Aimee Joseph

God is quick to catch the sigh of the heart. He hears our silent sighs under the heavy mantle of leadership or parenting. He hears our short sighs of loneliness or exhaustion or choking grief that go unnoticed by others, and he seeks to comfort us. The Spirit is translating those sighs into prayers according to the perfect will of God. May we be comforted to know that our Father hears our slightest sighs as loud cries.

Katherine Walden

He heals the broken-hearted. Psalm 147:3

Everlasting Father, I ask You to go to those whose hearts ache on Your Son’s birthday. They are hurting and lonely. Father, let them know it’s okay to give You the pain, loneliness, and frustration that rests in their hearts. Enable them through Your grace to know You are listening — and that You care. Come to those who grief as the Father of all comfort.

Immanuel, I pray for those who are single and without family nearby. Those who spend much of the holidays alone. Be with them in the lonely hours and help them not feel unseen during this season that places so much emphasis on ‘family.’ Remind them of Your open-ended invitation of adoption into Your eternal family. Give them the grace to allow You to enter their heart’s lonely places. I pray for those who are housebound and infirm and are unable to leave their homes or hospital rooms due to illness. I pray for those with loved ones separated by work and sacrificial duty. Come to them as their beloved friend.

Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, I pray for families who are struggling financially and relationally. I pray for those whose marriages are crumbling. I pray for children who are frightened and neglected. Be with the small ones who sense the worry and frustration that their parents try to hide. Bring Your hope, bring Your peace.

Come as the great Physician; come as deliverer and set free those who are isolated and bound by the chains of addiction and self-destructive behaviour.

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, please swoop into each home, hospital room, homeless shelter, hotel, jail cell, and every place of business that must be open on the holidays – let Your children know they are not alone.
Holy Spirit, please come as the Comforter and let Your gentle healing warmth soothe and bring solace to their aching hearts. I pray this in the name of Jesus — who knows our sorrows and understands our hearts.

©2023 Katherine Walden

Shirley Thiessen

Experiencing grief – for me- is like having my life splayed out in a million shattered pieces. Nothing is like it was. For a long while, I believed that any beauty in my fragmented life was impossible. I was wrong. With God, beauty comes from ashes. Yes, my life is a very different design of intricate, coloured pieces. Never could I have imagined how different the view of my life would be. But,  with God helping me, I choose not to let grief destroy my potential for beauty & purpose.