In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”
The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth — even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
“See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:26-38 (CSB)
Mary’s life was interrupted and forever changed by this interaction with the angel Gabriel, and her words forever changed ours: May it happen to me as you have said.
Her posture of acceptance, obedience, and fierce courage was one of open hands and a trusting heart. Though she had no precedent to look back on to guide her in this situation, though the calling to bear the Messiah was heavy and huge, she knew the voice of the Father. She was willing, and she entrusted herself completely and wholly to Him.
As we continue to wait for Christ to return, may our posture be like that of Mary’s, His mother. May we be courageous and willing to say yes to God’s Word to us.
How can we pray for you?
Today, as we hold space for one another in prayer, tell us one thing God is inviting you into in this season or in the upcoming year. It may be vulnerable to type it out, so no pressure if you don’t want to. As we share our callings, dreams, and the Holy Spirit’s nudging words to us, write prayers of encouragement and affirmation for the person who comments before you.
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In Courage,
Please pray hard for this pandemic to end. My husband CT scanned 8 positive patients yesterday. There are several radiology RNs out with Covid. It is getting worse by the day. That hospital has lost most of its CT staff. My hospital (the biggest one in the system) is getting two more Covid units for a total of 6. We are also getting a refrigerator morgue. We live in a relatively small area (500K people within 3 major cities & numerous smaller ones).
Also my in-laws preacher died from Covid a few weeks ago. His mother died that same week. My church has had 1 brother, 1 sister & a member (wife) die recently. Prayers for comfort & healing. Death is never easy, but in times like these it is extra hard as we can’t check on our relatives.
Asking for God to send peace & calm to our weary country. May we all slow down this Christmas & let the true meaning sink in. May we celebrate Jesus’s birth. A man who left the splendor of Heaven to come-came down to broken, dark earth to save us from our sin.
Blessings 🙂
Beth, that is so much to bear.
Lord Jesus, please bring your comfort, peace, and healing in abundant measure. Strengthen Beth’s family and all frontline workers. Grant your protection and provision. Deliver us from the grip of this disease. Amen.
Beth, we ache with you in the grief and mourning that’s happening. Lord, we ask for Your intervention for this pandemic to end, and we pray for strength and help for Beth’s family, her church, and the frontline workers in her area. God, have mercy on us. Amen.
I do want to be like Mary, to open and willing to accept your calling my life.
Amen, Gail. Me too.
My sister I pray for your husband and you, I understand I several in my family members who are frontline workers.
I am asking for prayers for a new job. I was let go after 24 years at my previous employer. God led me to this job thru a friend. I will be starting in January. I pray I will be confident, strong, and brave foe this new journey. Thank you to God for this opportunity. God’s peace to you all this Christmas season.
Amy,
I pray that you will not only be confident, strong and brave but that you will ENJOY your new role and excel in it.
Amy,
Praying that His peace will enfold you as you begin this new opportunity. Blessings to you!
Please pray for all the front line workers and the people who are lonely because they can’t be with family or people like me whose family is no longer with them. Loneliness is hard any time, but especially during the holiday season when everywhere we look we see families celebrating.
Praying for God’s comfort over you and bleeding the blood of Jesus over frontline workers and that Jesus will show us mercy and heal our land.
Family.
Lord, we pray for Cindy and her family. You see their needs, their ache, and whatever it is that You’re inviting Cindy into, we pray for boldness to say yes and for her to love as You have loved her — especially during this season. Amen.
LORD, please fill me with humility, bravery and wisdom so that, like Mary, I can follow your plan for my life. I hope to be able to move to a new job-lead me where you want me to be. Though we are all weary and heartsick from this pandemic, help us to remember we are all loved and cared for by You. Show us tangible ways to support each other.
Dear Father, thank you for Melody and her beautiful prayer request. May she be humble, brave and wise in every situation as she is led by Your Spirit. Come quiet her fears and may she experience Your closeness and love in such a special way. I pray for provision for a job and peace for while she waits. May she be surprised and delighted by how You provide. Give her clarity for each little step she must take. I pray for a lifting of the burdens and weariness of the year for all of us and a beautiful festive season of deep refreshment, hope and joy. Amen
I seek to have courage like Mary to accept God’s calling for my life. To lay down my fears, hurts, illusions of control and insecurities and step out in faith and trust (even while I am afraid), to do what God is calling me to do.
I am recovering from anorexia, and there is still a lot of fear of what happens when I am not “in control” (which I do not have anyway). I desire freedom with all my heart even though it feels scary.
Barbara, I pray over you that the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind. That the Spirit of God that lives in you as His child will lead you and comfort you and give you courage, In Jesus name ❤
November 16th I lost my job. I was looking for another job because the boss had cut my hours. Losing the job meant I lost not only my income but health insurance. December 4th my car was repossessed. My hours were cut so bad at work I got behind on everything: rent, utilities, car payment and car insurance. I have food stamps so I have food in the house but now I’m having to regroup and figure out why I’m here in this situation. I pray daily and the other day I even thought I’ve forgotten how to pray. I have an amazing friend who has helped financially and spiritually more than she will ever know. I’ll never be able to repay her. 2020 is a year I hope I neeveer have to go through again
Jennifer, I’m so deeply sorry for this season of trial and struggle. Praying for your heart to be refreshed, for clear wisdom and direction from the Lord for what steps to take next, and for His peace to comfort you as you walk this hard road.
Jennifer,
Praying that you will feel God’s comfort and guidance in this very difficult time. May your trust grow daily in His plans for your future.
Father God, May the the rest of this year, which has been challenging to most people be a light for us to look to You to open our hearts to one another and lift our hands in praise. Allow us to see that you are always with us and you will never leave us or forsake us. Allow us to trust and believe that ALL things work out for us that love you, according to your purpose.
May we believe and have faith that we will get through these challenging times with you by our sides. We pray in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!!
Amen!
The Lord is so faithful to me. I am blessed with family and friends. Lord I plead for courage and wisdom to serve you for your glory. I am frozen in fear to speak Your Truth to my loved ones who have turned away from Your word. I plead for Your indwelling Spirit to help me live in your will.
Praise you Lord Jesus,
Amen
Agreeing with you in prayer, dear sister. May God grant you courage beyond your understanding to love freely and speak boldly of His goodness!
I have been distracted by work my husband feeling he is not being loved and distanced I ask for healing prayer for a cleansing of our marriage reunification in Gods word obedience to be closer to Him and between my husband and myself. Thank God for His faithfulness I and to shine in our marriage
We have been blessed and humbled by the way of this world and i am humbled praying for the precious sisters who left their words in these comments. I have been distracted by work as a therapist hearing of pain and some joy. I have neglected my husband who is hurt and feeling he is not being loved and distanced from me. I ask for healing prayer for a cleansing of our marriage reunification in Gods word obedience to be closer to Him and between my husband and myself. Thank God for His faithfulness I and to shine in our marriage and mercy to let us love one another more to glorify His name.
God, we pray for Diane and her marriage. We pray for a path toward healing, for repairing the broken road of distance between her and her husband. We pray for forgiveness and tenderness toward one another and that they will find a friend and a love in one another as they have had before. We know this is possible, and we pray for it to happen. Amen.
Dear Lord, please bless Diane’s marriage. Please turn her focus to restoring what is lost between her and her husband. I am praying that I will become a better peace maker. My name means “peace”. I need to sow peace and not discord. With God’s help, I can.
My prayer will that you and I will be peacemakers. Praying to be like Jesus who was silent as they mocked and accused him. God is our defender and He knows our pain when we are ridiculed and made to feel small. He became our Defender. He will rescue us just as He promised. There is no need to defend ourselves.
Relationships with my mother and sister have been so disappointing all my years, 69 to be exact. I found God while searching the Bible for answers to whether I would find my father in heaven, He died when I was 18. I even married several times hoping I had found real loving relationships. But the marriage I’m in times 24 years has been the biggest disappointment of all. I stayed to keep my covenant with God, except for 4 years while I was raising my grandson. My husband was verbally abusive and I left when he became physically abusive toward my grandson. Now I’m guardian to my mother who is 103. She continues to be pessimistic and critical. My husband dislikes her and is now verbally abusive to her. I’m praying and believing the Holy Spirit is bringing change and loving relationships with this new year.
Lord, have mercy. We pray for Charlene in her marriage and in the years of disappointing relationships she’s had with her family. God, every time she hears a criticism, a verbal attack, and even feels physically unsafe, surround her like a heavy blanket of comfort and protection. Give her strength to care for her mother. Give her strength to say no to the things other say that take away from the imago Dei in her. Remind her that she was created in Your image and that she deserves dignity and love. Bring gentle and loving people into her life this coming year. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
I know God is calling me to pray and to speak his name to those he puts in my path. To not live in a life of complacency, but to be bold, with complete trust and confidence in my blessed savior.
He is coming back soon
Charlotte, I pray that you walk in the boldness that God us calling you to in this season. As you step out of your comfort zone and complacency, may the power of God touch your life and the lives of those you come in contact with.
Charlotte, I pray that you walk in the boldness that God us calling you to in this season. As you step out of your comfort zone and complacency, may the power of God touch your life and the lives of those you come in contact with.
Please pray that I have a posture of acceptance, obedience, and fierce courage, that I have open hands and a trusting heart! I am a type A person, a planner to the extreme so I have such a hard time trusting GOD and letting go of my own plans and purposes.
Praying for you, Gigi, to let go and let God! With you in that struggle!!
Anxiety threatens to cripple me. I know that God has not given me a spirit of fear, and I stand on that word. Thoughts of death consume me, I am healthy and so is my family, but for some reason death often sneaks into my daily thoughts.
Angela, you’re not alone. So many of us struggle with thoughts of death as well.
God, we pray for Angela, her mind and her heart. Thank you that You’re not afraid of death or darkness and that Your light can pierce through all of it. We pray that You would intervene every time thoughts of death intrude into her mind. Let the truth she needs to hear come right after the thoughts of death. Protect her, Lord. Amen.
Thank you for sharing special words of encouragement through retelling the Story of Christmas as viewed from the Bible.
Mary was very brave! Society can make a person second guess himself/herself. It’s best to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us from day to day.
There are consequences to all decisions made. The choices set up a chain reaction of events for our future. How we respond to those events will determine our attitudes toward living a meaningful Christian life.
There will be challenges when we breathe oxygen every day because we live in a broken and fractured world. I have to tell myself this very often. Not only do we hurt one another but we hurt ourselves by accepting what the enemy sends our way.
God is so good to humanity! We want to merit His love and forgiveness but that’s not His plan for us, we accept His Son, Jesus, and pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us the truth day by day.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Amen!
My boyfriend and I have broken up. My heart is hurting, wondering if this is really God’s will, but also struggling with the lie of feeling unlovable. I want God to get the glory and grow me through this.
Father, You see Jayme right now in her hurt and pain, in feeling unloved and unlovable. We pray against the lies that attack her sense of self-worth. No one can take away the dignity and worthiness You put on her when You created her. Help her to believe it especially now. And give her guidance as she navigates this break up. Grant her wisdom and surround her with community to help her. Amen.
Well stated Brenda!
Angela, I pray against fear in your life. Our God doesn’t operate in fear, but in hope. He has already saved us! We must keep in mind that no matter what happens in this world, He has already conquered it – and His promises aren’t false. Our Living God has already won the battle, and for that, we have HOPE!
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:3-9 NIV
I ask for prayer for my 13-yr old daughter, Jaden. Last month she was diagnosed with an extremely rare and dangerous form of cancer, Clear Cell Sarcoma. Sarcoma is only 1% of all cancers, and CCS is 1% of sarcomas…. not much info or research to go from. She is brave & strong in her faith. But as her mom, I want to take it from her and I can’t. I pray for the God of Miracles to come into her body and heal her, protect her, and to use her situation for His glory in tangible ways. Even through this, He is GOOD.
Thank you, Kim, I pray continued blessings for you and your family.
Amen, Kim! Praying for you and your daughter ❤️
God, please heal Kim’s daughter, Jaden of her cancer. Father God, You are greater than cancer and we are praying please for Jaden’s healing and for comfort and peace for her and her family during this difficult time. God bless them and hold them tight in Your arms always. You are good God even when we don’t understand. Thy will be done. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
God bless you all ❤️
Please pray for me to find a job I enjoy. I am so blessed right now with a job but i am not happy at this job and I just know I am meant to do something else. Please pray for me to find the job that’s right for me and if I’m meant to quit this job pray for me to be at peace with doing that. Thank you and God bless you all!
Lord, we pray for Stephanie in this season of working. Thank you for her current job. You know her desire for something more, for something that fits better with her gifts and skills, her desires and dreams. We pray that you would provide that for her, and we believe that you can. Give her endurance and a posture of patient gratitude as she continues to wait for your provision. Amen.
Praying for my prodigal daughters to receive conviction of where they grew up at in the presence of God that they would want to return to a personal relationship with Christ…that God would put a stop to them fighting with me and always bringing my relationship with Christ into the conversation tearing me down for loving God and following him
Rhonda, I am praying for you and your daughters. I know how hard this is. I too have a child that does not have a relationship with God. Please Lord, send the Holy Spirit to our children and give us as mothers the strength to accept Your will.
Rhonda, I hear you and am praying for you and your daughters. I have one who I feel is drifting away too, so I understand. I was once given the advice to just keep praying and supporting her. I hope yours will be open to that. God Bless.
Holy Father please guide and direct Rhonda in raising her wayward daughters. I pray for peace and hope to fill her heart. Walking the Christian walk isn’t easy especially when the mocking comes from within your own family. Please Lord give her the strength to stay close to You. I pray for You to help her feel Your love and acceptance in a whole new way today. Thank you Lord for hearing all of our prayers. Amen
I feel like God is wanting me to take another look at my life and make some changes there and in my career. I would love some prayers that I can discern what He is guiding me toward. At 62, it’s difficult to think about making a change….
Jane, you are not alone. I recently had a major life change which called me out of my 20+ year career back home with my kids. No matter what stage or season of life you are in, God always has a plan specifically designed for you. I pray that you will take some quiet time daily to sit at His feet and listen for His voice concerning this new and exciting journey. I pray that God will ignite a new passion in you for the changes ahead and that they will fully align with His purpose for you. The best is yet to come!
God is calling me to complete and publish my first book in 2021. As a mother of three children, I am finding it challenging to make time to complete the task. I am asking for wisdom and guidance on how to accomplish the task stress free.
I’m dealing with unprecedented fear and anxiety in my life. I went through an unexpected divorce this year, lost my church and a lot of friends in it, no one believed me when I explained the abuse in our marriage. I’m living with the shame of that and the unbelief of others. I wasn’t working when we divorced and I’m struggling to find a job that pays a livable salary and provides insurance. My walk with the Lord has definitely deepened this year, praise God, but I am struggling with hopelessness and lack of purpose. We divorced with no kids or siblings thankfully. It was just us and our parents so the separation was clean but my heart still mourns the loss and the sadness that I only wanted one marriage that would last the lifetime this side of heaven. And I have a compromised immune system and terrified of contracting covid and dying but maybe that would be the merciful thing especially considering my circumstances and the fact that I don’t have much to offer and lost a lot this year (much like many others). Please pray for Gods direction in my life and for hope and joy to return. Thank you.
May God bless you with the strength you need right now in your life sister Rebecca!
All will be well in the end. For our Lord makes all things right in its time. Be well. Keep praying! Amen.
It’s my 23rd birthday tomorrow. And now I really want to be fully trusting in the Lord just as Mary so that even in my life everything happens as is decided by the Lord Almighty. Amen.
Praying for all the people who’ve written down their prayers below! Lord please bless them. Amen.
Happy 23rd birthday tomorrow Anisha! Life with Jesus just gets better and better as we continue holding on to Him walking by faith and not by sight, trusting Him every inch of the way. I was 73 in July and I’ve only just begun.
This pandemic has brought us to a place this Christmas where we usually find ourselves, without people to share the holiday with. However, this holiday will be like that for many people. I know the Lord is asking me to reach out in ways that I haven’t before. Sending Christmas cards to neighbors and people I wouldn’t normally send cards to is something I felt lead to do today. Since we have been advised not to make ourselves available physically, we can reach out to our community in ways that let others know that the Lord knows their needs, and they are also on our hearts and not forgotten. Things will turn around and get back to normal, but until that happens we can look for opportunities this Christmas to share God’s love. It’s made a difference and helped ease anxiety in my own life.
Hi Robie. I felt lead to do the same thing this year. I haven’t mailed cards in quite a few years, but would send ecards. But it seemed that sending something cheery in the mail would be good. I know we’ve appreciated the cards we’ve received, tho not many. They’re up on our front door to remind us that there are people that care for us, and we for them. Merry Christmas!! ♥
To be content in the waiting. My mind wants to reason, Lord, i’m 66, how much longer can I wait! But He is trustworthy and faithful. I know that whatever does or does not transpire is in His loving hands.
Hey Leslie – I also find myself in restlessness often these days. God’s timing is perfect, and He is orchestrating everything for our good, you are absolutely right that it is in His loving hands! Remember to not waist the waiting, to not be idle, and to enjoy whatever season you are in. God has blessings for you at any stage 🙂
I’m praying for your mind to settle and for it to be well with your soul, amen.
I really struggled in previous years to devote my life to God and follow his plan. Every time I was doing well it seemed like something would happen, or I got side tracked and messed up big time. God takes me back every time, He washes me clean and reminds me who I am in Him. This year I unexpectedly entered single motherhood, I had a beautiful baby girl, unfortunately without any help from her father who has only met her once. I rented my condo out, quit my job, and am looking to God heavily to guide me now as I pursue becoming a work from home mom. I am surrendering everything to Him, I do not want to stumble any more and I want my daughter to know that her Father in Heaven is more than adequate, I want her to love the Lord with all her heart.
May the Lord give you new strength, new peace to live the life with the joy and power from God every day of your life