It was one year ago.
Twenty women in the community from different churches sat on picnic tables under a candle-lit shelter at a baseball field. It was on a cool, drizzly September evening, but it didn’t stop hands from joining, heads from bowing, words silent, whispered and called out loud to our God. They were prayers that brought glory and praise to the Creator of all things. Prayers that cried out to our Redeemer for help. Prayers that asked our Protector for protection. Prayers to the Prince of Peace for unity in our community and around the world.
John 17 was prayed.
And it wasn’t just those 20 women praying that night – it was thousands all over the world. That night IF:Pray took place.
He listens.
He’ll be listening again as women all around the world will be praying in the name of Jesus. If you live in the Alamance county area, we’ll be gathering to pray at SMC on September 14, 2015 from 7pm-9pm. (If you’re not able to though, you can host one where you are or join the simulcast – get more info here). Women in our community are called to join together on this holy evening. Again, we’ll be praying John 17, for God’s people, the world and for unity and love as the Body of Christ. We’ll be on our knees in confession and we’ll be worshipping.
Not only will we praying with gratitude to our Maker, but there will be hard prayers to pray. But, God doesn’t want us to sweep reality under the rug and ignore what’s happening around us. We need to be desperately asking God’s Spirit to move in the hearts of His people and for us to have the courage and boldness to hold up the Light of the world in our daily lives.
This time of the year is busy for most, but we need everyone to make the time to beg our Savior for delivery and unity, especially because of the conditions of the world these days.
We’d love for you to come. Begging you to.
You can register here and you’re encouraged to invite friends, co-workers, neighbors and family to come with you.
At last year’s IF:Pray, authors and bloggers, Jennie Allen, Ann Voskamp, Rebekah Lyons and Bianca Oltoff, to name a few wrote prayers for the occasion. Jen Hatmaker was also one who prayed that night, and I want to pray this prayer again. Will you join me in prayer?
God, our world is crumbling and warring, murdering and destroying each other. There is injustice everywhere and sometimes we wonder if You see us down here struggling and aching for hope.
We need You!
We live in this broken down, terrified world and sometimes gate and fear threaten to ruin us all. We pray for peace.
Please, God. Deliver peace.
We beg for peace between nations and neighbors, races and relationships. Give us eyes of love to look upon each other as brothers and sister. Raise us up not just as peacekeepers but peacemakers. Show us how to make peace beginning in our own fearful hearts. Teach us not to fear ‘different,’ but to learn and listen instead.
Give us hands to reach out with hope and community. Give us feet to travel to new neighborhoods, new people, new places, new spaces where we may not understand but we are willing to learn. Give us courage God, courage to love our neighbors as ourselves. Courage to lay down our weapons and pick up the mantle of peace. Courage to admit our errors and listen with humility.
We pray for peace in this troubled world. The peace only You can give.
We believe You for it, God.”