Since you may rightly choose not to swing by the blog tomorrow, here’s an advance post.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. –Â Philippians 4:6.
On Tuesday, a student shared with the Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine the encouragement to read the whole verse, i.e., do not stop at [d]o not be anxious about anything, but be encouraged in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. A helpful reminder for those of us who find nothing more stretching to our growth in Christ than the holidays such as Thanksgiving:
- Travel: Praying for safe navigation and grace for those who will be on the road and/or in the air. Praying for patience with questions such as, Are we there yet? Why is this going so slow? Who is in my way?
- “More than 40 million people plan to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA, with just more than 1.6 million flying — a 3.5 percent increase from last year.” — Ready, Set: Travel! And Share Your Stories (Mark Memmot. NPR Blog. 11/24/2010)
- Home: Including extended family gatherings filled with memories of what used to be and can/should be — some in the context of confused, broken relationships. Praying for grace, patience, healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation to be extended. Pray for us to truly honor our father and mother and to bless our time with family, even it’s just on the phone or Skype.
- Classroom: Exams for some today! Praying for students with exams to finish well and not become distracted by the holiday buzz.
- Lab/research: To finish must be completed projects/papers before departure or continued over the course of the next several days. Praying for discernment/energy with regard to what really must be completed.
- Finding space/time:
- To write what must be completed (or significantly advanced) projects/papers. Praying for discernment/energy with regard to what must be completed.
- For quiet rest in the midst of too much activity. Praying for you to find such refreshment.
- Reconnecting/Finding one’s place in the local congregation:
- Of one’s youth. Praying for the challenge of stepping back into a community which isn’t quite the same, especially as one who is not the same as when one left … potentially years ago.
- Of one’s place of study (maybe a new home congregation). Praying for you to find you place in the midst of many extended families who are joyously re-uniting, changing the dynamic of the whole congregation.
- Praying for the people of God to be one and to be hospitable to all. For one to rejoice in being with the people of God wherever that may be.
- Blessing the larger world beyond our home, campus, community. Praying for us to give out of our plenty. Not just finances and trinkets, but to embrace Culture Making lives.
Let us acknowledge our weakness, rest upon the Lord alone, and …
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, [Read more…] about With Thanksgiving