A Spontaneous Prayer Meeting for Bloggers

Dear fellow, Christian bloggers:

In 2013, I  hosted seventeen weekly, prayer meetings in this space, and one week, my bloggy bestie Marlece filled in for me. The last two weeks I hosted, readership was incredibly low and no one commented, so without a word, I quit. To my recollection, no one's ever asked me about it. I don't feel badly about quitting (as if I walked away from a calling), but I do feel disappointed that it didn't work, and when I say that I'm not referring to numbers of participants or comments--which, whatever!--but to a spirit of community.

I've made friends in the blogosphere (real friends!), but I don't have the sense that my bloggy friends are friends with one another. Maybe some of them are, but if so, I'm not involved in those friendships. I'm trying to say that I don't feel like an intregal part of a group in the blogosphere, and that makes me feel sad, and sorry.

Do Christian bloggers gather over the Internet to pray? And if so, would someone kindly invite me to those virtual prayer meetings? Because this week's been hard on me, and I feel like my kindred are, at best, scattered (at worst, competitive and divisive). 

I long for us to come together to pray: to stop--for one moment!--directing our words outward and, instead, direct them upward and in one accord. Matthew 18:20 says: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I, in the midst of them" (KJV). I know you believe these words right along with me.

I can't think of a better time to gather and pray. I'm so overwhelmed in my spirit, right now, over the headlines, alone: Israel, Iraq, Syria, Ferguson, the Texas-Mexico border, Michael Brown, John Crawford III, Robin Williams, Ebola. I could keep going and probably should; I've inevitably neglected to list the crisis a precious someone holds most dear.

If you're like me, you feel as though you should be able to speak--if not write!--with intelligence and sensitivity about all of the above people/situations. The pressure feels intense, at times. You don't want to let anyone--the Lord, other people, or yourself!--down.

So I invite you to agree with me in prayer:

Heavenly Father, You have made us so different, and each of us has a special purpose; thank You. We ask You to direct our paths. We pray that You will give us wisdom during this difficult and overwhelming time. Help us to know what to say (or not say), and when. Help us to encourage, not discourage: to help, not hurt. Give us the will to seek Your face continuously; to submit to the leading of Your Spirit; and to work together to fulfill Your purposes. We are so thankful to have You in common and to have gathered in this strange but wonderful way. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for sending Your Son into this broken place to die for us. We know there's nothing we can do to repay You, but give us the desire to draw closer to You all the time so as to better absorb and reflect Your most holy light. In Your name we pray, amen.

Thank you so much for being here with me. Feel free to invite others to come as they will; everyone is welcome! And may God bless and keep each of you during these highly-charged moments.

With love, Brandee