Faith, Hope, Thanksgiving

Thank you, Father, for giving us leaders in our church who care about what we are doing, who catch our vision for this ministry, and who provide so much help and support. Please help us to communicate well with each other so that each of us can know what the others are doing and so we will be able to work well as a team. Thank you for the help that the support staff at the church has given to us in the past and that which I expect they will do to help us in the future.

It inspires me when I see so many people who really care about serving others in your name and who care about spreading your message. Thank you for giving me that encouragement.

Please help even more people to become inspired to serve you in the GriefShare ministry: as facilitators, helping to "run" the GriefShare group, helping to facilitate discussion among those people who come to the group; as assistants, who will be there to support what the facilitator is doing, watching and learning, as well as being able to help out with situations that arise when an extra person is needed; people who will help with record keeping and organizing; people who will help with setting up the rooms and providing refreshments; people who will agree to pray for the needs of one person within the GriefShare group; people who will send notes and cards and make phone calls to check how the group members are doing and just to let them know that someone cares about them enough to do that; and people who will help to make sure that the community knows about GriefShare and any special events that this ministry offers.

In addition, I ask that you send people who will provide childcare so that the adults are able to attend the meetings without the organizational and financial strain of trying to obtain childcare on their own - or better yet, people who really have a heart for hurting kids, who would do "childcare" while being aware of the special grief-related needs of the kids, who might read them stories for grieving children, who could do art projects and journaling activities to let them express their feelings, who could encourage discussion, and who would let the kids know that they are available to talk to about their feelings.

My dream is that eventually we would have GriefShare for adults, and something comparable for kids and also something for teens, at the same time. If that vision is from you, then please call forth people who have a heart for children and teens who have some experience with grief or some knowledge of how to help others through grief.

Father, you said, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1

I do not see how all of the things I am hoping for can happen - I see the size of our church and the number of church members already involved in ministry and I think where will we be able to find enough people to do the things I am hoping for. I see the budget constraints that would make it difficult to do certain things that I would hope for. I see the possible problems.

But I do HOPE for these things, even if I don't see how they can happen. I admit that my faith is small and weak. Please increase my faith. I am certain that you are able to provide whatever we need, and I know you can provide the necessary workers and the necessary funds. Help me to be sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see.

And help me to be thankful to you for all that you do provide. You bless us so richly. I was reminded of that today while talking with Liz, when I was sharing about how you brought me through Chuck's experience with cancer and his death, how you put me back together again when I felt so broken, how you created something beautiful in my family just when it felt like my family was going to break apart. You have done so much in my own life. I know that you will and do work in your church as well, and so I hope for great things in the future.

Amen