_________________ DAY 14 – DEPRESSION/LOSS/GRIEF_________________
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1–5
Today I/we pray for attendees: Betsy, Allison, Bambi, Cythia, Emily, Erica, and Denise
Father in Heaven, I/we ask that Your comfort be felt in tangible ways when these ladies experience loneliness, homesickness, depression, and grief. So often while serving overseas one has to grieve losses long-distance. When news of a loved one’s sickness, divorce, struggles, or death occurs, they can feel trapped, helpless, sad, and maybe even guilty, dealing with pain that those around them may not be able to empathize with. There are times when they experience compound grief, with multiple losses. There may be trauma where they live which they must process alone, feeling distanced from stateside family; processing these losses can be a lonely and long road. Lord, I/we ask You to be their anchor in the middle of their emotions, and pray for Your loving arms to hold them. May they each meet someone at the retreat with whom they can share their heart and feel heard.
Lord, some of the ladies may have experienced or may now be in the darkness of depression that settles over them like a mantle. They may be having thoughts which descend in varying shades of gray that cover the essence of who they are. I/we ask You, the true Light, to shine on their value, worth, failures, and lack—breathe into them Your Life-giving Spirit. Create in them the breath of life and a reason for being. May they feel deeply and fully, not reflecting their emptiness. Lord, give them the strength to color their world and remove the shades of gray. May their time at the retreat be one of light and encouragement, lifting their spirits.
Lord, dreams of instant wealth through capitalism have proven elusive and hollow to those in Poland. Crime, violence, and immorality are on the rise. I/we pray for stability, progress, and freedom that allow the Good News to be preached. I/we pray that the Polish quest for material advancement might be subordinated to the search for God. I/we pray that Poland’s religious leaders may know a life of holiness and walk closely with God. The multiplication of foreign sects and religions has brought confusion. I/we pray for the defeat of every ideological assault on biblical truth and a demonstration of the power and lordship of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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