Have you been finding that your prayers are increasingly stirred to cry out to God for help and mercy?! These last three months have been full of violently expressed and out of control anger! It is hard to watch and read the daily news! People resisting the police, burning businesses, destroying properties, even deliberate arson creating devastating forest fires! We ask ourselves; “When is this going to end?”. Deep wounds have been inflicted. Harsh words have been said. Things are worse, not better, in many ways. What should we be praying as we look at our country’s present condition? We know that this upcoming election offers the possibility of law abiding stability or continued rioting and chaos disaster. We need to pray for forgiveness to abound and for the healing of our land. Back in 2006, I traveled to Kenya to teach a conference, and I literally watched the Masai tribe and the Kykuyu go from rioting and the death of over 150 people, to an awareness of their sins and then seeking of each others forgiveness!! They sat down and promised each other they would do no more killing!! Each person prayed for forgiveness in their hearts and then…the healing came back to the land! The Lord allowed me to literally watch this happen!! Let’s pray that the Lord is allowed to do the same thing here! Start with where you live! Reach out and unite with those who agree to end this turmoil! Follow the example of Jesus as He prayed, “Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.” Pray for people to use their vote to elect those who will end this conflict and reach out in reconciliation! We continue to seek His will through our prayers and through our voting.