"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." -John 17:3 (ESV)
On Friday, February 24, a year to the day since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a group of Ukrainians gathered at the St. Louis Arch grounds. They joined in solidarity to share their stories, to celebrate their culture, and to pray for their people and an end to the violence in their homeland.
As a kid, I heard plenty of culturally familiar Christmastime tales you might also recall. But there was one unique to my family that my grandpa who raised ponies would tell. He claimed that starting at the stroke of midnight, as Christmas officially began, he could go out to the barn and speak with those ponies for exactly 1 hour. I always wanted to know what they had to say, but somehow never got to experience this phenomenon myself.
Meanwhile, there was always some ruckus coming from the rooftop near the chimney of our other grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve, as my brother and I eagerly awaited that grandpa’s appearance following his annual private conversation with a jolly visitor.
Whatever your tradition, certainly some of the story and spectacle that so enthralled us in childhood is only right to outgrow. (Well, maybe not the talking ponies.) Still, a danger lies in outgrowing wonder altogether. I’m excited to see amazement reignited for many as we capture new photos from deep space. Yet even in this amazing tech age, such newness can fade fast as we get caught up in daily life or lost in screens—true for both adults and kids.
In thinking about wonder, I can’t help but recall a rather remarkable birth announcement no modern day gender reveal display could top. As some shepherds were out in the field, “...an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’”
This incredible display of light and sound and glory definitely rocked these guys out of a standard night of sheep herding, so much they ran off the job just to find a baby and managed to stir up wonder in everyone who heard their story. But it’s an announcement that should move us to wonder too. This is obviously no ordinary birth, and it’s just at the start of an amazing story of God loving the world so much He came to be with us. The one with the power to create those distant galaxies we’re just glimpsing showed us miracles here on Earth. He taught us what it means to love your enemies, of which we all could be counted as we turn from the wonder of knowing and trusting Him. He displayed self-sacrifice, His life for all who would trust and believe in Him, and in returning to life showed us the new life and peace that can be ours with Him. Those shepherds found an infant named Jesus, and His is a story we who know Him can ultimately never outgrow.
If this sort of wonder is something you’d like, or even something you’ve lost, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Ask God to show you His peace and presence through this good news of great joy. And in this season, I pray you do experience the true wonder of knowing Jesus.
Scripture: Luke 2:9-14, ESV • Art: unsplash.com
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| Rock beneath me. Rock above me. |
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| Turns out Route 66 only goes so far. Hello, the Pacific. |
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| From inside Cave-In-Rock, opposite the view above. |
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| Garden of the Gods at sunset. Massive rock structures in this old sea bed. |
Around that magic hour of 3 a.m., I half-awoke and soon noted again the sounds of scampering. Another mouse. Toward the beginning of what would be an hour-long, Tom and Jerry style pursuit of Mouse Number Two, I began to wonder what was happening. Wasn't this supposed to be a restful retreat time with the Lord where perhaps I could actually sleep through the night? Instead, I was near to becoming a quite contradictory animal-loving hardened mouse hunter.
It was at this moment the thought occurred: "There will always be a mouse."
Even during what might have been an otherwise peaceful and quiet retreat, there was something disruptive, something to deal with, something to cause incredible distraction. And here I was, quite as I often am, sleeplessly attempting to work out clever ways to resolve the problem. But a critical question was also raised: Could I still keep my focus on the Lord in the midst of it all?
The hunt finally ended with Mouse Number Two caught in the same location as my previous friend and placed in a new kitchen pot on the screened porch outside to be dealt with in the morning.
The next day, I addressed my captive and worked to assist my hosts by various means, including an attempt to block a possible mouse entry point. Even with some delay, I still made it to all desired destinations, continuing my consideration of Psalm 61 and conversing with the Lord.
That afternoon, I reentered the cabin and headed toward the kitchen, pausing as I looked into the restroom. "Oh, hello there," I calmly said to a very-shocked-to-see-me Mouse Number Three, who eventually unfroze and skittered behind the commode. This time I gave a mental shrug and went about my business.
A while later, as I sat at a table to prayer-write through Psalm 61 and journal some of my experience, Mouse Number Three finally came out of hiding and headed for the living area. As it passed I continued writing, noting at some point, "I literally just heard a squeak. Time to pray." In short order, my third little friend ended up caught in the exact same spot as the other two and was similarly collected.
While it first seemed strange that the Lord would present these tiny disruptions among the more substantive rocks, the mice became such a powerful metaphor that people I've shared the story with now keep reminding me of it as they consider their own proverbial "mice" and reactions to distraction.
Personally, this event seemed to highlight the difference between over-processing and trust. I may be able to clever my way through many problems, but the Lord is provider of both the intellect and the means to solution. (For those wondering, taking mercy on helpless creatures became part of the story too. Unable to fully achieve "hardened hunter" status, I soon learned the secret to extracting creatures from glue traps: Vegetable oil. And of course the coconut oil was packed.)
However, despite any success or failure to clear the daily "mice" of life, the Lord also made clear He arranges each situation and I must not lose sight of Him, which can contribute to much of the overwhelm I was feeling just weeks before. There may "always be a mouse," or several, but even if some should appear to be Rodents of Unusual Size, I can always call to Jesus, that high rock and strong tower in whom I can find rest and refuge.
Whatever "mice" you might be dealing with today, I pray you too can see the God who rules over and is present in every circumstance. Certainly the One who once walked out of a rock-cut tomb has more than proven He can be trusted in any situation.
Praise the Lord for the creative ways He shows Himself through all things, whether road trips, rocks or even rodents.
Last Update: 2/20/23
Before You Read On: If you would like to help a Ukrainian family but are unable to act as a sponsor, we welcome you to join us in supporting our sponsored friends by giving at onrealm.org/chatham/give/ukrainefamily. Thank you for your support and prayers!
You can also read and hear more of our story as featured on St. Louis Public Radio.
SPONSORS ARE STILL CRITICALLY NEEDED. If you would like to connect with Ukrainians seeking sponsors or are a Ukrainian looking for a U.S. sponsor, please visit ukraine.welcome.us/connect.
A few months ago, I shared an article regarding the war in Ukraine and the need to process this event biblically and prayerfully. Such processing should also move us to action as the Lord directs and allows. Consequently, I now find myself, along with my church, in a unique position to directly support Ukrainian friends via the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program.
Having walked through the process of sponsorship, I continue to learn the many complexities of navigating the U4U humanitarian parole program and assisting beneficiaries in the best ways possible. Below, I’ve documented various steps of the program, plus requirements and considerations for sponsors and refugees, in part as a guide for anyone who would like to serve and support Ukrainians through the present crisis.
Since I was able to co-sponsor this family with my church, I am also hopeful some details might provide a model for other churches wishing to serve immigrant and refugee families. A new and similar group model for refugees from other nations is being launched at welcomecorps.org. And I will continue to provide any appropriate updates as we continue learning ways to navigate government systems while monitoring program updates.
What is Uniting for Ukraine?
Per the Uniting for Ukraine page: “Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.”
My answer might be: “Uniting for Ukraine is quite an experience.” It’s also an unexpected privilege. I want to begin by encouraging all who are already engaged in this process, along with those considering getting involved with Ukrainian refugees as we welcome them into the U.S. Thank you for your willingness to serve those in need.
Topics are broken into the following sections below:
▸ HELPFUL RESOURCES
▸ THE FORM I-134 APPLICATION PROCESS
▸ FLIGHTS AND TRAVEL
▸ ANTICIPATING BASIC AND ONGOING NEEDS
▸ NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS AND SYSTEMS
▸ THE BEST ADVICE: BE PATIENT
As news of war once again dominates headlines, many of us find ourselves longing for real peace. Faced with the reality of yet another unnecessary tragedy, voices are again raised with desire for justice and an end to evil, oppression and death.
Even for those of us not in the middle of a war zone, these desires can be familiar. We all experience various types of battles in our lives. These might stem from issues or disagreements with others, or even from within ourselves. In recent years, we’ve seen a notable increase in general rudeness, lack of love or simple kindness, and even overt lawlessness. Regardless of our circumstances, real peace may feel a far way off.
I appreciate that Jesus is realistic about such trouble. He reminds His followers, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Yet He precedes this statement by encouraging them to find peace in Him, and follows with, “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) And this overcoming happened in a way those who were with Him never imagined.
While those followers might have expected Jesus to lead them into battle against Roman occupiers, He takes a decidedly different tactic. When one attacks a servant in the garden just before His arrest, trial and execution, Jesus not only says enough to their aggression, but brings healing into the situation. This was a different type of battle—one that He would fight alone and to the death.
“It Is Finished.”
Jesus spoke these words as He died, the fight he had entered now done. His was a battle not simply for an end to human conflict, but to end the conflict between us and God. In our warring on Earth, we see reflected our lack of love for God and even anger against Him. Yet, rather than destroy His enemies, we see the love of God as Jesus allows the sacrifice of Himself instead. And in His return to life, He stands victorious even over death, ready to offer us new life and friendship with Him. This alone is a peace greater than we could have dreamed.
“It Is Done!”
Now we wait to hear these words as we anticipate the end of all battles among humans as well. We find these words in the biblical Book of Revelation 21, where Jesus tells us He is “making all things new.” God will again be with His people, and, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” When the fighting is finally finished, all our longings for real peace and justice, for the end of evil and death, are fulfilled beyond our greatest expectations.
As we wait, and as many of us pray, comfort can be found in Jesus’ victory for anyone who stops fighting God and surrenders to Him. His first cry of completion guarantees His declaration to come. And as Jesus promises His followers, both then and now, we truly can take heart and find peace in Him, the Prince of Peace, who has already overcome and will come to heal our world.
Scripture: ESV.com • Photo: Unsplash.com
Enjoy a related video from bibleproject.com.
God, tear down wickedness,
raise up righteousness,
send revival
and heal St. Louis.
This was our cry each day for the last 3 weeks.
Pray for the Lou just wrapped up 21 Days of Prayer, an opportunity to learn about different aspects of St. Louis history, and to lament and pray over this region, with focus on the story of Nehemiah chapter 1.
Whether you're just learning about the 21 days or you'd like to revisit any of these snapshots of history, the link to sign up for the prayer guide and videos from each day are shared below.
This is a great resource for anyone wanting to learn a little more about how our past has affected our present, informing our prayers and even showing us ways the Lord might involve us in the city's healing today.
On a personal note, I experienced much disruption from the start of PFTL this year, including vehicle and garage door issues, days of severe leg pain unexplained by doctors, a GPS malfunction and other unusual situations. The theme especially of hindering mobility became too consistent to be coincidental. Yet the Lord was gracious to allow me to push through, most notably during topics of particular significance to me. Many of us involved even peripherally with these prayer movements have experienced various kinds of spiritual warfare, which should serve to remind us that what we are doing is truly significant.
As we continue looking to Jesus to bring His healing and change, my
prayers have also been changing. Perhaps especially in the last year, I've increasingly asked the Lord to allow us to really see clear change in St. Louis, and I hear others requesting the same. While any change can take the patience of generations, I've been encouraged by stories I've heard
even during these 21 days. As others have prayed for our city before us, the Lord has now called us to care, pray and act in our day. It is a privilege to be even a small part of what He is doing here.
Of our many needs, clearly the greatest has always been to love one
another. If only this command had been kept, so many atrocities would
have never occurred. So I also pray we begin to genuinely understand, express and experience the love of God within the Church and to our neighbors as we move into what the Lord has next for our city.
Truly, there is Nothing Impossible with Jesus. Keep praying, St. Louis!
• Nights 1-7 (March 13-19) - First Baptist of Ferguson, 333 N. Florissant Rd.
• Nights 8-21 (March 20-April 2) - Gateway House of Prayer, 4646 S Lindbergh Blvd.
• Live stream also available on the PFTL Facebook page.
Please take advantage of these opportunities as you are able. We continue to see God move in St. Louis, and even today I heard stories of and personally experienced unexpected connections among His people. Even through the bad, we see the good of the Lord moving here.
A motto from our 1904 World's Fair, which became one for the city, was "Nothing Impossible." Pray for the Lou has adopted this motto, as we know with God, all things are possible. We look to the resurrection power of Jesus to heal the broken places of our city. Join us as we continue to pray for St. Louis.
Here are those Kickoff Week highlights...
At that point, I had little to no direct connection to that part of the world. It would also be some years before I truly believed in Christ. So I could have never imagined the Lord might be using those youthful concerns and more as a precursor for things much later to come. I am the last person who then would have expected the privilege of working in ministry for now nearing 20 years. Nor could I have anticipated the last several serving alongside one Ukrainian born, getting to exchange stories of what it was like growing up in a parallel time, getting to share uniquely cultural concepts and celebrations, getting to know family and friends who once lived or still serve there. Suddenly, the дружба was real.
Now we find ourselves thrown into a new era, one filled with echoes of the old, mourning together an unprovoked war that we, along with so much of the world, understand simply should not be. What were once the general concerns of youth are now specifically personal, with names and faces attached. And while I grieve, I find myself thankful not only for this unanticipated connection in crisis, but the equally unexpected ability I never had as a kid to pray and process these events as a Christian and with other Christians, all bringing significant views to bear as we look to the Lord.
As I consider various perspectives, it seems no surprise the Book of Psalms has been a great source of focus and encouragement for many, as so much of it gives voice to such emotions as sadness, distress and anger alongside trust in the Lord, particularly in times of evil and unjust attack. A friend has shared snippets of Psalm 36 and Psalm 37 while attempting to head west away from heavy fighting. As the country began to anticipate the reality of an impending invasion, others reported a run on Bibles to the point that demand outpaced supply altogether. One man said he was sharing especially Psalm 31:21 with anyone he could, and I share this psalm in its entirety below as I too spend time with these words.
It's valuable to read any psalm from a variety of angles, including the author's and certainly our own. These might be helpful words to guide our prayers especially for Christians caught up in this war. But even more significantly, so much here anticipates Jesus' own story of unjust attack, including words He said on the cross. Even as we ask and wait for His rescue and vindication, it is in Christ's ultimate, resurrected victory against evil and death that we now find the hope in God expressed throughout. And just as the man sharing with others in Ukraine did, I hope my friends and many others find encouragement here as well.
We wait on Him alone, friends. As evil again disrupts the peace we so long for, the cries of His people do not go unheard by the Prince of Peace, who will bring His rule and justice. Be strong, and let your hearts take courage in Jesus as together in the Lord we cry out for Ukraine.
Top art: Ukrainian Field by Olga Subach on Unsplash
The following is shared unedited and by permission.
This has been a surreal experience for me. I am here in St. Louis, a U.S. citizen (as of last June), a pastor of an American church watching on the screen of my laptop as historic events unfold in the country of my youth. What is happening was impossible to imagine despite all the warnings. It is still hard to believe. There is a war happening on the European soil involving an imperial power attempting to occupy and control a free peaceful nation. There are tanks on the ground, ballistic missiles targeting major cities, bombed-out schools, air raid sirens, weeping mothers, and evil, real evil.
So many emotions… Anger at Putin and the Russian army, admiration for Ukrainian heroes, grief over thousands of people killed and many more thousands displaced, disbelief at blatant lies presented and believed as “the truth,” longing to be in the beautiful city where I grew up, desire to fight, worry over family and friends in bomb shelters and traffic jams, dismay at scheming politicians, hope in God and trust in his sovereign good plan.
Another aspect of my surreal experience is that it came only three days after I finished preaching on the book of Habakkuk. For seven Sundays, I talked about the certainty of the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the possibility of hope in the worst circumstances. I proclaimed that God uses invasions and other evil things to achieve his good purposes for the people he loves. I preached that all evil, including ruthless invaders, will be punished; that justice and peace will come because God will not rest until all creation is restored. I talked about Jesus Christ who experienced the most horrific invasion when he willingly subjected himself to the experience of divine fury for us sinners. And I called my church to live by faith in this crucified and risen Savior and allow our own hearts to be so invaded by his love that we can rejoice no matter what happens. And so now I must remember what I preached. I must believe in Habakkuk 3:17–19:
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.
In light of what we can learn from Habakkuk, please pray with me
• For God to accomplish his purposes
• For Christians to live by faith
• For a spiritual awakening among unbelievers in Ukraine and Russia
• For justice and peace to prevail
• For violence to stop
• For evil to be punished
• For power to be used for righteousness
I highly recommend the referenced 7-part series "Habbakuk: Trusting God With a Troubled Heart," which can be found here by searching "Habakkuk" under the series droplist and dating from January 9.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16
As this year’s holiday season approached, media began sharing images of cargo ships parked off the coast unable to unload. Threats of supply chain disruption and shipping delays prompted announcements that we must “shop early” if we hoped to take delivery on gifts in time for the holidays. Some even went so far as to question if Christmas could be cancelled.
I immediately flashed back to childhood with a smirk, curious if these reporters had ever seen a classic holiday special. I grew up on animated threats of the holidays in peril, yet saved at the last minute by some fanciful change of heart. And, I mean, every Who down in Whoville knows you can celebrate without ribbons, tags, packages, boxes or bags, right?
But beyond the amusing nostalgia, I wondered if they knew of the circumstances surrounding the first celebration of Christ, when Jesus was born. He came in spite of, and even because of, the disruption of imperfect people throughout history, including those in his own family line. And His delivery on Earth would provide a far greater delivery every one of us needs.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” -Galatians 4:4-5
This gift of God was presented to the world at just the right time, a child celebrated by shepherds, prophets and angels at His birth. He was born into a world that had largely forgotten and ignored God. But God still loved the world so much He came to be with us in the person of Jesus. His perfect life, death and resurrection were also precisely fulfilled, providing that way of redemption and adoption into God’s family for whoever believes in Him.
It’s been a while since that first delivery, but Jesus promises to return right on time again, this time to deliver the joyful restoration of our sadly broken world. Just like before, some wait with anticipation and some ignore Him altogether, but He continues to be patient with us. To quote 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” That is, we have this opportunity to trust Jesus over anything else, and to receive the ultimate change of heart that comes from knowing God’s love forever.
In this world, gifts might get stuck in transit. Plans might go right off the rails. But with Christ, the celebration can never be cancelled. As the holidays roll on, I pray you’ll know the joy of celebrating more deeply, anticipating the greatest gifts still to come in Jesus.
Scripture: ESV / Art: Unsplash.com
For a couple downloadable options, check out "Good News of Great Joy" and "The Dawning of Indestructible Joy," available in various formats from Desiring God. Each one contains 25 meditations.
A 31-day Advent Scripture reading plan is available to follow with a free ESV.org account. You can also receive each day's verses via e-mail.
And for kids, "The Jesus Storybook Bible" has a free downloadable Advent kit, which includes music, coloring pages, ornaments, memory verse cards and more.
Take advantage of any of these resources, or your own daily time in Scripture, to remind yourself, your family and others around you of Who we truly celebrate. I pray you find great joy and encouragement in remembering all we have now and all we have to look forward to in Jesus.
In 2021, we began to see the Lord’s work in new ways as we considered
the active obedience that must follow prayer. From September 7-16, our
theme was “Reliving Acts Today,” emboldening us to follow the threads of
prayer and obedience found in the Book of Acts. Each day included a
unique area of focus through which God has moved His Church in St. Louis
as we were encouraged to “pray and go.” This seemed a logical next step, taking us in an increasingly outward focused direction.
As a desire for unity among churches and believers has been a core tenant from the beginning, we have been encouraged to see new partner churches and locations each year, along with several area pastor groups becoming more involved as they work together to address significant needs in their respective regions.
Below are highlights from each of the 10 days, plus a more recent follow up event.
Alright, Christian, if you live in a place that culturally gets excited about Halloween, then once again we have an incredible opportunity and time to plan for it. So here's my ever refining Franken-article to help get you motivated. Read on...
• Dress up your goodies. Purchase some bags, plain or decorated. Add a small toy or something fun. Give the best treats on the block.
• Provide hot chocolate for your guests. Kids and adults love this. It can lead to time spent together and potential for deeper discussion.
• Set up a fire pit and roast marshmallows or make s’mores. Same effect as above.
• Do something big at your house to draw attention. Set up spotlights, games, fun scenes, whatever. People tend to remember these houses, and what you gave them.
• Use your skills, or those of a friend, and do magic tricks, balloon animals, music or something else fun and entertaining.
• Invite the neighbors to your house for a “getting to know you” party early in the evening or a day or two in advance. Pass out invites that week to let them know.
• Invite Christian friends to help out, especially if they have fewer children in their neighborhood. That way, you can double your efforts.
• Alternately, if you don’t have many children in your neighborhood, actively find someone who does and work with them. Or maybe go to a party. Be where people are.
• Consider having some Bibles available to give away as appropriate in case the opportunity arises.
• Pray, both before and after the evening, for the people you will meet and for a true love for your neighbors.Whatever you do, don’t hide behind closed doors. The world is coming to us. Let’s give them something “sweeter than honey.” (Psalm 119:103)
More treats for you:
>> Check out some additional related articles by Verge Network.
>> Also, an excellent 3 minute video by Jeff Vanderstelt, who encourages us to "Open the Door to Halloween" in order to engage our neighbors.
With spring having sprung, gardening is a hot topic at our place. After last year’s bumper crop, and the very long winter that followed, the spouse is all-in on getting the food stuffs growing again. And while he obviously loves it, so much of his focus sounds like all-out war. Guarding against adorable vermin or undesirable pests, overgrowth or underwatering, he’s ready to protect this new plant life at all costs. And as the celebration of Easter approaches, I’m reminded of a few garden battles of biblical proportions.
Battle Lost
Genesis 2:8-9: “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
The Bible starts out in a perfect garden. Just imagine: No weeds, no disruptive creatures, no drought or floods. Better yet, no issues even between people. Humans and the rest of God’s creation humming along harmoniously. But the story takes a turn with a sudden battle for control. Should we trust the one who first planted the garden and its tree of life, or ignore him in an effort to gain more? Caving to greed, the humans harvest from the wrong tree and lose it all—the garden, their trust in each other and their friendship with God. As overfertilization leads to plant death, the battle is lost. Sickness spreads. Thorn and thistle now dominate the landscape.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah
-Psalm 24:7-10 (ESV)
On Saturday, participating churches were mobilized to go out and prayer walk in their local communities, and ours took part by stepping out to pray for our neighbors, schools, businesses and government. It is powerful to consider how many areas were prayed for simultaneously that morning.
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| A local prayer walk in Hazelwood |
This morning of prayer walking was followed up by a virtual closing worship celebration you can watch right here:
While we continue to pray for more churches and leaders to catch this vision of prayer and unity, I remain encouraged to have many more congregations join together this year with the goal of seeing the Kingdom, not just an individual congregation or denomination, grow in and around St. Louis. And I'm increasingly thankful God's provided the many intercessors I know praying and working to keep the momentum going.
It's time to believe and embrace the reality that we are already one in Jesus, and we want to see cooperative relationships between leaders and congregants continue across every one of our perceived dividing lines. As we pray for God's peace and presence here, let's see what the Lord will do when His people connect beyond a week or an event and move together in His power.
If you or your church weren't able to be involved this year, follow PrayfortheLou.org to keep up with what's to come.
As always, keep praying, St. Louis!
