Mission: Military Prayers-for military families separated at Christmas

This video says it all.



Praying for all deployed servicemen and women and their families this season.

The image of the female soldier and little baby REALLY got to me. Still sopping tears.

Please lift up these dedecated members of society and the families who will miss their presence this season.

Presence trumps presents every time. But if you know a military family who had a loved one deployed, consider giving them a gift as well as your prayers. Times are hard for them as most take pay cuts to serve.

Merry Christmas all!

Cheryl Wyatt

Mission: Military Prayers-for families of the fallen

I heard recently that October has been the deadliest month as far as current wartime casualties. I think about the servicemen and women in harms' way and I think about their families back home and remember that they both make sacrifices in order for their loved one to serve.

Some make the ultimate sacrifice and today my heart goes out to every family member who has lost a loved one to war.

Father, I lift them up and ask that you bring comfort and reconciliation. Help them run to You in their sadness and not away. Help them to know their loved one will never be forgotten nor will the sacrifice they made. If anyone knows what it's like to have a son sent to die, Father, it's You. You are the God of all hope and the God of provision and comfort. Give families of fallen servicemen and women a strong sense of your presence and surround them with peace. Ease them through the missing, through the intense sadness and through the pain. We remember Lord, and we lift them up to you today. In Jesus' name.

Feel free to "borrow" this prayer and say it, or your version of it for someone you know who has lost a loved one serving our country at the time of their death.

Blessings to those still serving. Father, keep them safe and help them know You so they'll be okay either way.

Mission: Military Prayers-for service members during training ops

I heard news this morning about the two one-seat planes colliding in SC. One pilot came back safe and the other is still missing. It reminded me to pray for our sevice men and women during training operations.

I think sometimes I forget that there are dangers and risk involved on the homefront and not just when they're fighting and defending us on foreign land.

Father, I ask you to help the Coast Guard and other rescuers to help find the other pilot quickly. I pray it isn't too late and that he or she will be found safe. Please be with all service members during training operations. Watch over them and keep them safe. In quiet moments draw them to you and into a relationship with Jesus so that if something does happen, they'll be okay for the eternity portion of their lives. Be with the rescue crews today and the fellow pilots while crews search for the one missing. It reminds me, Lord of how you leave the 99 sheep to go look for the one. Bless all those who serve and their families who sacrifice so much so they can serve. Comfort family and friends who've lost loved ones during training operations. Thank you for hearing and caring about those we love even more than we do.

Cheryl Wyatt

Mission: Military Prayers-for spouses of deployed

I ran across this Web site (www.operationwearehere.com) yesterday after the owner direct messaged me on Twitter. I read the deeply moving letters, especially the on the right hand column and knew immediately what & who I needed/wanted to pray for today.


Father, I lift up the spouses of deployed servicemen and women today. If I were done for a little or for a long while, I'd want to be sure someone was taking care of my family on the homefront. Please give those who serve assurance that their loved ones back home are being cared and provided for. Meet the spousal needs and strengthen relationships in the deployed person's absense. Hold the families together and help the spouses through loneliness and fear of what may come. Keep their loved one safe as they serve and keep the spouses safe as they hold down the fort at home. Bless them, Lord and let them know You care. May all their needs be met in the sweet name of Jesus.

Feel free to "borrow" this prayer to say for someone you know who needs it. PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS. But don't forget to pray for their loved ones at home too! :-)

Cheryl Wyatt

Mission: Military Prayers-for children of deployed servicemen and women

I came across this article a couple of days ago. It reminded me to pray for the children of deployed servicemen and women.

A lot of people get irrationally outraged by the fact that our military men and women are deployed. That baffles me a little because we're not in a draft. They knew when the signed up that they might have to go...and they were willing to make that sacrifice to keep our country safe.

But that doesn't make it easy on them and especially on the children they have to leave behind for one or two (or more!) years. These children love their daddies and mommies and miss them very much. Please pray for their safe return.

Father, today I lift up these little ones to you. Lord, they are precious in your sight. It's hard to believe that anyone could love our children more than we do, but you do. Sometimes we forget that they're your children too. Please reach arms of love and comfort out to every single child who has a deployed parent or parents today and this day forward. Give them a strong sense of your presence in their lives and an overwhelming awareness of your great love for them and may your kindness toward them be tangible. Bless them Lord and comfort their missing. You will not leave them orphaned, you will come to them. Magnify yourself to them, Daddy God. Draw them in, pick them up and give them joy and comfort and peace and like nursing lambs, hold them close to your heart. Meet every need they have, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically, financially. Be their well-being, Strong Tower, and their Refuge in times of need. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Cheryl Wyatt

Doin' a new thing: Mission: Military Prayers

Camy Tang gave me this brilliant idea. I love to pray and I have an enormous respect for those who serve in our military and their families. So much so that I write stories hoping to honor them and their service.

Since prayer and writing and love for those who serve in any rescuing or protecting capacity are three things that embody who I am, I'm starting a new thing here on my blog.

Prayers for the military.

I'll probably do this once a week. Feel free to borrow these prayers and say them for anyone you know who works in a public service capacity or military.

Pray for our troops!

Thanks all!

Prayer for our troops today:


Father, there have been reports of suicide among our troops. Bind up this spirit of suicide Lord and disable it. Impart hope to these men and women in uniform. Meet them in their place of need. Protect them Lord and spare their lives and help them know you. Be their hope and their refuge.

Help families who've lost loved ones to suicide to cope. Grant them comfort and peace.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Cheryl Wyatt

Wednesday-Borrowed Prayers

I'm reformatting my blog posts and dropping down to three to four a week rather than seven a week. That way I don't lose readership for the folks who are subscribed by Feedblitz and also so I can continue to consistently blog even while under deadline. Blogger has this awesome new feature that allows you to schedule previously written blog posts. I love it. Cutting back will also enable me to be able to comment on your comments more.

I do appreciate each of you and am thankful for your readership. For that reason, I'm devoting my Borrowed Prayers (previously on Sunday...now on Wednesdays) to you...my faithful blog and book readers.

Father, thank you SO much for the privilege of being able to write. Thank you SO much for these people who take time out of their day to read my books and or blog posts. I lift each of them up to you today and ask you to bless them. I pray you would let them know how much they are appreciated by me, Lord. I know this writing gift is from you. I pray you would bless them with the desires of their hearts that are your perfect will for them. Many are still waiting for promises that you've made them to come to pass. Help them to believe. Help them to hope. Help them to persevere through the hard seasons and cling to you like a warm coat in harsh, winter wind. Help them to enjoy the seasons where struggle is light and life is as bright as summer's sun. Bless their families. Give them a strong sense of your presence as you draw near to them today. Let them know how real you are and how much they are loved. In Jesus' name. Amen.

BORROWED PRAYERS

I had another surgery Tuesday to remove the surgical pins put in after my recent car accident. I am facing one more surgery next Tuesday. I have an author friend (waving to Camy Tang!) flying in from San Jose, California to help me for two weeks. Another writer friend (Julie Lessman) and her husband are letting us stay the night with them the day before my surgery since we have to travel to the city in which they live. Just this Thursday at Discipleship Community at church, people from my small group (waving to Nick and Carmen and Marcie) told me that any time I want to come to church or need a ride when hubby is out of town to call and they'll come get me. My cousin's fiance and friend of the family Terylinn is coming to clean my house next week. And Aimee and Laurel and my sister Lisa have been helping with my girls. My mom is the taxi service when I can't be. I have had so much help, prayer and support, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the kindness around me.

My family (parents and sister and brother-in-law, granny, sister-in-law etc.) and friends (from church and small group) and my cousins have sent Get Well cards. Many of my fellow Love Inspired and ACFW authors (pubbed and unpubbed) and my editors have also sent Get Well Cards and e-mails of support and prayers. I also have an online prayer support group who faithfully prays for me. My wonderful cousin Cheryl Rose also posts prayer requests on our My Family Web site and I have lots of people praying for me, including churches I've never even heard of. I know you blog readers have been praying too.

To all, THANK YOU! I pray that you have people in your life just like you.

I could spend all day naming the people who are praying for me and offering to help in various ways. People who heard about the wreck on Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers, Shoutlife, My Space, etc. I've gotten e-mails from all over the world. I thank God for each and every one of you. I am more thankful than words can express.

I have a hard time being the one needing help. Anyone who knows me, knows I'd rather be the one helping. But I know there is a reason God has me going through this. I've been unable to drive all summer and mostly homebound. On crutches with impaired mobility. It has given me a new respect for permanantly disabled people. It has also given me a heart for the homebound. Those who can't drive or get themselves around. Those who are forced by their disability or inability to drive to have to depend on others to take them places.

God is doing something in my heart with this. Not sure what will come out of it but I'm praying for the ability to help others once I'm well. I'm praying that I never forget what it's like not to be able to take myself places or go where I want when I want. I think of all the years and all the people I had no mind of who have been homebound or shut in.

Is there someone in your life like that? Can you think of a way to take them to town for a load of groceries? Or take them to a parade for an hour or to a park? Something, anything to get them outside. Maybe it's a neighbor or a loved one.

Here's my prayer. Please, by all means "borrow" it:

Father, I pray we never take what we have for granted. Our physical abilities. There is always someone worse off than we are. Help us to look beyond ourselves and give us compassion to reach out to those who are shut in. Give us acute sensitivity to know how to help those who are disabled and still maintain their dignity. Help us to include them in our activities and never act in a way that makes them feel burdensome. Help us to include them. We don't want anyone to feel left out or forgotten or abandoned Lord. Give us your heart for these people. Help us not just feel sorry for them or for their situation. Help us to do something about it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

By the way...this is (pictured above) my cousin Donnie. He has been a source of inspiration to me from the time I was young. He is wheelchair bound but that doesn't stop him from getting on his four-wheeler and zooming across his yard. He has such determination and joy. He is a hero to me and my family. Please pray that God blesses him and his family.

Cheryl Wyatt

BORROWED PRAYERS

I wasn't going to post on Sundays, but I decided to reinstate something I used to do on my blog.

I'll post a prayer for you to borrow if you're ever in need of one.

Last Sunday our pastor talked about Peter and how he was the only other person besides Jesus who was known to have walked on water. For a few steps...he really did until he took his eyes off Jesus and let his circumstances (crashing waves, depth of the water, etc.) overwhelm him.

One thing that Sandor said that really clicked with me and cracked the entire congregation up!) was that, at least he got out of the boat and tried. Granted he started sucking water but he stepped over that side into something that should have sank him but his feet of momentary faith found solid footing as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus.

Sandor's point was that there needs to be balance between intellectualism and faith. With too much intellectualism, we miss the supernatural. With not enough, we could end up sucking water. I'm paraphrasing now, but Sandor's words about sucking water were hilarious. He made great points.


First, I'd love to know if any of you have ever tried to actually walk on water? Come on...fess up. Sondor did. I had to laugh when he said that because I remember a day when several of my friends and me tried it...all day...without success. But we tried. And I'll bet that made God smile. And I'll bet it made God smile when Sandor tried too. It takes a certain amount of humility to admit things like that. I'm thankful for leaders in my church who are humble enough to be that transparent. The main way I serve my church is by praying for it. Having the blessing of leaders who love Jesus and are true disciples makes my part easy.

What kind of faith does it take to defy waves and laws of gravity and submersion? I don't have it...apparently. Peter did...if even for a moment. Do you? I don't recommend trying to drown yourself. If you're going to try this at home...please...let it be in a few inches of water and not from the side of a boat unless you're wearing a life jacket or are a great swimmer. LOL! Then again Peter probably wasn't wearing inflatables. LOL! And neither was Jesus. His faith kept him up.

Recently a fellow writer died. I was amazed and inspired by her husband's unfailing faith as he continued Kristy Dyke's blog after her tumor left her unable. And right before that another family friend lost his wife. He said he always thought himself a strong person until the loss of his wife upended him. But, what he didn't realize was how strong he still looked to everyone around him because of his faith and his tears of love for his wife. Please pray for these two men (Micky Robison and Milton Dykes) for their tumultous sea is one of missing their beloved wives and believe me, the waves of grief are some of the strongest life comes crashing with. Their faith doesn't mean they won't grieve or hurt. But their faith will keep them from sinking to the depths of an unseen sea so dark and disabling you won't understand unless you've been there.

Father, we pray that you will empower us to believe you for great and mighty things. Bless our churches with supernatural things that will let people know you're still the same God who parted the sea, turned water into wine and raised people from death. You created the universe with your very breath. Please breathe in us faith. Let it be a living thing. Let our faith make you famous Lord and bring attention to you and not us. Whatever our challenges are today, help us step out of that boat...whatever it may be. Bless our churches and our leaders. Help us reflect you. Give us the kind of faith that you and Peter had when you literally walked across the surface of the sea. Bouy those in our lives who've lost loved ones. Please lift your children up and carry them through the tumult of loss. In Jesus' name, Amen.