Troop Prayer Thread 9 "A CALL TO ARMS!"

Our Beloved Father, the Ancient of Days,

It has been brought to our attention that our "friend" and his buddies are sometimes on the road and in the middle of angry Saddam loyalists while discharging their duties to support our troops. Father, you know the challenges they are facing. We call forth that mighty protection of your blessed and glorious angels to stand with them and all our troops and allies as they travel those roads and highways in Iraq. Let this be true as well for all who are in a similar kind of situation in Afghanistan.

Bind the cause and core of the hatred and enmity that many of the people in the Middle East and the Islamic culture worldwide are programmed to feel. Heal the momentums and generations of insular perspectives where only the family or tribe is considered "us" and worthy of loyalty. Father, these are our brothers and sisters, for you have created them. We do not share with them the same beliefs about you or your role in our lives, but they do profess to believe in God. They acknowledge the common roots of our Father Abraham. Father, we ask that you will reach those of sincere hearts while they pray and enlighten them according to your own divine Will into a higher order of understanding. Shatter the momentums of fanaticism and heal the wounds which cause a person to enter into that temptation and limitation. Father, let Iraq and Afghanistan become truly free nations, with enlightened, joyful, and peaceful people. We ask this for all Islamic nations. We also ask that this and all our prayers be adjusted according to your divine Will so that we may never pray amiss or arrogantly.

We are grateful, Father that our young people who wear the uniforms of our nation have stepped forward and are paying the price to protect our land and our freedoms. We are mindful of that gift they give, and do not take it for granted. We ask, blessed FAther, that you will grant moments of joy for our troops, allies, intelligence operatives, and civilian personnel (sometimes fondly referred to as civilian 'nuts'!) in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in all the many outposts and bases across the face of the earth during this Christmas and the Holy Days.

Bless the families and those who wait. Grant them all a special inner joy and peace during their time of separation from their loved ones. We ask for a very extraordinary blessing of healing, peace, and love for those families who have lost their young hero to the war. Surround them with our own love, and grant them a special gift of reassurance and hope during these Holy Days.

We are mindful of our precious young men and women who have been injured during the course of discharging their duties. Father, let the ones in the hospitals be comforted and healed, not only in mind and body, but especially in their souls and spirits. Father, help us in our efforts to assure these special heroes that we have not forgotten them. Grant us your grace that our vow never to forget them may be fulfilled completely during the course of their lives and beyond. Father, we ask that especially the ones who have 'no one' to call or write will in short order will be visited by your angels and their representatives so that they will not feel so terribly alone. Father, bless all efforts and projects on the part of groups or individuals who are making an effort to reach these extraordinary young men and women, as well as the veterans from previous conflicts who find themselves also hospitalized. Bless and guide the medical personnel who are caring for them. Grant them compassion and insight in the treatment of each case. Heal the bodies and tissues and nerves and organs of each one according to need. We call forth many quiet miracles on behalf of them

Blessed Ancient of Days, we thank you for the many blessings you have given us this day. We thank you for the great things, such as our freedom and the Constitution, and our great military. We thank you for the small things such as the beautiful purifying snow, the laugh of a small child seeing her daddy come off the boat, the smile of the young man in the lonely outpost who gets a special card or package from home, and the quiet moments shared with loved ones in front of the fire. Father, for these and your countless miracles we are grateful and we give you Glory.

Amen

FREEPERS APPRECIATE PRAYERS -- and WE appreciate THEM!:

I have received a freepmail from CheneyChick. She had the following to say, which I have permission to post:

"I can't tell you how much it means to have support and prayers here. It brings me great strength and I know I'll be drawing from it over the months to come. I'm happy to be home for Christmas."

CheneyChick, we are so happy that your training went well, and that you will be home for Christmas! Please check in with us when you have a chance while you are over there in the sand box! You can count on our continued prayer support.

Freeper Chong has posted:

"Chris Kollhoff, my nephew, is back home from Iraq for two weeks of R&R. Thank you for keeping up the prayer vigil. We appreciate you. "

We are so honored to be able to pray for Chris and all our young heroes, Chong. We are grateful that your family will be able to enjoy his presence for the Christmas celebrations. Thank you for letting us know. We pray for his safety in all his travels. Please let him know how much we do appreciate his service.

That last statement is true for ALL of you out there who have a young hero! PLEASE convey to them that they are loved and prayed for!

A Freeper, whose identity I am not allowed to divulge, has made a specific prayer request for his/her unit which is involved in the "winning hearts and minds" operations.

"Specifically, I would ask prayers for wisdom in creating a compelling message in the leaflets, handbills, posters and radio broadcast scripts, etc., we will be creating. Our goal is to save as many lives and bullets as possible and let the people know we are there to help."

Thank you, unknown FReeper for letting us know what we need to pray for.

Blessed Merciful Father,

We are grateful for the young people like Cheney Chick, all our loved ones on our list, and all who serve in our nation's and allies' military. We hold all our troops and our support personnel before your throne. Father, we hold each one of them in our hearts and we care deeply about each one.

We ask that you will hold our Cheney Chick and her new husband in your arms throughout the commitment of her service, especially during these early days of their new marriage. We are so grateful for their sacrifice in placing their nation's hour of need before their own. Bless them and grant them many happy beautiful years together.

Bless, Father, Chong's Chris. Protect him in all his travels while he is on his R&R. Clear the way so that the travel schedules are efficient and he is not held up in an airport or any other station, thereby losing valuable family time. This which we call forth for Chris, we call forth for all our young fighters.

We have a specific request for prayer from one of our friends who must remain publicly anonymous, but you know very well the identity and heart of this one. We ask that any and all prayers this one gives asking you for wise guidance and protection will be granted as well as multiplied and supported by our own prayers. Let their outreach be based on the Higher Principles of your Law, as much as can be done. Let these who are sometimes working with Civil Affairs and Special Ops be protected if they are ever in harm's way. Father, we ask that you will overshadow all who are involved in the "hearts and minds" operations. Let them be extraordinarily wise and creative in getting their message out to the Iraqi people. Help them come up with innovative, positive means and methods for achieving their goals to save as many bullets and lives as possible. Let the Iraqi's know of a certitude that we are there to help as much as is humanly possible. We ask you to supply the divinely possible part! :-)

We ask, Father, that you will take our prayers and multiply them as much as your Great Law will allow so that the equations of Light and your Presence on this earth may be increased. We ask that any and all constructive prayers raised up by sincere people everywhere somehow be multiplied and supported by our own prayers. We ask that you will adjust ALL our prayers so that they are perfect and in accordance with your Divine Will.

We thank you for hearing us and we ask that you will grant our brothers and sisters in uniform special Christmas/Hanukah miracles this year, both great and small!

Amen

I received this email yesterday and wanted to share it with our Prayer Warriors. I wish I knew who wrote it!
TEX

LAUS DEO AND WASHINGTON'S PRAYER:

On the aluminum cap atop the Washington Monument in Washington DC are
two words:

Laus Deo!

No one can see these words. In fact ... most visitors to the monument have no idea they are even there. But there they are ... 555 feet, 5.125 inches high ... perched atop the monument to the father of our nation...overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia
...capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo!

Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words ... out of sight and, one might think, out of mind ... ...but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the world.

And what might those two words comprised of just four syllables and only seven letters ... mean? Very simply,

"Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848 when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with the tribute

Laus Deo! Praise be to God!

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure a visitor can take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. And from that vantage point one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant

... a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape

...with the White House to the
north

...the Jefferson Memorial to the south

...the Capitol to the east

...and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross

... you say? How interesting!

And ... no doubt ... intended to carry a meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God!

Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message:

On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore

On the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians

On the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.

Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid
on July 4th,1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society.

Praise be to God!

Such was the discipline, the moral direction, the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy

... "one nation, under God."

I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Now is your opportunity read on:

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another
and for their fellow citizens of the United states at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen."

Laus Deo!

As you might have guessed ... I kind of like the idea that our Pledge
of Allegiance includes the phrase "under God." It is clear when one studies the history of our great nation that Washington's America was one of the few countries in all the world established under the guidance, direction and banner of Almighty God, to whom was given all praise, honor and worship by the great men who formed and fashioned her pivotal foundations.

And ... when one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol ... one will easily find the signature of

God.

We are a nation under God!!! Laus Deo!! Praise be to God!

"Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."
(Psalm 127:1)

The Promise

There's a promise in our sorrow
and a blessing when we sigh.
There's a light beyond the shadows
and a cleansing when we cry.

So when we are discouraged,
and face tremendous grief;
it is during those times of trouble,
that the heavens send relief.

With our heart in tune with Jesus,
our source of joy and peace,
be mindful of His promise,
that all suffering He would cease.

He's cried our tears of sadness;
He's felt our every pain,
He's walked our path before,
all glory to His name.

Just listen for the spirit,
as it whispers to be still,
for there is joy and comfort
beyond sad Calvary's hill.

So if the sky should darken
and if the earth should quake,
remember life has struggles
on the journey that we take.

The aftermath of sorrow
is beauty and pure light,
if we can fight the battle
and pray with soul and might.

He sent us rainbow colors
to follow cleansing rain,
He showed us there are miracles
that come with all the pain.

Seek forbearance in the hardships,
or when we fear or roam.
Cast your burdens on the Savior,
and He'll come and take us home.

For He is our great Redeemer
our only true best friend,
He promised he would never leave,
He'll guide us to the end.

Author Unknown

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