Monday, April 25, 2011

TIME FOR PRAYER VIGIL IS NOW

This is going to be a short post, but I pray one that hits you right between the eyes and into your heart. You see, I'm way past the heart broken stage,,,,my heart is bursting.  Last night we received word of the death of Staff Sgt. James Justice of Grimes.    Justice was killed by enemy small arms fire during combat operations on Saturday, April 23, in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan at approximately 10 a.m., local Afghanistan time.  Wounded in the attack was Spc. Zachary Durham, 21, of Des Moines, Iowa.  Both Soldiers were assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa.

That makes three Iowa National Guard soldiers we have lost in the last ten days.  We've also had countless wounded.  And....I most certainly do not want to forget  Spc. Shawn Muhr of Coon Rapids, Iowa who was the first soldier killed after the Iowa troops deployed to Afghanistan in October.  Spc. Muhr was "active", not a National Guardsman, but he was part of the family, just as well!!

BECAUSE PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING

There remains somewhere in the neighborhood of two months left for our guard troops to maintain their mission objective in Afghanistan.  Two months doesn't sound like much, but when you break it down into days....it sure is.  60 days....that's alot. 

What is tugging at my heart today is the need for a prayer vigil.  Why you say?

BECAUSE PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING......

I'm not sure how a prayer vigil can be put into action.  I've never done one before, but I know people, you know people who know other people........  We need to do this, not only for our soldiers but the families of Spc. Muhr, Spc. Maher, Spc. Nichols and Staff Sgt. Justice. God is at work today searching for "hearts that want to work for him".  If you've wondered before how you can serve the kingdom, here is an opportunity.  I can be reached at john.kelling@mchsi.com or you can call me at 515-238-5165

YGG,

John

4 comments:

  1. Our hearts pour out to those troops that have lost their life! May God Bless and maintain a watch over their families, friends and fellow soldiers! 60 days is a long time, in a split second, our lives can change! Worshiping God and committing to prayer is our salvation!

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  2. Amen to that. This is a start y'all. Can you see hundreds, thousands coming together to PRAY for the safety of our soldiers? The ball is starting to roll........

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  3. Perhaps a 24 hour prayer schedule for the next 60 days would be a place to start. People could sign up for blocks of time and pray. Perhaps you could set up a schedule and people could elect time frames and remain anonymous if so desired. Maybe a date, time and place could be established for people to gather and pray together at intervals throughout the next 60 days. Just some suggestions.

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  4. Those are excellent ideas....things are beginning to move...Thank You Lord. I like the prayer schedule. Now to find someone with a computer background that can help us. Lord? There are reports of a candlelight prayer vigil in the Waterloo area tonight. I'll send out details once, I hear more!!!

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