In Our Words: Prayers during difficult times

In the midst of this crisis, most of the Gentle Shepherd staff is in the field or working remotely.

In lieu of a marketing team meeting today, we received a touching email from Tracie McKenney, our executive director of strategic development and mission advancement. I though you might appreciate her devotional message to us as much as we did. 

How are you? What is your outlook today?

Praying each of you takes a fresh look at God’s grace and how to grow stronger in the grace that comes from the Cross. 

Praying each of you is adjusting to the new normal in your home, personal habits, work routine, worship experience and many other new normals we now navigate each day.

Praying you will spend some extra time outside in God’s creation experiencing the beauty that is on display for our pleasure. 

Praying you make special memories with those you spend time with in quarantine, along with regular doses of patience (and more patience) that comes with extra cooking, cleaning and laundry staying at home brings. For those of you living alone, I pray that you may not feel lonely but rather comforted by the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guarding your heart and mind in Jesus. 

Praying your fear is fleeting. Remember God says “fear not” at least 80 times in His word. This is because He knows the enemy uses fear to decrease our hope. 

Praying your loved ones stay healthy and if not, they do not suffer greatly. Praying for healing in your life now where our new pace of life offers pause to be introspective to work on our inner selves and our spiritual selves. Getting extra sleep helps with this too! 

Praying for the hospice care team and other healthcare workers on the front lines of this epidemic, along with countless service employees keeping the grocery stores, hospitals, gas stations, pharmacies, etc. open to serve us. 

Isaiah 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

I can’t wake up on a Wednesday morning and not think of each of you! Looking forward to our devotional time together in the future. 

Tracie

So how are you? What is your outlook today?