, not give up, care for themselves and not seek destructive things to numb the pain; pray they recognize it’s a process and eventually accept it and work through it until they see their future purpose. 

Scriptures: Ps. 23:4A; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; Is. 40:13

Monday, Nov. 17

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Gender Identity [Finding freedom in God’s Initial Design]

Prayer points: For family members who chose to be LGBTQ+; for family members dealing with those who chose it; first that we always define others as children of God; for the family member to draw closer to Christ; for wise counsel, not derision or coddling; that homosexual friends and family respect their Christian loved ones; for them to know they were designed by God; for healthy conversations, protection from suicidal thoughts, truth would set them free; for loving people to speak to them.

Scriptures: Gen. 1:27; Rom. 1:26-27; John 8:7-11; Deut. 22:5

Friday, Nov. 14

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Strengthening Marriages [Bound by a triple-braided cord]

Prayer Points: for couples to be quick to forgive and apologize, not keep an account of wrongs, ask for you to be the 3rd chord that keeps them together, they seek God above all else, learn to accept and not try to change each other, learn each other’s way of giving and receiving love, to find time to connect, be open with each other/not hiding anything, divine wisdom to handle the external pressures.

Scriptures: 1 Peter 4:7-8; Col. 3:13-14; Eph. 4:32

Thursday, Nov. 13

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Instilling Values [It’s never too late to encourage God’s standards]

Prayer Points: increase prayer for your family, keep a journal of requests, list the praises, increase faith with God’s promises; regularly repent and teach that; show unconditional love, forgive daily, serve others and take family along; tithe & donate; have family nights, show your faith.

Scriptures: Deut. 6:6-7; Prov. 22:6; 1 Tim. 5:8; Col. 3:20; 1 Tim. 3:5

Wednesday, Nov. 12

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Families as Lighthouses [Spark a fire; Spread His love; Shine in the darkness]

Prayer points: pray for your neighbors as a family; take prayer walks; look for ways to be a light to those around you; do simple acts of kindness; when encountering a neighbor offer to pray for them or ask if they have something they need in prayer; invite them over for a meal or coffee or tea; pray for divine encounters, ask questions, seek to get to know them & build relationship.

Scriptures: Matt. 5:14-16; John 8:12; Acts 13:47; Eph. 5:8

Tuesday, Nov. 11

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Dependence Issues [Who are we depending on?]

Prayer points: Identifying who we are depending on – man or God; are we the cause of their dependence; learning each member matters; each family can do something; co-dependent means we’re not relying on God; interdependence means we need each other; independence means I can do it by myself, me is at the center of relationships, God dependence means I recognize the Potter, I’m the clay and under His leadership and need to depend on Him.

Scriptures: Phil. 4:13, Matt. 10:37; 1 John 4:7-8

Monday, Nov. 10

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Handling Finances [economy, giving, saving, it's His anyways]

Prayer points: give to God first; generously, cheerful, save, learn to be content with what they have, not love money, not greedy, test God, tithe, spend appropriately, share with others, teach children how to spend/save and give to God, understand why we need to love God over money.

Scriptures: Prov. 3:9; Prov. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5

Friday, Nov. 7

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Social Media Usage [Phubbing? Parameters? Purpose?]

Prayer points: not to be on phone when someone is talking to you [phubbing]; setting clear boundaries on when to listen, what to watch & how to use for good & how much time; identify why families look at social media; remember you’re Christ’s ambassador online; connect with family, take breaks from it; consider fasting.

Scriptures: Ps. 101:3; 1 Cor. 10:31; Matt. 5:16

Thursday, Nov. 6

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus – Entertainment [Watching & Listening with Jesus by our Side]

Prayer points: Reminder Jesus is with you all the time when we take in entertainment, be aware of little ones around, whether music, movies, video games or other types would not be an idol in our lives, for Holy Spirit to help you understand the Bible’s entertainment principles, for wisdom as you establish family media standards, to get rid of temptations [i.e. stop a streaming service, throw away what uses foul language, sensual, or God’s name in vain; fast it for 30 days, for strength to resist the temptation to indulge in entertainment that doesn’t glorify God; that the changes made will last.

Scriptures: Ps. 119:37; Ex. 20:3; Josh. 1:8

Wednesday, Nov. 5

Strengthening Families Prayer Focus - Arguments & Conflicts [learn to fight fair]

Prayer points: Identify root cause; examine motives; lean on grace; put on humility; create an environment of thanksgiving, pray before and after the conflict or argument, seek resolution not restitution, the end game is not your way or my way - it's God's way.

Scriptures: James 4:1-6; Eph. 4:30-32

Tuesday, Nov. 4

Family Prayer Focus: LEGISLATION [Making our voices heard]

Monday, Nov. 3

Family Prayer Focus: COMMUNICATION [Anybody listening?]

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