I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 17:6 NIV
We are one week into the new year. One week into getting back into the groove of post-Christmas life. Perhaps one week of setting goals and making plans. Or maybe one week of wishing you could burry your head, ignore all the could’s or should’s, and just go back to bed. However you’re feeling on this seventh day of 2024, one thing we can agree is worthy of our attention is prayer.
Prayer is the invitation to an ongoing conversation with God. It’s how we get to know His heart and how we share ours with Him. Prayer helps turn our hearts from our own concerns to the goodness of God’s character. From wallowing to worshipping. From fixating on our inadequacy to focusing on Christ’s sufficiency. Prayer is the opportunity to let our petitions lead us to praise. Because no matter the circumstances we face, Jesus, indeed, is worthy of our gratitude and praise.
So let’s take time to pause in prayer together. Share your heart in the comments and take a moment to pray for the woman who comments before you.
What a beautiful gift that God promises to hear our prayers — and that as sisters in Christ, we can tenderly bear witness to those prayers as well.
Leave a Comment
Beth Williams says
In Courage
Prayers for a friend from church who is suffering with a myriad of health issues stemming from a colonoscopy gone wrong years ago. Back full of fluid, head aches etc.
Another friend from Loaves & Fishes food bank is in hospital having had a stroke & heart in AFIB..
Prayers for Israel as they continue in that war. May there be peace soon. Prayers for America as we go into an election year. May God guide our hearts & minds as we try to vote for the best candidate.
Asking God to send financial, spiritual, healing blessings to those who need them.
Blessings 🙂
Becky Keife says
Such heaviness, Beth. Thank you for being a woman of prayer and inviting us to pray with you.
Courtney Humble says
Prayers for the needs of the person before me.
Also just prayers for a good year full of many blessings and good health.
Becky Keife says
Amen, Courtney!
Tetiana says
Please pray for me. I am in a depressed state. I have some existential questions. I am Christian. I’m from Ukraine. I don’t know what to do. Thank you for your prayers.
Becky Keife says
Tetiana, my heart goes out to you. I’m so glad you’re here and glad you’re asking for prayer. God promises that when you seek Him with all your heart you will find Him. I’m praying you will open His Word today and find assurance of His very real presence and very personal love for you.
Lisa Wilt says
Amen! It’s cold outside and I feel like “wallowing” so this email – though a day late my your measurement – is right on time for me. WORSHIP through prayer…one step…one chore…one moment at a time!
Angela says
Lisa, I hear you sister. This cold weather does a number on my mood. I feel myself wanting to “wallow” as well. I pray for both of us, that God’s light shines bright and we feel the warmth of His love. Amen.
Vickie says
I am in need of prayer to fully trust and surrender everything to God. My word for the year is trust.
Lois M Smith says
Vickie,
I’m thankful for your prayer request! My word for the year is “Trust” also, and I knew even before the end of the word quiz that it would be trust.
Bringing everything to God in prayer, in wishes, in thoughts, and in verbal expressions is wonderful, truly wonderful. Seems like it is unnecessary to tell God what’s happening but God wants us to! Then TRUST takes it from there… and we (at least you and I) seem to share the difficulty of leaving it all with God.
May God, Who knows our hearts and loves us beyond our wildest imagination, grant us rest, patience and peace in our souls as we learn day by day to leave our burdens with the only One Who can bless us with answers, guidance and peace. I pray that we both (and others with similar needs) are able to be still, to be still and know that He is God, to be still and wait patiently for God’s grace and blessings.
From my heart to yours.
Lois
Angela says
The first week of the year was a struggle! Starting off behind at work. Feeling a cloud of loneliness following the joy of being with family during the holidays. And just feeling like a phony, when I see my goals for 2024. Where did my strength and confidence go? It’s still on vacation!
Jean E Brown says
Praise God!!!!!Glory to God. I would not have made it this far without God. I need Prayer for me and my Family. I pray for all of those before me. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN i
Lenora White says
I pray all is well. My prayers are for the women above me and her family. YOU know LORD what she stand in need of. Father, go into the nursing home and touch every heart and let them know there is someone that loves them. Go into the prison and let them know they maybe locked in but you’re not locked out. Bless your Minister everywhere and let them continue to bless your flock. Let us continue to pray and let your people know we’re living in our last days. Amen. Amen
Cheryl says
Thankyou for your world prayers . Agree with you .
Lord bless and keep you . So much prayer needed in this hurting world . Thankyou God You are in control and love us all having compassion and mercy and forgiveness .
I pray also for our schools teachers and our medical doctors etc . Lord take control and stir hearts towards you in 2024.
Help us seniors as we get more health problems to trust and praise you even in our difficult times . Thankyou for freedom to worship and for the hope.
Jean E Brown says
I feel so alone. and so stressed over family problems. I NEED YOUR PRAYERS.
Lois says
Jean,
You are being prayed for and together with your own cries for help, those prayers are a sweet aroma to our God. May God grant you His peace and bring a sense of calm to your family members so that stress may recede and loving cooperation may result. The Lord knows every need and the Holy Spirit intervenes for us all, thank You, God.
From my heart to yours,
Lois
Linda Kinney says
Please pray for me. I want so deeply to learn how to pray and be heard. I feel lost. So much going on in my life and I am trying so hard to learn to focus on ME and learn to care for ME. I have neglected her for far too long. I feel so needy and wanting. Please help me.
Joanie says
Please pray I can learn to let go and Trust God….. it’s hard when you feel you have to keep everything/ everyone happy….
Last years word was Confidence….. I had to be confident that he was leading me towards many things and a divorce. Yes, one that should have ended shortly after starting…. I wavered back and forth all year long… even though I’m essentially alone in a shared home and then constantly treated worse than you can think…. I was unsure because of the way things have gone… I don’t work and His money has always been held over my head… I’ve tried many times to have talks with him… he just storms away with his alcohol…. So this new years word was Trust…. I’ve prayed over it and getting more confident that my best life would be lived away from him…. I trust Gods plans for my future…. I tried to have a new years conversation with my husband about how I have lived this way for so long, I lost myself, my way, everything… and how I can’t keep carrying all this weight anymore…. It was as if I was talking to a wall… again, he storms out…. So I gave it all I had one last time… not to keep this life up…. but to know I’m doing the right thing…..and giving to God and getting off my shoulders…
The problem and hesitation thus far has been, I have no where to go nor any money or work experience to get there.. I can do almost anything as I’ve had to maintain a home and was told that is what my job is… from inside to outside and car maintenance…. It’s all on me….I have about 6 months until my 5th child graduates and is going in the military with her two brothers…..So with last year spending going to all the specialists to find out why my body is failing and causing so much pain…. to this year of Trusting God with everything so that I will be able to financially take care of myself….
I know it’s a lot….. my life is all messed up right now…. The worry of giving up a home I put so much sweat, blood and many tears over to essentially being homeless…. that’s where I really struggle…. and when I asked him if he’d help me in anyway…. his response is always the same…. you can leave but you’ll not get one red cent from me….
I worry about our world, my grown children and their struggles, my grandbabies. I worry about the expense of things, the wars, all the children young and old, in the world that suffer unthinkable monstrosities.
So ladies…. I need blessings all around…. Please pray over my new adventures. Thank you and blessing to all.
Ellen Fisher says
After 42 years of a not so good marriage it is really way past time for me to move on. My children are all in favor of me moving on and deserving a life of who I used to be. I just need to take that first step to see a lawyer and see what all is involved. It is a little scary because it will be a lot of work. I am 68 years old and am still teaching preschool. I just need a little push, I do know that God wants me to be happy.
Julie says
Hi beautiful sisters in Christ. Loved reading all the comments. My word for the year is also trust. I have come a long way this year seeking the Lord desperately after just wandering about dealing with my own wilderness past 10 yrs in marriage, kids, family issues, work issues and struggles. I was weary, broken, exhausted and tired of doing it by myself. I finally let go and Let God. He has been patiently waiting for me this whole time. So this year I want to strengthen my relationship with Him, He has shown me the importance of prayer. I want to encourage anyone to approach him and seek for Him with humility and an open heart and He will come to you!
I pray for Joanie – I pray that the Lord can shift your husbands stubbornness and change his heart. I pray that the Lord can give you the answers that you need and also heal and restore your heart. Pray to Him for guidance and strength, to put your full trust in Him.
I pray also for Ellen, that you pray to Him for guidance. I pray for a change of heart for your husband and for you to be find some peace in this situation. May God lead and guide you.
God bless this forum and may you experience the love of Christ this year and may you pray ceaselessly for those that need it. Amen!
Nicole says
Praying, praying, praying for you, Julie! I have been there and God has seen me through everything. You can trust in Him every step of the way.
Nicole says
This devotional was yet ANOTHER reminder to begin this year in prayer! Since we rang in the New Year, I keep hearing this message everywhere. Forget resolutions … my motto is “God’s got more in store for 2024!” Our plans can go awry, but we can never go wrong in prayer.
Lisa Mae Barden says
Please join me in prayer and praise God for being with us through every moment, no matter how difficult our moments can be. I need prayers to calm my heart as I wait for Cole’s (my 23 year old son) medical team to to tell us if the Car-T cells collected are viable cells to continue the clinical trial he has been part of for the last 9 months. Cole has been fighting the good fight against his brain cancer tumors since he was 8 years old. I’m weary and am trying to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus but tonight I am so distracted. Thank you for reading this and praying for me/us. Blessings to you and your families. Lisa Mae
judyc says
Lord, please be with Lisa and Cole and the whole family, as they wait on Cole’s miracle. We thank You for what you have done in their lives so far, and ask for strength and peace as they continue this journey. Fill them all with Your joy and the assurance that You will provide what is needed day by day.
Arnesia says
Please pray for my family (husband and kids), as we since May of last year have had to take in my older sister who had some strokes. I also have an adult son with special needs that I’m also a caretaker for, so having the full responsibility to care for her is too much for me to bear, although I know it’s not too much for the Lord. I am struggling with a lot of emotions right now some not good. I tried a lot to get her to go see about her health to prevent this from happening and she never would, and yet we are here. Please please pray for us. I’ve had to in the past walk with my mom through substance abuse, my brother who eventually passed from cancer, and now her. I am so frustrated, angry, weary, discouraged, overwhelmed, and exhausted!! Through it all I know God is still good!
Arnesia says
I’m sorry I forgotten to mention that my sister will be having surgery on this Thursday morning please pray her blood pressure does well and there will be no issues during surgery. It’s 3-4 hrs.
Judyc says
Dear Lord, I ask that you come to Arnesia and her family during this season of their lives and fill her with Your strength and joy. We ask that You make a way where there seems to be no way, and bring healing and health. We ask for endurance and stamina and that You would send help to this family. Let them see You in every situation and to trust in Your unfailing love and grace.
Kathy says
Praying for you and your family.
Laura says
I ask for prayer for my 2 adult daughters and my husband that God would remove their alcohol addiction and turn their hearts to Him.
Ellen says
Dear heavenly Father, alcoholism is such a terrible disease and causes so much suffering for all involved. I ask you to keep your loving arms tight around this family. Protect and guide them. Lead them to the help they all need. We trust you, Lord. Amen
Ellen says
Dear Lord, I ask you to continue to watch over and heal my daughter, Bridget. Please heal her physically and guide her emotionally and intellectually. I trust you completely. Thank you for loving her.
Dale says
Jesus told us that we would have tribulation, the bible is very clear on that because of sin. So, Sisters, no matter what the future holds, we know who hold the future. Lord, help us to trust you in every situation, no matter how hard it may be. Please pray for my family, my church family and the Bahamas at large.