Praise God for His sanctifying work in our lives, and ask Him to help us live in light of the future glorifying work He will accomplish in us. Pray for Christ's return when we will live with Him for all eternity in a new creation free from the effects of sin. Pray for all those suffering in our current world to find the hope only available through Jesus Christ.

This week we are praying for students of all ages across the Greater Birmingham area who are returning to school this month. We also want to pray for their educators, administrators, parents and guardians, mentors, and spiritual leaders as they diligently work to equip students to reach their God-given potential and enjoy God’s good design for their lives. We are also praying for Chelsea Community Church and their pastor search team.

Day 1: Pray for Brook Hills students. Ask God to draw them closer to Himself this year. Pray they would be bold in their witness and lean into opportunities to influence friends, classmates, and school staff to know and love Christ.

Day 2: Pray for students in Gate City and Woodlawn who are in our Love Oliver zone. Pray for students who know Jesus to be beacons of hope and light in their community. Pray for students who are not followers of Jesus to come to know Him this year through the faithful witness of others.

Day 3: Pray for all the students in the Greater Birmingham area as they start school. Pray they would come to know, grow, and trust in Christ this year. Pray for them to hear the gospel and to grow in deeper relationship with Jesus this year.

Day 4: Pray for the educators and administrators in our Faith Family and at Oliver Elementary School. Ask God to give them wisdom, skill, sensitivity, patience, and endurance as the year starts. Pray that through their ongoing faithfulness, many students would learn and grow to fulfill God’s purposes for them in their generation.

Day 5: Pray for parents and guardians in our Faith Family and at Oliver Elementary School as they lead, encourage, and support their students this year. Pray they would faithfully seek to guide each student toward stronger faith in Christ.

Day 6: Pray for spiritual leaders and mentors in our Faith Family and at Oliver Elementary School. Pray they would not grow weary in doing good and coming alongside young disciples. Ask God to give them wisdom as they navigate challenges unique to kids and adolescents today.

This week we are praying for John and Julie Kirkland serving in Kenya.

Day 1: Pray for John and Julie to continue to serve faithfully together in Kenya and to be able to discern which areas of ministry to engage in among many opportunities. Ask God to provide for their every need: physically, spiritually, and mentally.

Day 2: Ask God to bless their marriage and life in Kenya. Pray for Julie’s family as her stepdad recently entered hospice. Ask God to sustain Julie and bring comfort and peace to her and her family as they walk through this difficult time apart.

Day 3: Ask God to continue to move and work among pastors and churches in Kenya. Ask God to grow healthy churches that have a deep desire to make disciples and plant other healthy churches throughout Africa. Ask God to help pastors walk in holiness and humility as they lead their churches.

Day 4: Ask the Lord for continued resource development and distribution in Swahili throughout Tanzania. Rejoice at what the Lord has been doing in these regards.

Day 5: Pray for fruit from the Proclaim Conference in Tanzania, for pastors to walk and lead faithfully in the gospel. Praise the Lord with us for the 140 church leaders in attendance.

Day 6: Pray for Proclaim Tanzania 2027, the ministry team from Kenya, the host church, the attendees, and the budget needed.