Prayers for 2007

A new year is upon us; time for reflection on the past, and hope for the future. 2006 had its great times and it had its low times; so as I look to the year ahead I want to offer prayers for the upcoming year.

Prayers for 2007:

- Love and Peace. We live in a world of conflict; it's one of the downfalls of sin. I'm sure since the beginning of New Year's reflections, there has been hope for peace. We turn on the news daily to violent conflict. But I pray for love and peace not only abroad, but local. I've seen conflict in my community (BH drug treatment center), I've seen it in church, and I've seen it in relationships(my own and others) In my mind there is nothing more beautiful than people living in peace.

- Guidance Everybody has the same questions about life: What's my purpose? Why am I here? What should I do with my life? These questions, as I am discovering, stick with us throughout our life. The one thing I know is that these questions are better answered within the will of God, so I try to seek His answers to these questions.

- Good Health Everyear the media focuses on the famous people who have died in the past year. Most if not all of us either knew someone who died or someone who was close to someone who died. We are always reminded of our mortality and need to cherish our times with those we care about.

- Those afar Prayers for family and friends we don't see as often as we would like; whether they are overseas, living up north, living way down south, living on the coast, working out of the province, or serving God in countries abroad; we spread out around this small world.

- The youth The struggles they face daily: rampant drug and alcohol abuse, the filth of the media, sexual purity, and finding relevance in their faith in a world that tells them it is worthless.

- humility Christians need humility. The power to admit their faults and seek reconciliation. The power to serve people rather than use them for their own glory. The power to rejoice in the sucess of others rather than feel threatened and in competition with them. The power to have churches that are all about Christ rather than an image or the people in charge of them. The power to treat others not as equal, but better; whether they are children, youth, adults, or seniors; and no matter what color, nationality, status, or belief.

Here's to the memories of 2006, and the hopes of 2007