Praise God for the lavish grace He displays toward us. Ask Him to grow us all in our own graciousness toward one another. Pray for us all to learn how to consider others as even more important than ourselves.

This week we are praying for our foster care ministry and other ministries in and around the city of Birmingham and the families whose lives they touch. There are currently 6,000 children in foster care in the state of Alabama. In Jefferson and Shelby counties alone, there are over 1,000 children in foster care, with more kids coming into care each month. Many more licensed foster homes are needed so children can receive the care they need. We are also praying for Hunter Street Baptist Church and Pastor Buddy Gray.

DAY 1: Pray for the children in Brook Hills foster homes. Ask our Father to comfort them in their loss and confusion, to protect their hearts, help them build trusting relationships, and to find healing. Pray for grace filled gospel conversations with our children in care. Pray for the Lord to call more foster parents from among our faith family.

DAY 2: Pray our foster parents will guard and protect their time with the Lord, for them to spend time in the Word and in prayer so they are able to parent out of His provision and grace and not out of their own strength.

DAY 3: Pray for wisdom for those in our Court system: judges, attorneys, guardians ad litem (GALs), court appointed special advocates (CASA) and forensic interviewers. Ask the Father to give them wisdom as they represent and advocate for children in care.

DAY 4: Pray for our Birmingham agency and ministry partners that train and license foster parents. Ask our Father to encourage them as they spend countless hours facilitating classes, doing home studies, and dealing with mountains of paperwork.  

DAY 5: Pray for the many Birmingham agencies and ministry partners that support foster and adoptive families including, Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, Pathways Professional Counseling, Lifeline Children’s Services, Families Count, Blanket Fort Hope, Alabama DHR staff, APAC Adoption Services, Owen’s House, Prescott Place, Grace House, and King’s Home

DAY 6: Give thanks for the amazing Brook Hills WRAP/Care Community volunteers, the Buddy Ministry and small groups who are giving of their time and talents to love and support kids in care and their foster families. Pray for our ministry leadership team as we welcome and equip new volunteers and seek to care well for both our families and our volunteers.

This week we are praying for a short-term team heading to the Desert City to participate in a trade show and explore business opportunities in a growing industry.

DAY 1: Pray for travel mercies, for the Lord to go before the teams and provide for their every need. Ask the Lord to sustain them and give them good health, strength, and energy as they prepare work to connect and explore business opportunities in the Desert City.

DAY 2:  Ask the Lord to prepare this team to engage with people from all over the world and give them wisdom and discernment in leveraging their business for a greater purpose.

DAY 3: Pray for the Lord to lead the team to people of peace and for Him to guide them by His Spirit as they pursue opportunities to grow and strengthen their business.

DAY 4: Pray for the Lord to give the team unity and for them to work well together. Ask the Lord to give them grace and peace as they serve and work the trade show. Pray people would sense and be drawn to the team as they display the love of Christ.

DAY 5: Pray the team would be flexible and sensitive to the Spirit. Ask the Lord to give them everything they need in every circumstance.

DAY 6:  Pray this trip would grow the team in their faith and trust in the Lord. Ask God to grow their love for Him and bless them in their efforts to reach those who don’t know Christ through the avenue of business.