Dear God, thank you for this day. Thank you for my big extended family. I miss Mom and Dad and Greg but still have 7 brothers and sisters, 8 brothers- and sisters-in-law, 24 nieces and nephews, and 20 great nieces and nephews with 2 more expected this year.

I count my blessings.

Lord Jesus, I bring my concerns about families, not just my own, and lay them at your feet.

I pray for families facing the challenges of physical distancing. I heard a story about sandwich parents who had to split up so that one can provide in-home care to a parent while the other stays home with the kids. Friends who want to visit their elderly parents have to make signs and look at them through the window. Grandparents can’t physically be with their beloved grandchildren.

I pray for families facing the challenges of physical closeness. Too much togetherness can be challenging for anyone. We get on each other’s nerves. My introverted niece expressed her frustration yesterday at how hard it is to work from home with three kids constantly interrupting and making noise. She needs peace and quiet and time to recharge her batteries at the end of the day. She could use help to juggle everything she needs to do.

Lord, I pray for those who live alone, especially for those who can no longer go outside the home to interact with other people.

Lord, I pray for dysfunctional families. Even in the best of times, dysfunctional families don’t provide the love, care, and safety that a family should provide. I bring my concerns about those who face physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and lay them at your feet. Hear their cries for help.

Amen

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Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash