Tag: praying for others

Mission Ideas

Loving Others: Our Healthcare Workers

Kimmy

Being any type of healthcare worker is hard right now and with the continuing and rising numbers of Covid cases (at least locally) our healthcare professionals are exhausted and worn down and so are their families. I’ve seen it in their social media posts. I’ve read it in article after article. A few of my healthcare friends have even told me directly.

So, How can we love them and serve them well through this time? How can we love their families too?

Here are a few simple ways to love and serve our healthcare friends and their families:

1. Pray for them by name and let them know! Many are feeling isolated and frustrated and a simple text reminding them that they are prayed for, could be the boost that they need as they begin their shift or end out a hard day. What about their spouse? Pray for them too and text and let them know! Thank them for the wonderful job they are doing.

2. Leave a surprise for them! Bake cookies or a yummy treat that you know they will love. Grab a gift card to a fun restaurant or coffee shop and have your kiddos draw them a picture or write them a card. Drop it off at their home or leave it for them at their office, if allowed. A little “sursy” goes a long way to lift spirits and bring a smile.

3. Love and serve their family too. Grab a restaurant gift card big enough to serve their family. Prepare a meal that they can enjoy together. Put together a fun game night box or movie night box for their family to enjoy. Families of our healthcare workers are so loved too!

4. Do your part to stay healthy! If we all do our part, many of our friends in healthcare will feel valued and loved and seen. I’m pretty sure that they don’t want to see us in their ER or their exam room right now, so let’s work hard on our end to not make that happen.

What ideas do you have to say thank you to your healthcare friends and family? How can you share the love of Jesus with some of our favorite people?

Mission Ideas

Praying the ABC’s over our Teachers

Kimmy

This year is going to be so very different. We’ve all been hearing and talking about it and many of us have had to make really hard decisions for this coming year, especially our education friends. Many are learning day to day of the changes that they are having to make to their classrooms and the way they teach. Many are moving from in person teaching to virtual teaching. Many are parents themselves and are having to figure it all out for their children too. So much is being placed upon their shoulders right now and I’m so very thankful for the great work that they are doing!

One of the most important thing that we can do for our teachers and administrators this upcoming year is to pray for them. A simple way that we can pray for them is praying straight thought the alphabet, a tool many of them use in their classrooms daily! As you pray, let each letter and word guide your prayers for them. You could pray each of the letters each day over your child’s teacher or take a letter a day or week, whatever pace you want to take. But the most important thing is that we are intentional with our prayers for those in education this year! And maybe even more important and special, would be to actually let them know that you are praying for them.

Regardless of the decision that we each make for school this year, we all have friends and family who will walk into our schools daily or teach from their computer. Let’s be faithful to pray for them, encourage and cheer them on!

Praying the ABC’s :

Ability to adapt

Boldness

Confidence

Discernment

Enthusiasm

Family

Gladness

Health

Insecurities

Joy

Kindness

Love

Money

New ideas

Obstacles

Perseverance

Quality

Refreshment

Strength

Technology

Unity

Victory

Weariness

Xcellence

Yay (ability to celebrate!)

Zealous – to be the best teacher they can be!

What words would you add to this list or change out?

For a fun printable that you can print at home and hang up to remind you throughout this school year to pray for teachers, download here!

On Mission

Living “On Mission” for the Unborn

Kimmy

I recently asked my friend, Anna, to share her heart on how we can respond and live “On Mission” around the topic of abortion. I have to admit, she wrote this directly to me. I’m the “ostrich mom” that just wants to “pretend” it isn’t happening, but it is… sadly.

If abortion is a hard topic for you, I encourage you to read this, seek Godly council, and pray about how you can respond. If you have chosen abortion in your past, please know that you are loved and welcome here.

“I don’t wanna look! I cannot do it! My poor baby.” I have literally cried out these words at each of my 3 babies’ well check-up appointments as shots and immunizations are administered. I hide my face in my hands as an ostrich hides his face in the sand. I mean, if I cannot see it, it is not really happening, right? And, if I don’t see it, the pain of my heart will be spared. That sounds fair, right?

Wrong.

I never knew, in my “pre-kiddo” life, the heartstrings that would be tugged as I read stories of loss and death, especially with babies and young kids. After all, after you become a parent, you essentially see your babies’ faces in all the suffering babies around you. However, as their parents, we choose to advocate for our “babies” in every way because we know that they cannot speak up for themselves. This is why my family has felt such a tug recently to “speak up” for the most defenseless of all, the unborn children in America and in our world.

As Psalm 139 hangs on walls throughout Christian homes, are we really believing each person is “knit together in the womb”, if we cannot find the time to educate ourselves and take a stand to what is going on in abortion centers across America?

The videos and images are hard that are coming across our social media platforms these days. Recently, a former abortion doctor spoke about his previous work in an abortion center and how the baby is literally “ripped” in pieces from the mother’s womb and then put back together to ensure they got every body part. As hard as that was for my ears to hear and eyes to see, I forced myself to bear through it and become familiar with the reality of what is happening every 90 seconds in our country as babies are being torn apart.

So what can we do?

1. Watch the Videos & Read the Books.

Go see the recent movie, “Unplanned,” but be prepared to leave with a broken heart. But use that broken heart for good! Let those tears shed take action for the tears that are silently falling every day in wombs across the world.

My husband and I went to see Unplanned this past weekend.

2. Be informed! 

As easy as it is to say, “Oh, I cannot bear to watch those,” it cannot keep us from doing so! I’ve included resources below to help you start learning.

3. Get involved in your local Pregnancy Center.

Donate your time, finances and prayer to the ones who are “fighting the good fight” each day for the speechless and helping those mothers who feel utterly lost. These centers are providing help and resources for those who may feel as if abortion is the only option. We are so blessed to have the Carolina Pregnancy Center right here in SC.

4. Celebrate our Littles in life and on social media.

I am having to preach this one to myself on this one because I love a funny mom meme where the laughter can be heard from suburbs around. Sometimes as we consider the dreadful body changes, rigorous nighttime rituals, and potty training techniques that are “endured” through Motherhood they can either make us laugh or cry or laugh until we cry. But maybe when we post the stresses and the hard, that sweet mama begins to panic and think, “I don’t want to be a mom, not if I have to endure that!” May we celebrate the “blessings from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3) that these little ones are, and may we not be those who give the report that make others’ “hearts melt” (Deut. 1:28) at the thoughts of carrying/raising a child.

5. Pray!

We live in South Carolina where there are currently 2 abortion centers. Go to the buildings and pray, but if you cannot, pray where you are. Pray for sweet mamas who are making hard decisions. Pray for doctors and nurses. Pray for families to step up and support these mamas. Just pray! May the Lord hear the cries of our hearts as we know He is hearing the “innocent blood crying from the ground.” Genesis 4:10

As “On Mission Moms,” I pray that our hearts would come together to keep the hearts of little ones beating until the Lord chooses to call them home.

Here are just a few resources that my family recommends:

Unplanned by Abby Johnson. There is a book and movie which just released.

If The Walls Could Talk by Abby Johnson

Live Action Ministries (subscribe to their YouTube Channel)

The Carolina Pregnancy Center, Spartanburg

Ex-abortion Doctor Interview, https://youtu.be/A16gzm9eaa8

Mission Ideas

Germany: Praying and Eating

Kimmy

When I think of Germany, I quickly think of yummy food like chocolate and schnitzel and chocolate and bratwurtz and chocolate…

But I also think of a sweet friend that I met while living in New Orleans many years ago. She now lives in Germany and serves the Lord with her fun family.

I asked Amy to join us and share a little of her world with us, as we lead our little ones to pray for that beautiful country and enjoy all that Germany has to offer!

1. Introduce your family, what you’re doing, where you are, etc.

Hallo, Guten Tag!

We are the Jones Family and this month we are celebrating the completion of our first year in Leipzig Germany! I’m Amy and, along with my husband Casey and our girls Evelyn and Claire, we are getting to know the people, churches, and many joys of living in this part of eastern Germany. Claire was only 7 months old when we arrived in the snow last year – so much has changed! After years of service in churches in America, we are so grateful to plant our lives here to support local German-speaking churches as they call up new believers and new leaders, to start new congregations.

2. How can we pray for you specifically and for your people/city/country?

Thirty years ago, in a state church (Lutheran) near the University of Leipzig, Monday evening prayer services turned into vigils for freedom, which led to protests, which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in October of 1989. However, the wall that separates humans from the creator God is largely accepted or ignored. While this is one of the most family friendly cities in a country that loves children, it is also one of the highest concentrations of Atheism in the world. Luther, Bach, and Mendelssohn all expressed great faith in Christ in this city, but there is great need for a spiritual awakening among everyday people here. We need to continue to learn German better so that we can communicate the power of redemption through Christ more clearly. We are still in transition between full-time language school and slowly learning where God has prepared a ministry for us. There is still a huge learning curve ahead of us, so pray that we do not fool ourselves in to thinking we have to figure everything out, but to boldly cling to his mercy and wisdom through it all!

3. What’s one way that you serve and live on Mission with your kiddos where you are?

I have been going to mommy-baby/kid groups around Leipzig to learn “mommy-German”. It’s been great to get to know local churches and other communities. Those connections are leading into spiritual conversations and other opportunities to share the gospel and build partnerships in the gospel. Right now some friends and I are planning in a mommy group that I now host which, in part, will have a time to craft bedtime stories, somewhat in the style of Sally Lloyd-Jones,’ Jesus Storybook Bible, to build biblical literacy among the women and children I know.

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4. Any other foods that are popular where you are.

German food is actually a lot like American food, so if you think of “meat and potatoes” type food, you’re probably thinking German food! Potato pancakes are popular lunch thing, pork Schnitzel, french fries ( Pommes), and Frikadillen (kind of a meatloaf hamburger), and of course pastries and breads for days! At the same times, globalism and alternative lifestyles are quite accepted here, so vegan and gluten-free food are available. There’s so much to choose from.

At 10am mothers and kids have “Obstpause” which is morning snacks of all kinds of sliced up fruit. Sometimes, they also serve a cake with fruit in it, like plum cake. At 3-4pm we have “Kaffee und Kuchen”, coffee and cake. That is when Germans indulge their sweet-tooth with a home or bakery made treat. I love the Quarktasche, which is kind of like a less-sweet, fluffy creamcheese danish.

Amy was so gracious to send over a yummy dessert recipe. As you prepare this, would you take time to pray for Amy and her family as they live and serve there? Pray for their language learning to continue to grow so that they can share truth with their friends and neighbors. Please also pray that many would come to faith in Christ and for the church to continue to grow and disciple new followers of Jesus well.

Plum Cake

(Recipe provided by Amy)

Ingredients:

  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup sunflower oil (I use canola oil)
  • 2 lbs prune plums, pitted, quartered
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cold butter

Instructions:

– Serves 10 –

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Into a large mixing bowl, mix 2⅓ cups flour, baking powder, ⅓ cup sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt.

Add yogurt, milk, and oil and using dough hook or wooden spoon, mix for a minute or so until dough holds together.

Press dough into a greased 9″ x 13″ pan or divide dough into two if using 9″ springform pans.

Place plum quarters in rows on top of dough.

Mix together the 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup butter to make the streusel dough. Crumble over top.

Bake at 350° F for about 50 – 60 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Let cool and serve.

Since this is a yummy desert, you could invite another mama over for an afternoon “Kaffee und Kuchen” time like Amy mentioned above and spend time praying for Germany together with your littles! Who doesn’t love a little afternoon pick-me-up!?

Be sure to share pics of your yummy plum cake and afternoon time together praying over on Instagram.

For more German recipes and ideas, check out Pinterest !

On Mission

Pray & Play

Kimmy

Our first Pray & Play was so very fun and simple – pray then play!

While the weather didn’t quite cooperate with us, we just went with Plan B and “prayer walked inside”. Our town has the coolest lightbulb sculptures all over the downtown area, so for our prayer time, we “found” pics of the lightbulbs hidden all throughout the play area and paused for a moment to pray at each picture. Each mama was given prayer points to guide their prayers and to remind us of different ways we could pray for our city. Plan A was to find the real lightbulbs outside and enjoy prayer walking outside – oh South Carolina weather…

Then we had a little snack time and enjoyed playing together!

And while it was “simple” and fun, I also believe that it is very important and foundational to raising little ones to love Jesus and love others. Our littles learn to pray for and love their community when they see us as mamas (and daddy’s) praying and loving our community and that starts at any age!

How are you praying for your community? Are you leading your little ones to pray for your community? For your mayor, for your city council? For the helping agencies and the homeless? For the college students and the international students? For the churches and the pastors? So much we can pray for!

If you are local, I hope that you will join us at our next Pray & Play. If you’re not, why not start your own group? Find a great park or local area to prayerwalk, invite a few friends to join you, and have fun with your littles!