Festive Praise

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair (Isaiah 61:3a NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Focusing on what we lack produces emotions of sadness and despair, but focusing on who is with us more than what is before us, transforms uncomfortable emotions into joyous celebrations and festive praise even as we navigate the difficult.

Pray today:

• For believers who gather for Sunday services today, for genuine worship in the presence of the Lord, for praise to rise from the consuming passion in our hearts to love and serve the Lord.
• For chapel services on campus to always point to Jesus, for festive praise to saturate our worship, for stimulating messages that call us to God's Word, for sincere prayer and communication in the Holy Spirit to relieve our stress and replace it with joyous blessing.
• For the College's spiritual life leadership team, for them to have wisdom, for discernment and knowledge in the Holy Spirit to guide every decision, for their plans to be the plans of God, for praying first to become their automatic response. 

Pray First in every circumstance, challenge, and choice. Always Pray First!