Celebrate Christmas as a Shepherd: Drop everything, come as you are, repent, and be transformed by Christ the King of kings!

Welcome, Praying Pals!

We are so glad you've joined us to pray. As you know, PrayingPals.org offers a way for thousands of Christians worldwide to gather online and pray for prayer requests. In addition to church, it's a great way to get extra prayer. Please share about it with your friends. Take part in our weekly prayer time in three easy-to-apply steps. Yes, it's as simple as 1, 2, 3...

1) Focus on God's Word with the devotional and prayer tip of the week.

2) Pray for all submitted and consolidated prayer requests.

3) Send in your prayer request and/or praise report.

Or simply click here to listen and pray with the radio version of this week's devotional and prayer time with Stacie Ruth. (NW Iowans can tune in each Sunday to KCHE 92.1 FM at around 7:20 AM to listen and pray.) Remember to pray for your pastors. Amen?

Click here to join in the devotional and prayer time with the radio version.

1) Take God's Word for It

a weekly devotional by Stacie Ruth

Celebrate Christmas as a Shepherd:

Drop everything, come as you are, repent, and

be transformed by Christ the King of kings!

Are you ready for Christmas? The world says you need lots of "stuff" to be ready. But we actually need to drop everything and seek the King of kings in order to be ready. (Not marketable, but mesmerizingly true!)

Be like the shepherds who dropped everything to see and worship our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Did they have perfect Christmas clothes? No. Did they even smell good? Likely not. Did they have the perfect gifts for Christ? Nope. But they opened their hearts to the most enormous eternal gift ever: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And they celebrated Christmas in the best way!

Today, are you accidently letting others set your priorities? Have you (or I) been distracted by the artificial Christmas lights when instead we need to focus on the Light of the world?

Or maybe Christmas hurts. I relate to that because of loved ones dying near Christmas. But let me share what has helped me: True Christmas is for the grieving. For the grieving, Christmas bursts forth hope in Christ because He didn't forsake us on a planet that forsook God. Christmas reminds us that Christ came for each of us and He is coming again. Christmas shows Christ coming for all of us who needed a Savior so desperately!

So, even when grief sinks deep, His love reaches there. His comfort comes. It's because Christ answers the core of every human desire. Immanuel: "God with us." Hallelujah!

The beauty of Christmas is Christ —pure & eternal. Oh, His love, His sacrifice...His joy! ❤️ Celebrate CHRISTmas with me as a shepherd this year. Come and abide in Him. Worship Him. Come as you are, receive Him, and He will transform you. Be present in the presence of the King.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (II Cor. 9:15).

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" (I Peter 1:8).

Shared with His love for you,

Stacie Ruth for www.PrayingPals.org

Do you know Jesus personally yet? Now is the time. Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. Click here to learn more.

Prayer Tip of the Week

Celebrate CHRISTmas with me as a shepherd this year. Come and abide in Him. Worship Him. Come as you are, receive Him, and He will transform you. Be present in the presence of the King.

2) Prayer Time:

"Lord God, thank You for hearing us when we pray. Today, we lift up all requests submitted to PrayingPals.org and ask for Your best for each request. Please heal and be with the sick. Help the persecuted. Draw unsaved loved ones to Yourself. Help the widowed and grieving. And be with those who desire Godly spouses or are in challenging marriages. Please provide jobs for the jobless and hope for the hopeless. We also pray for U.S. military members, who protect the innocent and yet are in harm's way, and for their families. We pray for another great awakening in America and beyond. We ask You to draw us all closer to You and ask You to use us as we share about Jesus. We love You and surrender our will to Yours. We love You. We praise You! You are good all of the time! In Jesus' Name, Amen."

3) Share Time:

Share your prayer request at www.PrayingPals.org. If you have a praise report, please send it by e-mail instead at info@prayingpals.org.

Reminder: Be sure to encourage your local pastor and love your neighbors with intentionality.

Special Note to the Depressed and Anxiety-laden:

If you are on the brink of suicide, immediately contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline in the way you prefer: You can text at 741741, call 1-800-273-8255 (en Español:1-888-628-9454), or use the Deaf and Hard of Hearing version at 1-800-799-4889.

For other battles with less acute depression and anxiety, here are other free options which will help you talk, pray, and find a Christian mental health professional in your area:

Schedule a free conversation with Focus on the Family's Counseling Department. Call them at (855) 771-HELP (4357) from 6:00am to 8:00pm (Mountain Time).
Call Hope for the Heart at 1-800-488-HOPE (4673) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-1:30 a.m. CST; Closed weekends. Línea en español 1-855-867-0824.
Utilize this web site to find someone in your region: https://connect.aacc.net/?search_type=distance.

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