As people of faith, we join together in offering our joys and concerns to God. Some things to pray about this week:
The challenges of finals week. We pray for students who are preparing and taking finals. May they gather all the things they have learned in classes this semester and reflect them in the exams, projects and papers that will determine their grades. May students have calm and focus as they prepare, and confidence as they take exams. May the faculty and teaching assistants who grade their work be fair. May those who are overwhelmed find peace. May we all rejoice when the exams, assignments, papers and projects are finished.
The joys of semester break. We pray in thankfulness for a time away. May those who travel be safe in their journeys. May family member find joy in time together, and find the courage to heal any difficulties that divide them. May we find rest in a change of activity, and refreshment in a time away from our usual tasks.
Christians celebrating Christmas. We pray that celebrations of the birth of Jesus may honor God’s presence in the world and our lives. May those who follow Jesus show grace and love and forgiveness and welcome to all. May gifts and parties and legends not distract us from the amazing story of God coming to be with humanity.
The Penn State community. We continue to pray for all who are part of the Penn State community. May we support and care for survivors of abuse. May we find ways to move forward with honesty and openness. May we remember that Penn State is a place where students come to study and grow into honorable young adults, and faculty and staff are devoted to helping them do just that. May all within the Penn State community find the courage to behave with integrity and compassion in the face of difficult circumstances.
We welcome your prayer suggestions and requests. lutheran@psu.edu