Praying for Students and Teachers

What a wonderful day today! Rarely do I have the privilege of preaching a sermon and then offering immediate ways to respond to that message, but today was one of those days. Following the morning message that challenged us to pray passionately, we saw every name of our children (kindergarten through college) taken by families in our church. Those students will be lifted in prayer and supported throughout the school year. Some have already contacted their student to encourage them, to inform them of their prayer support, and to get to know the student. What a joy to watch these children and young adults enter their campuses tomorrow with the prayer support of so many in their church family. May God hear our prayers and bless those for whom we pray.

The second opportunity was of course our annual campus prayer walk. All day people gathered at the school campuses throughout the valley to prayer walk. Our family enjoys walking together (actually the children ride bikes or scooters). This year the Hood family prayer walked with the Blakeslee family. We took turns watching the children while others prayer walked. Church members, joined by other believers, prayed all day in response to the campus prayer walk. Thank you for your visible commitment to the Lord, and the community in which he has placed us.

If you have not yet participated in these great opportunities to pray, I encourage you to join us now, by praying alone and together with others for God to be glorified in the lives of his children.

Praying passionately and immediately,
Bro. Wade

Responding to Hurricane Dean

Please join me in:

1. Praying for those who live in the path of the Hurricane. Their lives will be drastically changed. Let us pray for the Lord's protection of those who need it today and in the days soon coming.

2. Prepare to be used by God to minister to those in the path of the Hurricane. We are already preparing to go where needed. Please pray about how God will use you to bless those who will need our help.

3. Continuing to pray for the path of the hurricane to pass over the least populated areas and to cause less damage than expected. Remember God can do more than we can ask or imagine.

May God hear our concert of prayer,
Bro. Wade

Living by Faith, not Fear

Our family has been in the valley for two years now and this is our first experience living as hurricane targets. With each day comes a new wave from the hurricane; either the media says it could come right at us, or they say it is probably going south of us. Only God knows where this hurricane will strike, the rest of us offer projections.

Through this process we all struggle with the need to prepare and plan, while fighting off the feelings caused by fear. The Lord knows exactly what is going to happen, while we live in the mystery. It is during times like this that we learn to walk by faith and trust the Lord to lead us, protect us, and work through us to help others.

It is important for us to prepare. Our family has made extra purchases in preparation for bad weather. It is important to plan. Our family is openly discussing various scenarios and what we would do in each. It is important to be patient. Our family is not allowing the media to dictate our feelings, emotions, or stress level. God knew long ago that this hurricane would be coming our way and as we continue to allow Him to lead us, we know that he will take care of each day as it comes.

Let us all respond to the storms of this life (no matter what name they may called) with faith in the Lord.

Trusting the Lord to lead and protect,
Bro. Wade