TODAY WE PRAY FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION
You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him (Psalm 18:28-30).
Thank you Lord that Deana, Janet and Debbie are able to come to the retreat. If they have experienced the darkness of depression that settles over them like a mantle, if they are having thoughts descend in varying shades of gray, covering the essence of who they are, we ask for You, the true Light, to shine on their value, worth, failures, lack and breathe into them Life-giving Spirit. Create in them the breath of life, a reason for being. May they feel deeply and fully, not reflecting their emptiness. Lord, return to them the strength to color their world removing the shades of gray. Our desire is that their time at the retreat be one of light and encouragement, lifting their spirits. The small country of Belize, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala, has 40% of its land set aside in national parks and reserves. With more than 80% its approximately 350,000 population claiming to be Christian and a favorite for short term missions you would think Belize has been reached. But status quo of superficial faith, syncretism of other belief systems, a dependency on outside help, and lack of adequate training of leaders calls out for a heartbeat for in depth discipleship. We pray for wisdom and unity in the Christian community to bring about Holy Spirit led change. In Jesus’ name, Amen. © 2013 Thrive.