It’s Prayer Vigil Friday! 07/29/11

…and His banner over me was love. ~ Song of Solomon 2:4

Dear Lord, I visualize your banner flying protectively over my head. A brilliant flag of strength and of comfort, of unconditional acceptance and love. Help me to remember your banner when I need courage. Help me to remember your banner when I feel alone. Help me to remember your banner when my heart is breaking and the void threatens to overtake me again. I place my trust in You. Thank you for the blessings in my life. Thank  you for this wonderful community of women. Amen.

Welcome to Prayer Vigil Friday!

Therefore encourage one another and edify one another, just as you are doing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:11

Today my heart is breaking for a friend. Please pray for K. Today she is miscarrying. Pray for her. Pray for strength. Pray for courage. Pray for healing for her body and especially for her heart.

Dear Lord, We ask you to bless her with strength and courage. When she is weak, lift her up. Comfort and heal her spirit. Renew her hope. Today and everyday, we will turn to You, Father, for strength, for wisdom, and for salvation through Your Son. Amen

Please pray for all women who are experiencing the anger and void left behind by a miscarriage. Pray they find comfort in knowing that God is sitting next to them, His arms wrapped around them, mourning their sadness right along with them.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.~Psalm 34:18

Infertility forces you to re-evaluate your life and your lifestyle and ask yourself what you are willing to do, to go through, and put your body through. That includes testing the limits of your beliefs, your finances and your relationships and these are all very emotional and stressful decisions. It’s so hard to go through so much with absolutely no reward, only to watch friend after friend and countless family members along the way have success after success – often without even trying. The bitterness that settles in always seems to sneak up on us, until we find ourselves once again devastated by loss and void.

Dear Lord, I want happiness in my life. Give me direction as I loudly stomp down this path on which my life is headed, kicking rocks and stirring up dirt and making as much noise as possible in the hope that you will see me in my struggles. But I know that you see me. And I know that you hear me. I know that you love me and mourn with me and comfort me when infertility overwhelms me. I know that you have a plan for me. Help me to find peace, maintain hope, and stay on constant vigil for every opportunity you place in my path. Help me to lean on you and on those who love me and understand me before bitterness has a chance to bite. Go before me and light my way. In your blessed and holy name, Amen.

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.~Romans 15:13

Put some time aside today, even if it’s a few minutes or 20 minutes. Close the door, close your eyes, dim the lights, light a candle, whatever you need to do to focus and spend some prayerful time with God. Pray for women you know, pray for women you don’t know. Then take some time and pray for yourself. Spend some time reflecting over the past week, over any frustrations you’ve had, whatever you’ve been putting off talking over with God. Get angry if you need to. Cry if you need to. Smile and give thanks if you need to!

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.~ 2 Thessalonians 3:16

This scripture truly is what Prayer Vigil Friday is all about:

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” ~Matthew 18:19-20

Let’s join in one big prayer all day today!