Weekly Prayer Requests - July 5, 2009

A few days early, here are this next week's prayer requests for leaders, as we prepare to celebrate the 233rd birthday of our nation!

U.S. Executive Branch Officials

• For the President and his staff as they navigate the difficult policy questions posed by the efforts to reform healthcare.
• For wise decisions for the Departments of Defense and State in dealing with foreign threats.
• Praise the President and his family are regularly worshiping at the Chapel at Camp David. Pray for the pastor, Lt. Carey Cash.
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of Transportation, which is tasked with developing the nation’s roads and coordinating safety for travel by air and sea . Pray for the 55,000 employees of the Department and its Secretary, Ray LaHood.

U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the House as they return on Tuesday and consider a number of appropriations bills, plus authorization for the nation’s intelligence agencies.
• For members of the Senate as they deal with more appropriations bills this week.
• For members of Congress and their staffs as the next four weeks constitute some of the most intense of the year in Washington. Items pending that leadership wants to consider before the August recess include energy legislation, healthcare reform legislation, and preparing for hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Pray for wisdom and endurance.

State Government Officials

• For the Governor and his counsel as they consider the nine names submitted by the JNC for the vacancy on the Georgia Supreme Court.
• For the continued recovery of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle from back surgery.
• For the reorganization of a number of human services departments in state government.
• For the Department of Audits, which double-checks state agencies and their spending. Pray for its employees, and the State Auditor, Russ Hinton.

National Requests

• For the state of California, which was forced to begin issuing IOUs this week because of lack of revenue. Pray for the Governor and legislature to reach a solution quickly.
• Praise that apparently no one was injured in the partial collapse of a parking deck in Midtown Atlanta this week.

Thought for the Week

“Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.” - Richard Armour

Weekly Prayer Requests - June 28, 2009

Here are this week's prayer requests for our national leaders:

U.S. Executive Branch Officials

• For the President and his staff as they prepare for an intensive time of negotiation on healthcare reform legislation.
• For wise decisions as North Korea continues its threats to cause another incident over the July Fourth holiday.
• For the First Lady and her many responsibilities.
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of State, which is tasked with developing the implementing the nation’s foreign policy. The U.S. has diplomatic relations with approximately 180 countries. Pray for the 30,000 employees of the Department and its Secretary, Hillary Clinton.

U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the House and Senate as they are on the traditional July Fourth recess. Both chambers will return next Monday, on July 6, and begin a very busy few weeks of legislating as they make the final push toward the August recess.
• For the staff of the Architect of the Capitol’s offices. The Architect and his staff maintain the facilities of Congress and will often try to perform maintenance during times of Congressional recess like this week.
• For rest for D.C. staff of members of Congress as they prepare for the busy July leading up to the August recess.

State Government Officials

• For the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Commission, which meets to interview potential nominees to the vacant Georgia Supreme Court position tomorrow and Tuesday.
• For the family of state Rep. Howard Maxwell, whose two-year-old grandson passed away this week.
• For the Department of Natural Resources, which manages state resources and wildlife. Pray for its employees, the budgetary impact of cutbacks, and its newly-appointed Commissioner, Chris Clark.

National Requests

• For the family of Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, a professing Christian who confessed to an affair this week.
• For so many people in our country who worship celebrity. This is brought into focus with the passing of Michael Jackson this week.
• For the continued recovery of those injured, and the investigation into the crash of the DC Metro train.

Thought for the Week

“Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Weekly Prayer Requests

These are the weekly requests for June 21, 2009:

U.S. Executive Branch Officials

• For the President as he continues to lead the nation in discussions on issues such as his Friday town hall meeting on the importance of fatherhood.
• For wise decisions on the part of State Department officials and the President as they deal with the challenges of the Iranian elections and continued protests.
• For scheduling so the First Family can spend time together.
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of Labor, which is tasked with job training, preventing employment discrimination, and enforcing federal job protections. Pray for its 15,000 employees and its Secretary, Hilda Solis.

U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the House as they continue considering appropriations bills, this week for the Department of Homeland Security and Interior, and Defense Authorization legislation.
• For members of the Senate as they hold continued hearings on health care reform legislation and deal with the impeachment trial of a federal judge.
• For the staff of the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan panel of experienced policy experts that provide research and information to members of Congress. Pray for wisdom and that they would give wise counsel to those relying on their research.

State Government Officials

• For Judge Beverly Martin, a federal court judge in the Northern District of Georgia, who was nominated to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday.
• For the family of Rep. Jerry Keen, the State House Majority Leader, whose mother passed away this last week.
• For the Department of Community Health, which oversees the Georgia Medicaid program and assists in reaching needy populations with health services. Pray for its employees and Commissioner Dr. Rhonda Meadows.

National Requests

• For the continued recovery for our national economy, especially those who are searching for jobs.
• For safety for the people of Iran. The protests have continued in spite of statements by the Ayatollah, and many fear that the militia will crack down soon.

Thought for the Week

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” - Abraham Lincoln

Weekly Prayer Requests

Here are this week's prayer requests.

U.S. Executive Branch Officials

• For the President as he completes his overseas trip and returns to the U.S. He continued his efforts in the Middle East.
  
• For the President’s staff as the work on health care reform legislation begins in earnest. The goal is to have a bill passed by the beginning of August.
  
• For the President’s relationship with his wife to stay strong.
  
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of the Interior, which is tasked with protecting America’s natural resources, including research, conservation, and serving native communities. Pray for the more than 70,000 employees and its Secretary, Ken Salazar.
  

 U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the House as they finish consideration of the War Supplemental appropriations bill for funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  
• For members of the Senate as they deal with a variety of legislation this week, but continue their focus on the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Her committee questionnaire was filed this week.
  
• For the Legislative Assistants for members of Congress and Senators. “LAs” have responsibility for review of policy in particular areas. Members of Congress have   2-3, and Senators have 5-10. Pray for them to give wise counsel.
  

State Government Officials

• For wisdom for continued cuts to state agency budgets. All agencies found out this week they have to reduce their June budgets by 25% to ensure the overall state budget remains balanced.
  
• For the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Commission, a group of lawyers who must interview the 47 applicants who have been nominated for the vacant seat on the Georgia Supreme Court.
  
• For the Insurance Commissioner, John Oxendine, whose department regulates all insurance companies in the state. 

National Requests

• For the wife, children, and grandchildren of Dr. George Tiller, killed last Sunday. Pray also for the pro-life cause.
  
• For the continued search for the wreckage of Air France Flight 447, and safety for those involved in the search on the high seas.
  

Thought for the Week

“Do not waste time bothering whether you "love" your neighbor; act as if you did.” - C.S. Lewis

 

 

Weekly Prayer Requests

This week's prayer requests are below.  After the preparation of these requests last night, news broke that former Congressman and Vice Presidential nominee Jack Kemp had died.  Please be in prayer for his family and former members of his staff during this difficult time.

 U.S. Executive Branch Officials

• For the President as he has completed his first 100 days in office and now must select a new Supreme Court Justice to replace Justice David Souter, who announced his retirement Friday.
  
• For the President’s advisors as they work to set priorities. The President announced that the Freedom of Choice Act was not a priority for his administration.
  
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of Health and Human Services, which is tasked with protecting the health of Americans and administering Medicare. Pray for the more than 65,000 employees and its newly-confirmed Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius.
  

 U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the Senate as they consider legislation addressing the mortgage crisis.
  
• For members of the House as they also consider legislation addressing the housing crisis and predatory lending.
  
• For the staff of Senate Judiciary Committee as they deal with the uncertainty of adjusting to the new leadership on the minority side after Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties.
  
• For the  Senate as it prepares to consider nominees for the Supreme Court sent by President Obama.  Nominees could include Georgia Chief Justice Leah Sears, and Solicitor General Elena Kagan.
  

 State Government Officials

• For the continued recovery of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle after his surgery on Monday of last week.
  
• For public health officials as they continue to address the potential H1N1 flu crisis in the state of Georgia.  There is only one confirmed case in Georgia so far.
  
• For Governor Perdue and his staff as they continue to determine which bills to sign and veto within the 40-day window after the adjournment of the legislative session on April 3.  The Governor has already signed a number of bills, but has many more to consider.
  

National Requests

• For the continued flu crisis and prevention of the further spread of the H1N1 flu.
  
• For the release of bank “stress tests” conducted by the U.S. Treasury and the market impact this week.
  

Thought for the Week

 “Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.”  
--H.L. Mencken

Lt. Governor Cagle

Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle announced today he was dropping out of the race for Governor due to a degenerative spinal condition.  Although the condition can be corrected with surgery, the Lt. Governor decided it would be too challenging to run for Governor and continue that process.  The Lt. Governor was the decided frontrunner in the race prior to his announcement this afternoon.

Here are some prayer requests for the Lt. Governor during this time:

• Pray for his physical healing, and that the surgery would completely correct his condition.
• Pray for his wife and children as they watch their husband and father go through a difficult recovery process.
• Pray for his staff as they must now transition roles with the change in the Lt. Governor's goals.
• Pray for wisdom for his advisers as they determine what needs to be done to wind down the gubernatorial campaign.
• Pray for the candidates that may consider getting into the race now, that they would be wise and make the right decision.

The Lt. Governor is facing an incredibly challenging time following what must have been a nearly impossible position as the frontrunner.  Let's continue to hold up our government leaders in their times of need.

Weekly Prayer Requests

A little late posting this week’s requests – sorry about that!  Here they are:

U.S. Executive Branch Officials

•  For great wisdom for President Obama and his staff as they focus on the nation’s healthcare system after the summit at the White House last week on healthcare.
  
• For the First Lady, Malia, and Sasha as they continue to adjust to life in the White House. The First Daughters have a new swing set on the South Lawn.
  
• Cabinet Spotlight: The Department of Defense’s mission is to provide the military forces needed for our nation. Pray for the more than 2.4 million active duty and reserve soldiers and National Guard, DOD’s 700,000 civilian personnel, and its Secretary, Robert Gates.
  

U.S. Legislative Branch Officials

• For members of the Senate, as they continue to deal with the bill to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year. Leaders are a few votes short and had to delay a planned vote from last week. Funding for the federal government runs out on Tuesday absent further action.
  
• For members of the House, as they consider the updated Water Quality infrastructure legislation, possibly legislation giving DC a voting member of Congress, and consideration of any budget legislation passed by the Senate.
  
• For endurance for Congressional staffers as this year’s session has stretched into the weekend several times already.
  

 State Government Officials

• For members of the state House and Senate as the session continues. This week will be incredibly busy due to the deadline for bills to pass out of one house or the other by Thursday. Tuesday is day 28 of the 40-day session.
  
• For the continued budget shortfalls, as state revenue fell 35% last month over a year prior. Legislators are facing cuts no prior legislature has had to face.
  
• For the pressures of session on the spouses and families of legislators as the session increases in intensity as it nears its conclusion.
  

 National Requests

•  For the continued security of our nation in the face of growing global threats.
  

 Thought for the Week

 “A politicized faith not only blurs our priorities, but weakens our loyalties. Our primary citizenship is not on earth but in heaven. . . . Though few evangelicals would deny this truth in theory, the language of our spiritual citizenship frequently gets wrapped in the red, white, and blue. Rather than acting as resident aliens of a heavenly kingdom, too often we sound like resident apologists for a Christian America.” - John Seel.