Jesus: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”       (Luke 18:16)
 
A little girl, who requested anonymity, put a card in one of the prayer boxes last week.  She asked for prayer for her friend who, she says, is very sick.  Several children have submitted prayer requests in the prayer boxes since they went up a year ago.  I am thrilled and thankful that Calvary children are learning to take their troubles to the Lord, who loves them, and that they are sharing in the prayer life of their church family.  This week, look for opportunities to pray with a child and teach him or her about prayer.
 
Here are some suggested prayer topics for this week:
 
1.  Lift up the children of Calvary and their spiritual journeys.
 
2.  Calvary’s women’s conference takes place this Friday and Saturday.  Pray that the women attending will feel refreshed and encouraged and that the Holy Spirit will form new connections between the women.  Pray for the speaker, Carol Hopson, and ask the Lord to use her message in her hearers’ lives.
 
3.  In one of the songs we sang yesterday, “At Your Name,” we vowed to fill the skies with endless praise of God.  I thought about how finite I am, how incapable of endless praise.  But when I join my limited praise to the praise of other Christians around the globe, maybe the result is close to endless praise.  Do your part today as the body of Christ seeks to offer endless praise to our Lord.
 
4.  Remember before the Lord your Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are offering praise in the face of dangerous persecution.
 
5.  Connie Lasley asks for prayer for her son, who is on deployment with the Army for a year.  Pray for safety for him and his fellow soldiers and for wisdom for our military leaders.  Connie’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren are living with the Lasleys during the deployment.  Please keep them in your prayers as well.
 
6.  As the body of Christ seeking to grow to maturity, we are to speak the truth in love to one another.  (Ephesians 4:15)  Ask the Lord to help you speak truth in love and to receive truth from others, trusting that their motive is love.
 
7.  Spend some time in prayer asking the Lord where youare in the process of becoming missions-minded and what He wants you to do to grow in that area.  Pray for our Missions Council as it endeavors to present missions opportunities to the congregation in line with the vision Dave laid out in his sermon yesterday.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert, Prayer Chair
Calvary Community Church of Brea