Prayer Tip: The Harvest is Plentiful...

by Ashly Cooley, Executive Assistant to Locations & Care at Resurrection

Happy Children in Worship Sunday! Since the upcoming sermon series will be focused on future generations, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on how we as a community can help children when they need to get out of the muck. Usually, children don’t mean to get stuck in the muck. It’s yucky, it doesn’t feel good. If adults find themselves getting stuck in the much so often after practice, we can only imagine how easy it is for our kiddos to get their tires stuck in the muck. Their proverbial tires are even closer to the muck!

One of the things I have found helpful is acknowledging we all get stuck in the muck. It will inevitably happen from time to time. Helping our youngest understand that it will happen and tools to use to get out of it is important. Making sure that we as a community are committed to helping them get out of muck should be our goal. Our kids need to have loving people in their homes and outside of their homes they can turn to.

As teachers, Sunday school teachers, or trusted adults in the church, we can lovingly point out where it looks like the error occurred and how to fix it. Teaching kids that they don’t have to remain stuck or feel shame about being stuck is reflecting to them the love and grace that Jesus has for them.

This week I invite you to pray about the youngest members of our congregation and community. May they feel how much God and we love them.

Pray for families:
Dear Jesus, we lift up the families in our congregation. May the adults model peace, compassion and grace to their children. Comfort the adults when they are tired. Give them a sense of your peace when things feel challenging. We lift up the children in these families. May they feel your love and the love of those around them. Help them to grow in wisdom and stature. Bless them as they begin to go into another school year.

Pray for neighbors:
Dear Jesus, I lift up the families in my neighborhood–the ones I know and the ones I do not know. Every house has a different challenge. Please be with those families who have health needs. Please be with those families that are tired. Please be with those families struggling financially. Please bless the homes around us and let them feel your love and the love I have for them as a neighbor.

Pray for Schools:
Dear Jesus, I lift up the teachers and administrators as they prepare to go into another year of teaching during Covid. Their loads are so heavy and what is expected of them is so high. Please help them to feel the love you have for them and the love the students and families have for them. Please surround them with comfort on hard days and heavenly high fives on good days. Surround them with love while they do your work.

Pray for Social Workers and children in Foster Care:
Dear Jesus, I lift up our valiant, hardworking social workers. Please be with the social workers in our schools, communities, and hospitals. Help sustain them as they do hard work and keep them safe as they visit hard places. We lift the kids that are waiting to be placed in a foster home. May it be a place of comfort and of safety. May they feel they are loved by so many people and please help these children get the resources they need.

Pray for children in hospitals:
Dear Jesus, I lift up your children in hospitals, whether it be short term visits or long-term stays. Place your healing hands on them and comfort them while they’re away from home. Provide them and their caregivers hope, comfort, and peace.