As a teacher in Houston, Texas, I wasn’t thrilled when school was cancelled this morning. You see, I teach in a high-risk area where kids go to class to avoid their unstable homes. And when I say unstable, I mean emotionally and physically, so a hurricane on the literal horizon does not bode well.
As we settle in, waiting for this storm to pass, we could really use your prayer in a lot of places. Not sure how or what to pray? I’ve got a few starting places for you.
1. Pray for peace. There’s a lot of panic happening as tensions and fear rise. Where there is panic, fewer people make wise and careful decisions on how to be safe.
2. Pray for the flooding. Houston is known for the way our city fills with water after a quick afternoon thunderstorm. I can’t even imagine five days of torrential downpours. Pray that the waters will move and the city can dry out quickly.
3. Pray for our homeless population. Big cities come with large homeless populations, and those are often the people most harshly affected. Pray for shelters to have spaces and people to have open hearts to share food, water and safe spaces.
4. Pray for long-term solutions. It’s so easy to have quick responses to national disasters, but the news moves on and so does the help—long before the city has recovered. Pray for help as long as it’s needed, while builders repair damage and people move back into their homes. Pray that those who want to help won’t be easily distracted and the world won’t pass us by.
5. Pray for resilience. Many people depend on day-to-day work for paychecks. Many of the families I work with don’t have a steady income and can’t go back to work even one or two days after a storm. Five days of rain means many families are without their normal paychecks and that can wreak havoc on their lives.
Prayer has changed a storm before, and I have faith the Lord can do it again. {eoa}
Sally Justice is a high school Spanish teacher in Houston, Texas. She likes queso and humans and wants to make the world a better place.
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