Praise God for His grace and how He produces faithful obedience within us. Ask him to help us guard against a tendancy toward legalism and attempts to earn His grace or prove our worth with our works. Pray for wisdom and discernment to know what fights are the ones to undertake as His followers. 

This week we are praying for the Greater Birmingham FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and Brook Hills member, Theresa Chamblee, who is the FCA Area Representative serving middle school and high school athletes and coaches. The Greater Birmingham FCA aims to lead every coach and athlete in Jefferson and Shelby County schools into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church by engaging, equipping, and empowering coaches and athletes on their campus, in their communities, and through sports camps. 

Day 1: Pray for the students and coaches that made life decisions this summer to grow in their faith as a result of FCA’s various camps. Pray that each of them would connect with a local church.

Day 2: Pray for an office place opportunity for the local FCA staff. They are in need of a place to have their meetings with their 9 staff.

Day 3: Pray for the Christ followers who are student athletes or coaches in our area to be a light in their locker rooms and on their playing fields or courts as they use the platform of influence they have been given by the Lord. Pray that others will follow Jesus because of their influence.

Day 4: Pray for the generous donors and volunteers of FCA. Pray that they will know the importance of their partnership in the spread of the Gospel in our area footprint, as well as the gratitude of the FCA staff as they serve together. Pray for the Lord to raise up more individuals to become friends of FCA, whether as volunteers, character coaches, donors, or staff.

Day 5: Pray for the FCA staff, and their families, as they continue to be messengers of the gospel. Pray for wisdom and discernment as they work to develop relationships with coaches and others in leadership positions at schools across our area. Pray for a hedge of protection around them as they minister in the Birmingham area.

Day 6: Pray for more staff! The amount of ministry opportunities far outweighs the resources and capacity of our staff. Pray for God to raise up additional part time or full time staff.

This week we are praying for our partners in Pakistan and for the workers there. Recently about 21 churches and 200 homes have been burned by mobs. Christians in Pakistan are facing increasing persecution and hardship from the majority.  

Day 1: Pray for the many pastors and families that have been affected by these burnings and lost many, if not all, of their material possessions. Pray that the Lord would continue to meet them in their need.

Day 2: Pray that the Lord would sustain these churches and families. Pray that they would cling tightly to Jesus. Pray that as they lean into the Lord and trust him in this hard time, people would see a difference and it would stand out as a light to all around them.  

Day 3: Pray for our partners on the ground who are responding to the needs of these families as they are currently hosting 10 families and trying to address urgent needs. Pray for strength, endurance, and rest.

Day 4: Praise the Lord for the protection of those who have lost everything through the fires. Pray that the Lord would continue to protect them and that their witness would continue to shine. 

Day 5: Pray for the pastors of these churches as they seek wisdom in how to care for those in their church and make plans to move forward. 

Day 6: Pray for the people who participated in burning churches and homes. Pray that even they would be softened to the gospel and that the Lord would open their eyes to the Truth that comes through Jesus Christ alone. Pray that they would see a faith that is different than their own in the face of persecution.