{"id":1550,"date":"2017-03-16T22:47:23","date_gmt":"2017-03-16T22:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craigfinnestad.com\/?p=1550"},"modified":"2017-03-16T22:47:23","modified_gmt":"2017-03-16T22:47:23","slug":"a-prayer-for-my-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigfinnestad.com\/?p=1550","title":{"rendered":"A Prayer for My Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is so cool to the big equipment on our property moving dirt around. The following prayer is from Prayers from The Water’s Edge<\/a>. These days are perfect days to pray this prayer–a prayer for our church.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear God,<\/p>\n

I pray for my church.
\nI pray WE connect people to God and grow in our faith together.
\nI pray WE connect people with others and grow healthy relationships.
\nI pray WE partner with families to raise children who follow Jesus.
\nI pray WE love and serve our city and our world.<\/p>\n

Give us clarity about Whose WE are and who WE are.
\nLead us to focus on loving You and loving others.<\/p>\n

Let us be a collection of people who prays and seeks You first.
\nLet us gather regularly to worship You and be taught by You.
\nLet us be courageous in sharing our faith and being invitational.
\nLet us be defined as people who are generous with each other and with our neighbors.<\/p>\n

Do great things in us and through us.
\nExceed even our wildest dreams of who WE can become as a church.<\/p>\n

To the lonely, may WE provide community.
\nTo the addict, may WE provide recovery.
\nTo the hungry, may WE provide nutrition.
\nTo the hurting, may WE provide Your healing.<\/p>\n

Give us big dreams and the willingness to take big risks.
\nMay Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.<\/p>\n

Teach us again that it is by Your grace that we are saved through faith.
\nTeach us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You.
\nFill us with faith, hope, and love.
\nAnd bring us and others to the table where Your saints feast forever.<\/p>\n

Help us to listen to each other and listen to You.
\nHelp us to follow You and be faithful to You.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is so cool to the big equipment on our property moving dirt around. The following prayer is from Prayers from The Water’s Edge. These days are perfect days to pray this prayer–a prayer for our church.\u00a0 Dear God, I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[76,113],"class_list":["post-1550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-waters-edge","tag-prayer","tag-prayers-from-the-waters-edge"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n