Of Mice and Minerals: Unexpected Lessons of a Prayer Retreat

Rock beneath me. Rock above me.

This summer, loaded down with a variety of stressors and noticing my last actual trip to anywhere was in 2019, I desperately needed a vacation. Long road trips tend to help clear my head. But where to go?

During an insomnia-driven 3 a.m. skim of social media, I noted a favorite band's upcoming Hollywood tour date, checked the calendar and realized "we could actually do that." So, despite soaring fuel prices, we hit the road 3 weeks later, trekking from St. Louis as far as Santa Monica on a brand new set of Continentals. It was a fantastic and picturesque trip that helped me shake off the last couple years to some degree. But it clearly wasn't far enough, as we hit the ocean and had to turn back around. I still needed a little something more.

 

Turns out Route 66 only goes so far. Hello, the Pacific.

Now recognizing the need for some extended alone time with the Lord, I began processing plans for a prayer retreat. A private retreat would be a new experience for me, and I was again unsure exactly how this might look, so I asked Him for direction. After several Missouri spots came up short, I suddenly recalled rumors of some beautiful destinations in Southern Illinois' Shawnee National Forest, a place I'd yet to experience. A brief search yielded cabin lodging available on my choice dates, complete with friendly farm animals and trails right on property. Bonus opps to visit recently relocated friends and a favorite eatery along the way basically sealed the deal. Just a couple days out, I booked a 2 night stay.

I really didn't go with much agenda, other than to pray and do some hiking. Following a visit with the farm animals on that first afternoon, I took a hike around the perimeter and came to my first rock formations, for which the area is known. It was here the Lord brought Psalm 61 to mind, and particularly verse 2, "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." This became my theme. From worshiping in song inside Cave-In-Rock with its fantastic acoustics, to the breathtaking beauty of Garden of the Gods at sunset, the psalm was a perfect meditation to pray through at each stop. Long solo hikes during the days, complemented by nights filled with mesmerizing campfires and magnificent stars, kept me solidly focused on the astoundingly creative majesty of Jesus.

From inside Cave-In-Rock, opposite the view above.

Garden of the Gods at sunset. Massive rock structures in this old sea bed.

On my first night in the cabin after quiet time, I sat down to read a book our church was going through thinking this might be a chance to get caught up. After a few sweet moments of quiet, I thought I heard rustling. Seeing nothing, I returned to my reading. The sound came again, and I replaced my glasses just in time to spot it: A mouse! I caught the tiny rodent climbing its way out of a bucket of tchotchkes and fire starter kits on the far side of the room only to scamper toward the bed.

Not knowing quite how to extract said mouse from cabin, I made a quick call to alert my otherwise elusive hosts to the situation. However, before the kind man could arrive, the mouse and I had an encounter somehow ending with its tail in a glue trap, making it an easy catch. With few reasonable options, I placed the helpless creature in a kitchen pot and presented it to my host, who restated, as had his wife, that this had been their first rough season with rodent kind. Offering some additional traps and his promise to try a few preventive measures outside, we departed with apologies. No worries, said I. Mice get into everything.

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 virgin coconut oil was conveniently 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.

Pray for the Lou's "21 Days of Prayer" Guide & Videos

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!

Pray for the Lou 2022: Now Entering 21 Days of Prayer

We've just finished up Pray for the Lou Kickoff Week, and it's been an exciting time to pray with believers across our region, culminating this morning in prayer walking in and around STL, with 60 area churches represented, followed by an Outdoor Worship Gathering in Ferguson's January Wabash Park. Highlights from all this are shared below.

This is the third year for Pray for the Lou, which started on 3/14/20 as a single day, last year becoming a week of prayer, and this year we are just about to launch into 21 Days of Prayer.

From March 13 to April 2 will be a time to learn, lament and pray over places of St. Louis history that affect us still today, with focus on the story of Nehemiah chapter 1. You can also sign up for a downloadable prayer guide called "Tears for St. Louis."

Each day includes the following opportunities, in which anyone is welcome to participate:
‣ Morning: Live Prayer + Devotional Video, 9 a.m. available on the PFTL Facebook page.
‣ Noon: Prayer Walking, 12 p.m. Find location details here.
‣ Night: Corporate Prayer + Worship Time, 7 p.m. at the following locations:

• 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...

From Cold War to Communion: A Psalm for Ukraine

As briefly stated in my previous post, the present situation in Ukraine has deeply affected me in unanticipated ways, and through some increasingly clearly God-ordered circumstances.

My generation, as others before, grew up with constant talk of the Soviet threat. It permeated our pop culture, from less than subtle representation in even our cartoon bad guys to overt mentions by artists like Sting, whose 1985 release has been on replay in my head for days. As children, we were convinced of a common enemy. Yet by high school, we were enthralled with news of change happening on the other side of the world surrounding the fall of the Iron Curtain. We were ready for new exchanges of ideas and culture. Ready to be friends. Ready for peace. Among other artifacts, I even had the t-shirt to prove it. "мир и дружба," it read. "Peace and friendship."

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.

Psalm 31 (ESV)

    In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;

        let me never be put to shame;

        in your righteousness deliver me!

    Incline your ear to me;

        rescue me speedily!

    Be a rock of refuge for me,

        a strong fortress to save me!

   

    For you are my rock and my fortress;

        and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

    you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,

        for you are my refuge.

    Into your hand I commit my spirit;

        you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

    

    I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,

        but I trust in the LORD.

    I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,

        because you have seen my affliction;

        you have known the distress of my soul,

    and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

        you have set my feet in a broad place.

    

    Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;

        my eye is wasted from grief;

        my soul and my body also.

    For my life is spent with sorrow,

        and my years with sighing;

    my strength fails because of my iniquity,

        and my bones waste away.

    

    Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,

        especially to my neighbors,

    and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

        those who see me in the street flee from me.

    I have been forgotten like one who is dead;

        I have become like a broken vessel.

    For I hear the whispering of many—

        terror on every side!—

    as they scheme together against me,

        as they plot to take my life.

   

    But I trust in you, O LORD;

        I say, “You are my God.”

    My times are in your hand;

        rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

    Make your face shine on your servant;

        save me in your steadfast love!

    O LORD, let me not be put to shame,

        for I call upon you;

    let the wicked be put to shame;

        let them go silently to Sheol.

    Let the lying lips be mute,

        which speak insolently against the righteous

        in pride and contempt.

   

    Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

        which you have stored up for those who fear you

    and worked for those who take refuge in you,

        in the sight of the children of mankind!

    In the cover of your presence you hide them

        from the plots of men;

    you store them in your shelter

        from the strife of tongues.

    

    Blessed be the LORD,

        for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

        when I was in a besieged city.

    I had said in my alarm,

        “I am cut off from your sight.”

    But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

        when I cried to you for help.

   

    Love the LORD, all you his saints!

        The LORD preserves the faithful

        but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

    Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

        all you who wait for the LORD!

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

Pray for Ukraine: Reflections From a Friend

As I have watched events unfold in Ukraine these past few days and weeks, I've experienced a few familiar feelings. Any incidence of violence or unrest has always deeply disturbed me, even half a world away. But it is a starkly different thing to experience such events alongside people you love and care for who are directly affected, people present in the U.S. and others stuck in the middle of a war zone. Of course your heart hurts more. Your prayers go deeper. You might understand a little more the desire to lay down your life for your friends.

As we trust the Lord for what we see, especially at a distance, often word and prayer are our primary weapons to help in battle, and we should wield both well. The words below were shared to our congregation yesterday by my friend, co-laborer and pastor of our church here in St. Louis, Sergei Marchenko. Born and raised in Kiev, his unique perspective is all the more profound in this time, and may help you to process and pray differently as well. 

The following is shared unedited and by permission.

Pray for Ukraine

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.

 

 

Thank you for praying for Ukraine.

_______
Related: "From Cold War to Communion: A Psalm for Ukraine"

10 Days of Prayer: St. Louis in 2021

In late summer, 10 Days of Prayer: St. Louis again met in various locations around the region. This was the third year for 10 Days in St. Louis, and it's worth taking a look at what the Lord is doing as we lift up this city to Him.

For some context, and in case you're just learning about 10 Days, I also documented the events of 2019. Last year was, of course, largely virtual due to pandemic mitigation measures. However, if you'd like a more detailed historical overview, you can check out the new archive page to get an idea of how we've seen Jesus moving here.

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.

Pray for the Lou Week 2021

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)

 
As I continue to follow the threads of unity and prayer among congregations in and around St. Louis, this year's Pray for the Lou Week is a significant piece. This week follows last year's single-day Pray for the Lou on 3.14.20, when area churches joined together to pray in and for neighborhoods in St. Louis city. This year, that vision was expanded to a full week throughout the broader region, and included regional prayer rallies, prayer walking in area neighborhoods and a special 3.14 "Preach for the Lou" Sunday, with many pastors across the area preaching from Psalm 24.

I was able to attend four of the eight regional rallies in person while still following pandemic protocols. Two were online only, but all were and are available to view online via Pray for the Lou's Facebook page and other means. Just attending the first rally in North County, I began to sense the Lord was actively answering prayers we'd begun to pray years ago, and I was eager to see how this would play out throughout the week. Seeing pastors share pulpits with intercessors from North City to Jefferson County while hearing similar requests for our Lord to move in and around St. Louis at each location was increasingly encouraging as the week went on. Our collective desire is to see the King of Glory, King Jesus, fully enter and affect every part of the St. Louis area.

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.

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!

A Moment to Pray on MLK

On a rainy Saturday in August, I made my way to the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. and Kingshighway in St. Louis to join in prayer with others with the same King and dream, both for our city and beyond.

Pray on MLK was coordinated by Civil Righteousness to happen in multiple cities on the same day. August 8 was chosen for having been the first date on which a street was named for the civil rights activist in Chicago back in 1968.

At 6:01 p.m. local time, groups gathered on MLK streets to enter into a time of silent prayer and lament. This start time was chosen as the same moment the shot rang out in Memphis that took Dr. King's life, the very time we heard the bell toll in April 2018.

As we formed this silent wall of prayer in St. Louis, we again used white tape on our mouths with one or two words written to express the prayers of our hearts. On this occasion I was prompted to focus on "LOVE," lamenting the lack of love for neighbor all around us now being expressed daily in ways ranging from harsh words to outright rage to increasing crime. I know we will not see love for neighbor unless our city knows the love of God in Jesus. For this I prayed.

A Prayer Walk in Ferguson

A different landscape since Saturday

As protests since the death of George Floyd continue, now in even more countries across the globe, a special prayer walk took place in Ferguson, MO on Thursday, June 4. This event was organized by the North County Pastors' Group, a collective of churches which originated following the death of Mike Brown.

These churches, my own included, have hosted an annual event called Unity Sunday for the past 4 years, from which I have personally benefited whether as attendee or participant. These events have allowed opportunity for predominantly black and predominantly white churches to gather together for fellowship, prayer and worship, and have included pulpit swaps between the pastors. As we've grown to know one another, this prayer walk was a significant next step in joining together, this time outside church walls and into the community.

The evening began and concluded in the parking lot of First Baptist Church of Ferguson, where we prepped and prayed before heading down the street to the Ferguson Police Station, now largely boarded up due to rioting which occurred after my time there on Saturday. The goal was not only to pray for the community, but to listen to those in the community and pray with them as appropriate. There was opportunity to do so with several individuals, including a police officer, a protestor and at least one of the artists now working on positive messages in front of the station.

Additional prayer suggestions included prayers of repentance, for justice and righteousness to prevail, for understanding and bearing one another's burdens, for healing and meaningful systematic change, for discernment and for blessing.

The Dichotomy of True Comfort

"Comfort and Ease." This was the topic of discussion during this month's Theology at the Bottleworks (currently meeting via Zoom). We'd actually planned for this conversation before the pandemic shutdown hit here, and it seemed a perfect time to pick it back up now during what is, for many people in many ways, a particularly uncomfortable time.

Early on, our moderator gave us a couple of definitions which seemed somewhat contradictory. One was "a state of ease and freedom from pain or constraint," while the other was "a strengthening aid."

In processing differences in types of temporal comforts (material, consumable, relational, etc.), versus what I now find truly comforting in my own life, I notice what feels like a marked contradiction as well.

Ultimately the single most comforting place for me to be is in the presence of the Lord—talking to Him, listening to Him, realizing His love and care. Yet strangely, and as I frequently hear from others, I don't always find myself pursuing Him as strongly as one would expect if this is where such true comfort is found.

The question then is why not? I've heard all kinds of reasons, often involving time constraints (which are recently not such a problem for many of us). But for myself, I've come to realize one reason is this: As I go to Jesus, I really have to deal with things I might not want to—things I may even be actively trying to ignore. I have to work through deep issues and concerns, whether in the world or in myself. This, of course, can be incredibly UNcomfortable. But as He guides me through and begins to course-correct my understanding, I can also see that He is always with me, a "refuge and strength" and "very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46) And as I sink into that reality and begin to trust Him, I find incredible comfort—and most definitely a "strengthening aid."

During the conversation, it was intriguing how quickly several people indicated that, while comfort in itself may not be inherently wrong, merely pursuing a life of comfort was not seen as a positive. It was also a common concern that perhaps a growing interest in a return to personal comforts was taking priority for some during this time. After all, I noted, "freedom from constraint" is currently a rather hot cultural topic, perhaps especially in the States. It seems we often have, in part, a discomfort rooted in sheer inconvenience. But I question how this affects our love for our neighbor. Are we invested in our personal comfort—perhaps more colloquially our "rights"—over and above the comfort and care of all others?

Looking at Philippians 2:1-8, it's clear God calls us to a different way of thought and action than simply our own self comfort.

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind."

Reading on, these words particularly stand out to me:

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

And how are we to do this? By having the sacrificial mind of our Lord:

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Jesus gave up every possible comfort, leaving His Father's side, coming to live with and serve broken people, even going to a torturous death before His return to life, all to give us the ultimate comfort of knowing God. We can have "freedom from constraint" in going to Him now, and we look forward to complete "freedom from pain" in a renewed world. This truth is our "strengthening aid," one meant not only to give comfort to us, but also giving us the ability to comfort others, even sacrificially as Jesus did.

Jesus shows us that our greatest comfort came through His ultimate "inconvenience," and His willingness to give up His own comfort is the foundational reason we can trust Him. In Christ, we find these seeming contradictions are actually complementary. And nothing could be more comforting.

Praying for the Lou on 3.14

March 14, or 3.14, is known by many as Pi Day. In St. Louis, it's also affectionately referred to as #314Day, naturally because of our 314 area code.

But in 2020, conveniently on a Saturday, this date also got a brand new official designation as "Pray for the Lou" day, a God-given vision to simultaneously fill the streets of St. Louis in every one of its 79 neighborhoods with Christians united in prayer for our city. It was incredible to watch the Lord work to make this happen over the past few months, and to be a small part of the fantastic fulfillment of this amazing event, despite some seriously mounting odds.

It seems incredible now that this event took place not quite 2 weeks ago, and just as COVID-19 was knocking on STL's door. Given all that's transpired since (which also lent to a greater delay in posting than I'd hoped), it feels far longer. But the pandemic became yet one more reason to pray for this place we love.

Our own church experience had some unique qualities worth sharing. Chatham Bible Church, now located in the St. Louis suburb of Hazelwood, Missouri, has its roots in the city of Wellston, right on the City/County divide. So we chose early on to pick an area right alongside Wellston and pray there.

We were graciously hosted by the New City Fellowship West End Restore St. Louis offices, just south of Hamilton Heights, the neighborhood we designated to pray in and for. After a time of group prayer at New City, and guided by executive director Andrew Stern, we took the bus north to prayer walk in some specific spots.

New City Fellowship Offices in the West End neighborhood

Scripture and prayer before the walk

Our first stop was the former Hempstead School. Now a burnt out shell of a once beautiful building, the campus sits littered and desolate as the structure slowly falls apart, a stark reminder here of what once was and what now is. Andrew requested we break up in groups and circle the school three times to pray. Some of those prayers focused on education and educators, on children in the neighborhood, on area tutoring programs, on safety for these kids, on restoration that only Jesus can bring.

...Eternal Stuff Really Does Matter - A Response to a Local Tragedy

In the wake of another local shooting in the last week—an event I missed in person solely by God's grace—I recently shared the following on social media. This was another clear reminder to me that the Lord has kept me here to keep telling you about who He is. And as we get ready for Pray for the Lou in the City of St. Louis on 3.14, it's yet another reminder of how desperately our entire region needs Jesus.

So, somewhat off the cuff, this is what I wrote...

Regarding the Community Center shooting: We just joined there for 1 month (winter swims!) and have a few days left. Both considered going last night, really should have, but didn’t tell each other until after the news hit. Now realizing we’ve encountered one or both of the individuals involved. One now injured. One dead.

Folks, alongside my general silliness, I talk about Jesus and prayer and such on here more than a little. Lots of reasons for that, but one is eternal stuff matters. What happens both today and after we die is a big deal. We find events like this shocking, especially when they feel “close to home,” and we absolutely should. But maybe we’re not shocked enough to really respond. The every day truth is we literally do not know what the next moment will bring.

So while disaster fatigue and fleeting comforts try to lull us to sleep, I’m praying for an awakening. I pray it for our region. I pray it for you.

Instead of letting this or the next disaster dull us, I pray they sharpen the eternal significance of every moment. I pray we begin to hear God’s voice over all others. That we can taste and see the Lord really is good in spite of the world’s mess. That we can see Jesus, who already faced down and defeated death. That every sense is affected by the truth of who Jesus is so we can love God and each other right and well.

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." -Ephesians 5:14

More than anything else, I want this for you.

Don’t sleep through all this. I’m thankful I’m still here to tell you eternal stuff really does matter.

Art: Pixabay

Christmas Makes Prayer Possible

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” -1 John 5:13-15

It’s not uncommon in our culture to hear words like “thoughts and prayers.” Related sentiments are often expressed with the best intentions and genuine care, especially following personal crisis or major catastrophe. But at times a sense of helplessness and hopelessness may lead to frustration with such words. When desires are not soon fulfilled the question may arise: What good does prayer really do?

The celebration of the birth of Jesus can also bring the birth of hope for such a question. The entire trajectory of this tiny baby’s life, ultimately leading to His death and astounding resurrection, was to show us who God is and make it possible to know Him very personally. That knowing includes being able to talk with Him anytime, expressing both fears and joys, needs and thanks.

In Jesus we see God act on our behalf, proving we can trust Him to act for us today. While we should take action when possible—either for ourselves or in the lives of others as God may even use us to respond to a request—prayer now becomes an extraordinary act in itself. This is communication with our very real God who has actually lived among us, experienced pain like us and can affect all the things we cannot. While the Lord makes very clear that His ways are not our ways, and He may not respond precisely when and how we expect, He does hear those who believe in Him and we can trust Him in any circumstance.

This year I’ve had the privilege to participate in some big prayer events in and around St. Louis, and I’ve clearly seen God respond to the prayers of His people in amazing ways. But we can also see this in simple, everyday communication as we trust the Lord and watch for His responses. We can begin to see He truly is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

While I am glad to pray for you anytime, my prayer for you this season is that you do trust in the name of Jesus, the Son of God who makes prayer possible, and experience the true comfort and joy of knowing and speaking with Him each day.

Art: unsplash.com

10 Days of Prayer in St. Louis

I just spent 10 extraordinary days praying all across the St. Louis region, from South City to North City to far West County, and all points between. This was an unusual opportunity, and an incredible experience to share.

I was privileged earlier this year to join the organizers of 10 Days of Prayer St. Louis in prayer and planning for many months leading up to these 10 days in October. 10 Days is a movement that's been adopted and adapted in several cities, but this was the first time any such effort had taken place in St. Louis. Lead organizers here decided rather than creating special meetings for a 10 day period, why not find out who's already praying in our city and join them? And so we did. I was personally able to attend 15 individual events, and am beyond thankful for all I experienced in this time.

St. Louis, as you may know, is having a mix of good and bad happening in our city. We're making national headlines for our Stanley Cup winning Blues and having our Cardinals playing ball in October again (and in our sports enthusiasm we are remarkably united), while simultaneously gaining infamy for the horrific fact that several young children became shooting victims in our city this year. Beyond crime stats, we who live here are also well aware of the ways our city is divided—along ethnic, economical and even ecclesial lines, among many others. We desperately need these things to change.

So for these 10 Days we did war in prayer alongside many others who've been fighting the same battle for years. And for all our differences, I heard so many similar threads that weren't just sparked by a unified theme or prayer guide, but the fact that we love our city, and we want to see our city know and love Jesus, the only one who can ultimately make those changes we seek.

We worshiped. We repented. We walked and we wept. We prayed over places where strongholds still exist and saw powerful examples of the walls of division coming down. And every place we went, we saw the Lord at work in power through His people. We saw real desire for change, true hope for change, actual change in progress, and every bit of that rooted in Jesus Christ, our King. Because of Him, we do not lose heart.

Here are just a few moments captured from the events I was able to attend...

Faith in Ferguson 5 Years On

It is now 5 years since the events that erupted out of Ferguson, MO. It's been a while since I've written about my history there and the many things the Lord has taught me around this event, which you can find in my reconciliation and development thread. And he definitely continues to do so.

This year on August 9 and 10 I unexpectedly found myself back in that familiar part of town. I've been praying and working with 10 Days of Prayer St. Louis, and through them learned just days before of a morning prayer meeting I felt compelled to attend. Led by the organization Civil Righteousness, we had a time of reflection and then a longer time of prayer, crying out to the Lord on behalf of the city of Ferguson and the entire region for the peace and unity only Jesus can give.

Ministry Leaders Prayer Gathering

While some of that deep sadness came rushing back on many of us, it remains important to really feel, to care deeply and to bring that sorrow to the Lord, knowing only He can cause the changes we want to see. I am also thankful for the positives and connections that continue to happen as a result, and for ways we do see the Lord working even now.

At this morning of prayer I also learned of several other weekend events, and was able to return later on Friday for a tent meeting on Canfield near West Florissant called "Fragrance Ferguson." This was a time of worship and prayer, again for the city, but also for physical healing for any who requested it, which really paralleled at an individual level exactly what we were praying for the region.

Jonathan Tremaine Thomas speaks inside the tent

Police did request we end a bit early due to "intel" they received, but we were thankful to later hear there were only a few protestors over at the police station, and just a handful arrested for blocking traffic. Overall a very peaceful evening.

On Saturday I returned to the tent. The sounds of worship music and prayer filled the air of that street corner throughout the day. In stark contrast, I was able to participate in The Wall, a mostly silent time of prayer in which each of us wrote a one or two word prayer on a piece of white tape and covered our mouths. Instead of a silent protest, we walked up Canfield to the apartments and stood lined up on either side of the street around the memorial for Mike Brown to silently pray. Occasionally, Civil Righteousness leader Jonathan Tremaine Thomas read Scripture or prayed aloud, but most of our hour there was without commentary. No shouts. No opinions. Just prayer. There was a great show of appreciation in honks and thank yous as vehicles passed by.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

We cannot ever pray "well enough." We cannot give God enough praise or glory for all He is and all He does for us in Jesus. But we can go on learning, most likely for forever, how to pray better.

Take 4 minutes with this visually stunning video as John Piper ponders just some of the implications of the Lord's Prayer.



> Resources on prayer from Desiring God.