prayers for the people

On Tuesday, I attended my first ever Wesley chapel session. I am not feeling the least bit guilty about having never gone before, because before when I worked more than one job and lived at my home, it was a major inconvenience to come for chapel. The Tuesday chapel was before class, so I would typically be writing my papers at the last minute when chapel met, and the Wednesday evening chapel always coincided with me caring for Ben and not wanting to come back to school. So, I had my reasons.

Anyway, in Methodist church, apparently, (and probably some others, but just not in mine), there's included in the worship service something called prayers of the people. This is a time when the congregants can feel free to call out names of people or families or situations that they want lifted up in prayer. It does do something good to hear a reverently spoken name in an empty, yet full chapel sanctuary. But I get the feeling that prayers of the people probably doesn't work at all with big churches. I can kind of see my church going on and on and taking forever if we tried it in our Sunday worship service. But to play off of that, I thought that I'd write some prayers FOR the people on here-- kind of things that I want to lift up for people I care about. So here goes.

I pray for R, and settling in again in a new place. For starting over once more. For trying something new. For knowing what is truth and being able to discern truth, when necessary from teachings. I pray for R's family, and all the drama that might exist in that situation.

I pray for MT. I pray that she continues to recover, and I say a thank you for her kind and thoughtful heart, always good even in the midst of personal issues. Let me be a better friend to her.

I pray for Ash. That she has not bitten off more than she can chew, that she does not get sick, get burnt out or fed up with me. I pray for our living situation and patience and honesty.

I pray for E. That she is able to remain strong in the face of exhaustion, that she continues to believe in what brought her there, that she might miss us all, but not too much. I pray that she be given access to the avenues and paths that might broaden her mind and her heart and her options for the future. That she holds on to what she needs to keep but can let go of what she is meant to lose. That she resists temptation. That she gets enough sleep. That our friendship remains strong despite great distance. That I can be the friend to her that she has been to me.

I pray for D. That his ideas continue to be what makes him special, but do not get away from him. I am grateful for his friendship. For familiarity. For plans. For potential. I am grateful he is who he is. That he might always make his way, after you, Lord.

I pray for ELB-ow. For her hives! For the year ahead of her and her work and her work, and her hard work. Thank you for a present companion, God. Help us to remain friends despite growing up. Thank you for letting us be silly. To pretend we are younger than we are. That she grows in her faith and continues to be a good role model for young Christian women.

And for JKJ. That she pushes through in her academic work, but not at the sacrifice of personal relationships. That the year passes quickly for her, but not too quickly. May she remember the time at hand and be grateful for it in the future. Keep her spirits up and help her to remember how much she is loved.

I pray for Skari, my sometimes forgotten friend. For his patience despite my lack of follow through. For whatever might be occurring in his life that I do not even know.

I pray for JL. I am so proud of her strength and her courage and so grateful for her loyalty and her hard work and the depth and growth of our friendship. Let her not feel too homesick. Let her feel at home among her brothers and sisters in Christ.

I pray for the princess. Lord, I am grateful for recovery. For healing and habit. Thank you for her servant's heart, and help me to be more caring and more open-minded and more patient with her. Let this year be one full of growth for her, for maturity and understanding. I pray that her current situation leads directly to those qualitities.

And I am quite sure there are more prayers to lift up, but my life is like a big church and this blog is only big enough for a small congregation. Know that I have more prayers than I could ever record, and that God hears them all despite my inability to do so.

Amen.