Folks, this will be a brief and different Word of Encouragement.
We started sending these out in March of 2020, and have not missed a week other than when we took time to celebrate the Christmas and New Year Holidays.
I was working on this week’s Word of Encouragement and thought it would be uplifting. But truth be told, after what happened in Afghanistan yesterday, we are “calling an audible.” I'm pretty shook up in light of what has transpired. There are no words that can convey our sorrow for the 13 brave Marines who gave their lives in service to our country.
So, in this week’s Word of Encouragement, our message is pretty simple and direct: For those of you who are so inclined, we need to pray.
We need to pray for those brave servicemen who lost their lives and for their families who are grieving their loss. We also need to pray for our leaders, our country, as well as for those people in Afghanistan and their families, who are facing a grave future filled with anxiety, fear, and concerns for their lives.
Last night, the TV was filled with folks looking to assign blame and express concern about potential terror attacks. I get it. But personally, while I know there will be all sorts of time and volunteers to dissect what has happened, I am going to follow the advice that my mentors have given me when things look a bit bleak: Look up and pray!
Hope you don’t mind this message. It has never been our intent to use these weekly messages to proselytize, but let’s be honest, these are not ordinary times. After what we have witnessed, could it be that now more than ever, we need to hit the “pause” button and acknowledge our need for Divine intervention and guidance toward a more peaceful and prosperous future?
And that is why we will be back next week with a more traditional Word of Encouragement. But for now, perhaps the we can draw strength from these words in Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
