Prayer about death of kidnapped North Carolina teen

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/authorities-id-body-as-kidnapped-north-carolina-teen-girl/ar-BBQcWsK?ocid=ientp#image=BBQcWsK_1|1

Heavenly Father, we are so saddened to learn about the death of 13-year-old Hania Aguilar. This news comes three weeks after she was abducted outside of her home in North Carolina. Lord, we grieve that this beautiful young lady’s life has been cut short in such a horrific way. We can only imagine the pain this brings to her family as their greatest fears are confirmed. We ask that you comfort them in their mourning as you promise to do. We very much appreciate the efforts of the police and investigators in this case. Please continue to guide them as they search for the perpetrator and bring him to justice. Lord, we pray fervently for the protection of our children, your children, in the name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer about terrorist attacks in Pakistan

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/blast-kills-25-in-northern-pakistan-as-police-repel-assault-on-chinese-consulate-in-karachi/2018/11/23/5746d79c-eef6-11e8-96d4-0d23f2aaad09_story.html?utm_term=.93a53ef6f15c

Heavenly Father, today we pray for your comfort and healing after Friday’s terrorist attacks in Pakistan. We are saddened about the two civilians and two police officers who died during the morning attack at the Chinese consulate. We are grateful that the gunmen were stopped prior to entering the consulate and that further casualties were prevented. Lord, we grieve for the 30 people who were killed by a suicide bomber in a market later that afternoon. We also remember the 50+ people who were injured and we pray that they recover. Father, we are saddened by the hatred that these attacks represent, and we pray against the enemy who orchestrates them. We praise you for being faithful to us, for listening to our prayers, and for working on our behalf. We ask that the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, the Pakistani leaders, and the police seek you and your wisdom. Help them to protect the people of Pakistan and stop future attacks. Lord, you are strong and mighty, and we put our trust in you. In Jesus name, amen.


Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer about attack on Afghan mosque during Friday prayers

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/11/23/Bomb-attack-on-mosque-kills-26-Afghan-troops-during-Friday-prayer/1261542990965/

Heavenly Father, we grieve the attack on a Khost province mosque during Friday prayers. We are devastated when people attack a house of worship. We pray for this community as they process the tragic loss of 26 Afghan troops and the wounding of 50 more as they sought God. We pray for the entire nation of Afghanistan, still recovering from the suicide attack on religious scholars that killed at least 55 people in Kabul just three days ago. We pray for the truth to come out about both of these attacks, and that the perpetrators will be apprehended and punished. We also pray for a reprieve of violence in Afghanistan. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for coding program breaking girls out of poverty in Nigeria

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/13/world/cnnheroes-abisoye-ajayi-akinfolarin-pearls-africa-foundation/index.html
Photograph by Mohini Ufeli for GirlsCoding.

Lord, today we celebrate GirlsCoding, a free program run by the Pearls Africa Foundation that seeks to educate and excite girls about computer programming. We are thankful that this group has helped more than 400 disadvantaged girls gain technical skills and confidence since 2012. We ask your blessing on computer programmer Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin as she leads this program, having given up her own successful career in the industry to help other girls escape poverty. Heavenly Father, we are thankful that these girls, having escaped Boko Haram or dealing with the challenging circumstances of slum or orphanage living, are learning practical skills that will help them break the cycle of poverty and fill jobs in a growing industry. We also delight in how their ability to see the needs of others has led to tech projects that address poverty in practical ways, combat female genital mutilation, and more. We pray for a bright future for GirlsCoding and significant impact with Nigeria and beyond. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer about the sexual abuse of 37 girls by a German swim instructor

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/german-swimming-instructor-convicted-abusing-37-children-59295908

Heavenly Father, today we pray about the sexual abuse of 37 young girls by a swim instructor in Germany. First, we express gratitude that this man was convicted in court Monday. We are thankful some justice has been served. We are also thankful that he shared his deep regret about his actions. Lord, we desire that you work on this man’s heart as he serves his prison term. May people come into his life who will help him get the guidance he needs. And may he truly repent. We pray he will never have the opportunity harm children again. Lord, we pray for the dozens of young girls this man abused while entrusted with their care and instruction. We are deeply saddened that these girls experienced such trauma, including threats on their life, during their formative years. Lord, we pray that rather than leaving lasting scars, the resilience of these young girls will allow for a quick recovery. Please provide them with excellent emotional support, wise counselors, supportive families, and all they need for healing. Bring peace to their young hearts. May they experience your love in a deep, enduring way. May they learn when to trust and when to tell and to not be afraid. Please bring peace, hope and healing for their parents as well. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer as the Camp Fire continues to rage

https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article221709760.html

Lord, we continue to be concerned about the Camp Fire raging in California, only 45 percent contained and already having consumed 142,000 acres. With 63 people dead, 631 still missing, and 9,700 homes destroyed, the destruction and despair are overwhelming. Today, Lord, we ask for the peace that passes understanding. May each survivor, rescuer, firefighter, searcher and bereaved individual manage to move forward each day, each moment. We particularly pray for the hundreds of volunteers who are searching for the missing, digging through rubble, and discovering human remains. Give them unique strength and grace. Protect them from trauma. Grant them success, that they might find answers for those who seek them. We pray for the firefighters as they continue to battle this blaze. Please protect them as well. May they work excellently as a team. May they have reinforcements when needed. We desire the Camp Fire to be contained as quickly as possible. Bless those who are giving to meet needs, whether that involves money, food, shelter, support, or time. We pray for those yet to evacuate. If or when their time comes, may they be prepared, and may no new deaths result from this fire. Finally, Lord, we bring before you the grieving—those grieving the loss of loved ones, pets, homes and businesses. Help them bring up deep inner resources that will enable them to face each day and move toward rebuilding their lives. Bless them with generous support from friends, family members, and even strangers. May they experience your hope and love in a new way. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Praise for reconciliation between Christian rivals in Lebanon

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-politics-christians/lebanese-christian-civil-war-foes-shake-hands-make-up-after-40-years-idUSKCN1NJ253
Photo caption: Aldo Ayoub/Lebanese Forces media office via AP

Lord, in a world more often focused on division than reconciliation, we rejoice in today’s bringing together of Christian rivals from the Lebanese civil war, Samir Geagea and Suleiman Frangieh. We are delighted that their symbolic handshake represents making peace after forty years of conflict. Lord, we have seen similar handshakes in the past that have not fulfilled their promises. We pray that Geagea and Suleiman will truly leave the past behind them and set an excellent example for their nation and the world through forgiveness and the seeking of prosperity for their land. Please bless Patriarch Bechara al-Rai in Bkerki for his role in brokering peace. And, Lord, we are moved that this is a second major move toward selflessness and compromise for Geagea, after he endorsed then presidential candidate Michel Aoun for the Lebanese presidency, ending his own rival candidacy for the position, back in 2016. We pray that Geagea, Suleiman, and President Aoun would provide superior leadership and set worthy examples for their people and others who observe. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Praise for final hostages released in Cameroon

http://www.africanews.com/2018/11/12/remaining-hostages-in-cameroon-school-raid-released/

Lord, today we rejoice that the final four hostages of the 80 kidnapped in Cameroon last week have been freed! Lord, we pray for all these boys and the school staff members who underwent this traumatic experience. We pray for emotional healing for all of them. We pray for their families as they process through this ordeal and make decisions about how to move forward. We pray that the kidnappers’ bullying tactics will not be successful. We pray that young people in Cameroon would continue to receive an education. And, Lord, we pray for the greater problem of the Anglophone-Francophone conflict in Cameroon. Please give both leaders and civilians wisdom in how to best bring compromise and peace in their land. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for those fleeing the Camp Fire in Northern California

https://weather.com/news/news/2018-11-09-northern-california-wildfire-camp-fire-paradise

Heavenly Father, we pray for those in Northern California seeking to escape the raging camp fire that has already completely destroyed at least one town and forced the evacuation of others. We are deeply grieved about the five people who perished as they sought to flee and the firefighters who have been injured as they have assisted others. We pray no others will perish, but that all will effectively escape. Let no one hesitate due to material possessions or stubbornness. Lord, during these times when people lose everything, including their entire town, we think of what really matters. May friends, neighbors, family members and even strangers encourage one another as they process the trauma many have experienced as they drove through walls of flames or fled on foot, carrying their babies and pets in their arms. May they celebrate the value of their lives and their loved ones as they grieve the loss of homes and cherished mementos. May they find warm hospitality and kind hearts as they seek places to rest and survive in the coming weeks. Give them strength and courage as they rebuild their lives. May they seek solace in you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer about mass graves uncovered by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/06/middleeast/mass-graves-isis-un-intl/index.html

Lord, we are both thankful for and overwhelmed by the mass graves the United Nations reported discovering. To know that over 200 mass graves, holding the remains of between 8 and 4000 people each, were created by ISIS in the northern and western Iraqi provinces is absolutely horrifying. These are the moments when we cry out, "How long, Lord?!" We cry out for vengeance against the wicked. We are disgusted by evil hearts that can mercilessly kill tens of thousands of children, women, men, elderly, disabled, police officers, etc., in the name of a supposedly holy mission. Yet, Merciful God, in the midst of our righteous anger, we acknowledge your character. We know you desire even ISIS members to come to know you, to turn their lives around, to become beacons of light in dark places. We ask for that. We also know that you will judge them someday, and if they do not repent and turn from their wicked ways, they will receive your wrath. We acknowledge your justice. We pray, Lord, for the monumental task of uncovering these crime scenes, of identifying bodies, of letting loved ones know what happened to those who quietly disappeared from their lives. We also pray that the day will come when these murderers will stand trial for their war crimes, and they will have to give account for the atrocities they have committed. We continue to pray against ISIS as they wreak havoc in this world. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 

Prayer about terrorist attack on traveling Christians in Egypt

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/egypt-minya-attack-seven-christians-killed/
Photo credit: AFP/Nile News

Lord God, we pray about the intentional attack of Egyptian Christians as they headed to a holy site Friday. We are disgusted to hear of masked gunmen targeting buses of Christians on the way to visit a desert monastery and gunning them down with the intent of mass killing. We rejoice that one entire bus was able to escape. Yet we grieve that at least seven Christians were killed and 15 injured on a small bus traveling with family members of a baby who had just been baptized. Lord, we pray against the Islamic State, which claimed the attack. We pray against their purely evil work. Open their eyes to see that killing innocent people because of their faith is never noble. Lord, we also pray for Egypt’s leaders as they discern how to handle this situation, knowing that an almost identical attack led to 28 deaths just last year. We pray the national and regional leaders will figure out how to best protect and lead their citizens in the face of tragedy and in order to prevent tragedy. Heavenly Father, please comfort the grieving. We are thankful the precious souls of those killed are with you, but we ask a special portion of mercy for those they left behind. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer surrounding Asia Bibi's release from prison

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/31/asia/pakistan-asia-bibi-blasphemy-intl/index.html?no-st=1541000117

Today we praise you, Lord, for Asia Bibi’s release from prison! We are thankful that this Pakistani mother of five who was falsely accused of blasphemy is no longer facing a death sentence. After 10 years in prison, we celebrate that she can be reunited with her family! We pray for this woman as she recovers from her ordeal. Please grant emotional, physical and mental healing as needed. We rejoice that her faith remained strong. May her faith continue to grow, flourish, and set an example for others. We also pray for her to reconnect well with her husband and children after such a long separation. Please protect them all as they seek to begin life together anew. And may they safely reach a country of refuge, where they can worship you and rebuild their family without their lives being endangered. Lord, we pray against the violent protests coming from groups like Islamist Tehreek-e Labbaik. Thwart their efforts to “punish” those who support Asia Bibi and religious freedom. We deplore the killings that have already taken place in the name of Islam. May new Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan lead the nation with great wisdom and discretion through this volatile time. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.