prayer for shelter for my family

by christine
(Aurora, IL, USA)

Lord, we are nothing without your help. By this morning, we may not have a home, no place to go and only $10 in my pocket. Please help my girls and me to have shelter, a stable life, and hope. This load is too hard to carry Lord, please, please help.

Administrator's Comments and Prayer for Shelter:

Christine,

I read this and find myself at a loss for words. My heart goes out to you. There are, of course, no easy answers. I will hold you in my heart this day.

I am reminded of a prayer in Joyce Rupp's book Praying Our Goodbyes: A Spiritual Companion Through Life's Losses and Sorrows called Prayer for One Seeking Shelter in the Storms of Life. She uses the Gospel story where the disciples are in a boat on a stormy lake, and Jesus is asleep in the boat (Matt. 8:23-27). She invites the reader to visualize him or herself in the story and reflect on the following questions.

• What would it be like to be in a boat on a stormy lake with Jesus sleeping?


• What would you say to him when you woke him?


• Can you tell him how you feel?


• What do you desire from him in your own current storm?

She ends with a closing prayer. I'll adapt the last paragraph as a prayer for you and your family today.

Comforting God who goes with us in the storm,

We beg you to look after Christine and her family today and in the days and weeks to come. Be their shelter in this storm in their lives. Guard them like the pupil of your eye; hide them in the shadow of your wings, for they belong to you. They seek shelter in the world and in you. You are their hope. You will be their strength.

They will rest in you and trust that you will be with them no matter how great or how long or how intense this storm is. You are the source of their hope. You are their strong support and safety. Your arms are around them and you will shelter them.

Hear the cry of their heart this day.

Amen