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Many thanks to all of you who have been keeping the thread bumped! Please accept my gratitude to all you prayer warriors who come by and offer your prayers, comments and information. Lurkers, we are aware that your service is mighty indeed. Thank you for joining us in prayer whereever you are.

Events are certainly unfolding rapidly. In light of these events, I would like to offer a prayer here for our Troops and our Nation and her President and Leaders:

OUR FATHER,

We come to you with heavy heart, Lord, for we have encountered an enemy whose reputation for savagery and brutality has been made plain. We commend the souls of our soldiers who were taken prisoner, and by all appearances were mistreated and their lives taken. Father, we feel many emotions upon seeing or hearing described those images released by the Al Jazeera news agency of our captive soldiers. We confess to anger, frustration, disbelief, and infinite sadness for the loss of these brave young people. The depravity and emptiness of the souls who perpetrated this deed is something that we simply cannot understand, nor, perhaps, do we want to. We are not capable of judging the souls of these ones who have given themselves over to evil, but You are capable. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we ask you to judge your righteous judgement upon them according to thy will. We ask that you will enlighten us and our leaders in how you would wish for each of us individually and as a nation and as a coalition of nations to respond. In the face of all these roiling emotions, grant us, our Father, your Peace, which comes from the Prince of Peace.

We have heard this day reports of the ambush of the 2nd Marines near the town of Nasiriyah. We have heard of enemy fire in Umm Qasr. The 101st Airborne was subjected to a fratricidal incident apparently from within her ranks. Deception and betrayal at the hands of the enemy we can at least understand, as in Nasiriyah and Umm Qasr. This is, unfortunately, expected of an enemy in war. While losses due to enemy fire are cause for sadness, one does not expect it from one's own. Father, this adds to the turmoil of our hearts. Above all, Our Father, continue to be with each and every one of these units and locations where our troops are gathered. Continue to be with each and every minesweeper, carrier, and navy vessel. Be with all troops throughout Iraq and Afghanistan and all other posts throughout the world.

We have been hearing of several air vessel crashes taking place, some with loss of life. We have lost soldiers to crashes in Iraq. Today in Afghanistan we learned of the loss of a helicopter and all hands on deck on a medical mission on behalf of a civilian. Our Father, we ask that you will send your angels to each of the helicopters, planes, jets, tanks, humvees, ships, boats, and all conveyances which our soldiers use. We ask that from the microscopic to macroscopic levels you will charge these conveyances with your light and protection. We ask that you will shatter all opposition to these conveyances working properly, as well as all military equipment on which the lives of our troops depends. We ask that if there are problems with any of this equipment you will intercede and let the mechanics know what to do with each piece of equipment to keep it functioning at 100% capability. And, when necessary, we pray for your miraculous intercession.

We have learned of the possibility that a technically advanced non-combatant government may have provided electronics jamming equipment illegally to the Iraqis, which may account for at least one downing of an allied plane by a tomahawk missile. Father, we ask that you will intercede in this matter, according to thy will so that this potential problem for our troops can be resolved. Please grant all who are flying, all who are on the ground, all who are floating on the water, or are submerged beneath the waves protection against any and all potential for accident or "friendly fire."

We ask that you will assist the teams who have gone into the country to fight the oil well fires. And while there are not as many as we saw after Gulf War I, even these few fires are extremely dangerous. Bless and surround these teams with your protection and guide them as they gain control over these fires.

We have seen our troops exhibit a record-breaking sprint across the desert toward their objectives. Father, many of our troops are working with short rest and sleep and are functioning on adrenaline and grit. Father, this too is part of war. We do, however, ask that you will be with each of these precious young people. Grant them as much rest and repair as possible whenever they do have the opportunity to sleep. Grant them clarity of mind at all times, but especially while they are tired and stressed.

Father, we have been learning once more that war is a costly and difficult proposition. We ask that the sacrifice of these, your young servants, has not been a vain sacrifice. We ask that you will surround them as they go Home to you. We ask that you will comfort their families. We ask that you will strengthen the resolve of their buddies who yet live to fight on. We ask that you will grant our President and his cabinet and the military leaders your direct guidance so that this war may be prosecuted as rapidly as possible and with minimal loss of life.

Father, we are grateful to come before you on bent knee in our prayer circle. Bless each and every one here and those throughout the nation and our coalition nations who are praying for your Will in this war. Bless the efforts of those who are demonstrating in any way their support for the troops and this President. We ask that according to thy will, you will strip from those who are this nation's enemies their power to affect the ultimate outcome of your Divine Plan for this nation and her people. This which we ask for this nation America, we ask for every nation, for we truly do desire to see all people enjoy the gift of Freedom which you have given to all of us as your children.
Amen.