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Saturday, March 21, 2020
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Carol Bauer
As you know, my wife, Carol, prepares a monthly prayer alert. I hope you will share Carol's thoughts with your friends and fellow worshipers. Thank you for taking an interest in her monthly devotion. --Gary
This is a time of testing for each of us as individuals and for all of America. How we respond, individually and as a people, will lay the groundwork for the United States our children and grandchildren will inherit. It is my prayer that the coronavirus pandemic will bring out the best in us, uniting us against a common, unseen enemy.
Let us join together in prayer.
Pray for the health care workers who are on the front lines this very moment.
They are our new first responders. To heal, to care for and to comfort is in their DNA. It is why each of them is a part of this critical field. Ask our Heavenly Father to protect them from this illness, ease their stress and relieve their exhaustion. Pray that each would be careful in their interactions with other medical professionals and patients. And, ask that those around them would know how to minister to them in creative and uplifting ways.
Lift up the elderly in prayer to our Lord.
Many of them live in retirement communities, nursing homes or independently, yet alone. No doubt many are anxious as they have lost visits from friends and family members, and as daily schedules are upended. No communal activities, eating alone, and the fear that the virus could quickly spread in a closed setting such as theirs could be a devastating combination.
Pray for these vulnerable citizens. Prompt us to reach out to them through phone calls, cards and notes of encouragement, "virtual visits" through our computers and phones, and even a welcomed wave through the window.
Young families in our midst need our prayers.
Most have been thrust into a new normal of working from home while also parenting their children 24/7. They are stressed by the desire to move their children's education forward in a way that will keep them engaged. Activities have been cancelled so those healthy diversions are no longer available. Pray for these parents to be creative, patient and flexible.
And ask God to give them a balanced perspective as they explain to their youngsters why their daily lives have been turned upside down and favorite activities are no longer an option. Board games, puzzles, charades, card games, online exercise videos, nature walks with the family in the Spring weather, quiet reading … these will help pass the time in a good way.
I'm about to begin a regular reading session to our grandchildren via Facetime to give their parents a break. These can all draw the family closer together. Keep the intergenerational lines of communication open through notes, texts, calls and FaceTime.
And if you are looking inspiration on "Parenting During A Pandemic," I encourage you watch this podcast ([link removed]) featuring Pastor Rodney Anderson and his wife, Sarah. (For those who may not know, Rodney is our son-in-law and Sarah is our youngest daughter.)
Lift up your neighbors in prayer.
Some may have underlying health conditions, others may have suppressed immune conditions, some may be fearful or elderly, and others may be those families with small children struggling with a new norm of family dynamics imposed on them by this unseen enemy. Some may be men and women of faith. Others may not be.
Ask the Lord to lead you as you interact with them. Pray that they would see your strength, hope, creativity and calm. It is as if the coronavirus has brought the mission field right to our street! Pray that our words and actions would be guided by the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)
These are days of fear for the least among us.
Most of us are facing this challenge from our homes in the company of another family member or two with stocked shelves of food, a full refrigerator and many opportunities to link to our families, friends and society at large. Others are not so fortunate – those with no financial cushion, few strong relationships, perhaps no home or place to live.
Please pray for them and look for opportunities to help financially, to provide encouragement and to brighten the spirit. A couple weeks ago, the Bible Study group I host had a baby shower for a crisis pregnancy center in our area. We collected an array of clothing for pregnant women who are choosing life.
These gifts are needed now more than ever. You may have a similar organization – crisis pregnancy center, homeless shelter, etc. – that is close to your heart. Now is the perfect time to walk alongside them.
Please pray for the faith community.
Houses of worship put a premium on fellowship, small groups, Sunday morning services, children's programs, conferences, etc. -- person to person contact is at the heart of the Church. And yet, much of that has come to a screeching halt for the foreseeable future.
For those of us who take a regular part in such gatherings, the lack of these social opportunities feels very strange. And the Easter season is almost upon us! It will be surreal to attend Easter morning services online. And yet, the Church, too, is adapting.
Many are offering online services, daily times of prayer online and other creative ways for the faith body to stay personally connected while being physically apart. Pray that churches and parachurch organizations will be a hotbed of ingenuity and creativity to come up with ways for the faith community to be connected, encouraged and an upbeat example of a faith-filled life in an unsettled world.
Finally, our president, vice president, Congress and the Coronavirus Task Force and all who stand behind them need our frequent and fervent prayers.
We are in uncharted territory, and the role of those individuals has changed dramatically. President Trump has become a wartime president against an unseen virus. Nearly every day he tells us about the efforts to marshal the innovation of the private sector for the public good. And, his leadership to develop legislation and programs to address the crises in the lives of everyday Americans is critically important now! Pray for his good health, wisdom and stamina in the weeks ahead.
We are in this together, and as a country united in this massive undertaking, we will come out stronger! May God bless you.
Here are two ways to stay connected and engaged:
1. Listen to Gary's daily radio commentary on the Bott Radio Network. You can find station listings or listen live online here ([link removed]) .
2. Read my daughter Sarah B. Anderson's 40 Day Lenten Devotional for Kids ([link removed]) .
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